Page 17 of Relentless Sinner
“Like I said before,Krasota, that really depends on you.”
“In terms of what?”
“Your compliance.”
Of course, that’s what he wants. Now to find out why. “Why me? Why do you want me? This must be about my inheritance but I don’t get it until next year.”
“I can wait.”
“Wouldn’t it be better to get someone who could give you what you want sooner? I understood marrying Natasha, but marrying me makes no sense if you can find someone else.”
“I’m building an empire that will be the best served under my leadership in the Bratva.”
“Leader?” No one told me that part.
“I’m about to take over from my father and become the next Pakhan of the Vysotsky Bratva.”
All the blood drains from my body. I was aware that his father was the current leader but I had no idea that Jaxon was nigh on taking over. So, I’ll be the wife of the next Pakhan. This is so much worse than I thought.
“I’m still sure you could have found someone more suitable than me.”
He grins back at me but there’s no humor in it. “Maybe I want you, Gabriella De Costa.”
My throat tightens. “I’m sure that’s not true. You don’t know me and I don’t know you.”
“You: Gabriella De Costa, age twenty four, height five feet four, weight one hundred fifteen pounds. You want to be a neurosurgeon. You studied at NYU but you wanted to complete your studies and training at UCLA to get away from your father. Birthplace: Italy. Hobbies include: writing poetry, visiting art galleries and old churches, and collecting first edition post-romantic novels. Favorite color is red, favorite music groups are Black Lab, Collective Soul, and Four Star Mary. Shall I keep going,Krasota?”
I’m so blown away that all I can do is stare back at him. “How did you know all that stuff about me?” I won’t even deny what he said about UCLA.
“Do I look like the kind of man who’d marry someone he knows absolutely nothing about?”
“No.” But some of that stuff was personal. He would have needed to dig deep to find it. “How did you know I wanted to study in L.A. to get away from my father?”
“I just did. I figured it was the same reason I went to England to study. I wanted to get away from my father, too.”
That’s the first meaningful thing he’s told me.
“Want to know more about me?” He places a finger to his jaw and stares at me.
“Yes.”
“I’m thirty-three, six feet six, weigh two sixty pounds, and my hobbies are traveling, trading stocks, and wine tasting. I speak ten languages and I’ve lived in three countries. I like all music, all food, every color and my last sex check came up clean. That’s all you need to know.For now,Krasota.”
My skin heats again and my lips part on hearing that last bit of information about the sex check. Reading my reaction, he gives me a full smile. A real smile. I realize that those are the ones that make him seem less hardened and almost normal.
“That’s plenty of information,” I say, swallowing past the lump in my throat.
“Great. Now that we know each other we can get to the fine print.”
I study his face and realize there’s no point in arguing. He’s dead set on his plans for us and I’m not going to be able to talk him out of this.Damn it.
“The lady you just saw talking to me is Eve. She’s one of my assistants here. If you need anything you speak to her. She will be organizing the wedding. Over the next few days she will talk to you about various things we need to plan. Please do not give her any trouble.”
“I didn’t plan to.”
“Glad to hear it. But just so you know, I’ve given her permission to go ahead without your consent if youdogive her trouble. With the wedding being three weeks away we don’t have time for shit.”
“Why is it so soon?”