Page 1 of Scarlet Vows

Chapter One

ALINA

It’s beentwo years since Max, the love of my life, was shot down at our wedding.

Two years.

It still hurts.

But I’ve learned to mostly hide it, sometimes almost forget it. I can have fun, laugh, enjoy life, and then it slams into me again, bringing guilt and pain and drowning me back down.

I sigh as I sip my drink at the hottest bar in Old Town, waiting for Isla to return from the bathroom. The ring on my finger catches the light once more.

The ring that crashed my mood. I love the ring. Three weeks after meeting Max, he gifted it to me. The intricate white-gold band dotted with diamond chips is femininely pretty, and I knew I’d marry that man. Knew it even before he told me he loved me. Knew it before he slipped the ring on my finger.

I never take it off now.

I catch Isla’s blonde curls and find my smile, putting itback in place as she moves in time to SZA that plays over the speakers. She weaves through the patrons back to me.

“You okay?” She squeezes my hand.

That’s the thing with Isla. She can read me like a book, so I just hold up my hand.

“Hon,” she whispers and kisses my cheek, “Max would want you to live a life that’s full of love and happiness and laughter.”

“I am. Just the light caught the ring.”

She looks around and points out a hot man. “You need to get some, my friend. Get some hard.”

I gasp, widening my eyes, feigning shock. “On a full stomach? After MJ Sloane? Are you mad? Each layer is dedicated to digestion just so. I couldn’t possibly…”

She giggles. “Are you making fun of our hideously expensive dinner?”

“No, MJ Sloane is the place in Chicago to eat,” I say, clinking glasses with her.

I drink my vodka passion—vodka and a passionfruit-mango juice—as does she.

I lean in. “Demyan’s name opens doors.”

“Your brother…” She shakes her head.

Isla knows that a lot of what my brother does is shady. How could she not after my wedding? But we decided long ago not to discuss any of it. I don’t know most of the things he does. Or Ilya, his best friend and right-hand man, his next-in-command, for that matter.

They’re bratva. My family’s a powerful bratva organization. Whether or not I participate in it, that’s what I am. Bratva by birth.

“He has contacts.”

“And thank goodness he does because now I can boast I’ve been there.” She claps her hands. “Did I tell you about the LiveNLove app date I went on?”

“Should I be scared?”

I know I should be, because pre-Max, that app was where everyone went. And it was horrible. Guys trying to get you in bed, and then when you didn’t, they black-starred you.

Isla reads my face and nods. “Big fat black star. But thank goodness the decent guys don’t take note of that.” Her smile breaks out as she laughs. “This guy was awful. He had all the hallmarks on the screen of a great guy. His photos were on point, loves kids, reads, is smart, likes films. Hikes and volunteers.”

She shakes her head.

“Why does this sound like it’s going to turn into a horror movie?”