Page 6 of Until Death or Defeat
“I don’t like bimbos anyway, they’re not my type,” Maximresponds curtly. He pours himself a drink and quickly takes a sip, but spills some on his shirt.
“You’re a fucking mess,” I shake my head as I turn to go sit on a bar stool.
Max is the youngest, and I feel like he’s just a little brat. I’ve spent my whole life cleaning up after him, and we’ve all had to be on the receiving end of a ‘Max tantrum.’He’s so playful and happy-go-lucky that sometimes I forget the demented ways that I would find the bodies of the men father had sent him to kill. The sick little shit loves to make a mess. I still remember when I saw him that night years ago, doing some very questionable and definitely illegal things to a willing little brunette, it was almost out of a horror scene. He’s always looked the part anyway; covered in too many tattoos and piercings to count, obsessed with the twisted and dark since he was young.
“Parni, sledite za svoim yebanym yazykom.”my father’s dominating voice suddenly booms from behind us, and we all turn to face him.
“Sorry, Father,” I offer, but he stares me down and Max snickers at me being reprimanded.
“My office, now.”
I follow him out of the kitchen, into his office upstairs and shut the door.
“Artem, how was the event?” he asks with his hands connected on the desk.
I’m being watched now more than ever—I have been the one to pick up his slack while he goes back and forth from here to Russia to visit our mother, and he’s yet to officially name me as his predecessor. In fact, he usually avoids the conversation at all costs.
“Fine. The only notable thing was the Santoro Head stepping down for his son to take over.” A flashback to Giselle’s tear-stained face flashes in my mind asthe words tumble out.
“Ah, good. Marcos beat me to it then.”
I look at him, wondering what the look on his face could be.
“Look, Artem, I know I have not discussed it much with you, but that’s because I know that you know I want you to take over for me. Maxim is not even an option and Roman will just be your backup.”
I furrow my brows. It isn’t like I didn’t already know this, but I can’t understand why he’s saying it now.
“I’m getting old, and your mother still refuses to move back here. She prefers being home where she feels safe, and I can’t keep going back and forth. I plan to move back to be with her, that way you can start taking over effective immediately.”
The fuck?
“That’s it? You’re telling me this days before you ship off to move back to Russia?”
I feel betrayed that he didn’t even include us in his plans, but my father has always been selfish.
“I know this seems last minute, but I have done a lot in preparation the last few weeks, including making sure that everything will be prepared for you to continue seamlessly where I left off, and even better off than I had been.”
I cock an eyebrow.
“Better than you had been? What do you mean by that?”
“Well, Artem, I have an offer to lay on the table for you, and if you wish to bepakhanI will simply hand it to you as long as you agree. If you do not agree, I’ll offer the same deal to Roman. Do you understand?”
My mouth goes dry at his threat. I nod, waiting for his explanation.
“I did not wish to simply go back to Russia and hand my messes over to my sons to handle. I wanted to clean them up for you, so I did. I’ve made amends with the Santoro family sothat this family can grow—no more silly feud ruining possible business.”
My eyes narrow momentarily as he continues.
“And, as a show of good faith, Marcos and I have decided that you’ll marry his daughter. This way he’s no longer worried about his daughter’s future, and now I will know at least one of my sons is married before I leave and will continue the family line.”
My blood runs cold. I can feel my heart sink when he tells me I would have to fucking marryher.
Of all people, why her?
Why her when all I have been trying to do for years is keep her the fuck away from me and the bratva?
“His daughter?” I ask, in utter and absolute fucking disbelief, hoping he will say this is some sort of sick joke.
