MasukViktor POV
When Alexei first told me about a marriage with the Crown Syndicate, I thought he was pulling my legs as usual but when Nikolai sent me the picture I was surprised, marriage was the last thing on my mind right now and an orphan, I didn't know what to say about that. I should have known something was wrong with her because she was uncomfortable through out the engagement party.
I dropped my hand and walked over to the desk to pick up my mobile then raised it to my ear.
My brother picked up after the third ring. “Shouldn’t you be busy?”
“I need you to come over.”
“I assume it’s not because you want me to help you...”
“No, that’s not it.”
Silence. “Viktor, this should be important because I'm about to get my dick sucked, right this minute..”
He hung up and as promised he knocked few minutes later. I opened the door and his dark eyes went to something past me.
She was scared of Alexei and I understood that because who wouldn't, he's a mad man as he popularly called but she will have to fix that attitude if she would come home with me.
" Viktor, don't fucking tell me you lost interest and change your mind, because we can't return her, if you open her up."
" I'm going to kill someone here tonight."
Alexei raised his eyes and once again his eyes went pass me to Aria, who looks like she going to pass out any moment from now, " Someone already took what's yours?"
" Do you want me to have Nikolai bring another girl?"
" She's coming with me" I said finally.
“The marriage is to prevent war, give Nikolai a warning so it doesn't come as a surprise to him.”
“Ask him for permission to revenge on someone who stole what was yours?” he asked. “He gave us less than was promised and you think we owe him anything?”
“Not ask but warn him,” I said. I turned to back to Aria who had pressed herself against the wall at Alexei outburst. “Get dressed.”
Her gaze flickered between Alexei and the bathroom door he stood beside.
Alexei understood her expression before I did and he walked over to me, away from the bathroom door. She grabbed her bag and quickly rushed into the bathroom.
I raised my eyebrows at him. “She was scared to walk past me,” Alexei said with a shrug.
“That because she's fearful.”
“Come on,” I said and led him out into the corridor and It was deserted. Ivan arrived a few minutes later, his eyes narrowed. “Don’t tell me you killed the girl.”
I raised one eyebrow. “I’m not prone to emotional outbursts like Alexei.”
“Perhaps you faked your emotions too well,” he muttered. “I didn’t. Aria is well considering her circumstances.”
He threw a glance at Alexei. “Viktor wants to spill the blood of her uncle ,” my brother said. Ivan grimaced in what I assumed was disgust. “Killing Nikolai family won’t end well tonight.”
“It’s one of his men and he will insist on dishing out punishment himself.”
“No,” I said. “He wasn't the one who was robbed of their right, it was I and Aria.”
Ivan considered my words. “You are right but this isn't a good start to this union.” He regarded me.
“But I see that you will do it no matter what I say, so I will go looking for Nikolai and inform him there trouble in paradise.” He paused. “Where will you take the idiot?”
“I will tend to him on my wedding sheets,” I said, and my mouth pulled into a smile. Ivan sighed then turned on his heel and went in search Nikolai.
“I assume you are going to make him suffer with your knife.” Alexei said while grinning and I stared down at the blade in my holster. I nodded slowly. “I’m going to take my time breaking him, body and mind.”
“I hope you let me in on the fun.”
I inclined my head and It would be unreasonable to prevent Alexei from taking part because I knew every part of the a body that brought agony but Alexei knew how to break men with mind games.
“Let’s go,” I said, and he let me lead the way because this was my crusade.
Soon we found Yuri in the gardens with his wife, laughing loudly and clutching a wine glass in his hand. How could he show up at the wedding, when he knew what he had done.
“I hope he’s not drunk,” Alexei muttered. “Don’t want him to miss the night of his life.”
“Come on,” I said to Alexei. “Let’s grab him.”
He didn’t need any further encouragement but the moment Yuri spotted me and my brother, his eyes widened.
He dropped the glass and turned, fleeing the party and leaving his wife standing there with a dumbfounded expression.
I began jogging and spotted him stumbling down the slope leading to the water. When I reached a good spot, I stopped and flung my knife and he screamed in agony as the knife pierced his left leg.
We walked down slowly as Yuri pushed to his feet and tried to hobble toward the nearest boat, but he couldn’t put any more pressure on his injured leg.
He should have pulled the knife out but it either would have helped him move faster or it would have made him bleed out quickly.
We reached him and Alexei walked around to face him. “Why are you leaving? The fun is about to start.”
Yuri took a step back and I kicked away his legs so he fell to his knees. I reached for the knife and twisted it. He screamed, his eyes flying up to meet mine. “Whatever she said, the little slut lied.”
“How do you know this is about Aria?” Alexei asked quietly.
Talia POV I’m sick with worry for the next day and a half but Dante knows where Alexei is. The times I’ve asked him directly, he’s told me it’s not a woman’s place to know “these dealings” in this man’s world, which is bullshit.I vacillate between anger and paralyzing fear. Anger at Dante and Alexei for their secrecy, fear that he’s gone to do another job but what if there’s more after this one? Frustration and worry have me in the kitchen at four in the morning, pouring myself a glass of vodka. I stand at the glass doors and look out into the vast back garden, the trees of the forest behind which is a twelve-foot solid wall topped with barbed wire.I wonder if either man would let me, though. A sound from inside the house has me turn toward the living room through which I can see the foyer. I hear the front door open and two men speak in hushed tones in Russian, and I find myself exhaling, thanking God.The door closes and quiet footsteps head to the stairs.I set my glass down o
Alexei POV “I don’t understand.” Talia glares at me, her fingers digging into my jacket. “Where could you possibly have to go without us?”“One day, sweetheart.” My lips graze her forehead, and she shudders beneath my touch.“That’s all I’m asking.”“One day for what?” she croaks. “I don’t want you to go anywhere. I need answers, Alexei. You promised me that you would be opened to me in everything.”“Talia,” Dante interrupts, saving me from having this conversation right now. “Alexei has to go. He won’t be gone long. In the meantime, you can help me pick out some furniture for the house.”Talia looks set to argue, but I give her a quick kiss just as Ethan comes flying into our path, tugging at Talia leg. “Can we go swimming now?”“Take the boy swimming.” I squeeze her hand in mine. “And don’t be too pissed off at me. I’ll be back just as soon as I can.”Talia calls after me, but Dante steps in and gives me a moment to make a quick exit. It’s not that I want to leave her behind, but t
Aria POV Five days later, I gave birth to Matteo in a guest room of our mansion with Talia and Viktor help, the homebirth I’d always dreamed of.All pain was forgotten as I marveled at the little boy on my chest, at his crumpled face. He was a big baby with brown eyes and dark brown hair.Talia kissed my cheek. “He’s beautiful, Aria.” She was covered in sweat and blood, but was smiling.Viktor stood beside the bed, watching the doula who’d supported us, only ever so often glancing my and Matteo way. “Why don’t you try if he latches on?” Talia asked.Matteo was already squirming toward my breast and making small sucking motions. Talia helped me and after a few tries, he finally latched on.The doula left fifteen minutes later and shortly after Talia did too. Viktor bent over me, kissing my forehead. “You are so strong, Aria.”I raised my gaze from Matteo and smiled at Viktor. He gently covered Matteo back with his palm. “I’d always condemned people who accepted their fear, who didn’t
Aria POV Noah rolled over on his stomach and pushed onto his knees then braced himself on his hands, shoving his butt into the air.At only ten months, he was already hellbent on starting to walk with his bum in the air, he peered up, unsure how to straighten. He grinned when he saw me watching and my heart exploded with love.“Viktor!” I called. Two days past my due date, I had trouble rising from the sofa without help, much less bend down to pick up Noah. Viktor hurried into the gaming room, alarm on his face. “Contractions?”I shook my head, stroking my belly. “Massimo seems pretty content in there. I really hope he comes soon. I feel like I’m bursting any day now.”Viktor slowly came over and spotted Noah still in his awkward position. He picked him up and raised him up over his head, much to Noah delight. He wasn’t a very vocal baby, definitely not as loud or boisterous as Ethan.“He was trying to stand,” I said. Viktor came toward the sofa, sank down beside me and set Noah down
Viktor POV Three Months Later Noah was sitting in his shark floaty that looked as if the thing was going to swallow him whole. He gave Aria a toothless grin while I pushed him through the water because two weeks from her due date Aria wasn’t as mobile.She leaned against the edge and watched everything with a happy expression. Alexei and Talia came back for summer break and they lounged on the sunchairs, keeping an eye on their son.Sometimes I wondered how things would have been, if my brothers and I were alone. Would we have moved on just as easily?With the children and Aria pregnancy, the future beckoned stronger than the past ever could.We still worked our asses off to guarantee the blacktop success but we tried to spend as much time as possible with our family. Seregi and Ivan had taken over more responsibilities, which allowed Alexei and me additional free time.Aria suddenly released a sharp breath and cradled her belly under the water surface. “What is it?”She shook her h
Aria POVHaving Alexei back in the house felt surprisingly nice. I hadn't realized how much I had missed him until he was actually sitting at our dining table again, talking to his brothers and laughing with everyone as if he had never been gone.For the longest time, I had simply gotten used to his absence. Life had continued, and with everything that had happened, I never really stopped to think about what it meant to have one of the brothers missing from the house but now that he was back, I found myself enjoying his presence more than I expected.I actually missed him and, strangely, I was getting along surprisingly well with Talia too.I had expected things to be awkward between us, especially considering everything she had been through and the complicated circumstances that had brought her into the family.Instead, we seemed to be bonding naturally and there was something easy about being around her maybe it was because we were both women surrounded by these impossible men and t
Aria POV“Who is it I am going to marry?” I forced the words out, but they sounded strangled.That was the first question I asked my uncle when he came into my room and informed me I was getting married. I was an orphan so finding a notable member of the Crown Syndicate is almost impossible.“Vikto
Aria POV I flinched every time my uncle’s stifled cries rang out as Alexei and Viktor broke each of his fingers. My eyes weren’t on my uncle, though, but instead on my husband’s face. His expression was unreadable as he watched my uncle like he was conducting some sort of experiment.Soon, they b
Viktor POV Yuri eyes shifted between my brother and me, his breathing picking up and fear started to fill his veins and I knew the signs were obvious but this was only the beginning of his sorrow.I leaned down, my mouth curling. “You will admit to it your transgressions soon and you will apologiz
Aria POVI immediately looked away from him and fighting the weak tears at the corner of my eye.I saw him remove his boxers, and then he climbed on the bed naked. I trembled because couldn’t stop myself no matter how had I tried. His hand touched my waist then slid up slowly, the touch was light b







