the head housekeeper, who’d acted as our witness, along with Nico typing away on his phone in the corner, I’d known the whole situation was terrifyingly real. At my entrance, my charming husband had barely spared me a glance before lowering his head back over the device.
An hour later, what I’d been able to pack up of my life was stuffed inside three humongous suitcases.
I just had to remind myself that my father wouldn’t have even considered this if the escalating danger in the organization wasn’t serious. He wouldn’t have made a decision like this lightly. So, I would respect his wishes and do as he asked because it was the least I could do. After all, I owed him everything.
For my father, I could handle being married to Nico Rossetti for a little while.
Even if my new husband was the most insufferable, sarcastic dickhead I’d ever met.
“You want to explain yourself, Niccolò?” Dad demanded in an eerily low voice.
I winced. My siblings and I went by nicknames or shortened versions of our birth names, and it was never good when Lorenzo “Enzo” or Valentina “Val” Rossetti called you by your full name.
“The marriage is part of a business deal I struck with Sergei,” I answered, choosing my words carefully. “You all know I’ve been looking to break into the vodka business. Kozlov Industries produces the highest quality labels of vodka in the world. And Sergei has been looking to sell off his majority shares in the company to the highest bidder.”
“Why would he do that?” Cris sputtered. “The company is worth a fortune. Year-over-year profits have climbed over two hundred percent in the last three years.”
Cris was the money guy in the family. He played the stocks, dabbled in all manner of investments, and founded Manhattan’s most successful financial management firm that wasn’t operated on Wall Street. Kozlov Industries was one of the largest international companies in the world, so it didn’t surprise me that he was familiar with their portfolio.
“Get this,” I mused, “Sergei actually needs protection.”
“Bullshit,” Ace hissed. “The richest and most dangerous man in Russia should have security coming out of his ass.”
“Now, there’s an image,” Luka muttered in the background.
“Protection from what exactly?” Dad asked pointedly.
“It seems the Russian organization is being split into two factions.” I stood up and traipsed back over to the credenza to pour a few more fingers of the Russian rot gut. Glutton for punishment? “There’s been a lot of growing unrest over the past several months. A group called the Voiny have made it clear they want Sergei out of the game, and are willing to use force, if necessary, to make it happen.”
“They want to take him out?” Rome asked.
Dad hummed. “Sergei’s made a lot of enemies throughout Russia. Hard not to in that country and in that business.”
“And what of the other faction?” Luka asked.
“Many have remained loyal to Sergei and his empire,” I explained, scrubbing a hand down my face, “but those numbers seem to be dwindling. His allies are either disappearing back into the woodwork out of fear, or they’re being persuaded to join the Voiny. Either way, Sergei is losing ground fast.”
“So, he’s selling you his shares in the company in order to…buy protection?” Cris inquired.
I grimaced as the poison these Russians had the gall to call whiskey slid down my throat. “Basically. People are calling in debts in exchange for their protection and loyalty, and the company shares are the most valuable thing Sergei owns. Of course, I’m all too happy to take them off his hands.”
Because the kind of money that would come from stamping the Rossetti name onto Kozlov Industries would keep my parents—my entire family—comfortable for years.
“Sergei’s hoping a financial incentive will get him the soldiers and fire power he needs to combat the Voiny,” I continued. “Not to mention, reveal information on who their leader is.”
In order to get me to agree to his end of our bargain, Sergei had confided in me the inner-workings of the current issues within their syndicate. Otherwise, there’s no way in fuck I’d have been privy to any of that information.
Dad stepped back in. “And what of this marriage to his daughter? Alexia, isn’t it? How did that come in to play?”
I loosened my tie when it started feeling like a noose around my neck. Just the sound of her name sent a very unfamiliar jolt through my system. “Sergei’s worried about Lexi’s safety.”