Page 168 of Made for Sinners

Nikolai flinched, just slightly.

I leaned forward, folding my hands on the table. “You want money. I want peace. But money’s temporary. Peace—that’s a legacy.”

Aleksander’s smile faded. “What are you proposing?”

“A marriage,” I said simply. “Your son. My sister.”

The room stilled.

Even Rafe turned to look at me.

Aleksander blinked. “You have a sister?”

“She’s been at school,” I said. “A private academy. Safe. Hidden. She’s young, but she’s smart. Educated. Raised with the right values.”

“You mean she knows how to keep her mouth shut,” Aleksander said dryly.

I smiled. “That too.”

He leaned back, considering. “And what do we get in return?”

“A seat on the board,” I said. “The academy. My wife’s seat.”

Rafe stiffened beside me, but I didn’t look at him.

Aleksander’s eyes narrowed. “A school board seat? That’s your offer?”

“It’s not just a school,” I said. “It’s a fortress. A breeding ground for the next generation. Access means power. Influence. Control over who’s protected—and who’s not.”

He didn’t respond.

I leaned back in my chair. “You don’t need money. You need security. You need a foothold in the next generation. A marriage alliance gives you that. A seat on the board gives you more.”

“And what guarantees do we have?” he asked. “How do we know you’ll follow through? That you won’t back out when your sister comes of age?”

I looked around the table, then back at him.

“It’s time for my brother to take a wife,” I said.

Rafe choked on his drink.

“Excuse me?” he said.

I didn’t look at him. “A double alliance. My sister to your son. My brother to your niece.”

Aleksander raised a brow. “You’re offering two marriages?”

“No,” Rafe said. “He’s not.”

I finally turned to him. “You are.”

“I already have two brothers,” Rafe muttered. “Isn’t that enough?”

Aleksander laughed.

Nikolai didn’t.

I shrugged. “Hmm. Well, that won’t do. So I guess you’ll just have to trust us.”

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