But Roza poked her head into the room. “We need you in five.”
I nodded at her and waved.
“Winter, I have to get going.”
A short pause on her end. “You sure about this?”
“I’m sure. I love you. I’ll come see you when this is all over, I promise.”
“You better. Make that man bring you to me. I want to visit that house of his.”
“You’ll love it. Private beach. Stupidly luxurious.”
“Sounds like I’m moving in.”
“I’ll make it happen. Talk to you soon, okay?”
“Break a leg or whatever people say to a bride.”
I hung up the phone before I got emotional and ruined my makeup. Roza spent an hour making me look like a model and I didn’t want to mess up her hard work. I had to take deep breaths to pull myself together.
Roza appeared again. “Showtime, darling. You ready for your man?”
“As ready as I’ll ever be.”
I followed her into the hall and down the steps.
36
Roman
The main hall was a marble-filled monstrosity of gold and bronze and silver. The chandelier was original from the twenties and likely cost more than the entire building that housed it, and yet I couldn’t focus on the finery.
I stared at the guests filtering into the space.
Most of them Oligarch-adjacent. Men and women I worked with and who owed me favors. Members of the Drozdov, a couple lieutenants from the Polish mafia, several from the Ukrainians, even the boss of the Japanese Yakuza appeared and gave a respectful nod.
And I didn’t give a damn about any of them.
“Where is he?” I asked Erick softly.
“He’ll show.”
“He’d better. We’ve lost too much for this to fall through.” I tapped my foot, unable to contain my nerves. Upstairs, Cassie was getting ready with Roza, and she was a big part of the twisting in my guts. I wanted to see her badly, to kiss her and make sure she was okay, but most of all to stare at her in whatever dress Roza picked out.
I knew she’d be gorgeous. She was beautiful all the time, but Roza would outdo herself as always, and I felt a fluttering in my chest thinking about my lovely bride.
My wife, my future.
What started out as a business arrangement turned into so much more.
The guests crowded into the main banquet hall and filled in the chairs. I took on the central staircase looking down at them, keeping my bodyguards between me and the rabble. I didn’t want to get distracted by shaking hands and making small talk, even if that was expected of me.
None of that mattered, not really.
“Boss.” Erick nodded toward the doors. “Look.”
Eamon Ward stepped inside wearing a cheap black suit. He glared around him like the walls were covered in live snakes, then turned and motioned someone forward.
A wheelchair was pushed in after him. Sitting with his hands folded in his lap was Oisin MacKenna. A massive bodyguard rolled him forward and swiveled him to follow the flow of people congregating toward the chairs and the ceremony.
Oisin looked awful, much worse than I expected. He was old, his hair thinning, his pale skin liver-spotted and saggy. Thick black bags hung under his eyes and his suit was like a blanket draped over a skeleton. His shoulders were hunched, but his sharp green eyes scanned around him like lasers, and though he appeared to have one foot in the grave, I knew Oisin was still in there, and still sharp as ever.
“Come on,” I said, stepping past Erick.
I strode toward Oisin and my heart felt like it might rip itself into pieces.
I’d been hunting this man for years. I hired the best soldiers, spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on the chase, and kept narrowly missing the old bastard. This moment should’ve been triumphant, and yet it felt almost wrong, like I had stepped up to take my final vow, only to learn that the terms had changed.
Oisin met my gaze and a shaky smile crept over his paper-thin lips.
“Hello, Roman.” His voice was like sandpaper.
“Oisin. Nice of you to make it.”
“I thought it might be fun. You are marrying one of my girls, after all.”
Eamon’s jaw clenched at that, but he said nothing.
I ignored Cassie’s father. He was nobody to me, only dead weight. The moment she gave the word, I’d finish him and wrap his skull in a gift box.
“I wasn’t sure you’d come, considering I’ve been trying to kill you for the past three years.”
Oisin laughed, rough and guttural. He coughed, then beamed at me. “I’m glad you brought that up. Eamon here told me I shouldn’t show, but the possibility of an alliance with you through his daughter is far too tempting to ignore.”
Exactly what I hoped.
“You’ve heard about what’s going on right now with the Liberto and the Ramos. I think if we join forces and bring the Drozdov along for the ride, we can win considerable power all along the east coast. But I’ll need concessions from you, Oisin.”