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I had ignored Yaro’s warning. I didn’t give him my answer, which was likely interpreted as a refusal, and that was grounds for whatever punishment they had in mind for me.
I was screwed, and as time passed, I came to terms with the fact that I wouldn’t be leaving that room. That I wouldn’t get to see Anastasia again.
But as I was given more than enough time to sit in that difficult realization, the panic began to subside, and my critical thinking came back for a visit.
I wasn’t put in a stressful position, nobody was there to torture me yet, and while restraints weren’t ideal, being strapped to a chair was a better alternative.
Considering that I wasn’t dead already, I felt like I was being treated better than I expected.
That bizarre thought shattered the moment the door creaked open, and I couldn’t help but assume it was all over.
A large man entered the room with a hard expression, eyes set on me as he closed the door behind him. His features did not indicate his thoughts, but the stern air about him was enough of a reason to panic.
As he sat across from me in the empty chair, it was hard to miss those familiar features. The trimmed black curls, a variation of blue eyes, and distinguished features. He certainly looked like a Levov, but he wasn’t one I recognized.
He cleared his throat. “Nikolai Petrov, is it?”
Unsure of how he knew me despite how I didn’t know him, I gave him a single nod.
I was already captured, and I could only imagine how many of my coworkers were either dead or taken too. There was no point resisting. Maybe that made me a bad servant of the Caprises, but at that moment, I didn’t care.
The man let go of a somewhat annoyed breath. “Word is you married my sweet cousin Anastasia. I spared you for that fact alone.”
While that didn’t mean I was out of the woods yet, my relief was immediate.
Those cold blue eyes took me in as he analyzed me, slightly tilting his head to the side with interest. “Petrov, huh? I take it you hail from Russia, too.”
“I do.”
The man chuckled at that, making me feel uneasy as his eye contact lingered without disruption. “What is a proud man like yourself doing aligning with Italians?”
The noise I let out sounded more like one of defeat than amusement. “I’ve been wondering the same thing myself.”
“In any case, this seems like as good a time as any to get acquainted with the family, don’t you think?”
Aware that I didn’t have a choice in that matter, I didn’t say anything.
He leaned back in his chair, broad body making it look like a child’s seat. “I’m Aristarkh, the head of my branch of the Levov dynasty. Think of me like Andrei, but colder.” He chuckled to himself and continued, “I’ve been teasing him about how soft he’s become over the years, but I suppose that’s what happens when you’ve been in America long enough. Don’t assume you’ll get the same from me.”
Swallowing back my growing apprehension of his true intentions, I tried my best to conceal it. “Anastasia never mentioned any other cousins.”
“I don’t suppose she would, given that we haven’t seen Anastasia for some time. You see, we came here more recently, intending to put our roots down in the states. Andrei was kind enough to lay the foundation for us,” Aristarkh explained, gaze perpetually calculating as he slowly leaned forward. “That being said, he informed me of Yaro’s ultimatum. The one you were supposed to follow. Given what just happened and the position you’re currently in, it seems you’ve already made your decision.”
There was no missing how right he was. How from his perspective, me being in the ranks that attempted to storm his warehouse could only look one way.
My skin went cold, aware that I was in even deeper shit than before.
It seemed that nobody, not even Erasmo, could’ve anticipated this new strain of Levov. An entirely new beast to contend with.
Just from looking at him, I knew he wasn’t someone to be messed with. Built like a tank, I didn’t have to wonder how he managed to knock me out with his fist alone.
As much as I wanted to believe being Anastasia’s husband was enough of a shield to keep me alive, I didn’t know if that came with an expiration date.
Given the circumstances at hand and the new revelation that shook me to my core, Erasmo and his men were in for a rude awakening.
The Levovs weren’t done yet.
Chapter 24 - Anastasia
