Page 144 of Scarlet Promise

“Is Alina okay?” Demyan asks.

I laugh. “Fine. But Ilya has something to say.”

My brother goes quiet. “Listening.”

Ilya puts the merger idea out there. He explains the will and how this can’t officially happen until the twelve months are up, but there’s nothing stopping them from putting the word out.Then he mentions Isaak, who I know Demyan likes, stating he’s happy to come aboard, too.

After he’s done, we wait.

“I’m on board,” Demyan says finally. “As long as it’s what Ilya wants.”

Ilya looks at me and winks. “With all my heart, Alina comes first. All the time. You can multitask, Demyan. I can’t. This is Alina, so with me going back to be your second, I can do that. I can love her.”

I hold my breath. Joy and a sweet love shooting through me.

Finally, Demyan speaks. “It makes sense.”

“It does?” I ask.

“Yes. I’m okay with this. We’re family,” Demyan says. “All of us. And if we merge, it’s smart. I’ll start making arrangements for the merger tomorrow, unofficially, obviously. This is a new chapter.”

My brother hangs up.

Ilya looks at me. “If he wanted to just buy me out and cut me out of the Yegorov Bratva, I’d be good with that. If it meant I had you. I’d give up anything for you, Alina.”

I blink back tears. “You really love me that much?”

“More.”

“Are you sure, Ilya?” I ask.

“Surer than anything,” he says with a smile.

There’s no doubt in his expression at all.

“You’re everything I’ve ever wanted,” he murmurs, staring deep into my soul. “The rest I don’t give a damn about. You’re my end game.”

“And you’re mine,” I whisper.

I pull him in for a kiss.

Chapter Thirty-Four

ILYA

I leave earlythe next morning, and for once, I’m going to miss my workout with Isaak.

He stands outside the gym, bag in hand, and raises a brow. “You? You’re missing workout time? Voluntarily?”

I scowl at him, my stomach a bundle of nerves. “Yes. Are you going to help me?”

“Depends.”

He’s going to help. Of course he’s going to help. It doesn’t matter that I haven’t told him why, but when I do, a smile blooms on his face.

“You had me at Alina,” he says. “What do you want me to do?”

I hand him the piece of paper with Isla’s address and number. “Pick her up with her daughter, Maize?—”