Chapter 20
Chapter Twenty
Maksim
“What are we going to do about Enzo?” I ask over a meal with my dad and Nikolai. We’re at Nikolai’s restaurant in the back booth. It’s full of people tonight, enjoying their dinner without a care in the world, while we have the weight of the world on our shoulders.
My dad and I haven’t spoken since Natasha told him off at the hospital. We’re both here to discuss business with Nikolai, so we’re being cordial. But I can tell my father isn’t happy with me. When is he ever?
“Enzo already tried killing one of my guards,” Nikolai says, wiping his mouth with his napkin. “My guard survived and Enzo got away but he’s growing reckless. He’s pissed he lost.”
“I’m sure he’s angry you knocked him out and could have killed him but didn’t,” I say. “A blow to his ego.”
“Exactly. And his ego won’t go away anytime soon. He’s only going to get worse.”
“But we can’t kill him,” Gregor says.
Nikolai sighs, running his hand over his face. “I know. But we have to do something. Find a way to subdue him or…”
I raise an eyebrow. “Or?”
“Or work with him.”
We all go quiet for a long moment before I scoff. “Work with Enzo? How? He would never agree to it and besides, he kidnapped my wife. And shot me in the fucking shoulder. I want him dead. I’ll never be able to work with him.”
“But if working with Enzo could prevent Natasha from being in danger again, wouldn’t that be a good thing?”
I stare at Nikolai. The eyes of my best friend and yet, I feel like I don’t recognize him in this moment. “Yes,” I say slowly. “It would be a good thing to keep Natasha safe. But we can’t trust Enzo. He could fuck us over and Natasha could be hurt. Or your wife, Irina, could be hurt.”
“I know. But I was thinking of a way that could keep him in line. A way that has worked for us before.”
I frown. “What are you talking about?” Judging from my father’s frown, he doesn’t know either.
“It worked for you and Natasha with Lev. He’s hurried back to Chicago and told me to keep him informed on business but otherwise, he said he was content letting us run things here in New York. Lev is no longer a problem for us. Crises averted.”
Because he’s scared I’ll tell everyone he killed his wife but Nikolai doesn’t need to know that. That secret is for me and Natasha to handle and I’ll help her every day with it.
“You’re suggesting a marriage alliance with Enzo?” Gregor asks. “With who? What unlucky Bratva girl would have to marry that fucker?”
Nikolai stares at Gregor until Gregor’s eyes widen and he shoots to his feet.
“Not Kira,” he snaps.
“Yes, Kira. She’s the best one for this. You and Maksim are high ranking Bratva men. It wouldn’t insult Enzo’s ego if he married into your family. And we could share our territory and be stronger than ever.”
“I am not giving my daughter away to that psycho.”
“And I don’t want to give my sister away either,” I add.
“It’s a good idea,” Nikolai says.
“That fucker is going to hurt my daughter. I will not allow it.”
Nikolai sighs, sitting back in his seat. “Gregor, you gave your son up to be married without a second thought.”
“That’s because Maksim can handle himself.
But Kira clearly can’t. She disobeyed me.
I found out she goes to parties and acts recklessly.
She went to a party at Enzo’s house without even knowing.
I can’t trust my daughter right now but I know I cannot trust that fucker with my daughter.
I will not allow it. Kira is a woman. Enzo will hurt her. ”
“I never hurt Irina,” Nikolai says. “And Maksim. You’ve never hurt Natasha.”
“That’s because we’re not evil,” I say. “But Enzo shot me in the back like a coward. Don’t give Kira to him.”
“It’s a good way to prevent a war. And a good way to ensure the Bratva and the Mafia work together. We could expand our territory. We can earn more money. And we’ll have peace. What’s wrong about that? This can work.”
I scoff. “Yeah, but only if you can get close enough to Enzo without him shooting at us. He might not want to sit down and talk.”
“Let me handle Enzo. I managed to make peace happen with Lev and I can do the same with Enzo.”
“Not with my daughter,” Gregor growls.
Nikolai stares him down with a steady gaze. “No offense, Gregor, but you’re not the highest ranking Bratva man here. I am. And I say I am going to offer Kira up in a marriage alliance with Enzo. If he knows what’s best for him, he will take it.”
“And if he says no?” I ask.
“Then we’ll have a war on our hands,” he says with a shrug. “But we have to try for peace first. I really don’t want my wife to be hurt and I know you don’t want that either, Maksim.”
“I don’t. But she’s my sister. I can’t give her away to that madman.”
“Kira is a tough girl. This has to happen. Both of you can disagree with me until you’re blue in the face but it’s happening. I am going to reach out to Enzo and make the deal and hopefully, he agrees.”
Gregor spits at the table. “You’re going to make an enemy out of me, Nikolai.”
“We both know you don’t have the power to take me down. And if I can secure this deal with Enzo, then I will be a god that no one will ever be able to defeat. Be careful about what you say next, Gregor.”
With one last sneer in Nikolai’s direction, Gregor storms away, leaving me and Nik alone.
“I am sorry about this, Maksim,” Nikolai says. “But you know this has to happen.”
“But Kira? There are other Bratva girls you could offer up.”
“I could. But they’ll also have fathers who will object.
They’ll also have brothers who will object.
It doesn’t matter who it is. No one will be happy but everyone will be happy if we can make peace with Enzo.
And like I said, you and your father are high ranking Bratva men.
That will please Enzo’s ego. I can’t offer him the daughter of a low ranking Bratva man.
He’ll find it insulting. It has to be Kira. ”
“My father is going to fight you on this.”
“Then fight me. But you know I can handle it. What will help is having you at my side while I do it.” He extends his hand to me. “What do you say?”
“My sister is going to be pissed if she finds out I gave her up to the enemy.”
“Maksim, this is business. We have to do things we don’t like for business. You know that more than anyone. But you made it work with Natasha. Who’s to say that Kira and Enzo can’t make it work themselves?”
“Because he will hurt her.”
“That’s a risk we have to take. But you don’t know that. Not for a fact. We have to do what we have to do to prevent a war and you know it. It’s why you agreed to marry Natasha when you weren’t happy about it. But you did it because it was your duty. Now this is Kira’s duty.”
He keeps his hand out. “Come on, Maksim. I need you with me on this.”
I know he’s right. Fuck.
With a sigh, I shake his hand. “My sister is going to hate me for this.”
“Everyone will be happy when a war is prevented.”
I don’t say it out loud to Nik but I’m worried that even if we marry Kira to Enzo, we’ll still have a war on our hands. There’s so much uncertainty about the future but it’s not up to me anymore.
It’s up to what Enzo decides. If he’ll agree to peace or war.
I return home to find Natasha taking a nap on the couch. She looks so fucking cute when she sleeps. I can’t help but smile down at her. She and I did manage to make it work.
Yes, we have years to test our relationship but for now, we’re happy. A marriage neither one of us wanted and yet, here we are. In love with each other. There is hope for Kira. I just hope that I don’t lose her in the process.
I sit down beside Nat and pull her into my arms. She wakes up with a startle but calms down when she sees its just me.
“Hey,” I murmur, holding her close against me. Close to my heart where she belongs now.
“Hey. Are you ok?”
I sigh. “Just business.”
Her eyes search my face. “We’re in this together now, Maksim. You know that.”
“I do. Nikolai wants to marry Kira to Enzo to create peace.”
“She’s not going to like that. And what if he hurts her? Enzo threatened to hurt me.”
“I don’t know,” I admit. “All I know is that you feel good in my arms. Everything else well… that’s for another day.
I can’t control it. I know that now. I can’t control how much my father respects me.
I can’t control what my sister gets up to.
All I can focus on is us. Because you’re the most important person to me. ”
“It’s the same way with me,” she says with a cute little smile that makes me have to kiss her. She laughs when I press my lips to hers. “What was that for?”
“I just love you and I love saying it. I feel… at peace with you. Right here.” I tighten my arms around her. “What about you?”
“Sometimes I still think about what I did to Alexandra. And what my father did to my mom. I know that those things will always be there. But you’ve helped me to find happiness.
I know that for a fact. We’re in this together now, Maksim.
We’re finally on the same page. That’s all that matters since that’s all we can control. ”
“I agree.”
She cups my face. The warmth of her hand spreads a comforting heat through me. It’s not passion. It’s pure and utter contentment. “We’re going to get through this together. No matter what happens with Kira and Enzo.”
“Come here.” I give her a gentle, lingering kiss that makes the comfortable heat in me spread to an inferno. “I just want to get lost in your arms.”
“Then get lost in me. I want the same. We’re a lot alike, you know.”
I chuckle as I pepper kisses along her face. “Oh, I know. So why was it so hard to get there at the start?”
“Because we needed time to fall in love. That’s normal.”
“Well, now that we’re in love, let’s not waste any more time.” I pick her up into my arms while Natasha laughs and I carry her into our room.
Laying her onto the bed, I gaze down at her, taking in all of her beauty. It’s strange that she was someone I didn’t want to marry at first. Now, I can’t imagine my life without her.
I hover over her and she places both of her legs on either side of my hips. Our bodies know exactly how to fit together perfectly.
“I love you,” I murmur.
“I love you.” The earnestness in her eyes tells me that she means every word.
I lower my body onto hers, right where it belongs.
The End
Read the third book, Boss, starring Kira and Enzo, HERE!