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I was between two devils I needed to destroy: my papa and Andrei. Andrei was notorious and ruthless, so I’d heard, but he appeared a saint compared to my papa. For instance, my papa would have shot me on sight if I’d launched an attack on his club, but Andrei didn’t.
On one hand, Andrei seemed to care that I was hurt, on the other hand, my papa was the one that hurt me. I was between two evils, and now I had to choose the lesser one, Andrei. I’d use him to bring my papa down since I’d rather not have his blood in my hands. Then I’d kill Andrei and burn this fucking underworld to the ground—it didn’t matter if I burned along with it.
The problem was, Andrei wanted me to marry him, and I would rot six feet under before I dared to marry someone like him. “You’re crazy.”
His lips curled into a crooked smile, one that was so wicked even the devil would be shivering in hell just looking at it. “I know. I wouldn’t be offering to marry a murderous Paolo heiress if I wasn’t.”
“Dream on, pig, but I won’t roll in the mud with you.”
He brushed his hands over his dark gelled hair, his gaze burned firmly on my face then lowered to my bare breast, burning awareness into my skin. I pretended not to feel the impact of his scrutinizing gaze. I’d only end up distracted which I couldn’t afford to be.
“You should rest up tonight. I don’t want you fainting at our wedding tomorrow.”
God, I want to drive a knife through this man’s chest right now! “Didn’t you hear me the first time?” I fired at him. “A marriage between the both of us will never happen. My answer is NO.”
“No one says no to me, malysh.”
I sneered at him. “I am glad to be the first. I gave you my word. I will deliver Dante Paolo to you, and I never make promises I don’t keep.”
“Why don’t I believe you?” he asked, squinting suspiciously at me. Truthfully, he looked so in his early thirties that it was hard to believe he was forty-two. A throb awakened between my legs as I remembered the feeling of warmth and soft hardness from his body when he stood behind me a week ago. Fuck. “You are a Paolo, and the Paolos never keep to their words.”
He was right, I was a Paolo, and we were known for going back on our words more often than was normal in this dirty world. But although I’d left out other details—like how I was going to kill him the moment I was done using his influence to bring my father down from his throne—I was going to keep true to my words.
“I suppose it is up to you to decide if you believe me or not, but I won’t be marrying you.” One rule I’d learned when negotiating with a notorious mafia leader was never to appear desperate. Give the offer and wait for him to growl for the rest, just like a dog.
“You know where to find me if you agree to my offer.” I got up from the cushion, picked my dress, and slid it on. “Have a good evening, Andrei Levov.”
Andrei didn’t say a word in reply to what I told him; he rather appeared to be in deep thought. I could feel his stare strike my back as I walked to the heavy metal door leading out of his office, a part of me wanting him to stop me from leaving and agree to my offer. The mere thought of returning to the Paolo manor riled wicked butterflies in my stomach.
Deep blue eyes stared back at me with a face very identical to Andrei’s the moment I opened the door. He was shielding the door, and he was very good at it as his huge frame made it so there was no space I could squeeze away from. Not that I was the size to squeeze my way out anyway, my curvy hips would have been the first thing to get stuck. I’d heard Andrei had three brothers. The one that led me into the club with his fucking gun on my waist was one. He didn’t have a facial resemblance to these two, but his eyes had the same dark shade of blue.
This one wasn’t holding a gun, but with how muscled he was, I guessed he barely needed a gun to intimidate anyone. The guy looked like he would crush a skull into smashed marshmallows with very little effort, and seeing as he was unmoving from the door, he was giving me a cue to return inside.
I wheeled around to see that Andrei had a slight amusement pulling on his lips like the devil would have when he gained a dirty soul to torment. “Do you have anything else you wish to talk about?”
Andrei arched a raven brow. “There are many things to talk about, malysh. Let’s start with you not walking out of that door.”
“Do you intend to keep me hostage?” Realization slapped me on the cheeks. I’d walked into hell myself, and the chances of walking out were slim—at least, walking out alive.
“Do I have a reason to keep you hostage, huh, malysh?” Irritation edged in Andrei’s voice as he left his desk and walked to me. His white musk and patchouli perfume invaded my nose, intoxicating me. “Don’t be silly. I plan to make you my wife.” His tone had mockery in it, as if he thought I was stupid.
My papa had always called me “cretina.” I hadn’t ever agreed as much on anything with him as I did at this moment. All the boldness and determination I walked into this club with suddenly started to escape my body as sweat. “What do you want from me?”
Andrei’s amusement grew wider, darker. He cupped my face in his hand and lowered himself to my ears till his hell-hot breath tingled my skin. “Everything.”
His voice pierced through my ears and sent a tremble to my feet. My back started to ache again, and my head was suddenly in turmoil for a way out of this situation. Andrei Levov was particularly known for testing his drugs on women and trafficking them, and I wasn’t just a woman, I was the daughter of his most vicious rival. Only God knew what would happen to me if I let him take me captive.
I tried to sound as confident as I could manage. “I walked in here by my own will.” The crack in my voice betrayed me. “You do not need to keep me captive or marry me to get anything from me. Agree to the offer and I’m all yours.”
Silence lingered for a few minutes, threatening to stir a tornado in my chest. “Your will ceased to exist the moment you walked into my club, malysh,” Andrei finally said, breaking the silence that caused turmoil in my stomach. “No. It no longer existed the moment I laid my eyes on you and I was going to come for you anyway. I do not need to accept your offer to get what I want, the same way I do not need your permission to take you as mine.” He carried his thumb to my lips and brushed them softly, kindly, as if he had not just taken my freedom away.
There was no way out. His words sealed my fate. But I wasn’t just going to stand around and obediently allow my captor to put a ring around my finger. If words would not work, then maybe my legs would. For the first time, I had to appreciate my papa’s insistent combat training and drilling. “Fine,” I forced a smile to conceal what I would do next. “You can have me, but I need a change of clothes.”
Andrei scoffed in a way that sounded as if he was suspicious of my motive. Of course, he would be, he probably knew there was no way I’d just follow him, and that is exactly what I wanted him to think. “Playing tricks on me will only cost you your life, malysh. Do not forget it.” He glanced above me to his brother. “Take her away.”
As soon as Andrei turned his back on me I spun to his brother and gave him the slyest smile possible, which he did not respond to with any emotion. This one looked like the type of guy who did not find amusement in anything other than killing. He moved out of the way to let me pass. Not a smart move.
I buried my hands in his eyes and kicked his balls. He let out a grunt before I pushed him further away and put my feet into swift action, throwing one leg desperately in front of the other as I ran. My back was still sore, but my adrenaline was in control.
