Page 113 of Scarlet Promise

Santo scoffs. “You need to work out where your loyalties lie, my friend. Demyan Yegorov doesn’t give a shit about you or me. And you know it.”

But Alina’s in my head.

She’d be destroyed if something happened to her brother. And even with everything between me and Demyan, I don’t want him hurt.

Or involved. “No. Demyan’s off limits.”

“For your woman.”

“Not only that,” I say. “Demyan is stronger than you think, and he has the kind of allies and partnerships that will back him. We leave him as an offering. We let those who stick with him know we are willing to forge paths with them.”

He slowly smiles. “You think that will hurt him the most and protect Alina? Very well. I agree.”

None of what I said is a lie.

But I’m not telling Santo the complete truth.

I don’t want to hurt Alina, and I think this approach will give us more in the long run.

At the bottom of it all, though, is one thing, one hope.

That one day, Demyan and I can move on from this.

Chapter Twenty-Six

ALINA

I may have satthrough more awkward dinners before this one, but I can’t think of any.

Demyan shuts down and refuses all olive branches I offer.

Even Albert doesn’t want to be in here. He gobbled down dinner and took off up to my room, like he’s a Demyan barometer and doesn’t want to get caught when the storm breaks.

He talks over me when Sasha wants to sit next to me and makes him sit next to him, and then he tells Sasha to stop crying.

Erin gets annoyed. Nadya cries because she knows everyone else is miserable and doesn’t want to be left out.

Through it all, Demyan gives off the vibe that I’m not here. It’s just an empty chair and not his sister in it.

Finally, Erin stands and leans forward. “I’m taking the children out for dinner, and you two can stay here and do whatever you need to do to sort this shit out.”

She says it to both of us, but her eyes are on Demyan.

“You’ll stay here—” he starts.

But she’s already on the phone with her friend Kara, arranging to meet her.

Then she hangs up. “I’m not sure you want to be the one dealing with crying kids, so don’t tempt meto give you what you deserve. I’ll be back in an hour or so.”

She leaves.

I look to Demyan, but he stares down at his plate. All I want to do is talk to him and sort this out, but he’s not having it.

He eats like a starving man and then stands to go.

I grab his arm. “Demyan, stop.”

“Let go,” he pushes out.