2. Alexei

2

ALEXEI

The first time I set eyes on my blushing bride was meant to be at the end of the aisle before we exchanged vows, not in the small confined space of an elevator.

Bride or Groom… I shake my head, chuckling, as I remember her asking me.

It’s clear she had no idea who I am or who today is really for.

But I’m glad I got to have had a moment alone with her before she has a chance to hate me when she learns the truth.

I didn’t expect her to be as beautiful as she is, with the most luscious, rich brown hair and the brightest blue eyes. It didn’t help that the gold slinky dress she was wearing brought out the warm hues in her skin and hugged every inch of her body.

Just the thought of her soft curves has me adjusting myself as I scan the terrace in search of her. Eventually, she appears from a side door behind her father, rage almost a wave emanating from her body.

“This should be good. ”

I catch her eye across the crowded terrace and watch with amusement as she shoots daggers in my direction.

She’s clearly in the middle of an argument with her father. From the scowl that’s plastered across her face, I’m guessing she’s been caught up on today’s agenda.

Getting married to a woman who’s not only a stranger to me, but who’s also the daughter of a rival mafia boss, should have my blood running cold. Legally binding myself to the Bellucci family puts not only myself at risk, but my brothers too.

But I owe Emilio Bellucci a debt.

He had valuable information about the Gilanto family. They destroyed my family.

And I’d finally found the last piece of information to destroy them once and for all.

So, I took the deal. The information Emilio had in exchange for protection for his family. His daughter .

I used what he gave me to enact my revenge. I tried to wipe them all out. I failed.

I need them gone. All of them.

Bianca storms toward me.

I let my eyes take her in—the way her dress hugs her shapely legs and how her full breasts bounce with each step as she closes the distance between us.

The fact that in less than an hour she’s going to be legally bound to me has me adjusting myself again .

I guess I’m going to enjoy marriage more than I originally thought.

“Here we go.” I chuckle under my breath as I lift my eyes back to Bianca’s.

“You knew !” she spits, her blue eyes flashing as she slams her fists into my chest.

I reach for her small wrists, holding her in place as I stare down at her. I don’t fail to notice the way goosebumps break out over her arms at my touch, the way her mouth parts in surprise as she blinks up at me.

I can’t help the smirk that tugs at my lips as I take her in.

“Trust me, kisa , this was not part of my plan,” I murmur, stroking her wrists with my thumbs.

“What did you call me?” She bares her teeth at me.

Fuck, she’s wild, and I’m loving every second. “ Kisa. It means, pussycat.”

“ Pussycat ?”

“You are hissing just like one, but your claws are not sharp enough to do any real damage.”

She yanks her hands out of my grip and places them on her hips, dragging my attention once more to her body.

“You don’t get to look at me like that either.”

“Like what?” I fold my arms across my chest. I catch her eyes flicking to my biceps and this time, I let a grin break out of my face.

“Like that .”

“Can’t a man admire his wife?”

Bianca’s eyes flutter closed for a moment, as if she’s trying to compose herself, which only adds to my amusement.

I’m not used to women fighting back, and I must say I’m very much enjoying getting a rise out of her.

“I. Am. Not. Your. Wife.”

“Not yet, but whether you like it or not, in about half an hour you’re going to be.” I smirk. “I quite like the sound of Bianca Koslov .”

“I’m not marrying you. And I sure as hell am not changing my name.”

“You don’t have a choice.”

Bianca opens her mouth as if she’s about to snap at me once more, but then her eyes glisten and her lower lip trembles, and I know reality is starting to set in for her.

I fight the urge to reach for her, comfort her, when I know ultimately this marriage is nothing more than business.

Neither one of us really wants to get married here and now, but this is something that needs to happen.

And I can’t afford to let feelings get in the way, so I keep my hands to myself and plaster a look of indifference on my face.

“If you want answers, kisa , speak to your father. He’s the one who agreed to this deal.”

“Oh, believe me, I’ll be having words with my father. So, you can put this ridiculous notion that there will be a wedding today on hold until he explains what the hell is going on.”

“Don’t take too long, the wedding breakfast is being served in an hour.”

Bianca offers me one last scowl before storming past me, her shoulder brushing against my own.

My breath catches as a sweet jasmine scent hits my nose, and I have to bite back a moan at the thought of burying my face in her hair, inhaling that scent as I sink myself deep inside her?—

My brother Dimitri chuckles, slapping me on the shoulder and snapping me out of my fantasy. “She’s a handful. Sure you know what you’re doing?”

I clear my throat, shifting my weight between my feet as I watch Bianca storm back over to Emilio, her slender arms waving about as she rips into him.

“I know exactly what I’m doing.”

My youngest brother, Danil, smirks. “I don’t think I’ve ever known a woman not to throw herself at you, Alexei. How does it feel to know your soon-to-be wife rejected you straight out the bat?”

“I like a challenge.”

Mikhail laughs. “He’s dying inside.”

I roll my eyes and turn around to face all three of my brothers, shooting Mikhail, a glare.

“Can’t you all go and bother someone else?”

My brothers glance between each other and grin.

Sometimes, I hate being the oldest. It meant I had to be the one to grow up, to take over as head of the family while they got to cling to the last of their childhood innocence for a while longer.

I don’t resent them for it. It wasn’t their fault that our parents were taken from us. But I have a responsibility to them, to this family, and that’s what I have to keep reminding myself of.

The only reason I’m about to sign my life away to the daughter of a rival crime boss is because it got me the information I need to finally get my revenge. For me and for my brothers.

I have a duty to my family, no matter how irritating they are.

Mikhail glances around the busy terrace.

“Whoever organized this little get together did a good job. I’m thoroughly enjoying the open bar.” He raises a half-empty glass of scotch that I hadn’t noticed he was holding, his shirtsleeve rising slightly to show off his tattooed arm.

“It’s not even midday.” I reach for the drink.

Mikhail scoffs, rolling his eyes at me as he steps out of reach. “We’re celebrating, brother.”

I look to Dimitri for backup as the second eldest, but he only shrugs .

As I take my brothers in, it is clear that we all look similar in our dark suits.

Many of the guests here today are keeping their distance, not because they know who we truly are but because of the intimidating presence my brothers and I give off. If only they knew of the countless weapons we each have stashed on our persons on the off chance any unexpected guests decide to cause trouble…

In our line of work, you can never be too careful.

I shake my head at my brothers. “Try and stay out of trouble.”

Mikhail and Danil simply grin at one another before stalking away in the direction of the bar, leaving me alone with Dimitri.

“Mom and Dad would’ve been proud,” Dimitri says under his breath.

I glance sidelong at my brother, my throat thick as I think of our parents.

“Not only for honoring your promise to Emilio, but for how you’ve kept everything together since…”

I bow my head, hating the shadow that is cast at the mention of my parents.

They should be here, and even though it’s been almost a decade since we lost them, it still feels like yesterday.

The nightmares haven’t gone away yet. The grief still cripples me sometimes. Just like it’s doing now.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t you wish it could be different?”

I turn to face my brother. “What do you mean?”

He gestures around to the decorated rooftop. “That your wedding would be with someone you…”

“Someone I love?”

He shrugs, folding his arms across his broad chest .

“Perhaps. But this deal with Emilio is more important. I have to honor it. Besides, you know as well as I do that anyone we bring into our lives needs to be aware of the risks. And do I really want to risk yet another person I love?”

“True. Especially since even with the information Emilio offered us, we still haven’t taken down Mario.”

I flex my fingers at the mention of the head of the Gilanto family. The last man standing. The one man I want dead more than anything. “The information was useful, even if Mario got away.”

“It just seems to me that Emilio’s getting a sweet deal here. Our protection, along with security for his daughter, when the one man responsible for destroying our family still runs free.”

“A deal is a deal. He delivered, we failed to bank on it.”

“Maybe we should’ve asked for Mario’s head on a platter,” Dimitri mutters, his jaw flexing.

“If anyone is going to kill Mario, it’s me.”

Dimitri holds his hands up.

I clap him on the shoulder, appreciating his concern.

Dimitri tilts his chin to somewhere behind me. “Apparently, we need to step it up. If we’re not careful, Emilio might be the one getting killed today.”

Frowning, my hand flies to my holster as I follow his line of sight. I let out a huff of a laugh as Emilio gets backed into a corner by his daughter.

“I think I may have to go and rescue my soon-to-be father-in-law from my bride-to-be before she murders him.”

Dimitri laughs. “It wouldn’t be a true Koslov wedding without a murder.”