Page 26 of Deceptive Vows (Bound by Vows #3)

Nazar’s hand tightened slightly at my waist, a fleeting pressure that betrayed his tension. “They wouldn’t be here just to observe. Something’s happening.”

The music shifted to something slower, more intimate. Nazar pulled me closer, his chest warm against mine. For a moment, I allowed myself to sink into the comfort of his embrace, the solid wall of him between me and the dangers circling the room.

“We should leave soon,” I whispered. “Whatever Gabriele told Lucas, I don’t think we want to be here when?—”

A crash from across the room cut me off. A waiter had dropped a tray of champagne flutes, the crystal shattering across the marble in a spray of glass and bubbles. But it wasn’t the mess that caught my attention—it was Sofia’s reaction.

The girl had practically leaped out of her skin at the sound, her face draining of color. Gabriele was at her side instantly, his fingers digging into her arm as he murmured something that made her nod shakily.

“You saw that?” I asked Nazar.

“ Da . The girl is terrified of something... or someone.”

I frowned, watching as Gabriele guided Sofia to a seat, his solicitous behavior at odds with the fear in her eyes. “Earlier, when Gabriele mentioned his parents’ arranged marriage, about his mother needing ‘direction’...”

“I caught it.” Nazar’s jaw tightened. “If he’s anything like his father...”

“Poor girl.” I glanced around the room, noting how the guards had shifted positions. “Something feels off. More than just the usual tension at these events.”

Lex watched Sofia too, his expression unreadable but focused.

He’d always been observant, and something about the girl had clearly caught his attention.

For a moment, their eyes met across the room, and something passed between them, recognition of a shared understanding, perhaps, before Sofia quickly looked away.

The song ended, and we made our way back to Lucas and the others. Claire spoke animatedly with Anna, but her eyes kept darting to Lucas, who seemed distracted.

“We need to go,” he said the moment we rejoined them. “All of us.”

“What did Gabriele want?” I asked again.

Lucas shook his head slightly. “Not here.”

Ari and Anna drifted over, followed by Lex, whose eyes kept finding their way back to Sofia across the room. “Extraction plan?” Ari asked quietly.

“Graceful exit,” Lucas replied. “Thea’s not feeling well. Too much champagne.”

I raised an eyebrow but didn’t argue. It was as good an excuse as any.

“I’ll alert the valet,” Nazar offered.

As he stepped away, Gabriele appeared at my elbow, making me start slightly.

“Leaving so soon?” he asked, his smile fixed in place. “The night is still young.”

I pressed a hand to my stomach, summoning a slightly pained expression. “I’m afraid I’m not feeling my best. Perhaps too much rich food.”

Gabriele’s eyes narrowed slightly, assessing. “How unfortunate. I hope you feel better.”

I forced a smile. “Thank you.”

“Of course. And please don’t forget to send me an invitation.” His gaze shifted to Lucas. “And our little discussion?”

“I’ll consider it,” Lucas replied, his tone carefully neutral.

Gabriele nodded, satisfaction evident in his posture.

“Excellent. I look forward to hearing from you.” His gaze drifted to Lex, lingering with an evaluative quality that made my brother stiffen.

“All of you should come for dinner after the holidays. Family gatherings are so... important. Don’t you agree? ”

I caught the slight narrowing of Lex’s eyes, his posture shifting almost imperceptibly. Whatever Gabriele had discussed with Lucas, Lex was somehow at the center of it.

“Absolutely,” Lucas replied.

Nazar returned, sliding an arm around my waist, a territorial gesture that wasn’t entirely for show. “The cars are ready.”

Gabriele held Nazar’s gaze a beat longer than necessary. “Mr. Volkov, it was a pleasure to meet you.”

“The feeling is mutual,” Nazar replied smoothly. “You have a beautiful home.”

“Thank you.” Gabriele’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Take care of your future bride. Women require... careful handling.”

As we turned to leave, I caught Sofia watching us from across the room, her eyes lingering on Lex with what looked almost like hope, quickly masked when her father glanced her way.

Once we were safely in our car, Nazar and I sat in silence. I texted Lucas we’d meet him at Lykos. Whatever he had discussed with Gabriele, I needed to know immediately.

Nazar’s hands were tight on the steering wheel, and his jaw flexed. “Your brother seemed... disturbed by whatever Gabriele discussed with him.”

“I noticed.” I stared out at the snow-covered landscape rushing past. “That’s why I’m eager to find out what that meeting was about.”

Nazar nodded, his eyes fixed on the road. “Whatever it is, we’ll face it together.”

The words were simple, but they settled in my chest with unexpected warmth. With everything happening around us, having someone at my side was a comfort I’d never expected to value so much.

Thirty minutes later, we gathered at Lykos.

Lucas paced in front of the bookshelves lining the wall while Claire watched him with concern.

Ari and Anna sat close together on the couch, while Lex stood slightly apart, arms crossed, expression stormy.

Dimitris, with an unlit cigarette, was by the door, leaning with his shoulder against it.

“Gabriele wants an alliance,” Lucas finally said, his voice flat. “Sealed with a marriage.”

“What?” I would readily admit, I didn’t see that development on the horizon in any universe.

Lex’s face was tight with barely controlled anger. “He wants me to marry Sofia.”

“He claims it would unite our families against Marco’s plans,” Lucas continued. “Says Marco isn’t the endgame. He’s got men inside Marco’s faction, and a coup is in motion.”

“We knew it,” I said.

We told Lucas about that night at the warehouse and what Nazar had overheard.

“With the Gray Wolves,” Nazar added.

Lucas nodded grimly. “Gabriele says Marco’s offering them Chicago if they help him take care of his ‘competition problems.’“

“And his solution is to marry his daughter off to me?” Lex’s voice was dangerously calm. “Did he happen to ask if I was interested in being part of his chess game?”

“He said it would ‘protect’ her,” Lucas replied, his disgust evident. “Said she needs a ‘strong man’ to guide her.”

Ari cursed under his breath. “Like his father ‘guided’ his mother?”

I thought of Sofia’s flinch when the glass shattered, the way her father’s fingers had dug into her arm. “She’s terrified of him.”

“I noticed,” Lex said quietly. For a moment, something crossed his face, a flash of protective fury that I recognized all too well. Lex had always had a soft spot for those who couldn’t defend themselves.

“And you believe Gabriele’s claims about Marco?” I asked Lucas.

“Absolutely not,” Lucas replied.

“What if neither of them are the real threat?” Lex leaned forward. “What if the Wolves are planning to take them both out once they’ve weakened each other? Gabriele might be using Sofia as a bargaining chip to save himself.”

A chill settled over me as the room went quiet.

“We need to find those women,” I said finally. “That’s the priority. Everything else is just noise.”

Lucas nodded, his expression somber. “Agreed. But I think we need to adjust our timeline. If Marco’s planning something bigger than just an auction... ”

“We can’t wait until the day of,” Nazar finished for him. “We need to move sooner.”

I nodded. “I agree.”

Somewhere out there, women were being held against their will, facing horrors I couldn’t imagine. And time was running out faster than we’d realized.

“Christmas is in five days,” I said quietly. “The auction is scheduled for the 27th. That doesn’t give us much time.”

Nazar’s hand found mine, warm and firm. “Then we don’t waste a minute of it.”

Lex spoke, his voice thoughtful, “Sofia might be useful.”

“Lex,” Lucas warned.

“I’m not suggesting we use her like her father does,” Lex clarified, his tone sharp. “But she’s in that house. She sees and hears things. If she’s as afraid as she seems, she might be looking for a way out.”

I studied my brother for a moment. There was something else there, something he wasn’t saying. Had he spoken to her at the party? Part of me wanted to ask him, but perhaps that was a conversation for another, more private, time.

I turned to look at him, struck by the intensity in his usually calm eyes. “You’re suggesting we make contact?”

I saw something flicker in Lex’s eyes—resolve, maybe. Or guilt. Or something else entirely.

He shrugged, but there was nothing casual about it. “I’m suggesting we consider all our options.”

Silence fell over the room again. I couldn’t shake the image of Sofia’s terrified face or the predatory way Gabriele had watched our group throughout the night. Something bigger was happening, pieces moving on a board we couldn’t fully see yet.

And now my brother was in the game—whether he wanted to be or not.