“Ah, ah. Before you get mad, hear me out!” He stretched out his hand forward, as if blocking the rage oozing out of me. “I’m not saying you two should become best friends overnight; that’s never gonna happen—”
“That, we can agree on,” I cut him off.
He pressed on regardless, saying, “All I’m saying is, these are desperate times, and you know what they say, desperate times call for desperate measures.”
“I am not desperate enough to work with the man who tried to kill me. Twice.”
He shrugged his shoulders. “Well, in all fairness, you tried to kill him, too. Twice. So I guess it’s a tie.”
My scowl deepened.
“Listen, I know you hate the guy—I don’t like him either, he’s a dick. But right now, he’s our best shot at taking Rocco down. He has the resources we need. And…he also hates the Romano family.” He paused. “So much so that he’s willing to get in bed with you.”
I thought for a moment. “He’s in on the plan?”
“One hundred percent,” he answered. “We’re just waiting for you to join the team and spearhead the operation.”
Sergei Smirnov was a snake, a cunning bastard who would turn on anyone once it was convenient for him. The son of a bitch also never did anything that wouldn’t benefit him one way or another.
He wasn’t to be trusted.
“What’s in it for him?” I asked Anatoli. “What’s Sergei getting out of this temporary alliance?”
“Same as me.” His expression darkened. “Rocco’s head on a fuckin’ spike.”
A part of me wanted to decline, but after thinking it through, I realized the truth. I needed them to win this fight. Anatoli was right. Rocco was already two steps ahead. He was buying alliances with some of the most dangerous men in the city.
His army is growing by the day. And right now, if we were to go to war, I would lose because I was outnumbered. The only way I’d stand a chance against him was by building an army of my own.
Sergei had the resources and influence that I needed to win this war. The only problem was that I wasn’t sure when he’d turn on me. Because I was certain that he would. It was only a matter of time.
They say,“The enemy of my enemy is my friend.”Sergei and I had the same enemy for once. Working together to take him out wasn’t such a bad idea. The second we dealt with him, we would go back to hating each other.
If I were going to risk playing this game with that viper, then I’d have to tread carefully. I would need to watch my back, lest Sergei take me down before Rocco did. These were ravaging wolves, searching for easy prey to devour.
Caution was paramount at this point.
My wife was expecting a child—mychild, my legacy. I mustn’t lose this war, and at the same time, I ensure my family’s safety.
To do that, I need to hide her somewhere secure, a place fortified so no one can find her. Given what’s happening, the mansion is no longer safe for her or my household staff. That’s why I plan to ask them all to leave tomorrow morning. At least until this scandal was over.
As for my wife and unborn child, I knew exactly where I was taking them.
Anatoli’s voice sliced through my thoughts. “So what’s it gonna be, brother? Are you in? Or are you out?”
I hesitated, my eyes boring into his. “When do we begin?”
He leaned back in his chair, his lips curling into a wicked grin.
Chapter 23 – Celine
“What do you mean you’re sending me away?” I asked, my voice almost cracking as I held his gaze.
“It’s just for some time until I take care of this mess once and for all.” He wrapped his arms around me, his eyes locked with mine.
I paused, wondering how I was going to survive without him. “How long? How long until you come get me?”
Silence.