Chapter 28
Chapter
Twenty-Eight
Nicholas
“It's a good deal, Victor. Take it."
Anton means business from where he sits behind his desk. I stand behind him like a sentry while Freddie lazes on the lounge in the background. Strategically placed in case there's any bloodshed from this risky encounter.
Luckily for us, Victor doesn't have any backup. Alexei and Isla are both nowhere to be seen this morning. Which is fine by me. As long as they're nowhere near Sage. I'm getting really fucking sick of people trying to steal her out from under me. Rushkoffs. Masked men.
She's mine.
Still, Victor doesn't look happy from where he sits in front of Anton's desk. His shoulders are tense and rigid, almost as if he's steeling himself for a fight, even as his eyes drift over Anton's shoulder to me.
"Give up the marriage contract?" Victor seethes. "Do you hear yourself, Anton? Need I remind you it's the only reason I'm here in the first place?"
"I'm aware. I revoke it," Anton says, chair squeaking beneath him as he shifts.
Victor leans back, resting one leg on the other and steepling his fingers under his chin. "You don't have the power to do that."
We're well aware we don't have the power nor the right to do that. But look at us, doing it anyway.
"I don't care what I have the power to do. It's what I'm doing. I revoke it."
In one swift movement, Victor stands, and as I tense I see Freddie shift slightly to do the same. We watch Victor warily as he paces about the room. My fingers itch for a fight. I want to throttle this motherfucker. Funnily enough, though, not as much as I've come to want to throttle his brother.
"How dare you! You want to start a war?"
"You'd start a war to fight for a girl who doesn't want you?" I smirk, even as Anton throws me an annoyed look over his shoulder.
Victor's eyes cut to me. "I fight for the right to what is mine."
"She's not yours," I say, arms flexing involuntarily.
"Enough," Anton says, standing now too, and coming between Victor and myself. "The fact remains Sage is now mine to give away. And I won't do it. She's not marrying you, Victor. That's final."
Victor smiles cruelly, one full of his white, wolfish teeth. "That's not really up to you is it, Anton?"
Anton narrows his eyes. "Dimitri is dead-"
"Oh, I'm not talking about Dimitri." Victor stalks forward, pointing a finger down on the desk. "I'm talking about her. You tell that girl it's me or a war. What do you think she'll choose?"
"That's blackmail," Anton seethes.
Victor raises a brow, the threat clear. I'm going to rip that smug look right off his face.
"You don't care?" Freddie sits up, eyes furrowing. "Even if you have to blackmail her?"
Victor looks back over at him and folds his arms. "She comes with me."
Nobody moves as we contemplate the gravity of what he's saying. He won't go quietly.
I only give one warning sound, a harsh grunt, before I tear across the room, diving across Anton's desk and knocking shit astray as my vision reddens on Victor. "Oh, fuck you, Victor you fucking cu-"
I'm almost over the desk, waving my arms wildly and swearing my head off. But Anton grips my shoulders and hurls me back before I can do any real damage. The whole time, Victor just laughs, and that only fuels me to fight harder against Anton's grip.
I struggle and finally throw Anton off, cooling down and stretching out my shoulders.
"I do what I need to in order to take what's rightfully mine," Victor says.
"I swear to fuck if you keep referring to her as property-" I nearly dive again but Anton gives me a look.
"Tell the girl, Anton," Victor grits out. "Tell her to choose."
All eyes fall to Anton for the answer. Especially Freddie's. And I can't help but feel like he's going to be disappointed in us when he finds out we're not giving Sage a choice in the matter.
Anton must see it too, because he grimaces at Freddie before shaking his head and regarding Victor again.
"What she says doesn't matter. She doesn't get a choice," Anton says.
Victor won't see it, but I do. How his eyes shutter in sadness when he says those words.
He hates taking the choice away from her.
Even if it's for the best. "I'm making the choice, Victor. And I'm saying no."
Victor's nostrils flare. "Don't do this, Anton. You're gonna regret it."
"Maybe," Anton smiles sadly. "But I am really hoping we've built enough of a friendship over these months that you won't make me."
Victor huffs, pushing too much air out of his nose as he refuses to look at us. Hands on his hips as he shakes his head. "You've got no fucking idea what you've just done."
With that, Victor storms out of the room. When the door smashes open, Alexei is standing on the other side, obviously having heard the whole thing. He spares one second to look at us like he wants to kill us before he's off trudging after his brother.
"What the fuck have you done?" Freddie says, sinking further into his chair.
I have a feeling it doesn't matter whether Dimitri is alive. Victor is set on Sage, and if he can't have her, he's going to have his war.