Page 15 of Mafia Maiden


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“Leave her alone,” Leo said.

Isaac’s eyes flashed, and I wondered what these two were to one another. There was a clear rivalry between the two of them, and I stored that information away. The very first thing I learned from my father was to know your enemies’ weaknesses, and I already knew that Isaac was one of Leo’s.

“I’m Katarina Ivanov.” I pushed slightly past Nikolai, so that I was on full display.

The moment that Isaac heard my name, I knew that he recognized it. The hunger that was there intensified. I could see the moment when he realized who exactly I was. It was a look that I was well familiar with.

The reason men like Stephan put it all on the line for me was because he believed that if things worked out, his relationship with me could potentially lead to something else. More power. More status. More money.

For years, I thought their desire for me was a joke. I was going to be Pakhan, and when I took my rightful place, I was going to reward people for their loyalty and skill, not because they were good with their cocks.

Isaac ignored Leo’s presence completely and focused his attention directly on me. He lifted my hand and brought it to his lips. He pressed them to my skin, and I tried not to squirm as his dry skin met mine.

“I heard that you were beautiful, but I don’t think that all of the talk has done you justice.”

I pretended to smile shyly, looking away to give off the idea that I was a demure flower who was overcome by the compliment. I pegged Isaac within seconds. He fancied himself a knight in shining armor. He would want a demure princess, so I’d play the part—while it suited me.

“You are too kind.”

Leo released an audible breath of annoyance, and it took a great deal for me not to burst out laughing.

“What do you want?” he asked.

Isaac did not take his eyes off of me as he spoke. “Our mother is looking for you, Leo,” he said. “She wanted to make sure that you weren’t just hanging out at the bar.”

“Mother?” I asked, allowing myself a moment of surprise. “You are brothers?”

Isaac gave me a wide smile, which had fallen when he was addressing Leo. “Try not to hold it against me.”

I giggled and looked over at Leo, who was rolling his eyes. I didn’t know if it was my actions or his brother’s that he found so amusing, but it was nice to see that he wasn’t made of stone like he’d pretended.

For a moment, I worried that I had met my match just as my cousin warned that I would. A part of me was disappointed to know that I was wrong.

“Why don’t you run off and tell mother that I am fine.”

Isaac’s eyes flashed in anger, and I suspected that he did not like that his brother was talking down to him. I did not have any siblings, but I was getting a younger sibling vibe from Isaac.

“I’m fine here,” he said. “Perhaps, I can take you to the bar and get you a drink. I heard that they have Long Island iced teas.”

“She drinks bourbon,” Leo said, stepping forward. “And we aren’t done here.”

A thrill zipped through me as I watched the two of them. I felt pleasure pool in my stomach as it became clear that they were competing over me. At least, in their own way. Neither of them knew a thing about me, so I really was just something else for the two of them to compete over.

“I can get you whatever you would like,” Isaac said. “But a woman as lovely as you should be out there being admired. Not in the corner.” He looked around. “I’m sure that your father would agree with me.”

Leo stood between the two of us. “Go,” he ordered his brother. “I already told you that Katarina and I are not done here.”

For a moment, when Isaac puffed out his chest, I thought that the two of them would get into a fight. The idea was exciting.

But Isaac backed down. “Fine,” he said. He looked past his brother and our eyes connected. “Feel free to come look for me when you realize how boring my brother is.”

I said nothing, but I could not stop myself from smirking as I looked over at Leo. His nostrils were flaring, and I was sure that he was trying his best to keep himself under control. I was beginning to realize that Leo was not as carefree as he tried to project.

Anger radiated from him as he watched his brother retreat, and I wondered what had happened between the two of them to create such animosity. It was clear that it ran in both directions.

“I did not know that you had a brother.”

Leo turned to look at me. “What does my brother have to do with anything?”

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