Page 8 of Sinful Hearts

That’s not indifference, so I couldn’t have that.

I only agreed to the marriage contract for the sake of business and peace.

“You want to make this right?” I ask.

Aleksy nods.

I let the silence hang for a moment and run my tongue over my front teeth.

“A change for a change,” I finally say. “Your ploy will not go unpunished, Aleksy.”

“What do you want, Lastro?” Aleksy raises a thick brow.

Antonio cocks his head to the side. He didn’t expect me to follow through with Aleksy’s offer.

“My new wife moves in with metonight.” I stare Aleksy down. “No more surprises. I’m not in the business of chasing runaways or tracking down wives.”

Aleksy steps forward. “That wasn’t part of the contract?—”

“Neither was me marrying the other sister,” I interrupt before grabbing the closest notepad, yanking off a page that looks like it belongs in a sermon binder, tossing it over my shoulder, and tapping the pen against the fresh sheet. “You broke the deal, Aleksy. That means, I get to rewrite it. Liliya moves in with me, or I nullify this wedding. And your little empire?” I use my hand to create a slashing motion across my throat. “Dead. No more Bratva influence in this city for the next thousand fucking decades.”

Aleksy pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration. “Liliya won’t go for that.”

I scoff. “Are you not the Bratva boss?”

His face hardens at my disrespect.

In the first contract, where I married Dasha, I didn’t press the issue of her moving in with me. Cohabitating with someone sounded like a fucking nightmare, especially with a woman I didn’t care about. Liliya and Aleksy both knew this. I’m sure it’s one of the reasons Liliya agreed to even walk down the aisle.

Aleksy hesitates, fumbling for the right words, like a lost puppy in a new home.

He’s a new boss, and the Bratva will crumble under his rule.

Some men are born to lead.

Aleksy isn’t one of them.

He’s bound to fuck up early and get himself killed.

Liliya should be grateful she’ll now be under my protection instead of his.

“Tell her to pack her bags.” I scribble words onto the paper, rip it off the notepad, and fold it before slipping it into my pocket. “After all, it’s just a minor change, right?”

Aleksy runs a hand through his buzzed hair, his face red and rigid.

I jerk my chin toward the door, holding back the urge to saychop-chop. My patience won’t last long with my new brother-in-law.

“Fine,” Aleksy says, jabbing a finger in my direction. “That’s the only fucking change.”

I shoot him a cocky smile. “Pleasure doing business, Aleksy.”

He opens the door and stalks out of the room with a huff.

Lev follows him. A few seconds later, Julian, Damien, Antonio, and I do the same.

I almost instructed him to pass my note to Liliya, but I don’t trust him not to open it. When I return to the nave, I spot their mother sitting nervously in the pew. Liliya is nowhere to be seen.

I step closer, sliding my hand into my pocket, and pull out my note.