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"You mean apart from peddling vice on my territory? I don't have to explain myself to anyone. Tell your boss to come and talk to me."
"He's unhappy." A smirk curls his lip, and I resist punching him. "He feels you owe him an explanation and compensation, too. He didn't allow Hektor to infiltrate your turf, but he would have reprimanded him and spared us all this."
"I'm not interested." I push my chair away from the table. "Run home and tell your employer he needs to keep you on a short leash and out of my fucking business. I'll let it go. But I don't want to see you in my city again."
I glance at Morgana. She's waving at me, but her arm drops to her side as I watch. She snatches at the table's edge, trying to stay on her feet as Josie supports her. A keening scream of anguish fills the air, silencing everyone except the children playing on the floor nearby, who continue happily with their game.
The stranger sees Morgana and breaks into laughter. I get to my feet, preparing to strangle him.
"I wouldn't," he says. "I have a pistol pointing at you beneath the table."
I could grab my own gun from its holster in a nanosecond, but he'd be faster. I tear my eyes from my screaming wife and sit down again.
"Kill me, and you'll never leave here alive."
"I know. How many kids could I shoot first?" He grins with what looks like genuine glee. "I reckon I could take out a couple before anyone got to me. Maybe Morgana too?"
Morgana is sobbing her heart out. I hear Josie pleading with her, trying to find out what's wrong.
But I have worked it out.
The man stands, revealing the gun in his hand. He backs toward the restaurant door, his gun trained on the oblivious children.
He cocks his head at me and tuts. "The innocent virgin bratva pussy you could have, and you get hitched to this well-used bitch? It's not a good look for a pakhan to marry a call girl."
Sasha catches my eye, but I shake my head. Then the man is gone, tearing down the street. Sasha bolts, but I lunge and grab him.
"Let him go. We can't risk a shoot-out in broad daylight, not with the fucking families here. And our relationship with the cops relies on keeping our business off the streets."
Mothers dash to the children, cradling them in their arms.
"Do you think that's why he chose this moment to accost you?" Sasha asks.
"I don't think he knew what he was getting himself into." I put my hand on his shoulder. "Stay here with David. I can't believe the fucker said that in front of everyone, and I'm in no frame of mind to hear any more about it. I'm taking my wife away from here."
I go to Morgana's side. She's sitting on the floor, shaking and hiccuping, her breathing shallow. I pull her head onto my chest and hold her.
"Vladi." Her words are nothing more than a hoarse whisper. "That was Cassius. Why was he talking to you? Don't let him take me!"
"Shh. You're going nowhere,lisichka."
She laughs through her tears. "Isn't that the truth? I'm withyou, waiting for a happy ending that may never come. And nowhe'shere, and he'll kill me this time—"
"You think I'd let that happen?"
Josie puts her hand on my arm. "Easy, Vladi. She's just scared."
I scoop my hands under Morgana's legs and get to my feet, lifting her against my chest as she wraps her arms around my neck. I’m reminded of that first night when she screamed in her sleep, and I consoled her.
She turns to look at me, and I press my forehead to hers.
"Take me away from here," she whispers.
36
Vlad
Morgana drinks the tea Dulcie made but says little. I can't bear to look at her, so I distract myself by raising hell.
