Page 66 of Sinful Promise

“Hell fucking no.” Alexei lifts his hands and Mikhail’s lip twitches.

Poppy delivers our drinks.

Nicolai takes a sip. “Remind me why we’re all here again?”

It’s rare Anton’s brother makes an appearance at family meetings. He’s often not in the country long enough to stop by, but I’m actually glad to see him.

He’s a lot like Dimitri in the sense that he doesn’t take life too seriously, unlike Anton or Alexei.

“I thought it was about time the whole family got together.”

Mikhail mutters, “And what, talk about our feelings?”

I smile at my brother’s lack of enthusiasm, and even Lev’s mouth twitches.

He’s keeping quiet as usual, but that doesn’t mean he’s not paying attention to every tiny little detail.

He’s been a valuable addition to our bratva over the past year. Perhaps he needs to be my point of contact for trying to track down Emily’s mystery stalker…

I make a mental note to discuss it with him at another time, when the rest of the family isn’t around to weigh in with their opinions.

Alexei sips his vodka. “Sort of.”

Mikhail’s answering groan has Dimitri howling with laughter.

Alexei leans back. “We’re family?—”

Nikolai chuckles. “No shit.”

“And that means we have each other’s backs, no matter what.”

When Alexei doesn’t say more, we all look at each other.

Nikolai frowns. “Is that it? Fuck me, don’t quit your day job, Alexei.”

Dimitri raises his glass. “I thought it was a very touching speech,brat.”

Alexei chuckles. “I thought so too.”

Anton lifts his glass. “To the Koslov Bratva.”

We all follow suit, and we clink our glasses. “To the Koslov Bratva!”

The first sip of whiskey sends a shiver through my body.

It would be all too easy just to get blind drunk and wake up in some girl’s bed, but I know that won’t solve my problems.

And neither will drunk-calling Emily at two A.M., begging for forgiveness.

I reach into my jeans pocket for my phone and switch it off before I have a chance to fuck things up further.

After another round of drinks and another terrible speech from Dimitri, my headache is only getting worse, and my brothersare only getting louder. So, I set my glass down on the sticky tabletop and get to my feet.

Dimitri eyes me. “Where are you going?”

“To take a piss. I am allowed to do that, right?”

“Sure you don’t need me to hold your hand?”

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