Total pages in book: 106
Estimated words: 102833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102833 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 343(@300wpm)
Daniella is my best friend’s younger sister—sweet, innocent Little Russo—and the one woman I should stay away from.
But when she unknowingly marries a man who’s out to destroy her family, she lands herself in danger she can’t escape, and I’m the only one who can protect her.
My first mistake? Insisting she move in with me.
Because the more time I spend with Daniella, the more the light threatens to break through my darkness, making me want things I’ve rejected for most of my life.
I should reject her too. Keep her away from me as much as from him.
That’s the problem with our arrangement though …
Her husband is bad.
Me? I’m worse.
I’m rough, ruthless, and nothing close to what she deserves. I can’t give her the white picket fence she desires.
But she doesn’t see the blood on my hands, or that I’m not husband or father material.
All she sees is the man who’ll burn down the world to save her
*************FULL BOOK START HERE*************
PLAYLIST
We Found Love – Rihanna
Let Me Go – Three Doors Down
All of Me – John Legend
My Tears Ricochet – Taylor Swift
Please Please Please – Sabrina Carpenter
Cruel Summer – Taylor Swift
Fight for You – Jason Derulo
Fearless – Taylor Swift (Taylor’s Version)
Listen to the Deadliest Desire playlist
PROLOGUE
Matteo
Fifteen Years Old
“Have you considered having Matteo tested?” Mrs. Klein, my freshman English teacher, smiles warmly at my parents.
She’s only trying to help, but she has no idea what her help is going to cause me.
“Tested for what?” my mom asks, like she hasn’t been told the same shit a million times.
Tested for a learning disability because I can’t read properly.
Tested for ADHD because I can’t focus or sit still.
Tested for anything that will prove why I am the way I am.
“There’s no reason to have him tested,” my dad says before Mrs. Klein can answer. “He’s lazy, and we’ll take care of it at home.”
Mrs. Klein frowns. “I don’t think—”
“We don’t pay you to think.” My dad glares at Mrs. Klein, and since he’s Andrey Antonov, known for being one of the most dangerous men in Harbor Point—hell, in all of South Florida—with a reputation of killing anyone who stands in his way, she flinches and closes her mouth. “We pay you to teach our children. So, how about you do your job, and we’ll do ours?”
“Mr. Antonov,” the guidance counselor starts.
Because I’m struggling across the board, the meeting isn’t just with one teacher. It’s with all of them and the guidance counselor. Normally, my mom would attend, but when Andrey heard about it, he insisted on coming along.
Andrey stands, damn near knocking the chair back. “We’ll handle it,” he repeats. “When my son comes to school tomorrow, he’ll be on his best behavior.”
“It’s not about his behavior,” Mrs. Paulino, my science teacher, adds. “Matteo is such a—”
“No?” Andrey leans over, getting in her face. “You’re telling me he’s failing all his classes besides PE, yet this isn’t about his behavior? Then, what is it about?”
I’m broken.
I can’t read.
I can’t focus.
I get frustrated.
I get angry.
But Andrey won’t accept any of those answers because that would mean one of his sons has a weakness, and the Antonovs are a powerful family with a reputation to uphold, so we couldn’t possibly have a weakness.
“I’ll do better,” I mutter, knowing nothing I say will make a difference but hoping maybe it will stop him from what I know is coming.
“You should’ve already been doing better,” Andrey says, his voice low, but his threat clear. “Let’s go.”
He grabs my arm, and I don’t bother trying to pull away. The last thing I want is to brawl with him in front of everyone. I wouldn’t put it past him to pull out his 9mm and put a bullet into my head, effectively curing my weakness.
With Mom following, Andrey drags me out of the conference room and outside. Since I’m only fifteen, my older brother, Dominick, usually drives me to school, but he left to go do some business for Andrey since I told him I had to stay after.
“When we get home, we’re going to have a conversation about embarrassing this family,” Andrey hisses.
“Andrey,” Mom murmurs, “he’s not bad. He’s just …”
Broken.
Stupid.
“Enough!” he barks, his hand flying up and backhanding my mom hard enough that she stumbles back.
I quickly move to catch her before she falls. Him laying his hand on her is my breaking point. It always is. I try to do as Dominick says and behave so Andrey will leave us alone. But the moment he hits our mom or sister, I lose it.
“Don’t fucking touch her!” I yell, flying forward and shoving him back. “You want to be pissed? Be pissed at me. I’m the fuckup. I’m the idiot. The weakest fucking link! But don’t fucking touch her!”
Mom sniffles from somewhere behind me, and it spurs me on.
“Instead of taking it out on a woman who doesn’t stand a chance against you, hit me, motherfucker!”
I get in his face, and he takes one look at me and swings. His fist connects with my cheek, knocking me back, and my backpack flies off my shoulder and onto the ground.
“Andrey, Matteo, stop!” Mom begs. “People are going to see.”
Before I can get myself together, he lays another hit and then another. My ass hits the ground, and Andrey towers over me.
“You’re a fucking disgrace to this family,” he hisses. “I’m done paying for an education you refuse to take advantage of. Your brother gets straight A’s, and so does your sister. But you … I wouldn’t even be surprised if you weren’t my son.”
He glances at Mom. “Who did you cheat on me with? A dumbass?” He pulls out his gun and points it at my forehead. “Either you get your shit together or I’m putting you on the streets, where you belong.”