Darkest Love (The Dark Mafia #4)

1. Chapter One

Chapter One

Adrien

L ove has never been something I’ve worried about having. It’s always seemed pointless to me. Why settle down when I can have as many women as I want in life? A new woman every night to take to an event or go on a date when I’m not busy working.

Love is just something I’m not interested in.

But what I am interested in is power. Having lots of it.

Which is why I’m in New York instead of in Paris, where I live. I’m part of the French Mafia – the Corsican. As someone who has worked hard to get where I am in life, I’m not at the height I want to be. I want to be at the top but to get to the top requires allies.

Nico Bernardi sits across from me at the table in his favorite Italian restaurant. As someone who has spent a lot of time in actual Italian restaurants in Italy, this American version is a weak comparison.

“Nice to see you again, Adrien,” Nico says.

We’ve been friends for years but he’s mostly been in New York over the past few years while I’ve been in Paris. We’ve spoken about expanding our businesses together for some time and it seems that it’s time.

“You too, Nico. I must say, New York is smellier than I remember it being.”

“You live in Paris. Paris stinks of cigarette smoke no matter where you go.”

I chuckle as I lean back in my seat, resting my arm on the booth. “True, true. But Paris has a romantic charm about her. What does New York have?”

“Other than it being the most powerful city in the world?”

“You Americans always think you’re at the center of everything.”

“And I know how much it pisses off you Europeans.”

“It really does.”

We share a smile. It’s all teasing for the fun of it.

“So, let’s talk business,” I say. “We have been discussing being business allies for a while, even though we’ve been friends for much longer.”

“Yes. So it should be an easy transition. We just agree to work together. Get it in writing. And then we can start making so much money, we’ll get sick of it.”

“I like the sound of that. But despite our friendship, Nico, how do I know I can truly trust you?”

He scoffs. “Why would you say that? Don’t you know me?”

“Yes. And that’s exactly why I am asking this. You’re a good friend but you have been known to fuck over your business partners. Denis Petrov comes to mind.”

Nico waves a dismissive hand. “Denis Petrov is an ass. I’m glad I’m not working with him anymore. It was purely politics. But with you, we’re friends. I won’t fuck you over. I promise.”

“I’m going to need more than that. Something that guarantees you won’t fuck me over if you get the chance. We may be friends now but when we enter into business together, it could change everything. We could turn on each other for so many different reasons.”

“Ok.” He steeples his fingers together. “What do you suggest?”

I fix my cufflinks. I always believe a man should wear a suit whenever he gets the chance. My black suit fits the drabness of New York but in Paris, white is my favorite color to wear. Not many men can pull off a white suit. I’m one of the ones who can.

“A marriage agreement.”

Nico blinks before he coughs. “What? With who? You don’t believe in marriage. You’ve always told me you never want to settle down.”

“And that is true. But I want power more. And I don’t want to be fucked over by you.

I know you currently have an alliance with Mikhail Novikoff and Liam O’Connor all because they’re married to your wife’s sisters.

So it’s obvious to me that the link between you three are the women in your life.

If it weren’t for them, you three would never have an alliance. ”

“True. I still kind of hate Mikhail and Liam despite working with them for the past few years.”

“I know your wife is Sasha Petrov. And Mikhail’s wife is Natalya, the oldest of them. And Liam is married to Irina. But from my understanding… there’s a fourth sister, yes?”

“Anastasia. She’s the youngest.”

“How old is she?”

“She’s twenty now.”

“So, legal.”

Nico stares at me with a hard expression. “You want to marry Ana? Seriously? You?”

“I don’t care about love. I want to marry her for power.

It’s obvious that you, Mikhail, and Liam have gained so much power in these past few years.

You cover all the basis. You’re the Italian mafia.

Mikhail is the Bratva. And Liam is the Irish mob.

So where does that leave me? I’m all the way in Paris doing my business.

We can make so much money by going international.

But I won’t always be here in New York to make sure you three have my best interests at heart.

So I need a guarantee that I will be included in decisions.

That I will not be pushed to the side of this deal.

And the only way to ensure that is to marry me to Anastasia, the last of the Petrov sisters to be unmarried. ” I pause. “She is single, yes?”

Nico sighs. “Yes. She hasn’t been allowed to date for her own safety. I know she’s been itching for it though. She has a rebellious nature to her. But so far, the guards around Mikhail’s house has stopped her from getting into too much trouble.”

“A feisty one then. I like feisty women. They’re always more fun.”

“I’d have to talk about this with Mikhail and Liam. I can’t just make the decision myself. That won’t go over well.”

“So, talk it through with them. But I’m sure you will all agree that it’s the best decision you can make.

She’s unmarried. And I know how mafia girls are here in America.

They’re raised for marriage. So marry her to me and we can have our alliance.

I will never break my word to you and Anastasia will be a guarantee that you will never break my word to me. ”

“I’ll talk to Mikhail and Liam and get back to you.”

I wink. “You do that. As for me, I’m going to find the best club in this city and find a woman I can fuck for the night.”

“You do realize that if Mikhail and Liam agree to the marriage between you and Ana that you won’t be able to continue seeing other women.”

“Why not? It’s a marriage for political gains. Not love. You know me, Nico. I have no desire to settle down. This is purely for power.”

“My wife isn’t going to be happy if I agree to marry her baby sister off to a man who won’t even be faithful to her.”

“Your wife, your problem. Not mine. You want to make a deal with me, Nico? Then this is what it will take. Or I am walking away and we can say goodbye to all the money we could have made together.”

Nico shakes his head and shoots me an annoyed look. “You’re not making this easy on me.”

“When have I ever?”

I leave Nico to contemplate my offer and go to the nightclub called Desire. It’s not owned by Nico, Mikhail, or Liam. I don’t want to cause any waves with them until I know for sure I have a deal with all three of them.

I walk into the nightclub like I own the place.

Multiple women – and men – look in my direction.

I’ve always taken good care of my appearance.

Slicked back black hair. Stubble that is trimmed to perfection.

My black suit that fits my body perfectly.

It’s not surprising at all that I draw the kind of attention I do.

In fact, I crave it. I stalk my prey with it.

My eyes land on a pretty blonde, dancing with her friends. She will do.

I walk right over to her and ask if she wants to dance.

She looks me over and blushes before giving me her hand. That was easy. It helps looking the way I do. Most women can’t resist me.

Which is why I don’t intend to give up my womanizer ways after I’m married to Anastasia. I don’t believe in love and neither should the woman I marry.

Anastasia

I try sneaking out my bedroom window but the guard on the other side promptly spots me.

“Ana,” Tom says. He’s been one of Mikhail’s guards for the past few years. “You know you can’t leave. Get back inside the house.”

With a sigh, I crawl back through my window and slam it shut.

I was held prisoner by my controlling uncle when I was a teenager before he let me go when I was seventeen.

I thought I would get more freedom when I moved into my oldest sister, Natalya’s, house but so far, I haven’t gotten anything of the sort.

I never had the chance to be a normal teenager. Go to parties. Have boyfriends. First kisses. Get drunk. Nothing.

Not when my father kept us locked up for our own protection. Not when my uncle, Denis, locked us up for his own gain. And not when Natalya is obsessed with keeping me safe.

I’m twenty now and I swear, I’m never going to have a normal life.

I find my mom in the living room, reading a book, and drop down onto the couch beside her with an exaggerated sigh.

“Tried to sneak out again?” she asks, flipping a page without even looking up at me.

“How did you guess?”

“You always sigh when you’re annoyed.”

“That’s because I want to be an actual adult. I want freedom. I don’t want to be cooped up inside all day.”

“You have your phone. I know you love being on it.”

“Even my phone isn’t enough to curb my boredom,” I mutter. “How can you even read a book? Reading is so boring.”

“Everything is boring to you apparently.” She finally sets the book down and sets her blue eyes onto me.

Even though my mom, Tatiana, is fifty now, she’s just as beautiful as she was when she was younger.

Long brown hair and striking blue eyes have always made her a classic beauty.

I’m so glad I got her looks and not my father’s.

He wasn’t ugly by any means but he wasn’t exactly a heartthrob either.

Thinking of my dad makes me miss him. He’s been gone for five years now but sometimes the pain of his death will creep back in when I don’t expect it.

“There’s a lot you can do around the house,” Mom suggests. “There’s an exercise room.”

“I’ve already worked out today. I love yoga but I can only do so much of it.”

“You can watch TV.”

“You think that rots a person’s brain.”