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I hurry back inside to Inessa. “Wait here. I’m going to find Julia.”

“And you’re going to talk to her? You’re going to tell her it’s ok that she loves Matteo?”

Slowly, I nod. “I can’t lose my sister. I just can’t. And if this is the way…” I grit my teeth. Fuck, this is harder than I thought it would be. “Then I’m willing to do it.”

Inessa gives me a long, tender kiss. “I’m proud of you.”

Staring into Inessa’s beautiful, smiling face tells me that all of this is worth it. Even if it means letting Julia go.

“I’m going to make this right,” I promise.

Julia

Connor takes me to an upscale apartment building. “If you scream or alert anyone, I will put a bullet to your spine and paralyze you.”

I nod. I cant risk Connor’s wrath. I have to hope that I can figure out a way out of this or more than just me will be hurt.

He presses his gun into my back as we walk through the lobby. I give no indication that I’m in trouble.

It’s not until we’re inside his apartment that he finally removes the gun from my back.

“Get comfortable here,” he says. “Since this is where you’ll be living from now on.”

The apartment is luxurious and updated. It’s the pinnacle of wealth in New York. Even though it’s a beautiful space, it feels cold and empty, devoid of any personality.

“You really think you’re going to marry me?” I ask.

“I’m going to kill your husband. Then we can finally have our wedding that was rudely interrupted before.

And I’m going to kill Viktor on top of it, just for pissing me off.

Now, I’m going to need to tie you up so you can’t escape.

Grab that rope.” He points with his gun towards a spool of rope on the ground.

Slowly, I pick it up.

“Now, turn around.”

I would rather keep my eyes on him but I do as he says. Once my back is turned, he grabs my wrists and ties them behind me, then he ties the rest of the rope to a chair.

“Sit down.”

I have no choice because he shoves me onto it and finishes tying me up the rest of the way. I tug on the ropes but I’m stuck.

“There.” Connor smiles like he’s proud of himself. “Once I take care of Matteo and Viktor, you’re all mine.” He whistles to himself as he leaves the apartment.

Viktor

I know that Matteo will know where Julia is. There’s no way she didn’t go to him but I have no idea where he could be. I start going to restaurants that I know Dante owns but Matteo is not at any of them. I’m starting to draw attention to myself and that’s risky.

When I check the fifth restaurant, I’m confronted by Erik Koslov himself after I step onto the sidewalk.

“What are you doing, Viktor?” he asks. “My men told me you were sniffing around Dante’s restaurants. You’re looking to kill him?”

“No. I’m looking for my sister. Matteo is with her. I’m sure you’ve heard all about their wedding and the chaos they’ve caused.”

He shrugs. “Dante told me.”

“Julia left and I need to find her. I know you hate me now, Erik. But I’m not here to fight. I’m here to find my sister.”

“I don’t believe you. You’ve been killing a lot of my men over this past year.”

“Then fine. Take me in. Torture me. Kill me. But then you’ll never have peace. A lot of my men will seek revenge. I need to find Julia and I need to tell her that I’ve accepted her and Matteo. I… I’ll make peace, Erik. I mean it this time.”

He rocks back on his heels and crosses his arms. “Oh, so now that you’ve lost someone you care about, you’re finally willing to make peace?”

“Don’t be an asshole. You wanted peace for a long time. Are you really going to pass it up? I’m offering it to you on a silver platter.”

“I’ll admit. I’m tempted. I do want peace. I know all about Julia and Matteo. I thought it was brilliant actually. Your sister and Dante’s second in command. It’s the perfect marriage for peace.”

“Contact Dante. Tell him I’m looking for Julia. That I’m done fighting. I swear it. You know me, Erik. You know I’d do anything to protect my sister.”

He wavers before he nods. “I do know that. Ok. I’ll call Dante. Let’s set up a meeting and discuss this.” He calls Dante but after a long moment, he lowers the phone. “He’s not answering.”

“Then keep trying. I need my sister to know that I don’t blame her anymore. That I still love her.”

Erik keeps trying but Dante keeps not answering. “Come with me. We’ll wait at one of my restaurants until Dante gets back to us.”

“You mostly want to keep an eye on me, don’t you?”

“Can you blame me? I want to make sure that what you’re saying is sincere. That you really want peace.”

“You’re not just leading me to my death, are you?”

“I considered it but I can see in your eyes that you’re desperate to save Julia.

I know you mean it. You wouldn’t be doing something so risky like going to Dante’s properties, looking for her, without meaning what you say.

You have no reason to trust me, Viktor, and I have no reason to trust you.

But let’s start now. I won’t kill you. I do want peace.

I’ve always wanted it. And this way, we can become such a powerful force in this city that no one will ever get in our way again. ”

“Ok. I’ll come with you. This a show of my own trust. I am trusting you not to kill me.” It’s taking all of my strength not to let my pride win. I have to do this, for Julia.

Matteo

Dante and I have twenty men with us when we attack Viktor’s house. They all quickly shoot down his guards and we storm into the large mansion.

The housekeeper screams at the sight of us with our guns drawn.

“Don’t shoot her,” I say. “She’s innocent. Search the house. I want Julia found and I want Viktor dead.”

Dante nods. “There’s the friend I remember. Never lose sight of it again.”

The men search the whole house and come up empty except for Inessa. They bring her into the foyer and shove her at my feet.

“Careful,” I snap, helping Inessa up. She’s still innocent in all of this.

“Matteo. What are you doing here?” She looks around at all the men as her face turns paler. “What have you done?”

“Viktor would have killed me. You saw it. He’ll never change. I’m taking Julia, Inessa. And I’m killing Viktor. There will never be peace. I see that now.”

“No, wait,” she gasps. “Julia is gone. She’s not here.

Viktor went out in search of her. He wants to make amends with Julia.

Trust me. He told me himself. He wants to make peace.

He thinks she’s with you. He wants to tell you that he’ll agree to your marriage.

He just wants Julia in his life. You have to believe me. ”

Dante scoffs. “You’re telling me that Viktor, the stubborn as a fucking mule Viktor, has suddenly changed his mind at the last second? Right when we stormed into your house?”

She ignores him and keeps her eyes on me. “Matteo, you know enough. Do I look like I’m lying? You just screwed everything up by doing this. Viktor will never forgive you now. You had your chance. You should have just laid low.”

Doubt starts to creep inside of me. What if Inessa is telling the truth?

“Don’t listen to her,” Dante snaps. “Let’s just find Julia and kill Viktor. Where are they?”

“I don’t know!” Inessa screams. “Seriously. Julia left. I think she went to you but clearly that’s not the case. Viktor is out looking for her now.”

It dawns on me then. Julia would have gone to our safehouse if she was looking for me. If Viktor doesn’t have her locked up then…

“Just go to her,” she says. “And leave. Please.”

“We’re going to stay until your husband returns,” Dante says. “And then I’m going to put a bullet through his head.” His phone rings and he makes an annoyed sound in the back of his throat. “Erik keeps fucking calling me. Now is not a good time.”

“It might be important,” I say.

Dante answers his phone with a sigh. “Yes?” He’s quiet as he listens to Erik and then his eyes grow wide. “Are you fucking kidding me? Viktor? Seriously? He’s there with you now and he wants peace?”

I inhale sharply. What the fuck is going on?

“Ok. I’m on my way.” Dante hangs up. “Viktor is with Erik. He told Erik that he wants peace. That he’ll accept you and Julia together. But you have to let him see Julia. You can’t keep her from him.”

“But I don’t have Julia. I know where she might be though.”

“Don’t give her up. Not until I’ve had the chance to talk to Viktor.”

“And what about this?” Inessa asks, waving her hands around at all of the dead guards. “You stormed into Viktor’s home. He’s not going to forgive this.”

“We fucked up,” I say quietly. “I fucked up.”

“You really did.” Inessa doesn’t sugarcoat it.

“Fuck. Dante, what are we going to do?”

“I’m going to talk to Viktor and Erik and you’re going to get Julia. If you know where she is, then go to her. And… shit. Hopefully we didn’t just mess up our once chance at peace by doing this.”

“By being reckless,” I snap.

“Hey. This was your idea.”

“I know. Fuck, I know.” I’m never the reckless one. I’m always the one looking for peace and now I ruined it. I have to go to Julia and hope I can salvage some of this. “I’m sorry, Inessa. I didn’t know.”

“Viktor did almost just try to kill you. I can’t blame you for being angry. But make this right. Please. I’m tired of the fighting.”

Dante and I leave Viktor’s house, along with our men. We leave the bodies of Viktor’s dead guards behind.

I hurry to the safehouse but when I get there, it’s clear to me that Julia isn’t here. I check the whole house just to make sure.

The park , I realize. Maybe she’s at the park.

But after I rush there next and check the whole place, I don’t find Julia. Where could she be? She doesn’t have my home address but I still check there anyway and once again, I don’t find her.

Where the fuck could she be?

I leave my apartment and stop dead in my tracks when I see Connor standing outside.

“You,” I snarl.

“If you’re looking for your wife, you should know, I have her. But you’re never going to get her.”

“You fucker.”

Connor winks. “Sorry.” And then he lifts his gun up and pulls the trigger.

Pain shoots right through my stomach and I drop to my knees.

“You’re going to die, Matteo. Any last words?” He presses the gun to my head.

“Yes. You are never going to have Julia for your own.” And then I whip out my own gun and shoot him in the leg. He lets out a scream as he topples over.

I run away as best as I can with a fucking bullet wound to my stomach. Connor keeps shooting at me but I managed to dodge out of the way and get into my car.

I have to tell Viktor. He needs to know that I don’t have Julia. That Connor does. That I made a mistake but I want peace too.

But I don’t get the chance before my vision turns blurry and I swerve my car into another car. Everything stops moving. I hear honks and screams.

And the last thought I have is that I failed Julia. I could not protect her.