Page 112 of Beautiful Sinner

“Pretty much. I was always the one in charge. Take is as mercy that I’m not killing you right here and now. If you show your face to me again however, I won’t hesitate to shoot you. You came into my home and pretended to be allies when you kept hurting my sister.”

“Fuck you, Viktor.”

“So eloquent. Have a nice fucking life.” I toss a few bills onto the table. “I’ll even pay for lunch.”

His scowl only deepens.

I leave him behind sitting at the table all by himself. I may not know what to do with Matteo but I am confident about Connor. He will never get his hands on Julia.

Julia

While Viktor is gone, Inessa and I sit on the back patio, soaking in the sun on the warm day. The slight breeze makes it all better. It almost makes me miss Matteo a little less. Only a little though.

“It’s good to have you back home,” she says. “You have to know that I never wanted to bring Viktor to you in person. But he insisted. He wasn’t going to back down and you know how he can be when he sets his mind to something.”

“Trust me. I know.” I take a large sip of the lemonade Mrs. Green made for us.

“I will make sure you see Matteo again. I promise you that.”

“Let me talk to him. Please. Just to let him know that I’m ok and that he doesn’t need to warn Dante. I don’t want Dante and Erik to become too trigger happy if they see Viktor. Please.”

She sighs and slides over her phone. “I can’t resist you either. You and your brother are the same in that regard.”

“Thank you so much,” I call Matteo’s number and listen to it ring and ring and ring. Why isn’t he answering? I try again and again and he still doesn’t answer.

“Julia?”

“Matteo isn’t picking up his phone.”

“He could just be busy with something. Talking to someone right now. He might have his phone on silent.”

“Or he’s planning something stupid to get me back.”

As if on cue, there’s a quiet thud against the back gate and the door swings open to reveal Matteo.

I gasp and run over to him. “What are you doing here?”

“Saving you. Come on.”

But I don’t go with him. “You have to leave. Right now. If Viktor sees you, you’re dead. If any of his guards see you, you’re dead. I’m fine. I think Viktor is coming around. Please, Mateo. Just trust me to handle this.”

“But it’s my job to protect you.”

“That’s my job.” Viktor’s dark voice crosses the backyard. With a gasp, I turn around to see him standing in the doorway of the back door. Inessa is halfway in and halfway out of her seat. “I’m impressed, Matteo. You managed to find a weak point in my security. Not many people can do that. But I’m sure it’s because you had help.” His eyes flick to me.

“I didn’t know he was coming here. Please. Don’t hurt him.”

Matteo steps in front of me, even though it’s the most stupid thing he could do. “I’m taking Julia back. She’s my wife. You don’t get to dictate who she can and cannot see.”

Viktor’s eyes twitches. “Pretty ballsy of you to show up at my own house and tell me what I can and cannot do when it concerns my sister. I have more right to her than you do.”

“I’m right here,” I snap. “Stop talking for me. Both of you.” I step between them before they can start shooting at each other. “This has to end. Viktor, you need to see that Matteo will not hurt me. And Matteo, you have to start to trust my brother.”

“Doubtful,” Matteo mutters.

“Same,” Viktor sneers. “I still haven’t made my mind up about you yet. But with you coming here, breaking into my own home to steal my sister, I say that tells me everything I need to know. If you want to fight, Matteo, then let’s fight. No guns. We’ll make it fair.”

“Sounds good to me.”