Page 43 of Vicious Behaviors

Before I can stop him, he bolts into the snowstorm, crossing the lot in long, furious strides. Unforgiving snow and wind whips around him as he yanks open the back door of my car. Even through the pounding weather, I can hear the command he throws at my sister.

“Get out,” he orders Stella.

“No.”

“I’m in no mood for games,milaya.Get out of the car,” he says, his tone softer now. But to Kirill’s chagrin, his soft words are met with silence. “I said get your sweet little ass out of this car. Now, Stella!”

“And I said no, Kirill. Go away!”

But he doesn’t. Instead, he leans in, grabs her by the arm, and drags her out of the seat. I move for my gun, but Kostya is already discreetly jamming his into my ribs.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” he says, voice low and deadly.

I bare my teeth at him as Kirill and Stella reach us, both caked in snow.

“Take them inside,” Kirill orders his brother.

“Uncle, what are you doing?” Frankie calls over her shoulder, voice tight with confusion and worry, as Kostya steers her and Stella toward the club doors.

Stella keeps cursing loudly, but I know it’s mostly for show. If she really wanted to stop Kostya from manhandling her, he would be on the ground by now.

“You have no idea what you’ve just done,” I warn through clenched teeth. “Wars have started for less.”

Undeterred by my threat, Kirill steps in close. “Agreed.” He then lowers his voice to a whisper. “You brought a Fed tomyclub, Romano? The fuck are you playing at?”

“What?” The word stumbles out.

He studies me intently until he realizes I have no idea what he’s talking about.

“Fuck.” He drags a hand through his wet hair. “You don’t know.”

“Know what, Kirill?” I ask, my fury only tempered by my confusion.

He leans in again, this time to my ear, his voice like ice. “The woman in your passenger seat is an undercover FBI agent.”

I freeze. “What?”

“She’s a Fed,” he growls. “Kostya ran into her in San Francisco. She and her team took down good men. Seized enough of our product to cripple us out west. Months of work gone. All because of her.”

“She’s… FBI?” I whisper, my mind racing while pieces fall into place.

“Yeah. And if you care about this fragile truce our families have right now, you’ll keep her the hell away from anythingBratva-related.” He then leans in so close I can almost feel the heat off his breath. “And if I ever see her near Stella or any of my family again, I’ll kill her myself and leave her corpse at your doorstep. Fed or not. Understood?”

Kirill throws one last disdainful look toward my car, where Izzie still sits, oblivious to the threat he just made. Then he turns his back on me, disappearing into his club like he didn’t just turn my whole world inside out.

Chapter 10

Marcello

Ever since Annamaria had that altercation with those assholes a few months back, I’ve made it a point to pick her up from school every day just to ensure her safety. Sometimes Stella tags along, but most days, this brief window is the only real time I get with my little sister. Not that she ever seems thrilled about it.

In fact, I’m pretty sure she feels like she’s being punished for those pricks’ actions. Nevertheless, rain or shine, I’m always there to pick her up.

I lean against the same tree trunk every day, which has a perfect view of Sacred Heart’s main entrance, watching the chaos unfold as students flood through the doors as if they’ve been trapped inside too long. Backpacks swing, laughter echoes, as everyone rushes to get home.

I spot Lucky first instead of my sister, his arm slung around Frankie’s shoulders as if he couldn’t bear to be more than two inches apart from her. A scene I have seen before. It’s as if Lucky is surgically attached to his girlfriend.

Frankie sees me before he does, her face lighting up with a smile as she guides Lucky my way. Lucky, on the other hand, doesn’t look nearly as pleased.