Chapter Five

Niko's POV

I leaned back, taking all my plans in. Tonight was the night. Except my best friend and right-hand man, Jack, thought it was a dumb idea.

“The Rossi girl?” He was standing right across from me. We never did see eye to eye on anything. It was a wonder how we managed to stay best friends and now partners in this brutal world of ours. “You can’t be seriously thinking of marrying her?”

I swirled my glass of whiskey with a smile on my face. I was dead serious.

“You’re invited.” I said as I took a sip, “I would have asked you to be my best man, but we’re skipping all that bullshit.”

Jack let out a disgruntled sigh. “Niko.” He chided, “This is a crazy move, even for you. Do you really think forcing her down the aisle is the best way to get revenge?”

My hands tightened hard against the glass, “This is not just about revenge anymore.” I slammed the glass down on the table. “Her father was the gun. But the man…the man who ordered the hit on my father is still alive, Valentino Moretti’s.” Saying his name made my blood boil.

“That man is the devil, Niko. There is a reason we haven’t been able to take him out. Hell, even your father couldn’t, and he was a mastermind.”

“Which is why I have a plan.”

Jack let out a scoff, “You know, when I heard that you had your eyes on Stefan Rossi’s daughter, I didn’t think you would stoop this low!” He yelled at me, pointing a finger. “Isn’t she a college kid?”

“What do you take me for? Some kind of creep? She’s twenty-four, done with college, and I’ll have you know she’s here on her own free will.”

“You had a gun to her father’s head, man!” What other choice did she have than to go with your old ass?”

Old? I wasn’t fucking old.

“We’re the same age, asshole.” I squinted my eyes at his ridiculous commentary. After a long second of trading visual daggers, we burst out laughing.

I met Jack when I was fourteen. I had no one then. Now, eighteen years later, we still bite each other’s heads off, but we all have each other’s backs.

“So what’s the plan exactly?” He asked finally.

“It’s simple. Valentino Morelli has been hiding behind his political connections for far too long. Marrying Sophia sends a clear message that I am not to be fucked with. We sever his political connections, then we take the power my father once had, all while creating a stronger bloodline.”

Jack nodded slowly. Maybe my plan wasn’t all bad. “An heir.” He said.

“Exactly. Think about it. Morelli thought he could wipe my family out. Instead… I intend to continue my family bloodline by marrying the daughter of the man he hired to kill my family. I’ll show him just how psychotic I am, and by the time I am done with him, he will be begging for mercy.”

My eyes drifted into the space ahead. Daydreaming about the day I would finally rip his head off.

“And if she refuses to marry you?”

I smiled coldly. “Her father dies.”

***

The living room had been transformed into a space worthy of the Lev bloodline. Mira, my housekeeper, had insisted on sprucing it up, and she was sort of the closest thing I had to a mother; I couldn’t say no to her.

Sophia had signed the contract. Stipulated in the contract was an agreement to a five-year marriage, an heir, and all the money Sophia could have. Unfortunately, her tragic mess of a father had to stay alive.

I stood right next to the family priest, who was right in the center of the room. I adjusted the collar of my suit, impatiently awaiting the bride.

The moment she walked into the room, I swear she took my breath away. She had her dark hair in a ponytail, and she had on a white, lacy dress that the stylist I hired picked out for her.

Her eyes avoided mine as she walked up. “Can we just get this over with?” She grumbled l.

Jack and Mira stood on the sidelines as witnesses while the ceremony began.

“Congratulations, Mrs. Lev,” I said after the priest pronounced us man and wife.

It was a cold ceremony. The rings were exchanged, the papers were signed, but there was no kissing the bride. I had informed the priest to skip that bit, I wasn’t that much of a monster.

The second Sophia's glassy eyes met mine, my heart fell. She was cold the entire time, and I could tell she hated me.

It wasn’t unexpected. However, I didn’t expect to feel a pang in my chest at the thought of it.

I took her dainty hands in mine, the diamond ring I had picked out shining bright as Jack and Mira cheered.

There was nothing joyous about this wedding. Not for her.

As we wallowed in our gloomy marital ceremony, a loud bang erupted in the air. Then another.

It wasn’t fireworks, that’s for sure, it was gunshots.

Sophia let out a shriek as I took cover with my entire body weight over hers. I hovered over her, even though the gunshots were clearly coming from outside.

“What the hell was that?” Jack had taken cover, and so had Mira.

“Hell if I know,” I responded, my eyes darting up at the window, but I had no clear visual.

I looked down at Sophia, who was shaking under my arms. “You okay?” I asked, of course, she wasn’t okay. She was too startled to speak, and the fear in her eyes made me want to kill the bastards who had interrupted our wedding.

One of my men burst in, gun in hand.

“It’s Moretti’s men.” He announced with urgency, “They are here for the girl.”