Irina

I’m working so hard not to swoon. Damn, nobody told me how gorgeous that man is. He looks almost otherworldly with the auburn hair which seemed to have its own personal wind machine blowing it artfully hither and thither, his glittering green eyes seeming to burn with an inner light, his tanned flawless skin…fae ass looking motherfucker.

He would tower over Roman with his six three sturdy frame, his broad shoulders and those veiny guns on display with the t-shirt he was wearing. I’ve never seen such a casually dressed boss – a grey t-shirt and blue jeans, brown men’s work boots on his feet.

My husband-to-be is an interesting specimen. I have to say that the prospect of marrying him doesn’t feel like such a huge sacrifice.

Now, to break the news to my brother. He is going to throw such a fit.

I sigh long and hard just thinking about it.

***

“What’s this I hear about you leaving the safe house?” Roman marched into my apartment, a frown furrowing his brow. I could see the clouds of negativity wafting around him.

Taking a deep breath, I closed the door and followed him to my living room, where I walked straight to the bar and poured him a stiff drink. How to tell him?

That was the question.

“I have some good news.” I said as I handed him the glass.

He cocked an eyebrow at me. “I’m listening.”

“Sean McNally is no longer looking for me.”

“And how do you know that?”

I breathed in deep and then raised my eyes to meet his. “Because I went to see him.”

Roman downed his liquor and slammed the glass on the table. “Beg pardon?” his voice was low, breathy and dangerous. My heart fluttered a bit in my chest. I wasn’t scared of my brother but I had a healthy respect for his temper and his anger. It took a while for his control to snap but when it did, whoa…you better find shelter.

“I went to see Sean McNally, to…negotiate…the terms of our marriage.”

Roman’s eyes narrowed. He cocked his ear at me. “Say again.”

My hand was trembling too much to hold onto my glass. I slowly lowered it onto the table. “Roman, we need this. I know we do. But you were just going to continue to be stubborn. And I get it. You didn’t want to bargain with my future so I took the choice out of your hands. I’m Bratva too, Roman. I know my duty. So I did it.”

He flexed his jaw really hard, his eyes, so similar to mine and yet even more striking with his jet black hair,  shooting sparks of anger at me.

I fluttered my eyes, looking away from  him and clasped my hands in my lap so they didn’t shake too much. “So, McNally and I agreed to a union and in return, the war stops. You stop sabotaging his business and he stops encroaching on yours.”

Roman blinked at me. The silence expanded like a balloon, just growing and growing, until it sucked all the oxygen from the air. I didn’t dare say another word. I could feel my chest get tighter and tighter as I waited for the Pakhan’s verdict.

“That was…clever of you but I have one addendum.”

I straightened up, my heart leaping with happiness. “Okay, what?”

“The marriage is to last for one year, along with the truce. But if he mistreats you, deal is off. If you want to walk away after the year is up, he will let you. I’ll still honor the truce then, if he does the same.”

I swallowed the lump in my throat. My brother was under no obligation to consider me at all in such negotiations but unlike most gangsters, he tended to treat me like an autonomous person with agency. “Okay.” I said quietly.

He nodded, then reached out and squeezed my shoulder. “You did good, sestrichka. This war would have cost us a hell of a lot of money and put lives on the line. I don’t like losing my men.”

“Neither do I.”

“But I don’t like selling you either.”

“You’re not. I am.” I said gently. I smiled at my brother. “Let me do this for us.”