Page 30 of Harvest Maze

My stupid baby cousin leaned his substantial weight against the hood of Demyan’s car. “Go back to the others, Ives. This doesn’t concern you.”

I glared at his gun. “Oh, I think it does.”

Beside me, Demyan sighed. “A shakedown? Really, Don Ravello?”

Lucian grinned. “Ah, so you do know who I am. Now…who are you?”

“He’s with me!” I insisted, leaning closer to the man who’d decided to upend his whole life to be with me.

It still seemed too impossible to be true.

But if it didn’t work out, it wasn’t going to be because this vicious relative of mine got in the way.

Demyan pushed me to the side. His touch was extremely gentle but firm. I scrambled to close the distance, but he held up a hand.

“You cannot get hurt because of me, kráska.”

“I did some digging on your friend,” Lucian said. He was wicked smart. He wouldn’t be the boss if he wasn’t…but it would be nice if he wasn’t. “Imagine my surprise when one of my guys recognized his picture from an operation in Paris.”

Well…crap.

My cousin spat on the ground. “You lost us a lot of money when you took out that target, stronzo.”

I already had a feeling they moved in the same circles, but this just confirmed it. I wanted to have this conversation with Demyan and hear about his history from him. Did I mind that my boyfriend was an assassin? Not really. If anything, it made it easier, knowing he understood the secrets of San Pietro Cove.

It’s like the universe knew he belonged here.

Demyan shrugged. “If your guys were better, they wouldn’t have let me beat them.”

Lucian pulled a face. “My men are the best in the world. But I don’t need to prove that.”

Demyan snorted. “Okay, whatever you say.”

“Tell me why you’re here,” Lucian demanded, lifting his pistol.

I had a split second to react. My stupid cousin was going to put an end to my fairytale before it even began. I rushed forward, ignoring the men’s twin shouts, and planted myself in front of Lucian’s gun.

“Demyan is with me!” I said quietly.

“Ivry—”

“He’s going to live in San Pietro Cove, and you’re not going to do a damn thing about it,” I insisted.

“No one lives in my town without my permission,” Lucian rumbled. “Certainly not another assassin.”

“I’ll marry him then. Make him a Ravello.” I planted my hands on my hips and glared at him.

“That doesn’t erase the fact that he’s an assassin!”

“I already quit,” Demyan rumbled behind me.

My blood flooded with a rush of joy. It was all so crazy, him just ending his career to stay with me. I wasn’t going to lose this. “If you don’t play nice, I’ll destroy you, Lucianus.”

There was the smallest flicker in the don’s eyes.

I latched onto that uncertainty and drove the point home. “You know I can do it. I might not be a bloodthirsty killer, but my talents on the computer can cripple you.”

Lucian’s voice was cold. “You’d choose this dog over your family.”