Page 172 of Anton

Jace hits him with an irritated look. “It is for me.”

Kirill’s mouth curves. “That’s what we all said.”

Aleksei nods. “I forced a woman to marry me because she tried to put me in prison, and look how well that turned out.”

Jace doesn’t appear impressed. “Happy for you.”

Harlan ignores the exchange, his attention still on his son. “Marriage brings stability. It shows people you’re settled and ready to lead.”

“I don’t need a wife to lead.” Jace leans back in his chair, clearly finished with the conversation, even if his father isn’t.

I almost feel sorry for him. If Harlan has already decided his son is getting married, Jace is only wasting his breath pretending he has a choice.

CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

ANTON

When I arrive at Krystal with these two idiots, I get straight to business.

“This is where we keep the record of who owes what.” I open the safe in the basement and show them the logbook, though it’s far from the only copy. “They get one chance to pay. You rough them up enough to scare them, and if they still don’t pay, the next visit is the last.”

“That’s easy.” Arkady shrugs.

His gaze cuts to the man tied to a chair in the middle of the room, groaning through the blood dripping down his chin while fear clouds the baby blues of his eyes.

“How much fun can I have with this one?”

“As much as you want without getting caught. When you’re done, you burn him in the incinerator through there.” I point to the black double doors behind me.

“I like it.” He unbuttons his shirt and carefully drapes it over the back of a chair before picking up a pair of brass knuckles from the bar top. “These are nice.”

The man starts shaking his head, trying to speak around the gag in his mouth.

Arkady examines the brass knuckles with appreciation before slipping them on. “Where did you get these?”

“Craigslist.”

He chuckles just as he slams his fist into the man’s jaw, breaking it on impact. The idiot screams, crimson spilling down his chin and onto his shirt. Arkady pulls back and hits him again and again, each punch landing with ugly force until the chair rocks against the concrete floor and the man’s cries turn into strangled sounds that barely resemble words.

What else does one expect when he racks up five hundred thousand in debt and has nothing to show for it?

Arkady circles him with blood on his knuckles, a grin on his face while Mikhail watches, his fist clenching and unclenching, probably wanting to join in. But this is a one-man job. Mikhail will get the next one.

Arkady drives another punch into the man’s face, beating him until there’s nothing left. When the svolich drops his head forward, Arkady grabs him by the hair and yanks it back.

“No sleeping yet. We’re still getting to know each other.”

The man whimpers something incoherent, and Arkady slaps him on the cheek.

“Yes, I know. I like you too.” He hits him again, the brass causing his skull to cave in beneath the blow.

I check my watch. “I think you’re done now.”

“Ladno.” He throws in another punch before Mikhail starts toward him to help move the body.

I walk to the back door and enter the code, and once it unlocks, I keep it open so they can carry him through, leaving a red trail across the floor that someone else will clean.

The incinerator waits at the far end of the room, and I flip it on and open it. They swing the body up and toss it inside. The second it hits the metal, I close it, watching as the fire swallows what’s left.