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“How could it not be a problem?” Nik’s voice thunders in the open space, and I swear the walls shake for a split second.
“We made it to my truck before he could get to us. And when he made a run for it, a car came out of nowhere and plowed into him.”
“He got hit by a goddamn car?”
I nod. “And the good thing is if he hit his head, it could scramble his brain up and he might not even remember seeing us in the parking lot. Which means they wouldn’t know it was me who snatched her from the wedding.”
“So all we have to do is hope for broken surveillance cameras and brain trauma? That’s the new plan? Jesus Christ, Zak. How the fuck could you let this happen?”
Nik slams his fists on the top of the desk. The vein in his neck throbs and for a second, I’m a little afraid it might rupture. I really don’t need the fucking burden of having my brother bleed out on my shoulders, so I think fast to come up with a reason to calm him down.
“Calm down. I can fix it.”
“Oh, yeah? How?”
“This marriage is a total sham. Everyone knows it. The Van Dynes are trying to shut us down permanently. They need St. James for that. They need his network. We don’t. We have our own.”
“Get to the fucking point, Zak, or I’m gonna stroke out listening to your bullshit.”
“I’m gonna marry Skyla. Once I do, the Van Dynes lose their leverage and their network, and we keep our organization intact. It’s perfect.”
Nik scrubs a hand down the front of his face. “I think it’syourbrain that’s scrambled from all the football concussions.”
“Why? What the hell else were we gonna do with her? If I marry her, it keeps us in power. Van Dyne and Stepanov want to crush us, and Skyla was their solution. Now she’s mine.” I narrow my eyes at him. “It may not have been the original plan, but it’s a better one than just keeping her chained to my bed.”
“Who the fuck said anything about chaining her to your bed?”
“Fine, chained to a pole in the basement.”
“Why do you keep talking about chains?” Nik presses his fingertips to his temples and I know he’s losing the little patience he has left for me.
“Forget the chains and think about my idea. You know it’s a winner. It protects us and Red Ladro.”
“There’s more to this than keeping our organization intact. It’s also to expose Van Dyne’s partners. We know he’s working with Stepanov. He might be able to get us closer to Branko. Finding that piece of shit has always been the goal. That bastard is the reason why Mom, Dad, and Dima are dead, and why Luka was almost killed.”
“If memory serves, your fiancée had something to do with Luka’s near-death, too.” I can’t resist taking the dig and it hits home. Hard.
Nik’s glare promises murder. “Don’t fucking go there again.”
I hold my hands up in the air. “All I’m saying is that shit happens and you need to take opportunities when they come. It’s what Kenzie did, yeah?”
My brother walks around the desk, his shoulders squared and fists clenched.
I fold my arms over my chest. “You know I’m right. This could save us.”
“It could fuck us, too. And it’ll open us up to all of Van Dyne’s allies. Us, Red Ladro.”
“Make the cockroaches scatter. That’s the best way to get to Branko. If I marry Skyla, he loses leverage and control. He won’t be able to rely on Van Dyne or Stepanov to fuck us. If he wants to destroy our family, he’ll have to come for us himself.”
I cross my feet at the ankle, the corners of my lips lifting. “I’m brilliant. Just say it.”
“You’re a cocky bastard.”
“Also brilliant.”
“There’s no love lost between you and Skyla. How are you gonna get her to submit?”
“I have plenty of ideas.”
