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“Take that back,” Yuri shouted, clearly stung. “If you really don’t know how much I do for this family, then you can go—”
“Shut up and sit down,” Ivan bellowed, rattling the speakers hidden in all the corners.
“Yeah, this isn’t about you,” Nikolai said, standing up to pull Yuri back into the booth.
Yuri hauled back and punched Nik in the ear, causing him to howl with rage. I’d been smacked like that before and felt like it was a bit of overkill for the situation. Poor Nik was going to have a ringing in his ear for at least the rest of the day.
Since I was the one who usually calmed everyone down when all hell broke loose, things only got worse. Ivan shoved Nikolai aside to grab Yuri’s collar and give his head a sturdy crack against the nearest wall. To my shock, Yuri—calm, staid Yuri—kicked our older brother and tried to sideswipe him with a left hook.
“That’s enough,” Nik called, cradling his ear. “Both of you sit the fuck down so we can get this over with and I can go home.”
I was shocked that our most hotheaded brother was the one ending the fight, but it seemed fatherhood had mellowed him considerably. I nodded my thanks to him as Ivan and Yuri crowded back into the booth, and he mouthed for me to go fuck myself. Okay, so not all that mellow.
“No more swearing,” Ivan said. “No more throwing punches, either. And, Aleksei, you’re going to have to suck it up and honor the contract Father signed when you were born. There’s no other way.”
I looked each of my brothers in the eye, tamping down my fury and frustration. “Theresa is pregnant,” I said. “I won’t leave her. I absolutely will not make her my mistress. If I have to, I’ll deal with Roman on my own.”
“No, that’s not how we do things,” Yuri said. “Is it?” he goaded the others, turning to Nikolai. “What if Mila hadn’t been your promised betrothed? But Kat was still your child? Would you have married someone else?”
“Yuri, I’m going to have to tell you to shut up again,” Ivan sighed. “This is different.”
“Actually, how is it different?” Nikolai asked. He gave Yuri a dirty look, still pissed about his ear, but taking up the argument anyway. “There’s no way I would have left Mila and Kat to marry someone else, contract or no contract. I’d kill half of Miami before I let that happen.”
I swallowed. That wasn’t what I wanted. Not at all. But it might be necessary, and if so, was I willing to go down that road?
Ivan stared at me, as if silently asking me the same question. “Breaking the contract will start a war between the families that could tear Miami apart,” he said. “Nik’s scenario could end up actually happening.”
“I won’t abandon her,” I croaked. “Or my child, who, I’ll remind you, is a Morozov.”
Ivan leaned back, muttering curses.
“I’m still with Aleksei,” Yuri said.
“Me too,” Nikolai agreed.
We waited while Ivan mulled it over, staring at his hands. He looked up and nodded. “We’ll need to tighten up security at all the businesses. Rally the men to be on standby. We’ll take this to Roman tomorrow.”
I breathed a sigh of relief. I didn’t need my brothers’ permission or even help. If it came down to it, I’d have faced Roman alone, or I’d take Theresa and hide away with her. But family meant everything to me, and I was proud of all we’d accomplished together, by whatever means. It was how we were raised. I was grateful they were willing to risk everything for my happiness and the safety of my child. And soon-to-be wife. The final burden of not having to marry Sofia peeled off my shoulders, making me realize how miserable I really was with that hanging over my head. I was finally going to be able to marry the woman I loved.
Hopefully not too many people died because of it.
My brothers were already on their phones, setting the plan into action, not looking for any gushing thanks from me. We set up the time to meet with Roman, and I hurried back to Theresa, both light and heavy at the same time. Tomorrow would tell how much trouble we were going to have, but I’d walk through hell for my woman.
I slipped into the apartment quietly in case she was napping, spying an empty plate on the counter and smiling that she’d eaten. I only hoped it wasn’t that god awful cereal she made me buy. It was almost pure sugar and should have been illegal, but she craved it, and I couldn’t say no to what our baby wanted, at least as long as she also got a bit of healthy food down, too.
She had changed into a pale blue checkered sundress, her legs and feet bare, a paintbrush still in her hand as she continued to work by the window. The blank canvas from a few hours ago was now shaping up to be a colorful landscape and I snuck up behind her and wrapped my arms around her waist.
“Hello, beautiful girl,” I said. “That painting looks great.”
She turned in my embrace and leaned up for a kiss, a smudge of paint on the tip of her nose. I didn’t like that we might be facing violence, but if someone was going to fight me for my chance to be with Theresa, then they’d get what was coming to them.
“How was your meeting with your brothers?” she asked.
“It was fine,” I said, kissing her again to distract her from asking any more questions.
She had no idea the meeting was about her. I’d already assured her there was nothing to worry about, and I was going to keep my word. It would all be over tomorrow, one way or the other. Easy or hard, didn’t matter to me. This was the life I wanted. Hopefully, I’d live long enough to enjoy it.
Chapter 19 - Aleksei
