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“Itoldyourfatherit was a mistake to marry you off to Rahil,” a voice trails over my shoulder while I sit at our table listening to fundraising goals for tonight’s charity.
Lachlan is with Riordan somewhere, and Priscilla just took Isabella to the ladies’ room again.
“Hello, Maksim.” Feeling this was planned, I give him my best annoyed glower. “Clearly, Papa doesn’t listen to you.”
I resist a huge laugh at how pissed off he looks using a cane to walk.
“He will when I’m his underboss.” He shoves the cane down and grabs the chair next to me. My husband’s chair.
Big mistake…
I know very little of how my father runs his brotherhood, but I want to believe he wouldn’t elevate Maksim to such an important role. If something should happen to the pakhan, the underboss takes over. Unless a council votes to have him removed. For Maksim, he’d have to be killed, because he’d never let go once he had that title.
“Good luck.” I stroke the back of my neck and stand to go find my husband, but Maksim’s cold fingers close around my upper arm.
“This is thesecondtime tonight someone has touched me without permission.” I try to pull away, but he’s too strong. “Lachlan was ready to tear apart Papa but got talked down off the ledge becausehe’s pakhan. Do you want your other knee blown off?”
“I hear you want to live in London.”
My throat goes tight. “That’s no secret.”
Maksim laughs. “I know Lachlan O’Rourke very well. There is no way he will let you go.”
“That’s none of your business.”
“Iwill let you go.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Say the word, Katriane. Cry out that you want to come home. My entirebrigadieris outside.”
I glance out the floor-to-ceiling windows curtained by blue velvet drapes and go rigid. Men in dark suits with ear pieces surround the venue. “What did you do?”
“What I have to.” He pulls me closer. “If you agree to marry me, your father will make me underboss.”
“He said that?”
Maksim’s right eye twitches. “Not exactly. But when I tell him your sister is dead, he will.”
“What?” Bile rises in my throat. “What makes you think that?”
“We would have heard something by now.”
I debate if I should mention the postcards. When I say nothing, he continues.
“Your father will get his ass back in the driver’s seat once I tell him he can give up looking for Anastasia, the ghost, and that you have agreed to leave Lachlan to marryme. Then you go to London and—”
“Mywifeis married,” Lachlan says, hovering against Maksim’s back.
“Is that a gun, or are you happy to see me, O’Rourke?” Maksim sneers, letting me go.
“Ask your knee how a bullet felt.” Lachlan glances out the window. “Call off your dogs. I’m takingmy wifehome.”
“She just agreed to marry me, so why don’t you—” Maksim groans in pain. “What the fuck is that?”
“The tip of a knife in the back of your neck. One hard jab, and you’re paralyzed. Katriane agreed to no such thing. Did you, my sweet, little wife?” He eyes me with a wide, confident grin since he couldn’t have heard our conversation.
He trusts me.
