Empire of Sin(Empire #2)(103)

“Pray tell, how will you do that?”

“I don’t know for sure, but Anastasia and I are close. I’ll figure something out.”

“Like fuck you will.”

“Then stop being a motherfucking dick.” He pushes me away. “And don’t send anymore hookers to my place.”

“I’ll decide that according to how you behave.” I open the door to my office. “Now, let’s go annoy Sebastian or Nate, because I’m bored.”

“Now that’s what I’m talking about…” he trails off, and all his words and movements come to a halt.

I follow his line of vision and smile when I find the reason behind his state, then squeeze his shoulder. “My, my, Dan. Isn’t that the blonde who made you hate all blondes?”

Instead of the anger I expected, his lips pull in a dark smirk. “The one and only.”





*



By the time I get to W&S’s parking garage, I’m ready to go to the Pakhan’s house and kidnap Anastasia if I have to.

Yes, there are still a few hours until the deadline, but there hasn’t been any news from her. Not even a peep.

And I don’t have the patience to wait any longer.

My feet come to a halt when I approach my car. Two tall, muscular men in black suits are standing in front of me.

One of them lifts his jacket, subtly showing me his gun as he motions to a black car with tinted windows that’s parked near mine.

I don’t have to wonder who it is. It must be Anastasia’s father or someone close to him.

One of the guards frisks me, confiscates my briefcase, then pushes me not-so-gently in the direction of the car and opens the door. Sure enough, Anastasia’s father is sitting in the back seat with an erect posture and his vision focused ahead.

“If you’d told me you were coming, I would’ve made reservations at a nice restaurant,” I speak calmly.

“Drop the sarcasm. I already have an English bastard who’s excellent at that. I don’t need another one.”

I straighten, staring at him. Does that mean he’s going to accept me as a member of his family? For some reason, I thought I’d have to prove myself to him some more.

“Why do you want to be with my daughter? Think carefully before you reply.”

“I don’t need to. Your daughter is the woman who added purpose to my life and I can’t imagine it without her anymore—”

“That’s a very selfish reason.”

“That’s because you didn’t let me finish. Your daughter is the woman who makes me a complete man, with flaws and all, and I will protect her with my life if I have to.”

“What if you can’t?”

“I can.” There’s zero doubt in my mind and my tone.

“I’m the Pakhan of the Russian Bratva. Do you know what that means?”

“That you’re trying to intimidate me.”

“That she’s under constant threat due to being my daughter. That’s why I want her to marry someone from the brotherhood, someone who wouldn’t hesitate to pull a trigger to keep her safe.”

“And you think I would if her life was in jeopardy?”

He raises a brow. “You’re on the side of the law, not against it.”

“Don’t let stereotypes fool you. Most of us couldn’t care less about the law. We just use it.”

“What if I tell you the only way to be with her is if you completely become an outlaw.”

“I would love to, but that would just keep Anastasia in the life she hates, so I can’t do that.”

He pauses, raising a brow. “Are you sure you want to be telling me that?”

“Yes, and you feel it, too. Deep down, you know that she needs to get away from your world, even if only partially.”

“And if I refuse?”

I lift a shoulder. “Then I’ll just keep on convincing you until you either agree or…agree.”

His lips twitch in a smile. It’s small and almost unnoticeable, but I know I’m getting somewhere with him.

And I mean it.

Either he lets me be with her, or I’m kidnapping her the fuck out of this country.





41





ANASTASIA





Papa isn’t budging.

He still has me under house arrest and refuses to let me go out, except when I’m surrounded by a thousand and one guards. Vlad is on his side, too, so he’s ratcheting the security up a notch.

Rai tried to talk some sense into them, but neither was listening. She told me to be patient and said ambiguous words about how things are not what I think.

But that hardly gave me any hope. The only one who’s given me a sliver of it was Adrian when I overheard him tell Kirill he’ll convince Papa to take Knox’s offer for the Bratva’s and V Corp’s sake.

If there’s anyone I know who’d be able to change Papa’s mind, it’s him. However, he seems to be taking his sweet time with it and I’m not sure if I’ll be able to handle it any longer.

It’s been a week since Knox barged into our house as if he had every right to, as if he couldn’t care less about the scary painting in the entrance or the more terrifying people within this mansion’s walls.