Page 100 of The Agreement

How could he forget the plan?

TWENTY-ONE

“They’re going to kill you on the day of the wedding.”

The words left Roman’s mouth in the same breath that Maxim started to swing. He knew the man had heard him—the shift in the air was instant. That, and the bat didn’t land on top of his fucking head.

Maxim flinched, still holding the weapon high. “What the fuck did you just say?”

Quiet, but it still felt like a roar.

Roman shifted in his constraints, trying to ignore the way the rope bit into his wrists the longer he was forced to hang. His limbs ached the longer they stretched unnaturally, his muscles feeling like they were tearing under his skin.

“I said they’re going to kill you the night of the wed—”

The bat fell from Maxim’s hand, stopping him from saying anything more as he lunged forward, bringing his face right up close to Roman’s. Cold, hard eyes locked onto his. Seconds ticked by.

One.

Then, two.

Maxim only asked, “Who is going to kill me?”

Roman had to make a conscious effort to keep his eyes open, the pain and hard breathing threatening to take him under. Sweat dripped down his forehead, the beads down to the point of his trembling chin.

He was quite a sight.

No doubt.

Still, Roman hadn’t begged.

That counted for something.

“Who,” Maxim snarled.

The loud yell making Roman jerk against the rope. Even the chains rattled from his sudden movement. His captor waited, but the bat was still close enough for him to reach, though.

That couldn’t be forgotten.

Figuring the only thing that was keeping him alive was the fact he had something to say, Roman started to tell the man, “I overheard a conversation, Leonid and—”

Maxim spun away from him, scoffing hard. “Fuck them. Fuck the both of them. Leonid and Dima want to take a shot at me?” He turned back with a wild smile—maniacal almost—before he thumped his fist against his bare chest. The news didn’t seem to be, well ... news. “I’ll be right here waiting for them.”

Roman’s brows knitted together. No, it wasn’t Dima. He opted to keep that information silent, even if only for a moment longer, as he watched Maxim lose his calm. It was the first time he started thinking about who Leonid’s partner actually was. He heard him say the name Katina—hadn’t forgot it since. A name he didn’t know, and one no one in the Yazov Bratva used for any woman who was around enough to be talked about.

So, who was she?

And why didn’t the boss know about her?

“I did every fucking thing I needed to—made sure those two shits didn’t bite the hand that fed them,” Maxim said, facing Roman fully again. “My hand. Do they really think I agreed to this match because I want Dima as my son-in-law?”

Who cared?

All that mattered to Roman was that the baseball bat had been forgotten for now. That gave him a few more seconds to figure out how to keep Maxim distracted long enough to keep him talking—or for the man to allow Roman to talk.

Either way ...

“You arranged the marriage to appease them—why?” Roman asked.