Page 155 of Tempting My Mafia Monster

“So what happens now?” Raffaele asked, his eyes flicking between all the men in the room.

Aleksandr remained seated, one ankle resting on the opposite knee as smoke curled from the cigar dangling from his fingers.

“McKenna is yours,” he said, his blue eyes finding mine before he focused on Alessio. “I’ve fulfilled my side of the alliance. Now, it’s your turn.”

“Soraya isn’t marryin’ you,” I snapped, pulling her behind me.

If he wanted her, he’d have to get through me. Her nails bit into my bicep in warning, but I didn’t care who this man was, what he wanted, or how many soldiers stood at his back. He wasn’t taking her.

He stared at me for a long moment with the knowing look of a predator who always gets what he wants, recognising another.

“My father’s condition hasn’t changed,” Aleksandr said, glancing at Raya and me. “He expects me to return to Moscow with a bride.” His eyes flicked back to Alessio, any warmth bleeding out of them. “You gave your word. You signed an alliance. If you choose to break it, the Pakhan will consider it a declaration of war. One thing you should have learned today is that we do not wage war to send warnings. We wage war to end bloodlines.”

Alessio’s jaw tightened. “We are fully aware of the cost of war. But if Raya is no longer willing, you should know that wars bring bloodshed to both sides.”

Raya swallowed, gripping my arm harder. My jaw clenched.

“You’d want to marry a woman who is clearly in love with another man?” Santino growled, his voice laced with disgust.

Aleksandr’s eyes slid past me to Raya. Every muscle in my body turned to stone, ready to fight. A low, primal growl erupted from my chest as my protectiveness flared. It said what I didn’t need to.

Take your eyes off her.

His eyes returned to me, calm and unbothered by the threat, as though he hadn’t just come a breath away from losing them from their sockets.

“No,” he answered with certainty. “I will not share my wife. Any part of her.”

This asshole. As if I’d share her with him.

“You all seem to have forgotten that it was you who came to us. You told the Pakhan you had a Buccini princess who was single and suitable for a marriage alliance. But… it’s become quite clear…” He looked down at my hand, fisting Raya’s dress at her hip. “…that isn’t the case.”

He rose to his feet, fastening the button on his suit jacket before straightening one of his silver cufflinks. Then the other. His thumb rotated it a fraction again until it sat perfectly level with the other.

“I have no interest in forcing a woman whose loyalties already lie elsewhere. That will only cause me problems, not solutions.”

Yes. Me. I’m the problem, motherfucker.

Raya moved to my side, her lips parted. “You’d… release me from the agreement?”

“No.” His attention shifted towards Alessio. “The contract never named Soraya Buccini. Only a Buccini bride.”

Alessio went very still. The room and everyone in it seemed to hold their breath. We all followed Aleksandr’s gaze as it swept around the room and settled on one woman. A pair of wide green eyes stared up at him for a heartbeat before dropping to the floor.

Liliana.

Raffaele was the first to react, jumping to his feet. “No.”

“I haven’t proposed anything,” Aleksandr said, puffing on his cigar as he took a final drag.

“You looked at my sister!” Raffaele hissed, pointing at Lili.

“She fulfils the agreement. She’s unmarried. She bears the Buccini name.”

Aleksandr crouched. Without taking his eyes off Liliana, he crushed the burning end of his cigar into Vito’s open eye.

“She has no entanglements with any other men.”

Lili looked away in disgust, her nostrils flaring. He rose smoothly to his full height.