Page 49 of His Savage Vow
Kirill leans on the table, his voice dropping. “First of all, let me reassure you, I don’t mean any harm to you, Constance. And it was not my intention to kill your father. It was a tragic error. I gave my crew specific orders to make sure no one was home before they burned any of Luciani’s businesses. But, mistakes happen, like this tragedy. For that, you have my condolences.”
His voice is soft, almost gentle, and somehow that makes it worse.
“To hell with you and your condolences, you bastard! You started this war, and every bit of blood that has been spilled is on your hands. Maximo is going to drive you out of this city, and I hope I’m there when he puts a bullet in your fucking head.”
“Believe me,” he murmurs, “if I intended harm, you’d already be on the floor. Both Maximo and I go out of our way to prevent casualties. No one minds when an occasional gangster gets killed, but beautiful young people like you showing up dead…well, that brings the wrong kind of attention.”
“What, you’re just going to let me go? Don’t bother lying. Why trick me and drag me all the way out here if you aren’t going to…” My voice trails off, unable to give voice to the horrors that this man may have planned for me.
Kirill sighs heavily and pulls out a chair which he dusts off with his hand before sitting down. “I want to talk to you about Maximo. I like him. He’s… capable. Ambitious. I envision a place for him in the city’s new hierarchy, under the Volkov family, of course. A subsidiary, if you will. We would redistrict the territories so our enterprises wouldn’t interfere with one another, and there would be no more need for violence. Everyone gets a piece of the pie.”
I laugh once, sharp and bitter. “Maximo will never agree to that. Not as your subordinate.”
Kirill’s eyes glint in a stray sunbeam. “Ah, but that’s where you come in. You are quite right that Maximo may find my proposition unreasonable. But love makes men see reason… and when reason fails, fear does the rest.”
The air between us goes still, heavy. I don’t need him to spell it out. He’s going to use me as fucking leverage over Maximo.
Heat rushes to my face. If he controls me, he controls Maximo. And Kirill knows it.
“Come, let’s continue this discussion someplace less bleak…” Kirill says as he gets to his feet. He’s interrupted by the squealing of tires as a black Escalade jumps the curb just outside the front windows. Kirill tilts his head as if he hears something I don’t. A small, satisfied smile curves his mouth before he says, “Right on schedule.”
“Grab her and step out front,” Kirill commands his men, who immediately haul me to my feet. “Let’s make sure there are plenty of witnesses in case Maximo’s temper gets the best of him.”
Rough hands grab me and shove me towards the door, but all I can think about is if Maximo is angry enough, he won’t hesitate.
And right now, his anger is the only thing I can count on.
23
“I’ve met tough men, mean men, and scared men. Only a fool is all three at the same time.”
—ROBERT MONROE
Maximo
Paul’s Escaladeroars up the block toward Monroe’s, my pulse feeling as if it’s redlining along with the engine. Every instinct I have is screaming that I’m already too late.
The Bratva lieutenant we pulled from the port is now in the cargo compartment after Paul’s men retied him and threw him over the back seat. I’m not concerned about our hostage right now. My focus is on the burned-out shell of the restaurant just ahead.
We jump the curb hard, the Escalade shuddering as the tires thump up over the concrete. Paul brakesjust short of the entrance, half on the sidewalk, half on the street. Heads turn instantly, civilians pausing to stare at the black SUV that has no business parking there.
The front doors of Monroe’s open, and Kirill steps out with three of his men. They have Constance with them, surrounding her, but I can see her pale face standing tall.
Kirill’s smile is one of pure mockery. “Maximo,” he calls out like we’re old friends. “You really let her walk out alone? You’re slipping.”
I climb out of the Escalade, eyes locked on him. The open doors of the SUV are flimsy cover if shooting actually starts, but I still stay near it just in case.
“I only wanted to speak to her,” Kirill goes on to say. “To make sure she understands this isn’t personal. Not the business with her father, and not this current unpleasantness. I want Constance to talk some sense into you and get you to stand down, Maximo. Come, relax. Have a drink with my uncle Alexei, and let’s negotiate you joining us in our new organization. You would still be a key player.”
The rage in my chest scalds its way up my throat. I’ve never wanted to kill a man so badly in all my life. “I’d rather see your blood and mine stain these goddamn streets than let you walk away with her. If you take one step with her, I’ll order my men to fire, and we’ll settle this right here, right now.”
For a moment, neither of us move. Kirill stares straight into my eyes, and what he sees there must give him pause. The street noise fades under the weight of the standoff, the onlookers frozen in place in my peripheral vision. None of that matters. If Kirill so much as blinks towards his gun, I’m going to draw mine and put him down.
I’m already judging distances, angles, wind, everything. One wrong move and the whole block becomes a fucking war zone.
Kirill’s smile thins. “Very well.” He releases Constance’s arm and steps back. Relief hits me so hard it almost pisses me off. “No need to make a scene. I don’t want your woman, Maximo. I want your city.” He laughs as he steps back through the still open door of Monroe’s, the men with him quickly following him.
I don’t give him a chance to change his mind or regroup. I pull Constance toward the Escalade, shielding her with my body as we back away. Kirill and his men disappear back through the restaurant’s burned-out interior, no doubt to vanish into the back alley beyond.
