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“I don’t want to hurt you,” he continues. “I want you to like me. But if Matteo is getting in the way, then I need him out of your life.” His eyes rake me up and down. “You better be a virgin on our wedding night. I don’t like sloppy seconds.”

“Why are you not telling Viktor about this?”

“Because this is a little secret I can hang over your head. I want power which means I need to marry you. I can’t ruffle Viktor’s feathers. This stays just between us. For now. I’ll use this information if you ever piss me off. Got it?”

All I can do is nod.

He winks, then leaves the room with a whistle and all I can do is slump to the ground, terrified out of my mind.

It’s Matteo who calls me instead of the other way round.

I stare down at his number in the privacy and safety of my own room.

Everything inside of me wants to answer but I know it’s not possible.

Connor is becoming more of a problem. He will try to kill Matteo if I don’t keep my distance but for Matteo’s sake, it’s better if I stay away so I don’t answer.

In the morning, I’m presented with a large magazine full of wedding dress options. Mrs. Green, our housekeeper, proudly tells me she’s been keeping this for me for when the day came I’d get married.

“Thank you,” I say, forcing a smile to my lips. I can tell how happy she is but of course, she doesn’t know how bad Connor can be. She doesn’t know that he tried to hurt me.

I can tell Viktor and he’ll end Connor’s life but I’m worried that Viktor won’t believe me. The reality is, if Connor’s not the man I’ll marry, then Viktor will just eventually find someone else for me to marry and none of the options will be Matteo.

“It’s time to go flower shopping,” Inessa announces as she comes into the kitchen. “Come on. We’ll make it fun.”

The hundreds of flowers I’m confronted with at the flower shop is too much. Too much for my nose, for my eyes, and even for my ears because everyone keeps congratulating me on my upcoming wedding and I’m tired of hearing it.

“Let’s find you the best flowers,” the shop assistant, Brittany, says.

My heart is not in it so Inessa takes over and helps me pick out my bridal bouquet.

“Are you ok?” she asks when Brittany heads into the back to bring out more flowers.

“Matteo called me last night.”

“And?” I can see Inessa’s eyes tighten. She doesn’t approve of this but she’s trying to be supportive.

“And I didn’t answer. Connor needs to be my future.”

“You don’t sound happy about it.”

“He cornered me in the kitchen yesterday,” I whisper. “He gripped my arms tight.”

“Why didn’t you tell Viktor? He’ll break ties with Connor if he knew.”

“But then Viktor is back to square one when it comes to this war he’s in. I can’t see him get hurt and Connor might be a good ally for him to gain more power. And I can’t risk Connor saying something to Viktor about Matteo. I just can’t.”

“I can speak to Viktor for you. I can tell him I don’t trust Conner. That might make Viktor more aware of the situation without you having to say anything.”

I sigh and turn away from the large sunflowers right in my face. “You can try. But please don’t bring up Matteo. I can’t risk him getting hurt.”

“You were supposed to tell Viktor about him.”

“I know. I was going to until Connor dragged me into the kitchen.”

She squeezes my arm and I try not to wince. It’s the same spot Connor gripped tightly. “I’ll talk to Viktor without bringing Matteo up. But talk to your brother eventually. Please.”

Brittany comes back out with more flower options to choose from and I plaster a smile onto my face and focus on finding the best flowers for my upcoming wedding that I want no part in.

Matteo

I keep calling Julia and she doesn’t answer. Is she hurt? Did Viktor find out and took her phone from her?

Or is she just done with me?

It’s probably for the best if it’s the last case scenario but that’s also the reason it fucking stings.

“Matteo,” Dante snaps, making me look up from my plate. We’re at one of Dante’s restaurants, here to collect money owed to us. We also stopped to eat because why not? The owner gives us free food.

“What?” I snap back.

“Focus. I’m talking here and you look like you have better things on your mind.”

“Sorry. Go.”

He shoots me a look before he sighs. “What I was trying to say and you weren’t listening is that Viktor was spotted at my nightclub a few days ago. Why was he there? And where were you? That was the same night you picked up the money.”

“I did pick it up and then I left. I didn’t see him.” I knew word would get back to Dante about Viktor being at his club. I wasn’t going to offer that information but I knew I had to be prepared for when he spoke to me about it.

“How convenient.”

“It probably was seeing as we avoided a fight. I’m sure Viktor was there to attack us and fortunately, neither of us were there. Now we can be ready for him. We got lucky, Dante. Look on the bright side.”

“It’s hard to look on the bright side when I find out that Viktor tried to attack my club. Yes, no one was hurt but that could have been our chance to kill him and instead, I was at home.”

“With your wife,” I remind him.

“Yes, with my wife. And I love Nadia. I love her more than anything in this fucked up world but I need to take Viktor down. Hell, Erik even told me that he ran into Julia when you guys were at Coney Island. How come you didn’t tell me?”

“Nothing happened. And I was going to but Erik told you first. She was…”

“She was what?”

“She was on a date with Connor Barry. The Irish mobster. Viktor is trying to strike a deal with him.”

“Well, we have to end that.” He stabs his steak with a knife harder than he needs to.

“Of course. But… what do you mean by that? Not… kill Julia, correct?”

“Who do you take me for? No, we’re not going to kill Julia. I know you get uncomfortable with the topic of killing women. She’s safe. No, we need to go after Connor. We need to kill him before Viktor can make a deal with him.”

“Agreed.” If Connor is dead, then Julia is free of him and if it’s a decision made by Dante and not her, then the blood won’t be on her hands. Win-win.

“Good. See if you can find out where he lives. Surprise him. Take him down.”

“Happily too.”

When I leave the restaurant, I call Julia again but she still doesn’t answer. I have to know she’s ok. I know it’s not my place. I know she’s not mine but I have to know or I might just go crazy.

I drive to Viktor’s house and remain a little ways down the street so I can see the house without any of his guards able to see me. I hope to get a glimpse of Julia but I see nothing.

I call her again and this time, leave a message. “Just tell me you’re ok. Please, can you do that? Or I might have to sneak into your room just to see you.”

She calls back within minutes. “Matteo.”

“So, are you ok?”

“I’m ok.”

“Then why didn’t you answer my calls?” I know I shouldn’t ask it. None of this should be happening.

“I’m sorry. I just thought it would be better this way. I can’t risk you getting hurt because of me.”

“Did Connor do something?” When Julia doesn’t give me an answer, I know I’m right. “What did he do?”

“Matteo.”

“What did he do?”

“He just threatened me. Told me I was his and that he knows about us. Saw us at the hotel together. We can’t keep meeting up. Not when he’s watching.”

“Dante wants me to kill him. I’m going to, for you. The blood wont be on your hands. You’re not making this decision. Dante wants this to happen and so I’ll do it. And then you’ll be free of him.”

“But Viktor will just find someone else for me to marry.”

“Worry about that when it comes. For now, let me kill Connor. If he’s threatening you -,” I stop. “Julia, he didn’t hurt you, did he?”

Once again, she doesn’t answer and it tells me everything I need to know.

“Motherfucker,” I mutter.

“He only gripped my arms. It wasn’t bad. I didn’t even bruise.”

“But it could have been worse is what you’re saying. I won’t allow him to hurt you.”

“I thought you only killed people in self-defense.”

I shrug, even though she can’t see me. “And when my boss tells me to do it. So, I’m going to kill him. Just be ready for it. Don’t tell your brother, please. That could ruin everything.”

She’s silent again for a long time. “Ok. I won’t tell Viktor. But I’m not sure how much longer I can lie to him. About you and me.”

I squeeze my eyes shut. I want nothing more than to be with Julia in public. To even have a chance to be with her. But if she tells her brother about us, I’m more dead than I already am.

“I want to see you again,” I say gruffly. “I know we shouldn’t but I need to see you again.”

“Ok,” she says after a long moment. “Where?”

“I’ll pick another hotel. I’ll send you the time and place. Tomorrow?”

“Tomorrow,” she promises.

I hang up, knowing I’m playing with fire but I just can’t seem to stop myself.

Inessa

“Don’t marry Julia to Connor,” I tell Viktor when we’re in bed together. No point in keeping it in. I find with Viktor it’s best to just put it all out there in the open.

“Why not?”

“She didn’t want to say anything because she knows how much this deal with Connor means to you but…”

“But?”

I sigh. “But he cornered her in the kitchen.”

“What?” That gets Viktor’s full attention. “He did?”

“And he grabbed her arms. He threatened her.”

“With what?”

“I… I’m not sure,” I lie. “I just know what Julia told me and that he physically hurt her. It wasn’t bad but it still happened. Are you sure you want to marry a man like that to your sister? The sister that you’d protect more than anyone else in this world?”

He pushes the covers back. “I need to talk to Julia.”

“No.” I grab his arm, stopping him. “Not tonight. It’s late. But listen, Connor might make up lies about her.”

“What lies?”

“Like… Julia sneaking out of the house. Getting into trouble.”

Viktor scoffs. “Julia wouldn’t do anything like that.”

“I know. But Connor really wants to be allies with you and he’s willing to do whatever it takes to make it happen and that means Julia is his ticket in. If she says he hurt her, then he threatened to make up lies about her to you. I think it’s a way to break you two apart. You and Julia.”

“Why would he do that? Inessa, none of this makes sense.”

I know because I’m lying about half of it. “Just… listen to me, Viktor. I get a bad feeling about Connor and I know Julia doesn’t like him. We don’t think he’ll help you win this war. The only way to end this war is to -,”

“Make peace,” he interrupts. “I know. Trust me, I’ve heard it countless times by now.”

“So why aren’t you listening? Instead of marrying Julia to some random Irish man, marry her to one of Dante or Erik’s men. Make a deal. You know it’s smart.”

“Of course I know it’s smart,” he snaps. “But I am not losing my sister to the enemy side.”

“And yet, you’re ok with losing your sister to a man who might hurt her?”

He blows out a long breath. “I don’t know what I’m doing,” he admits. “For the first time in a long time, I’m lost.”

“But I’m here. Let me help you. We can do this without you having to marry Julia to Connor.”

He shakes his head. “No. I’ll talk to her about it but Connor hasn’t shown me any signs he’d hurt her. Maybe you and Julia are mistaken.”

I know Viktor is losing his sense of self. The Viktor I fell in love with would never question his sister, not for anything. He’s becoming lost in this war and I’m not sure if I can get him out.