Page 26 of Dangerous Promises

The real question is, how long could either of us keep to a truce without trying to finish this. I'm not sure how long I could let it go. Would it ever be long enough to help keep my family safe again?

I know whathewould want. He'd tell me to put them first. Make sure their safety came first, and his revenge came second.

I take a deep breath. "Fine. Fine," I say, throwing my hands in the air. "I'm being quiet."

"Can you, uh, give us a minute please?" Anton asks. Alexei doesn't look pleased but Isla leads him out into the hallway by his arm.

Lucky me, I'm allowed to stay.

"Thoughts?" Anton asks, directing his attention to Freddie even though I have the right mind to give him my two cents as well.

"Genuine," Freddie says, watching the door like he can see them pacing behind it. "And necessary unfortunately."

Anton nods resignedly as well. "Angie can only do so much. This is inconvenient under the circumstances."

"Inconvenient?" I scoff. "That's what you're going with."

Anton levels me with another exasperated look. "I don't know if we can trust them," Anton admits. "I don't know if I want to."

My heart wars with my head. Because I know we can. This isn't about whether Alexei and I can trust each other (we can't). It's about whether our families can trust each other long enough to work together (we can). We've done it before.

I could choose my own vendetta and my own peace of heart. Or I could make sure Dad actually has a world to wake up to, if he ever does.

Fuck.

"It's only me that Alexei wants dead," I remind Anton. For the first time in a while he looks at me like he actually cares what I have to say. "Alexei never wanted to harm us. Not until I killed his brother."

"That doesn't exactly make me feel any better," Anton says, turning a worried look on Freddie. "We just moved Dimitri here. It's a risk."

"A bigger risk than Chet?" Freddie questions.

"They don't hateus," I say. "Whatever promise there is it's between me and Alexei, and no one else. Our families haven't been enemies for a long time now."

I sink into my chair and sulk even though I know I've done the right thing by my family. But I am trying to turn a new leaf. One where I don't get someone I care about killed.

"They won't hurt us. Or Dimitri. Nor will they likely care he's alive," Freddie says. "Besides, I suspect Isla will risk interfering on Sage's behalf as well."

"I don't need interfering on my behalf!"

Anton gives me another withering look before turning back to Freddie. "I want to hear it from them."

Anton calls for them and not long later, Isla and Alexei are stepping back into Anton's office. Alexei doesn't even blink before turning his lightning-like eyes onto my uncle. He's not going to give him another second to mull this over. It's now ornever. "Anton," Alexei says, giving him a single nod. "What'll it be?"

"You want my help?" Anton says, leaning across the desk to level Alexei with a serious glare.

"About as much as you need mine," Alexei says, his lip tipping up in a challenging smirk.

"I will agree," Anton says. "But I have a condition."

"Of course you do," Alexei says, mouth tightening in annoyance as he waits to hear whatever ridiculous thing my uncle is going to demand in exchange for help.

"If we work together, if we let you in these gates, you cannot fight your death promise. Not even outside these gates.Especiallynot inside these gates. And especially not for the time we're working together."

"Just hang on a minu-" I argue, sitting up anxiously. I can't say it hadn't crossed my mind that there would be benefits to Alexei being nearby and distracted by Chet.

Anton holds up a hand to shush me. "Until this is over, no more fighting. If I find one scratch on my niece while you're here, the deal is off."

Alexei narrowly avoids unleashing on my uncle. He even steps forward like he's going to until Isla jumps in front to stop him. It takes a lot of frantic whispering on her part to calm him. The whole time he doesn't take his eyes off me. Even as his brows tighten in pain.