Total pages in book: 98
Estimated words: 97448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 97448 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 487(@200wpm)___ 390(@250wpm)___ 325(@300wpm)
“No,” my brother growls. “They might not kill you physically, but they’ll still sell you to the highest bidder. If it’s not Kirill, then it’ll be someone else.”
“Please go, Kosta.” She desperately pushes him while crying, but he’s not moving. “Please, I’m begging you.”
“I’m not leaving without you.” He clutches her waist and pulls her to his side.
“And lose everything you and Yulia have been building?” I ask in my patronizing tone.
“I don’t give a fuck.”
“I’m sure you do. Kristina is right. Her father and brother will hunt you down and kill you for sullying her honor. Besides, do you want her to live frightened for the rest of her life? And how about you? You’re an ambitious man with lots of plans for the future. Will you be able to handle being cast aside with no option but running?”
“We don’t have a choice since you refuse to help.”
“Who says I refuse?” I raise a brow. “In fact, I’m going to give you the chance of your life. All you have to do is agree with what I say.”
He narrows his eyes. “What are you planning now?”
“Something nice,” I whisper. “Here we go.”
As expected, only Igor, Alexei, and the Pakhan show up. Kristina partially hides behind Konstantin. The idiots have probably been seeing each other in secret for a long time, but only got their shit together and confessed their undying love when everything came tumbling down. But oh, well. It played in my favor.
“Kristina!” Igor snaps. “What is the meaning of this?”
She seals her lips shut then murmurs, “I… I love Konstantin. I always have.”
Alexei raises a hand, probably to strike her or yank her away, but my brother catches it and glares at him. “Don’t fucking touch her.”
Alexei is a large man but around the same height as my brother, yet he still looks down his nose at him. “Step away from my sister before I kill you.”
“Now, now.” I effortlessly disengage them by standing between them. “There’s no need for violence on a happy day.”
“You’ll marry Kirill this instant,” Igor tells his daughter, to which she shakes her head and sinks her nails into Konstantin’s jacket.
“I’m afraid I can’t marry another man’s woman, Igor. Especially if that man is my own brother.”
Igor’s face contorts. “We made a deal.”
“Yes, and you didn’t keep your part of it. I was promised your daughter, but I come here to find out that not only does she already have a man, but she’s also pregnant.”
Everyone falls silent, Konstantin and Kristina included.
Of course she’s not pregnant, but it doesn’t hurt to add more salt to Igor’s wound. Besides, this plays an important role in the next part of my plan.
“You fucking bastard!” Alexei lunges at my brother again, and this time, I move out of the way so he can punch him.
He needed to get that one in to somehow lessen his anger. Kristina shrieks as blood explodes out of Konstantin’s nose.
When Alexei lifts his fist again, I’m the one who blocks it and glares at him. “I let you punch him the first time out of courtesy, but if you hit my brother again, I’ll break your legs.”
I catch Konstantin’s lips parting in my peripheral vision, and he looks like an absolute idiot.
So yes, I might have issues with him, but no one fucks with my brother.
“Alexei.” Igor shakes his head at his son and he retreats back a step.
I look at the Pakhan, whose reign ends today. He’s been watching the show with disapproving silence. Sergei isn’t a fool and is probably working out exactly where this is going.
“Since Igor’s side is the one that pulled out of the deal, as evidenced by Kristina abandoning me at the altar and the fact that she’s carrying another man’s child, I demand that my inauguration goes through.”
“What the—” Alexei starts, but Igor shakes his head again.
“He’s right. We’re in the wrong on this, and there’s nothing we can do about it.”
“That is correct, but I’m a fair man, Igor. I won’t throw you under the bus or announce your dishonor as per the contract we wrote. I would still like to offer you a partnership.” I clutch Konstantin by the shoulder. “Kristina will marry into my family and we’ll have the alliance we agreed upon.”
Konstantin still has his mouth agape like a fucking clown, and I glare at him so he’ll get his shit together. He clears his throat. “I will protect her with my life.”
Igor remains silent, but then he releases a breath and nods at me. “Thank you.”
“Pakhan?” I lift an eyebrow.
“You’re one fucking manipulative bastard and you remind me so much of my brother, it’s disturbing.” Sergei exhales a long sigh. “But apparently, people like that make the best leaders, so you have your approval, Kirill. Let’s see if you can keep the peace or you fuck it all up.”