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Chapter Eleven
Illyria
The second he uttered those words, a rage I never knew existed boiled over inside me as I kneed Maxim in the groin. He doubled over, breathing heavily, as I ranted, “You stupid fucking Russian bastard! I hate you!”
“I’m sorry,Moya Lyubov. Too many know,” he said, trying to take a deep breath.
“You’re sorry!” I screamed. “You’re sorry! You fucking ruined everything.”
“Illyria?” Salvatore whispered behind me.
Turning to my brother, I couldn’t look him in the eyes.
Instead, I closed my eyes, knowing that when I opened them again, my world would never be the same. Everything I’d been working towards, everything I’d been planning, was now void.
A new game was about to start.
One I was sure I wouldn’t win.
Turning my head towards the offices, I opened my eyes to see Maria lightly nod as she whispered into her phone before running from the building. I knew who she was calling. I knew where she was going. She had one job now and it was no longer me.
We’d planned for this day for the last year on the off chance my marital status became public news. I just never thought it would be this soon.
My brother stepped close, reaching for my hands. “Sister, please tell me he’s lying. Please tell me this is some joke?”
Pulling away from him, I wiped my eyes, taking a step back as I rattled off curses and threats of bodily harm in Italian. When I refused to answer, Sal took my condemnation as verification and did the one thing I knew he would do. He punched Maxim in the face before tackling him to the floor.
Montana sat back in his chair, arms crossed over his chest, shaking his head as he winked at me. Renaldo raised his wineglass in a salute.
Yeah, I knew I’d get no help from either of those two.
They were Maxim’s friends.
Knowing Salvatore was just gearing up, I walked around the table, grabbing a chair to sit between the two smirking idiots. Instead, Montana pulled me onto his lap, wrapping his arms around my waist as he whispered, “God, beautiful. I knew you were a thrill seeker, but the Bloodletter? Really? Does he know what he’s gotten himself into?”
Renaldo snickered. “Hell no!The Russian bastard only saw her pretty face and thought she’d be amiable. I can’t wait until he realizes what he signed up for.”
“Why did you do it, Montana?” I asked softly, looking at my hands. His arms tightened around me. “Because you need to be protected. I wasn’t playing around when I said I believe Petrovitch is here for you. Now that the truth is out, we can prepare. Besides, secrets never end happily. You and Max belong together. You know it, he knows it, we all fucking know it. Only the two of you are too damn stubborn. He told us all what he did.”
“It doesn’t matter. It’s over.”
“Nothing is over until you’re buried six feet under. Look, I’m probably the last person to give relationship advice. I can barely keep my Tessa safe. But I know one thing. Your man will do anything, and I do mean anything, to ensure your safety. So, before you condemn him to hell and back, ask yourself this. Why would a man who worked for four years to gain your trust and love, all of a sudden throw it all away? I don’t know about you, but that’s not the man I know.”
Watching as Salvatore and Maxim rolled around on the floor, fighting each other, cursing each other up one side and down the other, Montana’s words took root in my head and started to grow. There were a lot of things I knew about Maxim Fedorov, some stuff I wish I didn’t.
But Montana had a point.
The man I knew and married would never betray the vows he made to me that night in Russia. His oath, the creed he lived by, wouldn’t allow for it. Once Maxim made a vow, it was a done deal.
He never went back on his word.
Ever.
Vladmir kneeling down next to me, brought me out of my thoughts as he whispered, “Are you going to stop him?”
“Stop who?” I whispered.
“Your brother,” Vlad growled.
