Page 34 of Brutal Monster
I think of my stepbrother's face at our last encounter—the barely concealed rage, the promise of retribution in his eyes. "He's unstable."
"Yes." Vanya's gaze returns to the ocean. "And I’ll bet he has connections we don't know about. Resources hidden away."
I slide my hand over his, feeling the roughness of his knuckles. "Whatever he's planning, we'll face it together."
"You say that now." His fingers interlace with mine. "But I've seen how you operate, Inez. First sign of trouble, you'll try to handle it alone."
A denial rises to my lips, but I swallow it. Vanya knows me better than I imagined. "Not this time."
"No?" His eyebrow arches skeptically.
"No." I step in front of him, forcing him to look at me. "This isn't just about me anymore. Or you. It's about what we're building together."
His hands settle on my hips, warm and steady. "And what exactly are we building?"
"Something neither of us thought possible." I place my palm against his chest, feeling the steady thrum of his heart. "Something worth protecting—the right way. No reckless moves, no lone-wolf heroics."
The corner of his mouth lifts. "Says the woman who infiltrated the Costello compound without backup last month."
“You heard about that?” I’m stunned by his revelation.
“Of course, I did.”
"That was different."
His expression shifts, something fierce and possessive flashing in his eyes. "One week," he murmurs, brushing his thumb across my lower lip. "One week, and no power in this world—not Emilio, not the Feds, not our families-could separate us."
I rise on my balls of my feet, and press my mouth to his. "Let them try."
He deepens the kiss, one hand sliding up my spine to cradle the back of my neck. When we break apart, his expression has hardened with resolve.
"Tomorrow we consolidate our security teams," he says. "I want a complete review of all personnel, especially anyone who's had contact with Emilio in the past year."
I nod. "I'll have Santos pull the financial records. If Emilio's building something, he's leaving a money trail."
"Good." Vanya's gaze drifts back to the window. "And the wedding plans?"
"Proceed as scheduled, but with additional measures." I rest my head against his shoulder. "I've already arranged for my team to sweep the venue twice daily."
His arm encircles my waist, pulling me closer. "You've thought of everything."
"Not everything," I admit. "But enough to ensure we make it to the altar."
We stand together in comfortable silence, watching the moon's reflection ripple across the water. For the first time in my life, I'm building something instead of just surviving. Creating instead of destroying. The sensation is foreign, but not unwelcome.
"Come back to bed," I whisper eventually. "Dawn's still hours away."
Vanya nods, but his eyes remain on the distant horizon for a moment longer. I know that look—he's calculating, planning, preparing for whatever storm might be brewing. It's one of the many reasons we fit together so perfectly. We both understand that peace is always temporary in our world.
But tonight, at least, we can pretend otherwise.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
VANYA
The morning sun sparkles on the pool, making the water shimmer with blue streaks. I'm on the terrace, phone in hand, watching Inez cut through the water with strong, steady strokes. Her technique is spot-on—smooth, effective, unstoppable, just like everything else she does.
"I need six more men by tonight," I tell Sergei, my eyes never leaving Inez as she reaches the end of the pool and executes a flawless turn. "Make sure they're our best. People who've proven themselves."
