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“Yes—”
“I won’t allow it.”
My heart sinks into the pit of my stomach. “Dad. Don’t be like this.”
“I’m not the bad guy here.Heis. Did I have a stroke, or didn’t this man kidnap you a couple of months ago to blackmail me into making a deal to take away the territory our family worked to gain and hold for over two decades?”
“I’ve changed,” Andrei insists. “I would never hurt Sandra.”
“And yet, here she is—hurt. She could have died that day because of your recklessness. You should have known Ivanovich was leading us into a trap.”
I clench my fists, anger bubbling beneath the surface of my skin. “Dad, please—”
“You’re not good enough for my daughter, Nicolaevich. Why on Earth would I give you my blessing to marry her? You’re just after her power, the rest of the city that’s rightfully hers to control.”
Andrei shakes his head. “I’ll give it all up if that convinces you of my intentions.”
“And what of your brothers? Can you promise they won’t take up the mantle once you’ve stepped down?”
“Well, no, but—”
“Get out of my house,” Dad says. “I’ve been more than patient with you, but I’m never going to give you my daughter’s hand in marriage.”
I stand up from my seat, furious. “Seriously? This isn’t the dark ages, Dad. I will marry Andrei, regardless of what you have to say about it. Come on, Andrei, let’s go.”
He stands. “Where?”
“Your place. Mexico. Wherever, as long as we’re together.”
“What about the Bratva?” Dad asks. “If you leave, who will lead? It’s your birthright, Sandra. You can’t just abandon it.”
I take a deep breath. “All my life, you trained me to follow in your footsteps. When I met Andrei, I started to think about whatIwanted. For the first time in my life, I finally know what that looks like. I want a life with him—with or without the Bratva.”
Andrei grins as he tucks a few locks of my hair behind my ear. “I want that, too. More than anything.”
All eyes are on my father. He sits there, as still and cold as a statue. For a moment, I suddenly understand why he’s made such a good leader all these years. Even under incredible stress, he shows no signs of cracking. That doesn’t exactly bode well in my favor, but it’s impressive, nonetheless.
I understand where he’s coming from. Truly, I do. Dad just wants what all good fathers want—to keep his children safe. But there comes a time when we all have to leave the nest someday. If I make mistakes, at least they’re my own. One thing’s for sure, though: loving Andrei could never be a mistake.
With a heavy sigh, he asks, “Do you promise to make her happy?”
Andrei nods. “I’ll spend every waking moment.”
“And if you dare hurt her again, I will personally castrate you.”
Mom slaps him gently across the arm. “Stop it, Misha.”
Dad rises and extends his hand across the table.
Chapter 40
Andrei
One Month Later
Separately, the Nicolaevich and Antonov Bratvas are capable of incredible things. They both rule with iron fists and awe-inspiring efficiency. Where the Antonovs command the respect of their peers, my brothers and I are tenaciously ambitious.Combined—we’re a force to be reckoned with.
We’re only a month into our merger, but all of Moscow works like a well-oiled machine. With the Antonovs’ connections and my transportation network, we’re virtually unstoppable. I don’t think the criminal underworld has ever seen a more impressive organization. With Leo running the numbers, Samuil enforcing our laws, Roman negotiating our deals, and Damien keeping his ear to the ground for any whispers of dissent, we have the entire city under our thumbs.
