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Before I could question him on that non-answer, the lights dimmed, and an expectant hush fell over the audience as the first note hit the air.
24
KIRILL
The next night, I made my last-ditch attempt to head off the impending confrontation with Antonio De Sanctis. That fucker needed to die, but for now, I didn’t like the way he was focused on Mallory as a means to get to me. He needed his pound of flesh, and apparently, he wouldn’t accept a substitute.
Killing him outright crossed my mind, but with Renato De Sanctis on his way back from Naples, it wasn’t a good idea to kill his father. He would have to retaliate to avenge his family’s honor. Of course, there was always the chance that he’d kill Viktor in revenge, which would be really kind of perfect. However, I wasn’t a man who left things to chance, and there was too great a chance that he’d attempt to kill me, or worse, Mallory. I’d never had any luck, and I didn’t expect that to change anytime soon.
Now, I waited for him to join me for a dinner I’d called to talk. The restaurant was unlikely, a seedy diner on upper 5thstreet, but it was perfect for our purposes. Antonio entered late, flanked by his killer security guards. Keeping me waiting was a power play, but I didn’t mind it overly much. Men like him needed everything they could to show their power. What they lacked in mental fortitude, they tried to make for with posturing.
“Antonio, thank you for coming. I thought it best we talk this out, in person, and stop the hemorrhage at the root.”
Antonio smirked. “I believe you are the only one whose spilled blood over this.”
I matched his arrogance inch for inch as I grinned back. “Yes, your hemorrhage has been money, hasn’t it? I heard the De Sanctis deals aren’t instilling the previous confidence you used to enjoy.”
His expression shuttered, and all pretense of warmth drained away. “Losing money never killed anyone.”
“Depends on how much. I’m sure your family has some loans you wouldn’t want to default on.”
“Enough of this,” Antonio snapped, his rigid posture collapsing. “Tell me what you want.”
“Are you ready to talk about it, or do you want to waste more time measuring dicks? I can guarantee mine is bigger, De Sanctis,” I tossed at him.
He stared at me a moment longer, then tipped his head back and laughed. “You’re an arrogant fucker, Kirill, but you always amuse, I’ll give you that.”
“I aim to please. Now, what do you need in order to put this whole botched engagement behind us?”
Antonio narrowed his eyes, finally getting down to business. “Shouldn’t I be talking to Viktor about this? Has there been a change in leadership I don’t know about?”
I held his gaze, and the silence between us, until Antonio nodded slightly.
“Very well. I need my accounts and reputation restored, financial and otherwise.”
“Otherwise?” I already expected he wanted me to extend the Chernov olive branch of peace in the form of mutually beneficial deals. If we showed we trusted them to work with us again, the rest would follow.
“Otherwise means you embarrassed my daughter, and no amount of money can change that.”
“What can change that?”
Antonio stared at me for a long time, tapping his lip with his finger. “I heard your new wife is expecting.”
I nodded to confirm the news.
“Then you’ll understand soon if you have a daughter.”
“I won’t treat my daughter how you treat yours. She won’t be an object to me,” I ground out immediately.
Fuck, where was my legendary taciturn aloofness when I needed it? Anything involving the baby was a direct hit to my fury. I hated that Antonio had brought up the baby at all, even if he wasn’t threatening me.
“Not an object, an asset, if you’re lucky. Sofia is a disappointment in that regard. She’s too weak to cope with the life she’s been given. Other daughters are making matches that benefit their entire family, and Sofia is crying over love and happiness. It’s her mother’s fault,” he said, spitting the last and looking murderous.
I had no idea what Sofia’s backstory was with her family, but by the sound of it, it was about as happy as mine. A fucking horror show.
“It’s not her fault. I never intended to marry her,” I told him dispassionately.
“And now everyone knows that. She’s not much, but she’s the only female child I have, and you reduced the value of my asset.” Antonio tossed his head and stared out the greasy window at the dark street beyond. “Instead of bringing a future bratvapakhanas a husband into the family, she brought shame.”
