Page 54 of Darkest Game

“I was forced to marry her. Neither of us wanted it. It’s better this way.”

He nods, looking uncertain.

“What?” I snap.

“It’s just… you don’t look like it’s better this way. Why did you kill Jack?”

“Because he wanted Irina for himself and I wouldn’t let him have her. I didn’t want her to get raped. She didn’t deserve it.”

“So you ended him for that? Liam, it sounds like you like your wife more than you’re admitting.”

“Just fucking help me take down Elaine Finnigan. Nothing else matters.” Or so I tell myself. “Start calling all my loyal followers. Have them meet us at the club tonight. Shut the club down. I’m not in the mood to entertain people tonight.”

“That will cost us money.”

“I don’t care,” I spit out. “Shut it down. And call every man who will work with me. None of Jack’s followers can find out. They’ll warn Elaine. And I need her dead.”

“Ok. I’m on it.”

I leave my office and grab a bottle of gin from the bar and sit down at it and pour myself a glass. Then I promptly chug it back. This is all fucked. I never wanted any of this fucking drama and now I have to deal with Elaine wanting me dead and my strange feelings for Irina, who I shouldn’t be having any feelings for in the first place.

She has to mean nothing to me because if she means something to me then I would have no choice but to go get her back and that would only lead me more into war with Mikhail and Nico and they already want me dead.

But then I’d have Irina at least. Fuck. This is all messed up.

“Liam.” Amanda’s voice startles me.

She’s wearing her skimpy dance outfit that she always wears when she performs at my club. “I haven’t see you for a few days. How have you been?”

“Amanda. Hi. We’re not opening tonight so you can go home.”

“Oh. But I make most of my money from tips.”

I walk behind the bar and take out a few hundred dollar bills and hand it to her. “There. You’re paid for the night. Go home.”

She slips the money in her purse. “Are you ok? If you’re not opening tonight, we could go back to my place. Have some fun like we usually do.”

“Fun?”

“Sex. Obviously. Are you ok? Normally you’re always down to fuck.”

Shit. She doesn’t know. When I first told Irina that I would still see other women after we married, I meant Amanda. I didn’t want to give up the good sex we always have.

But now that I’m thinking of Irina, she’s the only woman I have on my mind right now. No other woman will do.

Even though Irina isn’t mine any longer. She belongs with her family now.

“I’m married,” I tell Amanda and watch as her entire face changes expression.

“What? Married?”

“Yeah.”

“I didn’t even know you were engaged.”

“I wasn’t.”

She squints at me. “Was it a stupid night in Vegas kind of thing?”