Chapter 26 #2
Sidorov turns another page, taking his time.
I crack my knuckles, about to jump out of my skin.
If anything happens to Isla, I’ll never forgive myself.
And I’ll burn the whole city to the fucking ground to avenge her.
First on my kill list? The dickhead who’s currently making his way through page four.
“Vlad,” he says to the man at his side, presumably his lawyer, who is dressed in a three-piece suit.
As Sidorov pushes the discarded pages toward him, he spouts off something in Russian. Vlad responds in kind and begins his own review.
“Jesus,” I mutter. “This is going to take all fucking night.”
Priest sends me a warning look, like I don’t know this deal is sensitive. Easy for him. It’s not Luna who’s the one being held like a bargaining chip by these pieces of shit.
Sidorov looks up at me, his face expressionless, those icy, pale eyes eerie as hell. “You have somewhere else to be, Andriani?”
“No,” I bite out. “Continue.”
And so he does. Slowly. Methodically. Reviewing page by page.
I pull out my phone and check on Scorpion.
He turned on his tracking for me, so I can see he’s finally arrived.
Thank fuck. This ordeal can’t be over soon enough, even if I do worry about his reaction to discovering he’s going to be forced into marrying Ekaterina Sidorov.
After a second lifetime, Sidorov has reached the clause on page fourteen. He lingers, saying nothing, and then passes it to his lawyer, saying something in Russian. The lawyer responds in kind and then reviews before adding something else.
Sidorov nods and turns to us. “I will agree to the change.”
There’s a knock at the door. Our guards tense up as Sidorov calls out in his native language.
When it opens, Scorpion is standing on the other side, Ekaterina flung over his shoulder much the same way I saw her last, back in the safe house.
And as before, she’s squawking and squirming, legs flailing. He spanks her ass.
“Behave,” he warns her like he doesn’t have an audience of half a dozen top Bratva killers and Ekaterina’s own brother.
I turn to Sidorov, who looks faintly amused for the first time.
“I have a present to deliver,” he announces, stalking into the room and dumping her into an empty chair.
There’s duct tape over her mouth and fury in her eyes. Her hands are cuffed together. She’s saying something, but her words are muffled and likely Russian curses anyway. Her tone sounds venomous.
Sidorov chuckles. “She is a wild one. Perhaps you’ll be man enough to handle her, Andriani.” He pauses, giving Scorpion a disdainful once-over. “But then again, perhaps not. We shall see, da?”
“What the fuck is he talking about?” Scorpion asks our older brother.
But he’s not getting an explanation right now. That’s going to have to wait.
The Pakhan speaks to Ekaterina in Russian, his voice firm and unrelenting, and she stills, her eyes going wide.
“I believe you owe us four people,” Priest drawls to Sidorov, a barely leashed note of menace in his voice.
The Pakhan nods and instructs one of his guards to bring out their “guests.” I clench my jaw at his insistence on pretending like this was all one big friendly visit. If I ever have half a chance to clip this bastard, you better believe I’m going to take it.
But I forget about vengeance and my hatred for Sidorov almost immediately, because the door to the meeting room opens, and Isla comes pouring through it, looking rumpled and pale but otherwise unscathed.
I don’t give a fuck that there are Andrianis and Bratva men ringing this room, hands ready to whip out their guns. I make the first move, rushing across the space between us and taking her in my arms.
“Alessio,” she chokes out, holding me tightly, like she’s afraid I’ll vanish if she lets go.
“You’re safe now, tesoro,” I tell her. “I’ve got you, sweetheart.”
I’m dimly aware of Rocco and our other two men trailing into the room. From the looks of them, it’s clear they put up a fight to defend themselves and to keep Isla from being taken.
“Are you hurt, baby?” I ask her softly, breathing in the scent of her hair.
“I’m fine,” she murmurs. “But Rocco got shot. And Santino and Giovanni got into it with the men who took us. I think they all need to get checked out.”
Does this woman ever put herself first?
“You sure they didn’t hurt you?” I demand.
I’m ready to go to battle for her.
To do anything.
Everything. To kill, maim, bleed, or die.
“I’m sure,” she says, and when I feel her trembling, I’m tempted to do all those things at once.
How dare they put her through this shit? She’s been through enough already.
As if she senses the murderous direction of my thoughts, she pulls away to look up at me. “I’m okay, Alessio. I swear it.”
I nod, too choked up to respond, and draw her against me again, meeting Priest’s gaze. “We done here?”
Priest is in the middle of signing the marriage contract. “All we need is Sidorov’s signature.”
The Pakhan is still looking faintly amused by all this.
He takes up a pen and scribbles out his signature on both copies of the document and then gives Priest a nod. “It’s done.”
Priest picks up his copy of the agreement. “We’ll be in touch to hammer out the specifics—the when and the where of the wedding.”
“Agreed,” Sidorov all but purrs, extending his hand. “It was a pleasure doing business with you, Andriani.”
There’s something smug about the bastard.
Like this was what he planned all along and he’s finally getting what he wanted.
I’m not sure if he’s that Machiavellian or if I’m giving him too much credit.
One thing’s for damn sure. I’ll be keeping my eye on the new leader of the Bratva, and I don’t trust him as far as I can fucking throw him.
Priest doesn’t flinch as he shakes hands with the Pakhan. “I wish I could say the same.”
I’m still holding Isla tightly against me, not about to let her go.
“The wedding?” Scorpion repeats, nonplussed. “Who’s getting married?”
“You are,” Priest tells him.
“The fuck? I’m not getting married.” He looks around, realization dawning on him as he starts shaking his head emphatically. “No fucking way.” He points at Ekaterina. “Her? You’ve got to be fucking kidding me. I’m not marrying that spawn of Satan.”
Ekaterina, meanwhile, looks like she’s actively plotting his assassination.
It’s a match made in hell. But it’s the only way.
“You have some time to acquaint yourself with the idea,” Sidorov drawls smoothly.
“We’ll talk soon,” Priest says, and then we all get the fuck out of Bratva territory as fast as we can.
I get into one of the waiting cars with Isla, leaving Priest to explain to Scorpion that he’s about to land himself a new wife. I need this time alone with her. The second we’re in the back seat, I pull Isla into my lap and tell my guy to start driving.
The sooner we get back to the safe house, the better.