Page 2 of Nikola

I lifted my palm and stopped him. “After the shitstorm your friends Nico and Luciano created for Matteo… No, thank you.”

“That was an honest mistake, and neither you nor Skye has a twin, so it’s a non-issue,” he retorted patiently.

“Maybe, but I wasn’t risking it. I wanted a sure thing, and that’s what I got. Skye’s mine.” I uncrossed my legs and propped my arms on my knees, growing suddenly irritated with the direction our conversation was taking. “It’s not like our families are known for Jane Austen–worthy courtship practices.”

“Iaskedyour mother to marry me.”

“More or less,” I quipped. “And let’s not forget that Sasha kidnapped his bride on the day of her wedding. To someone else. In the church.”

Lightning gathered in my dad’s eyes, preparing to strike me.

“I just can’t catch a break with all of you.” I opened my mouth, readying for a comeback, when he shot me a look filled with warning. “Your uncle might have kidnapped a bride on her wedding day, but not even he would resort to making a sex tape.”

I shrugged, unimpressed. “What can I say? I’m one of a kind.”

He shoved his hand through his hair, pulling so hard on the ends that I winced.

“One of a kind,” he repeated through gritted teeth. “Son, I’m not going to continue arguing with you. You should have gone to Sasha and Dante Leone and asked to date Skye… marry her… whatever the fuck you young people are doing these days. What you did crossed a line.”

I blew a bubble with my gum, letting it pop before I spoke again. “I asked Uncle Sasha about marrying her and he told me he’d blind me if I so much as tried. Dante Leone wasn’t much better.” I cleared my throat and, in the best Italian accent I could muster, said, “So much as look her way, boy, and I’ll cut you into little pieces and feed them to the sharks.” Needless to say, I got the message. “Honestly, I didn’t think the man was so poetic.”

Dad slammed his fist against his table again, rattling it. “And you didn’t think to heed the man’s advice?”

“Obviously not.”

“Are you trying to start a war?” He stood up, towering over me. If I stood from my chair, we’d be the same height, but I didn’t think it wise to push him any further.

“Why? What have you heard?”

The door to my father’s office opened and my mom appeared, rushing to Dad’s side. “Vasili, keep it down. We don’t need to alarm the staff.”

His expression softened and so did his tone. “Of course,malyshka,” he said and turned to me, his molars making a crunching sound. “And you, Nikola… You will marry her.”

“Of course,” I drawled lazily.

“Expect to get the beatdown of a lifetime by your uncle,” he continued. “I sure as fuck won’t stop him.”

Mom gasped, but I wasn’t concerned. She seemed to forget that my uncle was no longer in his prime and I was no longer her child to protect—if he wanted to go there, let him.

“You will treat that girl with reverence and worship the ground she walks on. You hear me?” he said, sitting back down.

“It’s hard not to hear you.” I popped another bubble just to piss him off a bit more, relishing the fury rolling off him in waves. “You’re still shouting.”

Our eyes locked in a battle of wills. I couldn’t read his thoughts, but I knew they were murderous.

Mom must have thought so too because she wedged herself onto his lap and took his cheeks in her palms, diverting his gaze. I couldn’t help rolling my eyes. The older generations in our world weren’t known for their love matches. Men used to marry for power and greed and control. But my parents? Theirs was a happy marriage.

Before we could spit more words at each other, the door to my father’s office opened again and my sister, Marietta, strolled in theatrically. She was no longer drunk—orasdrunk, I should say—and was back to looking put-together and fresh, wearing head-to-toe Givenchy. She’d always dressed more mature and sophisticated than the other twenty-year-olds she brought around the house.

She plunked herself down next to me and winked. “I hear you got yourself into some serious fucking shit,brat.”

“Marietta! Language, please,” Mom scolded.

My baby sister rolled her eyes. “We’re a family of mobsters who kill people, but okay, I’ll watch my vocabulary. Checks out.”

I patted her on the head. “Right you are,sestra, but don’t add fuel to the fire. You know I’ll be the first one they blame.”

She waved her hand. “I did learn from the best.”