Page 6 of Kneeling for Daddy
“You think he’s bluffing?” Cillian winks, already pulling on his boots.
“I think he’s certifiable. And so are we for even entertaining this.” Around midnight, when I was actually thinking about going through with this, I realized that I have lost my fucking mind.
Enzo wanders in, hair still wet from a shower, buttoning the final buttons of his shirt. “Still going on about the wedding thing?”
I level him with a flat look. “You’d still be on about it too if your brothers were trying to barter you off to some hideous, otherwise-unmarriable woman just to keep their asses out of prison.”
“Hideous, huh? How do you know? Maybe she’s got a great personality,” Enzo teases with that fucking smirk spreading across his face.
Rolling my eyes, I huff, “Right. Becausethat’swhat’s important in a marriage arranged to save our collective asses.”
“It’syourass too,” Enzo imparts, and I shrug. Marriage or life behind bars—both are a prison I don’t want.
Cillian slips into his coat, sipping his coffee like its whiskey. “Married life isn’t that bad, Nik. I actually quite enjoy it.”
“Same.” Enzo smiles, the picture of smug domestic contentment. “Steady sex, a warm body in bed every night, someone to share my life with besides you assholes. What’s not to love?”
“Everything,” I mutter, grabbing my keys. “Come on before I change my mind about showing up for this absurd meeting.”
We head down to the garage, the hum of the city filtering in through the concrete and steel walls. My black Range Rover growls awake as I turn over the engine, and soon we’re weaving through traffic. Midtown blurs past in streaks of yellow cabs andpedestrians—much like my bachelorhood flashing before my eyes.
“Just keep an open mind,” Cillian says from the passenger seat, like he’s trying to convince me to try a new restaurant, not a wife.
I shoot him a look. “My mind’s open enough to imagine punching Alek in the face or putting a bullet in his head. And the same goes for the two of you for entertaining this. That’s about it.”
Enzo chuckles from the backseat. “You’re going to scare her off with that attitude.”
“Good,” I snap. “Then we can all go home and forget this ever happened.”
We drive past the café, sliding into a spot halfway down the block. My fingers flex around the steering wheel as my brothers quickly climb out of the SUV. Letting out a heavy, discontented sigh, I turn off the engine and follow behind them.
Inside, the café smells like roasted espresso and warm sugar. I spot Alek at one of the mismatched tables near the back. He’s perfectly positioned against the exposed brick wall to see the door. With one hand lazily draped around his coffee cup, he tips his head, gesturing for us to join him.
We walk through the sea of people, flitting with the low hum of conversation. My eyes flick around the room, anxiously seeking out the hidden threat. As I approach Alek, my gaze falls to the woman seated beside him. The petite, platinum blonde has her hair pulled into a sleek knot atop her head. Her small, but pert, tits are showcased with the low-cut neckline of the expensive tailored dress she’s wearing. She glances up at me for a second, quickly diverting her beautiful hazel eyes, hiding them with herlong black lashes when they fall to her coffee. Her lips are pouty and stained a soft shade of pink. Unable to pull my eyes from her, I’m suddenly left very aware that I’m staring.
Definitely not hideous.
“This is my sister, Ani,” Alek introduces, gesturing to the gorgeous blonde when we reach him.
Cillian takes the seat next to him, Enzo drops into the one on the end, leaving me directly across from her.Perfect. I sink into the chair, grumbling under my breath just to keep my own reaction in check.
The waitress swings by, and we order coffees and pastries. Alek doesn’t waste any time—probably figuring the sooner we talk, the sooner he gets what he wants. “So, my offer…”
“I’m not saying we agree to this—” Cillian starts.
“At all,” I interrupt, because no one seems to be hearing me on that part.
Cillian sighs like I’m a particularly difficult child. “But if we do, what assurances do we have that you’ll uphold your end of the arrangement?”
Alek leans back, calm as anything. “I’m a man of my word. It’s the only thing I have in this life. I honor it as much as I honor my family.”
“That’s rich,” Ani mutters under her breath, just loud enough to cut through the conversation and garner me a glimpse of her cute little accent. “Since you’re selling me off like a fucking cow.”
I can’t help it. I laugh. The sound bursts out of me before I can stop it, earning me a glare from Alek, a jab to the ribs from Enzo, and the faintest smirk from her.Interesting.
We get down to it. Alek lays it out. He knows exactly how we took control and that we’re also responsible for his father’s death. With that knowledge alone, he could bury us. But he won’t…
As long as I marry Ani and merge our families.
