“Your papa can’t marry her off to Kirill. Why the fuck is this guy even still relevant?” I say to Max.
They stare are me for a minute, their eyes questioning what I have against Kirill.
I contemplate if I should tell them what I know, or if I should just shut my mouth. They already know I killed my father. Carlo knows the reason behind that, but Max doesn’t.
It’s not every day news goes around that someone got murdered by their son, and I don’t want the Romanos looking down on me.
Do I regret it?
Fuck no.
Would I do it again given the chance?
Fuck yeah.
Before I think about it any further, I take another sip, feeling the burn in my throat and my heart.
“The Stepanovs are the ones behind the murder of my mother.”
Max’s attention spikes. If I had to guess, family is just as important to him as it is to me. Max and I may not have a lot in common, but we both care deeply for Nina and the meaning of family. Blood is thicker than water, my ass.
“Sangue per sangue,”Max says with his fists white and shoulders tense.
“Sangue per sangue,”I repeat.
Blood for blood.
* * *
Once again, I am sitting in the godforsaken office. This time it will be different. I don’t know what will happen, but if Rolando doesn’t understand, I have his son on my side, if that means anything to him.
Rolando sits at his desk with his hands placed on the surface.
Both Max and Carlo sit next to me on the leather sofa, our legs almost touching because of how small the couch is. I have a feeling Rolando knows where this conversation is about to go because we never sit this close together. It feels good to have these men on my side. I have been doing this alone for quite some time.
The door clicks as a man in sweatpants and a hoodie walks in.
“Kirill.” Rolando stands up to greet him, but he just leans against the bookshelf, leaving Rolando’s hand in the air.
If the man knows what’s good for him, he won’t disrespect hisfuturefather-in-lawlike that when he has put his differences aside for the marriage to work.
“What is all this about?” Kirill asks.
My brow furrows as I question him.
He walks toward me, trying to act intimidating. I blink long and hard out of boredom.
“We are here to discuss your marriage with my daughter,” Rolando says, trying to get between whatever Kirill has against me in this moment.
“What about it?”
“It’s not happening,” I say as Rolando’s neck stiffens. He is the only one who is not caught up in what is happening, so I don’t blame him for his frustration.
“You want to fuck my wife? Is that what this is about?” Kirill nearly spits, walking toward me with his fists white.
Max and Carlo stand up, holding him by his shoulders. I don’t move a muscle because the old-ass man doesn’t worry me.
“I mean, who wouldn’t want to?” I say with a smug smile. “Not your wife yet either.”