AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Who the hell ordered the hit?” It’s not a roar but I inject enough lethality into it to have the man stepping back with fear glazing his eyes.
“I don’t have a name,” he tells me. “Just a title.”
He doesn’t elaborate. I wave an impatient hand at him. “And…”
His Adam’s apple bobs nervously. “The dark web has been throwing the name around for the last few years. They call them E-Ris and whoever it is, is a ghost. No one has seen them or heard their voice. Nothing.”
“E-Ris,” I roll the name over my tongue. Where have I heard it before? Sighing, I focus back on the man in front of me and smile widely. “Thank you for your cooperation. I’ll be sure to send your brothers an invite to my and Vanya’s wedding. Too bad you won’t be alive to see it.”
Then I raise my gun and fire.
Eighteen
The man has lost his mind. He’s gone off the rails. His marbles are all over the floor. He’s had too many hits to the head because I’m pretty sure the fucker told Peter he is going to marry me right before he shot him.
Not likely.
He’s going to have to drag me down the aisle kicking and screaming before I say ‘I do’ in front of a priest. I’m more likely to say it over his fucking deathbed at this point.
The man had planned to shove me into Peter’s waiting arms like I was some possession he could just pawn off for cash. Adrian is nothing more than a deceitful coward. A spider who ensnares you in his nest with sweet promises before sucking the life out of you.
Now he’s talking idly with the behemoth of a driver from the passenger seat, scrolling on his fucking phone as if he didn’t just whip out his Judas personality.
Sighing, I rest my chin on my hand as I stare out the window and watch the lights of the Strip whip by. Had my father honestly given me to Peter so the rat bastard could sell me for a bride's price? I didn’t need to be involved in my father’s business to know what happens to mafia princesses sold on the black market. My father’s greatest enemies would have bought me, raped me, and tortured me, before disposing of my broken body and spirit.
My gaze wanders to Adrian.
I still can’t believe he shot Peter in cold blood. Part of me wonders why he did it. Peter isn’t a threat to his empire. The world is a better place without him, though. Peter Spiridakos was a fucking monster. Even more than Adrian, whose games of humiliation and threats are nothing like what Peter has done to me.
A sob works its way up my throat at what Adrian revealed.
“Is it true?” I’m ashamed of how my voice trembles. “About the contract?”
“Why?” he mocks with a sneer. “Were you hoping Peter was your prince charming?”
I snort. “He was more of a monster than you.”
A feral grin stretches across Adrian’s face. “Oh, little mouse,” he coos. “I assure you he was not.”
But I know he was. Adrian is a monster, there is no doubt about that, but Peter is something worse. Humiliation and degradation have nothing on what Peter had done to me. I tried to tell my parents, but my mother simply told me I shouldn’t anger him. My father told me it is a wife’s place to be obedient.
That was the day I lost any respect for them. My grandfather was the only one who had fought on my behalf, but he hadn’t been the boss man any longer. His words fell on deaf ears, just like my pleas.
“I won’t marry you,” I whisper but it’s loud enough for him to hear. He laughs but it's cold and heartless. Just like him.
“Should I put you back up for bid?” he asks. “I had quite a few interested offers. None as good as Spiridakos, but I’m not worried about that. Hell, we can turn around now, and I can hand you over to the brothers instead. I’m sure they will take good care of you.” Except they wouldn’t. I am the reason their brother is dead. No doubt, they will sell me just like Peter planned to.
“That’s what I thought,” Adrian mocks when I remain silent. He looks back at me and licks his lips. “I’m going to enjoy fucking you.”
“Come near me again and I’ll bite your dick off,” I spit.
Another smirk. “Then I’ll tie you to the bed and you can watch me fuck another woman, Vanya. It’s all the same to me.”
I flinch at his words, and he doesn’t miss it. “Why marry me? You were planning on selling me not that long ago. I thought you wanted to get rid of all Castellanos scum?’
“Because, little wife, someone is pulling the strings around us, and I don’t take kindly to those who try to puppet me.” He scowls, his face contorting with rage. “Whoever organized the hit on your family isn’t going to stop with them. They’ll come after all of us, and I won’t stand by and let my empire crumble.” He shrugs. “Plus, I marry you and I inherit everything your family left behind.”
“You never planned on handing me over, did you?” It shouldn’t shock me. Adrian Volkov is always thinking ten steps ahead. He’s always manipulating, moving the pawns around on the board to fit his need, sacrificing them for his own personal gain.
