Page 36 of Contract of a Billionaire

A gulp sounded. It could have been mine.

Sasha pulled out a chair next to him, his pale eyes locked on Branka. Thank God! Although she didn’t move, he kept waiting for her to sit down while her gaze kept flicking to the empty chair next to her brother.

“Sit down, Branka,” her father barked. “You too, Autumn.”

Both of us startled immediately and our legs moved of their own will.

Alessio held the other chair and both of us sank into the pulled out chairs. Anxiety buzzed under my skin. I flicked a side-glance at Alessio almost as if he’d save me which in itself was ludicrous. Just because we had sex last night, it didn’t mean he’d save me.

“Isn’t this nice?” Branka’s father drawled, leering at me. A shudder rolled down my spine, and it took all I had not to seek out Alessio’s gaze for help. “It’s about time that Autumn Corbin had a sit down with me, isn’t it?”

My spine stiffened and foreboding slithered through my veins. My parents always emphasized keeping away from the Russo men. It didn’t take a genius to figure out why. All you had to do was look at Branka’s mother.

“Or should I call you Autumn Blanchet?” I flicked a confused look to Alessio, then to Branka who rolled her eyes then snickered. She was scared of her father but when her brother was around, her bravery showed through. “Show some respect, Branka,” he roared and we both jumped in our seats. “Or we’ll see who’s rolling their eyes last!”

Another gulp sounded. No idea if it was mine or Branka’s, or maybe both of us, but I had a bad feeling about this. I should have just kidnapped Branka and ran. To hell with her father. Yet, my body was so stiff it refused to move.

The tension was palpable; I could almost taste it. Silence was thick, but it seemed to only affect Branka and me. Sasha produced bubblegum out of nowhere and the crinkle of the wrapper filled the air. I gave him an incredulous look, but he ignored me. His brother, Vasili, seemed unconcerned with his brother or Branka’s father. Alessio didn’t seem worried at all either. Or maybe both were hiding it extremely well.

Sasha threw gum into his mouth with a grin that promised something vicious, although I couldn’t quite distinguish who it was aimed at. He popped the gum as he crushed the wrapper in his hand.

The hand that I was certain killed many people. I stared at the symbols inking his fingers that I couldn’t read. My eyes returned to Alessio who stared at Sasha with displeasure scrawled all over his face. Then his eyes met mine and instantly the frown between his eyes eased and I drowned in his gray gaze.

“Been playing with fire, huh?” Branka’s father drawled and both of our eyes snapped to him. He was staring at Alessio and me. His tsk followed, an unpleasant grin marring his ugly face. He looked like a snake that was about to swallow a mouse. Vicious and about to pounce.

A waitress came around, interrupting the tense and uncomfortable silence. Neither Branka nor I seemed capable of opening our mouths so Alessio placed the order on our behalf. And the whole while, the old Russo’s eyes never left me.

“How is your mother, Autumn?” Mr. Russo asked, a cruel gleam lurking in his eyes. I didn’t like it. I felt vulnerable under his dark, menacing gaze.

My eyes flickered around the table, then returned to the old man. Unlike his son who was tall and handsome, Mr. Russo was short, bald and sported a gut that would put a pregnant woman to shame.

“Fine,” I answered through my clenched teeth.

He rubbed his belly, a smug look on his face. “And your maternal grandparents?”

My brows furrowed and confusion entered my expression. “They’re dead.”

Truthfully, I didn’t even know their names. My mother never spoke of her parents. She just said they were out of the picture. We left it at that. I had my paternal grandparents who were a big part of our lives until they both passed away.

He chuckled. “Not possible. Did they die within the last month?” he questioned and I blinked.

My tongue swept nervously over my bottom lip and I met Branka’s gaze. She seemed just as clueless as I was.

My eyes darted to Alessio, but his face was unreadable. A mask of indifference. Except for the slightest muscle that tightened in his jaw and his expression that darkened. Vasili and Sasha Nikolaev wore a similar expression. Although I was unsure whether it was aimed at me or Branka’s father.

It felt like being thrown to the wolves with no way of getting away.

Alessio’s father chuckled, creepy and dark. Knowledgeable. Both my hands laid in my lap, under the table and I hadn’t realized my nails were digging into my palm until a big, warm hand covered mine.

I stilled for a moment, but I didn’t move. A comforting squeeze and it was an infusion of strength I needed.

“As far as I know, they’ve been dead for a long time,” I said, my voice deceptively calm.

Alessio’s father brought his fist to the table. Branka and I startled in our seats. Silverware rattled.

“Now that’s a lie,” he spat, venom coloring his voice. “Your grandparents are very much alive. They run the Corsican mafia. And your mother was their most efficient assassin.”

He must be mad. Crazy. Delusional.