Page 139 of Devil's Vows

Yuri shifts on his feet. “He was her handler. When they saw you, their mission got redefined. We need to figure out what hold Chertnikov had on her, because she was willing to die for it.”

Rage jostles in me. This is all so fucked up. Mara said Gabriella isChertnikov’s girl. The last words she ever spoke… If only I could choke more out of her now, but she was properly peppered by Dominic and Matteo’s bullets when Gabriella shouted out and she took that first shot.

“We now have a mutual enemy,” Dominic says, “because the bullets Gabriella took were meant for you.”

I shake my head in disbelief. I should have listened to my gut when Matteo introduced us and I wanted to stay anonymous. “They had an unexpected opportunity to finish the job Chertnikov’s men failed at in the summer.”

Not holding back any details, I give them the rundown of the 4thof July, how Chertnikov slowly infiltrated my inner circle, Darya, Dimitri, the Pakhan’s strokes, and how Dimitri felt the Petrov Bratva was finally ripe for the picking, acting on Chertnikov’s command and staging the coup.

“Clearly, that party isn’t over yet,” Benedict says, a brow raised. “Chertnikov still wants you eliminated. Why?”

“It’s been a hostile takeover of the worst kind from the beginning. He thinks I’m an easy target, man alone, our Pakhan weakened, with only Milana as the other half inheriting my father’s business. He wants our network, our operations. I need to eliminate Chertnikov, because he’ll keep on coming for me.” And for Gabriella’s sake, to avenge her and give her peace.

“You’re no longer man alone,” Matteo says then, meeting my gaze head on. “Here’s the crux of the matter: we’ve had this mutual enemy for much longer than any of us understood. This thing with Gabriella…it all comes from fucking Randazzo and his dirty fucking business I bet we can trace back to Chertnikov. We’ll have to get to the bottom of all this.” He drags in a deep breath. “Here’s something I bet you don’t know, Petrov…”

“Yes?”Try me.

“I am Randazzo’s only son. I’m more his child than Gabriella ever was. My mother, Bianca Randazzo, was already pregnant with me when she married Giuliano Scalera.”

Fuck me.Seems these Scalerascankeep secrets.But what a depraved move, impregnating your stolen daughter as you sell her off to another Mafia Don.

I didn’t know about Matteo’s biological relationship with Randazzo, but then, I never asked. I bet if Yuri and I dug deep enough, we would have stumbled on this tidbit.

“Ariana is his only surviving biological daughter, as far as we know,” Matteo carries on, but that doesn’t surprise me. “Randazzo’s mess is our inheritance, whether we want it or not. Gabriella is our sister, but if she’s known as Randazzo’s only surviving relative, she’s as much ours to protect as yours. If Chertnikov had dealings with Randazzo which she inherited, then it’s our mutual problem. And we will avenge her.”

Easier said than done, but I appreciate him being this open.

“We won’t be able to touch him,” I say. “Not in Russia, at least.”

“So we bring him here,” Benedict says. “Throw him a little party he won’t forget.”

Our gazes meet across the small expanse of the room. It’s as if we’re quietly agreeing to a deal we’ll still sign in blood. Our mutual revenge has doubled in size. The relief is immense, knowing I’ll head into this mission with the Scalera brothers by my side. We will be family, and Gabriella will be fine, and we’ll integrate and become bigger, stronger, impenetrable. None of my children will have to do what I had to do to Dimitri to save our legacy.

“We might lure him here,” I say, “but Chertnikov is my kill.”

“Of course,” Matteo says with a nod. “We Scaleras know when to let a man do what he needs to do.”

Sounds like they speak from experience, and I like knowing that I’m not entering a war zone with rookies by my side.

The door to the operating room swings open, drawing all our attention.

My heart skips a beat.

“Gabriella?” I ask as I step up to the surgeon.

He nods at me. “She’s still coming out of anesthesia, but your wife is going to pull through just fine, Mr. Petrov.”

My wife.My moya ptichka.My little bird with the dragon’s heart.For the rest of my time on earth, I’ll strive to be deserving of her, to be worthy of her love.

I’ve made many vows over the past months but let me spellthis one out to the Devil: vengeance for what Randazzo has done to her, with Chertnikov standing by, will be mine.

72

GABI

It’s been days since the shooting, and I’m at last lifting out of my drugged haze. Ivan has hardly left my side, and when it registered that Milana and Yuri fetched the girls and they were being looked after by Rosalia in Matteo’s apartment, I finally allowed the tension in me to uncoil.

Ivan’s warm hand squeezes mine, and the gentle brush over my knuckles feels so familiar now, I could weep.