Page 5 of Dark Desires (Chicago Bratva #1)

ALEXEI

W hat are the fucking odds?

I stand near the bar, nursing a whiskey, my eyes locked on Isabella like she's a ghost I never expected to see again.

The woman who disappeared from my bed three months ago. The woman who ignored my note, my plea for her to wait. The woman who's haunted every damn day since.

I came back that morning with fresh pastries from her favorite bakery—I'd remembered her mentioning it during our drive. Found my bed empty, my note gone, and felt something break inside my chest that I didn't even know existed.

I tried to find her.

Any trace of her.

Nothing.

And now here she is, practically running from me again.

What are the fucking odds that she happens to be related to the woman my family has asked me to marry?

I take a slow sip, letting the smoky burn settle.

The way Isa practically ran from me must have sparked some sort of suspicion in Stephania, as she leaves me without a word to chase after her.

I’m left wondering if Isabella is spilling our secret, and how that might affect the arrangement between our families.

Granted, my brothers suggested to Domenico that I marry his daughter at first, but his response was such an adamant no, we knew it had something to do with my heritage, like I wasn’t good enough for his daughter, but he’d tolerate me for his niece.

When Stephania comes back toward me a few moments later, her expression neutral, I realize Isa must not have said anything.

“Is your cousin alright?” I ask.

“She’s fine. At least, I think she is.” Stephania looks away. “She just said she needed air and would be back in momentarily.”

Suddenly, I spot Isabella emerge from wherever she’d been hiding. She looks preoccupied, and her eyes go everywhere but to me.

“Mind if I go speak with her? Maybe she just got overwhelmed with meeting the stranger you’re going to marry. I can try and reassure her.”

“You don’t mind?”

“Of course not. We’re going to have to see each other a lot moving forward, anyway.”

She grins. “Well, she can be a little prickly. Just fair warning.”

“Noted.”

I break from Stephania and head over in Isabella’s direction. She looks stunning. And I know what her body looks like beneath that dress. It’s enough to make my cock stiffen a bit.

“Isabella,” I say, stopping just within her space, close enough to make it intimate without being inappropriate.

She turns. “Alexei. Did you know?”

“Know what? That you were Stephania’s cousin?”

“Yes.”

“Not until earlier today when I saw the guest list.”

“So, she’s never mentioned me?” she presses.

“It’s an arranged marriage, Isa. We’re not exactly courting. We’ve largely stayed out of each other’s way until now.”

“I just can’t believe it. I can’t believe you’re the one she’s marrying. What are the chances?”

“Pretty fucking slim, if you ask me. But if you’re worried, don’t be. I promise your cousin will be well taken care of,” I tell her.

“She’d better be,” she shoots back, and I see something briefly flicker in her eyes. Is it jealousy? It’s gone before I can linger too long.

“Well, you should get back to your party,” she tells me. “I should be on my way.” She doesn’t move, however, standing as if she’s stuck in my orbit.

I let the moment stretch, her gaze holding me captive for just a second longer, and I can feel the heat rising between us. It’s dangerous, it’s wrong, but it’s there. Clear as day.

“Until the next time, Devotchka .”

With that, I turn and leave. But I can feel Isabella’s gaze on my back.

The stakes are higher now—personal, raw. Whatever comes next, I have a feeling there will be no avoiding it.

I stand near the edge of the room with my half-brothers, Lev and Luk, keeping an eye on the scene.

“So, Cassanova, you’re about to be off the market soon,” Luk teases.

“Yeah, I’m sure there’s a line of broken hearts somewhere,” Lev adds with a smirk.

If only they knew. But the truth of the matter is that my little fling with Isabella has to stay between her and me forever. If it were to get out…

“How’s it feel?” Lev goes on, snapping me out of my thoughts. “Wedding’s going to be here before you know it.”

I roll my eyes. “You two are acting like I had a choice in this. It’s an alliance, not some fairy tale.”

Lev chuckles. “Alliance, marriage—same difference when you’re tied to the Mancinis. You know Domenico won’t let you get off easy, even though he knows just as well as us that this is a marriage of convenience. They’re all about family, loyalty, and making things stick. Just ask Yuri.”

Yuri, who’s currently chatting with Domenico across the room, nods in our direction, lifting his glass. No doubt he’s in the middle of discussing the finer points of the alliance with the Mancini patriarch.

Luk’s smile fades slightly as he glances toward the crowd. “While it’s not what we originally intended, this pairing is smart?—”

“Yes, pardon me for not being Ivanov-born like the rest of you,” I scoff, shaking my head.

“It wasn’t just that,” Luk adds. “The death of Stephania’s parents left her vulnerable at an early age. Marrying her off gave Domenico an opportunity to make sure she’s well taken care of?—”

“While he saves his own daughter for another, better suitor.” I keep cutting him off. I have a hard time quelling this tinge of bitterness at the back of my throat. Fortunately, Luk knows to ignore it.

“If the De la Rosas really are moving in on our turf, we’ll need every bit of support we can get. Domenico knows it, too,” he says. “The Mancinis and the Ivanovs need each other.”

I take a sip of my drink, eyes drifting to Domenico as he speaks with Yuri. “De la Rosa’s a snake. It’s only a matter of time before he makes his move.”

Luk shakes his head. “De la Rosa’s got an ego the size of Chicago and no goddamn boundaries.”

“And the Mancinis,” I say. “They’re one of the oldest families in the city, and if war breaks out, they’ll be good to have on our side. They’re tough as they come. And I need to be ready.”

“Good thing you’re settling down then,” Lev smirks. “Nothing like a good old-fashioned wedding to bring people together, and to get you focused.”

“Who knows?” Luk says. “Maybe this time next year you’ll have a baby on the way.”

I open my mouth to insist that this won’t be the case, when the world explodes.

The roar of gunfire rips through the air, the sound echoing off the crystal chandeliers and marble floors. It all happens in an instant—guests screaming, glasses breaking. Without thinking, I take cover and turn my attention to the front of the place.

The front doors burst open as masked gunmen pour in, weapons raised.

Shit.

The people around us scatter like leaves caught in a storm, overturning tables, shoving each other in a desperate bid to escape. I see Stephania by the bar, her eyes wide with shock as she gets jostled.

Before I can move, she’s knocked back by one of the guests storming by, her head slamming against the edge of the bar. She drops to the ground, crumpled like a broken doll.

I turn in her direction, but before I can reach her, there’s a flash of metal, the glint of a gun.

Bang .

I turn just in time to see Isabella, her body twisting, a bullet grazing her arm.

Isabella cries out, her hand shooting to her arm, blood oozing between her fingers.

Every thought narrows down to one thing: Protect Isabella at all costs.

“Stay down!”

I reach for the gun holstered beneath my jacket. I pull it out in one swift motion, clicking off the safety and scanning the room.

My brothers are here—they move with precision, taking out their own weapons, taking cover and preparing to fight back.

A burst of gunfire cuts through the air, and I respond with a quick pair of gunshots in the direction of the attackers. I catch sight of Domenico Mancini, but he’s clear across the room with Yuri, shouting orders to his men.

Isabella looks at me from behind the table, her eyes wide with terror, but there’s something else, too—something fierce. She’s not going to just sit there and be a victim, and damn it if I don’t admire her for it. But now’s not the time for admiration.

“Stay there!”

She nods, her lips pressed into a thin line, but I can see her hands shaking, her eyes darting between Stephania and me. She’s scared, and that fear cuts me deeper than I’d like to admit.

I move swiftly, taking down a masked gunman who turns his attention my way with a quick strike of my gun to the back of his head. He drops, and I kick his weapon clear.

One less asshole to worry about.

Around me, my brothers are in action—Yuri with his usual brutal efficiency, Luk with his calm precision.

Another man turns toward me, his gun raised, and I pull the trigger, a single shot dropping him to the floor. Blood spatters the polished marble.

“Isabella!” I shout again, my eyes finding her crouched position. She looks up, and our gazes meet. Her hand is pressed to her arm, blood trickling down.

I spot another of the attackers, seeming to lock eyes with Isabella. Maybe he knows who she is, that she’s one of the most valuable targets in this place. Silently, he closes in on her, his gun at the ready.

Mine is, too. Moving from table to table, I close the distance between us, watching as he makes his way toward Isbella. Then he spots her. She looks up to see him, raising her eyes from her wound just in time to watch the man prepare to fire.

He’s not fast enough on the draw, however.

With all the quickness I’m capable of, I take aim with my pistol and fire. There’s a bang, followed by a splash of red on the tablecloth behind him. He drops, and Isabella’s a silent witness, her eyes wide as she takes in the fact that she nearly died.

She looks at me, and I reply with a quick nod. She’s safe.

I turn my attention to the rest of the fight, prepared to assist my family.

Another burst of gunfire rings out. The rest of the masked men are falling back now, realizing they’ve bitten off more than they can chew.

The silence that follows is almost deafening, broken only by the ragged breathing of those left standing and the quiet groans of the injured.

My eyes go straight to Stephania. She’s still lying by the bar, unconscious, and my chest clenches in worry. Though I don’t love the woman, I wish her no harm.

I can see that her chest is rising and falling, so I know she is alive. I look over to where Isabella sits, still trying to staunch the blood from her arm. I’m torn, and for a moment, caught between duty and instinct. But instinct wins.

I rush over to Isabella and look her over. The sight of her blood fills me with a rage that I can barely comprehend.

I’ll kill whoever was behind this.

“Are you okay?” My gaze zeroes in on the blood trickling down her arm.

She pushes me away. “I’m fine.”

Her eyes flick to Stephania, and she shoves me again. “Worry about your fiancée,” she says as she rushes past me toward her cousin.

She drops to her knees, and I’m beside her in a moment.

“Oh, Steph…” Worry takes hold on Isabella’s face.

“She hit her head,” I say. “Let me…”

I press my fingers against her neck, finding a pulse. It’s there—steady, but weak.

“Ambulances are on the way,” someone yells through the room.

“She’s going to be OK, right?” Isabella asks.

“She needs medical attention—now.” I flick my eyes over to Isabella’s wound. “And so do you.”

“I’m fine.” As soon as she says the words, she blinks hard, as if trying to compose herself.

Tonight wasn’t a random hit. There’s no doubt in my mind that this was De la Rosa’s doing. He’d somehow found out about the party and figured it’d be a good chance to take out as many Ivanovs and Mancinis as possible, soften us up for the coming war.

And he most certainly wanted to send a message.

The paramedics rush in, red and blue lights casting shadows across the walls. They’re at Stephania’s side in seconds. I step back, watching as they work. Isabella stands a few feet away, her arm bleeding, but her expression calm and defiant.

Her strength continues to impress me.

I move over to her. “This isn’t over,” I say, keeping my voice low. “We need to talk.”

She meets my gaze, eyes steady. “Yeah, we do.”

Isabella opens her mouth to speak again, but this time, nothing comes out.

She sways just before her eyes close, and she collapses like a device that’s lost power. I rush to her side, taking her into my arms.

“Help!”