Page 76 of Bloody Savage God
Cue the renewed gasping, except this time both women look elated. It takes about fifteen minutes before Gianna finally tells the women we’ll be in the office.
I’m fine with the whole wedding thing, since it’ll be yet another tie to bind Gianna to me, but I sure as fuck want nothing to do with planning any parties.
“So how do you want to handle your family?” she asks when we enter the office.
“How do you plan to deal with any backlash from the Angelo syndicate?” I challenge back.
Gianna sighs. “Fuck you, Mikhail. All you do is cause problems.”
That has my lips stretch in the widest grin I’ve ever grinned, because she is the one who started all of this, walking out of Club Steel when all I had planned for that night had been a simple murder.
“I made a deal with Riccardo. Once I’ve got my house in order, our alliance stands. As long as I don’t screw him over and align myself with the Bratva.”
She leaves that hanging in the room, and I nod. “I’ve got no interest in taking over for my father.”
“Which only helps us if he accepts that choice instead of being pissed off and lashing out.”
Apparently, Gianna has heard about my father’s temper.
“Yeah, that might be an issue.”
“So, what do you suggest?”
I grin. “Give him something else to worry about?”
“And what’s that?”
“My sister.”
Epilogue
Anya
“Youhavegottobe kidding me!”
Even to my own ears, my voice sounds high-pitched and incredulous, nothing like the confident woman I usually endeavor to be. But seriously? What the hell is my brother thinking?
“You’re telling me you want out of the Bratva, backstabbing father and me, only to marry the fucking head of the damn Italian Mafia? Tell me you’re joking, because this better be a goddamn joke?” I’m repeating myself, but really, what else am I supposed to do?
Mikhail has always been rash. Obsessive. Violent. Driven by his impulses. But this? This is a new level of irresponsibility and it’s not like him. He’s always been loyal to the family, even if he had no interest in taking over for father when the time comes.
Which won’t be much longer, if father’s health is any indication.
Though, of course, Mikhail isn’t the only one who is trying to ruin my fucking life this week. Father is dead set on getting me married off so I can play housewife to some asshole instead of letting me take over the damn business the way I’ve planned.
Mikhail as the official head, while I run things.
It was the perfect plan. He could keep doing the things he does best as the primary enforcer, while I could take control and change things the way I see fit.
“I’m going to marry Gianna, and you know I’ve got no interest in taking over the business. I just need your help to distract father.”
Mikhail says this as if he’s making a reasonable request. As if marrying Gianna fucking Bruno isn’t going to lead to a whole shit show of consequences. Like ruining our family, for one.
Ruining my life, for another.
“You’ve lost your goddamn mind, Mikhail.”
I pace the office above our club in Flemingdon Park. Father has no idea I still come here, but then, he’s been struggling to come up with the energy to get through a full day lately. Which is lucky for Mikhail, because otherwise father would already be after his ass.
