Page 81 of Claim Me
“Vladimir Popov. Your reputation as a… pig precedes you.”
I heard Nadia chuckling from behind me while at least two of the Costa brothers sucked in their breaths. Given my cousin’s rebellious nature, my guess was the hour they’d spent together chatting had allowed Nadia to give my lovely virtuoso pointers. I wasn’t certain whether to be furious or thrilled.
“Let me see the check,” Marissa cooed as she reached over me, allowing her long hair to fall into my face. Her whisper was covert. “Trust me.”
Trust wasn’t something to be tossed around lightly, but I’d give her some leeway.
She sighed and after staring at the piece of paper, she ripped it several times until the final pieces were confetti, which she promptly tossed in Vladimir’s direction. “Not interested. This resort and casino belong to me and my partner and it will stay that way. And you’re not welcome here.”
No one would accuse her of being a politician.
I smiled, even more amused that Rurik half stood, cursing in Russian. His blatant reference to her being a bitch wasn’t the worst offense. When he muttered his plans for her after she belonged to him, that was the nail in the coffin.
“Kogda ty budesh’ prinadlezhat’ mne, ty nauchish’sya khoroshim maneram, dazhe yesli mne pridetsya privivat’ ikh tebe siloy.”
When you belong to me, you will learn manners even if I need to beat them into you.
I jerked to my feet and the moment I yanked my weapon into my hand, so did every other member of our family, our extended family, our alliance, and our soldiers. They were surrounded.
Rurik and the unwanted guests followed suit. Only Vladimir and Mikhail didn’t. They stood, now both staring at each other. Pakhan to Pakhan with Vladimir knowing he was outnumbered.
As enraged as I was, I kept my voice devoid of emotion, but as clear and succinct as my Pakhan had been. “Lyubaya popytkatronut’ to, chto prinadlezhit mne, i ya zaveryayu vas, chto vy i vsya vasha sem’ya budete stradat’ do takoy stepeni, chto budete molit’ o smerti.”
Any attempt to lay a finger on what belongs to me and I assure you that you and your entire family will suffer to the point of begging for death.
I was seething, eager for Rurik to do something stupid. He had his sights set on her and there was no doubt in my mind that at some point, he’d make an attempt to kidnap her again. I’d lost one woman in my life because of who and what I was. It wasn’t going to happen again.
Marissa didn’t back down, moving beside me with her head held high. The heat of our bodies was intense and I could feel her trembling.
Rurik hissed, shoving his gun further in my face then pointing the barrel directly at Marissa. She didn’t cower. The woman continued to shock the hell out of me.
“Enough!” Vladimir snarled. “Put your weapon away. All of you,” he snapped and swept his men with his angry gaze, allowing it to fall finally in my direction. “This is not how we do business. An offer was made and refused. There is nothing more we can do. However, there is one last order of business, the loan offered in good faith to Mr. Valentine before his untimely death.”
“You mean his murder, which you’re responsible for!” Marissa hissed.
I pressed my hand against her stomach, hoping the simple action calmed her. Right now wasn’t the time to show our hand or to become emotional. A man like Popov fed on weakness like a dog to a bone.
While his head had turned toward his son, the statement he’d issued had been directed at Mikhail.
“With regard to the loan. This family will not tolerate acts of extortion. Therefore, I’ll be happy to repay the original amount with, say, a finder’s fee. That is the extent to which I’ll go.” I knew from the look on his face the intention for capturing Marissa hadn’t been about collateral, but about a different form of payment.
While my rage was just below the surface, I did quite well in hiding it. Sadly, I wasn’t certain if Marissa had been used as some tradeoff by her father. While I didn’t want to believe something so horrible and disgusting, men in desperate situations did unimaginable things.
Including selling their own children.
I’d seen it before and had heard dozens of stories. If the old Russian ways were still intact, I’d be married to a woman I didn’t love because the alliance suited the power of the organization.
The thought alone left a bitter taste in my mouth.
“Unacceptable,” Rurik answered for his father.
Vladimir threw out his hand, his eyes now locked on mine before flitting them to Marissa. The motherfucker smiled. “My son is right, but I’m certain we can come to some arrangement that will be beneficial to both our families. The original deal still stands.”
Marissa gripped my shoulder, her breathing labored.
“Which is?” I needed him to spell out the unscrupulous deal Vladimir had likely forced.
Vladimir turned his full attention to Marissa. “The loan was made in good faith with repayment due within one year. Unfortunately, the terms were not met and the conditions of collateral were applied. In this case since Mr. Valentine had nothing tangible in other properties, priceless cars or jewels, a simpler deal was offered and accepted. His daughter’s hand in marriage to my son.”
