Page 63 of Hateful Vows

“For what?” I frown.

“Fishing me out of my dark thoughts.”

“I’m no sunshine,dorogoy.”

“No,” Aleksei answers for him. “You’re the moon.”

TWENTY-SIX

ALEKSEI

I’m out of control. It’s all going to blow up in our faces.

I could have passed the first time with Dante and Irina as a lapse in judgment—a dream, almost. But I can’t ignore or defend that I went into their penthouse with intent when I asked Dante for help.

And I want to do it again.

But what would I tell them?“I loved being told what to do and suck cock, can we do it again?”That’s preposterous. Nothing good can come of yet another repeat and Dante is way too good at coaxing me into taking what I want. He can make me do it again. Not that it would be difficult. A simple plea from Irina’s mouth and I’m done for.

Knowing Dante wrestled with complicated emotions made me feel strangely uncomfortable. I wanted him joyful, not pained. I’m not sure when I stopped considering him as my enemy.

To distract myself, I’ve been meeting with my men and my father’s best brigade leaders to elect a new treasurer and root out anyone who thought they could try to undermine me or our alliance with the Italians. Since the wedding, I’ve only had to kill two more men, which is less than I thought. None of them knewabout the new trade deals Petrov wanted to implement, and I’ve established smaller brigades reporting to Mikhail, Boris and Ian. But Popov’s eagerness still irritates me and raises subtle alarm bells at the back of my mind. I don’t want to make a mistake because I’m too taken by a very perplexing couple.

Ilia and I are pouring our efforts into new trade routes for our drugs when my phone rings. Disappointment settles on my shoulders when I notice it’s Dan. I shake it off quickly.

“Talk to me.”

“I have my eyes on Misha Petrov’s fucking second-in-command. I thought you warned Petrov away from our turf.”

“I did,” I seethe.

“Batard’s driving to meet someone in the Cotswolds, but I don’t know who. I’m tailing him. You need to get your asses in gear.”

Dan hangs up then our phones ding with his live location.

“Why the Cotswolds?” Ilia asks incredulously.

“Because it’s remote and he’s trying to set up on my fucking territory. Call Capaldi. We need his brother.”

Ilia executes my order and I dial Popov. Straight to voicemail.

“Motherfucker,” I breathe between clenched teeth. I knew something wasn’t right with him. If he thought he could continue my father’s legacy right under my nose, he’s in for a reckoning.

I text Toma, who’s been assigned to Popov’s tailing detail.

Me

Where is he?

Toma

I was about to text you. He’s in the Costwolds, but I don’t have much more info. A man I’ve seen around your building is with him. Do you want their heads?

Me

Don’t do anything rash. We’re coming. Send me the location.

Someone in my building betrayed me. Right under my fucking nose. Pain is too sweet for what I have planned for both of them. I run a list of who it could be, but my men are all answering my summons as I dial them, and sending me their live location. Except one.