Page 21 of Darkest Desire

“Sure,” I say. “But you don’t get brownie points for not hurting me.”

“Fair enough. See? This is why I wanted to marry you. I knew you had strength in you. I’m going to need a strong wife at my side if we’re going to keep control of New York. I let Mikhail live but he’s going to be a problem for me. When him and I eventually meet again, I won’t hesitate to kill him.”

All I can see is Natalya’s face as she was bent over Mikhail, crying with everything inside of her. If she loses Mikhail for good, what will happen to her? As Nico’s wife, will I be able to save her?

“You couldn’t have least let me change out of my wedding dress?” I mutter, grabbing a fistful of the fabric. Talking about killing Mikhail is a topic I don’t want to discuss.

“I had your mom pack you a bag full of clothes to bring on the trip, so you can change once we’re there.”

“Why can’t I change now? This dress is heavy and it’s a long flight.”

“You can change right now if you want.”

“What’s the catch?”

Nico chuckles, fixing his cufflinks with his bloody hands. “You know me so well already, don’t you? You can change right before me.”

“Pass.”

“We’re married now, Sasha. It’s expected of us to share a bed. Make children.”

“By who? The gods?”

“No. Our society. Your family. My family.”

The thought that Nico has a family is shocking. It just… never crossed my mind before. “Who’s your family?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“We’re married now. I might as well get to know you.” And maybe if I learn more about Nico he won’t be so scary and infuriating. Or maybe I can use any knowledge I learn about him against him.

He shrugs. “Fine. My father is dead. It’s how I was able to take up the mantle of Mafia leader in New York at my age.”

“And you’re… how old?”

“Thirty-four.”

That is young to be a mob boss. “So nepotism won out in the end, did it?”

“Maybe it did. But I’ve also worked hard to keep my title. I’ve worked hard to stay in power. Once my dad died, I had to pick up the pieces. There’s a lot of men in New York who would kill to have my job. I have to be on guard at all times.”

“And this deal with my uncle will help.”

“Any deal will help. Any alliances. I thought I had one with Cillian Kennedy but the fucker thought he could kill Mikhail without me there. That’s why I killed him.”

“And you didn’t even blink,” I whisper, remembering the moment. It still haunts me now, even a year later.

“I didn’t even blink.”

“Your mother?”

“What about her?”

“Is she alive? Dead?”

Nico shifts around in his seat, clearly uncomfortable talking about this. “She’s alive. At a facility back in the city.”

“A facility?”