Page 78 of Bratva and Betrayal: Kirill

“All the more reason to let her shine.” De la Vega’s fingers tapped his armrest. “Give her a chance to find her wings. You think because your father runs this city you can take whatever you want.”

I know I can.

My patience thinned, but I kept my expression calm. “She loves me.”

“She’s infatuated with you,” he scoffed. “You’re dangerous, violent, unstable⁠—”

“You forgot wealthy.”

“I know exactly what you are, Kirill.” His eyes flashed with arrogance. “I’ve seen the money thrown at your disasters. Assault charges. Speeding tickets. Bribes. Gambling debts. Do you think I would ever let my daughter tie herself to a man like you?”

“That was before.”

“What about Tamara?” He leaned forward. “Your father has an offshore fund I’ve been managing specifically for your wedding. Does my daughter know about your weekend fling with Tamara in Belize last year?”

I exhaled slowly through my nose. That wedding was never going to happen. And that weekend was a mistake.

“I didn’t want our conversation to go this way. Now I have to play dirty.” I reached inside my jacket and placed the sonogram photo onto the table in front of him. “Sandrine is already mine in every way that matters.”

De la Vega’s eyes widened, picking it up. Everything in his world just changed. His face drained of all its color.

“What is this?” he groused, violent fury quickly rushing into his eyes.

“You know what it is.”

His hand clenched around the paper hard enough to wrinkle it. “Where is she?”

“She’s safe.”

“Where is my daughter?”

I stood slowly this time, buttoning my jacket while his breathing stalled. “In my penthouse. The one with guards. She’s painting. She’s happy. And she’s having my child.”

“You’re lying. There’s no way she could ever be happy with a man like you.”

“You don’t know your daughter at all.” I tilted my head slightly. “You don’t even know she’s pregnant with my child. You think I’m a terrible man. You’re a terrible fucking father.”

“Watch your mouth, you little prick.” The violence in this man’s voice suggested he wanted to kill me.

Two of my guards immediately came up behind my chair and two more behind his.

De la Vega glanced at them and leaned back.

“Don’t ever think that because my father trusts you with the Bratva’s money, you have the right to speak to me like that.” My voice dropped lower. Colder. “I am going to be Pakhan when he dies.”

The truth said out loud sounded more ominous than inside my head. Everyone who worked at Mid-West Iron knew who the Volkovs really were.

“Your father will never let you marry my daughter,” De la Vega tried one more tactic.

“I’m marrying her whether you like it or not. Whether my father likes it or not,” I said finally and grabbed the sonogram photo. “After tomorrow, your daughter will have my name. And so will all your grandchildren.”

Chapter 24

Sandrine

Back in my bedroom at Iron Keep, I shut the door behind me, my heart pounding.

My hands drift to my stomach without thinking, my palms pressing lightly against the soft curve there. Lourdes’s comment that she noticed I had more of a belly knocks me sideways.