Page 24

Stefina glares at me like I forced her to suck a barrel of lemons, but I turn to Sergio. “My lawyer will be in touch.”

Anger flashes. “If you think?—”

“There are always legal matters.” Prenups and ways to get out of this fucking mess, but I keep that to myself. “I’ll be in touch.”

He nods, but doesn’t move as he stares at me. Then he takes one step toward me. “You have twenty-four hours to reach out.”

All I do is cross to the front door and open it, leaving them no choice but to walk through it of their own accord.

Sergio knows me well enough to know I’ll throw them both out and protocol be damned. And that kind of thing has a way of leaking, circulating, creating damaging whispers that he’ll allow such humiliations. So he steps on to the porch, along with his daughter.

“This wedding, Demyan, if it doesn’t start progressing soon, I’ll be forced to take matters into my own hands.”

Which will hurt me right back.

“Twenty-four hours,” he says again.

“I’m busy but I’m a man of my word.” And I slam the door in their faces.

I bite down on a string of curses and return to the living room. Marrying Stefina’s the last thing I want to do, but a promise is a promise.

I can’t risk being labeled as a bratva pakhan who fails to keep his word. Because if I don’t, no one will trust me again.

I’m no fan of Stefina, and she’s no fan of me, but I’m aware if there was no Erin or Sasha in my life, then I could perhaps manipulate it happily into something that serves me well.

But I do have them.

“Fuck,” I mutter.

If I’m going to get out of this mess, I need to be smart, bide my time, and find a legitimate out. Sergio is pushing for this because he needs my power. And his lack of an outright ask, along with trying to work a different sort of deal, says there’s dirt to be dug up.

There will be, I can feel it. There’s always dirt. But I hope it’s enough to use to negate this arrangement.

“Sir?”

I don’t turn to face Pavel. This is a problem of my own making. But I was desperate, back to the wall, and I’d do it all over again to save my family.

Now I just have to be coolheaded, smart. I turn. “How good are your connections?”

He shrugs. “Good enough. They’re not Ilya level, but they’re good.”

“When he’s stable, talk to him, but in the meantime, use all you have. I need all the dirt on Sergio. Public and private.” Then I pause. “And on Stefina.”

“The daughter? She’s not a player.” He frowns.

“She’s his daughter, she’s not outside our world, so yes, her, too. Anything at all. No rock unturned.”

“Yes, sir.”

As he takes his leave, I head upstairs to find Erin.

She’s not in her room, but the happy squeal of “Mama!” tells me exactly where she is.

Sasha’s trying to get his mangy stuffed goat from her and enjoying himself. Then he sees me.

“Dino! Mama stole my goat.”

My heart squeezes. I think it’s his way of telling me to help him. But then he squeals again as she teases him with it. “I think Mama’s in control, Sasha.”