Page 20 of Beautiful Sinner (Bound to the Mafia #6)

Dante breathes slowly and moves even slower as he stands up straight. “Viktor’s own sister is your contact?”

I can only nod.

“How? How did this happen?”

“Julia and I have been… seeing each other.”

“This is rich. This is fucking rich. Are you serious?”

“Completely, sir.”

“Don’t ‘sir’ me right now. You’re not going to win brownie points by being polite. You and Julia? How the fuck did this happen? When did this happen?”

“When I met with Viktor to discuss peace. Julia was there and we… talked. We ran into each other a few more times by accident and I just knew I liked her. We’ve been seeing each other in private.

She doesn’t want to marry Connor. She’s afraid of him.

She wants me to kill him, but I cannot go into that wedding and kill everyone.

Not when it includes Julia. I just can’t. I’m sorry.”

Dante stares at me with his mouth agape until a stark laugh escapes him. “Matteo. Do you realize the world of shit you’ve put me in? If Viktor finds out you’re fucking his sister -,”

“I’m not. Fucking her. We haven’t…”

He holds up a hand. “I don’t fucking care. If he finds out, you’re dead.”

“He already hates me. But it’s because of Julia that you’re alive right now.”

“What?”

“I knew Viktor would be at your club that night because she told me of his plan. She told me because she didn’t want her brother to die but she also didn’t want me to die.

She wants peace, just like I do. I’m tired of this fucking war.

I’m tired of almost getting killed and having to kill and watch men be killed.

So, I convinced you not to go that night and Viktor wasn’t able to hurt you. ”

“But I wasn’t able to hurt him either!”

“He would have gotten the upper hand by showing up to your club without your knowledge and you know it. He would have killed you by all means.”

“So we can do the same at this wedding. Viktor won’t know we’re coming.”

“Unless Julia says something to him and then the second we arrive, we’re dead.”

Dante shakes his head. “No. Viktor doesn’t know because he’d be raining hellfire onto you if he knew about you and his sister. Which means he doesn’t know about you and his sister. Julia hasn’t told him, has she?”

“No,” I admit. “But she wants peace, Dante. She wants Connor dead, which aligns with what we want. We find Connor, kill him, and this way, Viktor loses another ally.”

“But Viktor continues to live.”

“Maybe we can make peace. Julia and I can go public with our relationship. We can force Viktor to make peace with us. No one else has to die except Connor.”

He scoffs. “You really think Viktor is going to just roll over and make peace when he finds out you’ve been seeing Julia behind his back? His prized sister? No. The only way you get a chance to be with her is if Viktor is dead.”

“But you won’t trust the sister of your enemy. If you kill Viktor, you’ll be paranoid Julia will be coming for you and try to kill her and I can’t stand for that. I will not stand back and watch her be killed. I will protect her.”

“You would choose the enemy over me?”

“Dante, you married Nadia, who’s the sister-in-law to Erik Koslov, who was once your enemy.

You chose everything to be with her. Aiden did the same with Elena.

Finn did the same with Aria. Why can’t I do the same with Julia?

This could be our chance for peace. We kill Connor, we weaken Viktor, and we offer him a peace deal. Julia and I marry.”

“He’ll never go for it,” Dante says.

“It’s better than a bloodbath. We have to try.”

“No. If we want to weaken Viktor, we attack that church this Saturday and there is nothing you can do to make me change my mind. The only way would be to kill me and do you want to kill me? Can you kill me?”

“I am not going to kill you,” I mutter. “If I can’t stop you, then I’ll join you, but only to make sure Julia is not hurt in the process. Give me that, at least. You took Nadia by force and married her despite her being the enemy. Allow me the same with Julia.”

Dante wavers until he sighs and nods. “Fine. You’re right. I’d be a hypocrite. But you are going to help me kill Connor and if that means we also have to kill Viktor, then we’re killing Viktor.”

“Fine.” I’ll agree to it because I have no other choice when it comes to Dante. But I know in my gut that I’ll do everything in my power to save Julia and by extension Viktor.

Because if Viktor dies, then I’m not sure Julia will even want to be with me anymore and that thought is fucking heartbreaking.

Even if it means going against my boss and best friend.

Julia

Inessa helps me put on my wedding dress. “You look beautiful. Just perfect.”

Before I can stop myself, I break down into tears, ruining all of Inessa’s hard work on my makeup. Connor is still alive, which means that Matteo wasn’t able to kill him before today. My fate is sealed: Connor will become my husband.

It hurts more that Matteo wasn’t able to save me even though he promised. I’ve never had a man break his promises to me before.

“Julia,” Inessa gasps, dabbing at my face. “Why are you crying?”

“Matteo,” is all I can say.

She sighs. “I know you care for him. And I’m sorry you don’t get the chance to be with the man you really want to be with. You should tell Viktor.”

“On the day of my wedding to another man?”

“It’s your last chance and you know it. He might understand.”

“ Might . But probably not.”

“How do you know unless you give him the chance?”

I know she has a point. I have to try. “Ok. I’ll go talk to him.”

I leave my room and find Viktor pacing around the foyer, waiting for me to arrive. He stops the moment he sees me. “Julia. You look beautiful.”

“I have to talk to you about something.”

“What is it?”

I open my mouth but no words come out. Matteo, say Matteo. But nothing.

“Julia?”

The front door opens and in walks Connor. “Ready to get married?”

I blanch and turn away from him. “You’re not supposed to see me before the wedding.”

“I think we’re past all of that.” He walks up to me and leans in close to my ear so Viktor can’t hear. “Besides, I wanted to make sure you really showed. No getting out of this one, Julia.”

“Julia?” Viktor asks. “What did you want to tell me?”

There’s no way I can tell Viktor the truth with Connor there so instead, I smile and shake my head. “Nothing. I just wanted to tell you that I love you and appreciate you being such a good brother.”

He smiles in return. “I just want you to be happy.” I know he believes that but I’m not sure he’d let me be happy with Matteo. Viktor likes things done under his terms and no one else’s.

Inessa enters the foyer and our eyes catch but Connor is ushering me outside before I get the chance to say anything else. We’re off to get married.

The four of us sit in the back while Viktor’s driver takes us to the church. Connor makes a point of sitting right next to me, with his hand clasped to my leg. He really is making sure I can’t go anywhere.

The large catholic church is stunning and normally, it would be a happy sight but right now, it’s the stuff of nightmares. Viktor managed to invite a lot of people to this event, wanting it to be a spectacle for everyone to see. The joining of the forces.

“I’ll walk Julia down the aisle,” Viktor says pointedly, staring at Connor’s hand on my leg. Even now, I can tell Viktor isn’t ready to let me go just yet but he’s doing what he believes needs to happen.

“I’ll meet you in there,” Connor says. He gives me a serious look when he gets out of the car: it means no funny business.

“So, this is it,” Viktor says after Inessa heads inside too, leaving just me and Viktor alone.

“This is it.”

“Do you want to back out?”

“Yes,” I admit. “Don’t make me do this, Viktor. Please.”

“I wish I could give you the world. I never wanted to force you to marry someone you didn’t want to marry but I need this alliance, Julia. I need this to happen.”

“I know and I don’t blame you for it. I’ll still love you even after I’m married.”

“Why does it sound like you’re saying goodbye? You’ll just be moving in with Connor.”

“It is a goodbye in some ways.”

He takes my shaking hands in his. “I’ll always keep you safe.”

“I guess it’s time.”

Viktor walks me into the church and all eyes turn to me.

I spy Grigori in the audience, a grumpy scowl on his face.

Clearly, he’s not happy that he’s not the one waiting at the end of the aisle for me.

Honestly, I would take Grigori now over Connor any day.

Grigori is an old man, whereas Connor is young.

I’m stuck with Connor for the rest of my life.

The inside of the church is like something out of a movie. It’s beautiful and stunning and I swear, I can hear angels singing. Or maybe it’s demons singing my demise as I get closer and closer to Connor at the end of the aisle.

Viktor makes sure I don’t trip. With my brother at my side, I feel like I can do anything.

I have to push Matteo from my mind. I have to focus on my relationship with Connor.

I doubt I’ll be able to sneak off to see Matteo once Connor and I are married.

I never truly got to say goodbye to Matteo and now I’ll never get that chance.

He’ll always be a ‘what could have been.’

The music stops when I reach the end of the aisle and Viktor hands me over to Connor.

He squeezes my hand so tight, I have to stop myself from wincing.

I cannot show pain in front of Viktor. I cannot be the reason he loses an ally.

I cannot be the reason my brother faces heartbreak if he knew the truth of me and Matteo.

The priest begins the service. It’s so quiet in the room, I can hear the people in the pews breathing. They all sound steady and calm while I’m having a panic attack inside. Connor only tightens his hold on my hands like he knows I’m going to make a run for it.

“Do you, Connor Barry, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?” The priest asks and Connor doesn’t hesitate to say ‘I do.’ His voice carries throughout the large cathedral.

“And do you, Julia Smirnov, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”

My mouth is dry. My palms are clammy. Nerves rack every inch of my body.

This is it. The moment I become Connor’s wife. I’m supposed to say the words but I can’t get them out. Connor narrows his eyes at me and yet, I still can’t speak. The only consolation I have is he can’t hurt me right in this moment. Not when my brother is watching.

I glance at Viktor and Inessa. They both look concerned for me. I wish I could make them both proud. I was praised as a little girl for being polite and mature for my age. I strived to make Viktor as proud of me as I could manage and right now, I’m failing.

All because I’m falling in love with the enemy.

“Julia,” Connor murmurs, nodding at me to speak. Murmurs spread throughout the room. The guests can tell this is not what I want.

“Julia,” Viktor says.

I turn back to Connor and let out a low breath. I can do this. I have to do this.

I open my mouth to speak.

The church doors burst open and in run multiple men, shooting off guns into the ceiling. It becomes a mad house as people drop to the floor and scream. Connor stands frozen, staring at the approaching men while Viktor shoves Inessa under the pew and runs to me, shielding me with his body.

And that’s when I see him.

Matteo.

He’s standing in the aisle, here, at my wedding.