Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 75814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 75814 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 379(@200wpm)___ 303(@250wpm)___ 253(@300wpm)
Atanas Petkov isn’t known to say things like that lightly. He’s worked his ass off to get where he is today and was one of the first to successfully ward off a war with the Cosa Nostra by forming an alliance with them.
Picking up my vodka, I hold it between us, and once we’ve clinked glasses and each had a sip, I say, “I have Yegor’s granddaughter.”
Surprise flickers over his face. “Christ, I wasn’t aware he had a granddaughter. I assume she’s Yelena’s kid?”
I nod. “But she’s not a kid. Anastasia’s twenty-five…” I take a deep breath, then drop the most important part, “and unmarried.”
Grinning, he lets out a chuckle. “A marriage between you and her would be one hell of a power move.” Agreeing, I incline my head, then he adds, “I better be invited to the wedding.”
“Of course.”
He leans his elbows on the table. “Can I ask a favor?”
“Sure.”
The corner of his mouth lifts. “I don’t care who else is invited from the Cosa Nostra, but make sure Raya Torrisi is on the guest list. I know she’s not a capo, but she won’t be able to refuse a direct invite from you.”
My eyebrows lift, and it’s my turn to chuckle as I ask, “Are you interested in her?”
He nods. “But she’s stubborn, so I have to manipulate things to get my way.”
“Then I’ll be more than happy to help.”
Miss Zoya brings in the food and serves fresh black rye bread with butter, beef stroganoff over creamy mashed potatoes, sans mushrooms, and pelmeni with a generous dollop of sour cream.
“Enjoy,” she murmurs before coming to me. Leaning down, she whispers near my ear, “Our other guest is awake, and I got her to eat a small bowl of soup.”
“Stay with her,” I order softly, giving my housekeeper a thankful look.
After she leaves, Atanas smiles at the food. “No vegetables. Thank you.”
“You’re going to die of a heart attack,” I mutter. “That’s what my mother would say if she were here right now.”
Laughing, he helps himself to a slice of bread and smears butter over it. “Fuck that shit. I’m strong as an ox.”
“Famous last words.”
While we enjoy the meal and talk about business, my thoughts keep straying to Anastasia, and by the time we have our after-dinner drinks, I’m in a hurry to get back to her.
“When will you be ready to take orders?” Atanas asks as he sets down his empty tumbler.
“Now. What are you looking for?”
“A thousand AK-12s, two hundred and fifty PKMs, five hundred PP-19s, and eight hundred MP-433s. How long will it take?”
“Two to four weeks, depending on how quickly I can get four other warehouses and factories up and running.”
“I can work with that.”
Climbing to our feet, we leave the dining room, and as we step into the foyer, I say, “Thank you for coming to dinner.
Just then, Anatas’ phone rings, and while he digs it out of his pocket, he replies, “I enjoyed it.” He grins at the screen, then shows me who the caller is.
As he waves and heads out the front door, I hear him say, “Constantin, miss me already?” He takes the steps down from the porch and gives his guards a chin lift, indicating they’re leaving. “I just had dinner with Rodian… aww, are you jealous? We’ll invite you next time.”
The corner of my mouth lifts as I watch him get into his car, and as I shut the front door, I think about the information I shared with him.
Too late, I realize there’s no backing out of the wedding now, not unless I want to look like a fool.
Anastasia is probably not going to be too happy with being forced into a marriage after everything she’s been through.
She liked me once and can learn to do so again.
“It’s better to ask for forgiveness than permission,” I mutter as I head up the stairs so I can shower and change out of the combat clothes.
While walking down the hallway, I dig my phone out and send Andrei a text.
Rodian: How are things at the factory?
I grab a black pair of cotton pajama pants and a matching T-shirt from the closet, and as I go into the bathroom, I feel my phone vibrate.
Checking it, I see an update from my friend.
Andrei: It’s a fucking shit show. They’re still burying all the bodies in the field out back. I seriously think we should demolish the entire place and rebuild.
Rodian: You do what you feel is best with the factory. Set it on fire for all I care. Be careful out there.
Andrei: I will. See you tomorrow.
Setting the device down on the counter, I turn on the faucets in the shower, and while the water warms, I strip out of my clothes.
As I wash the day off, my thoughts return to Anastasia, and in a hurry to get back to her, I move faster.