Empire of Sin (Empire #2) by Rina Kent

“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.

If I were him, I would’ve run the other way as I’m used to. But Knox has never been the type to run away. He might have hidden for some time, but he didn’t run away. Not really.

The following day, when I didn’t contact him, I expected him to bulldoze through the door again and demand things from Papa.

But he didn’t.

That’s when the doubt started to creep in. Maybe he came to his senses and realized that he shouldn’t get involved with someone like me.

Surely, a fuck isn’t worth jeopardizing his life at the hands of the Bratva. Surely, anyone with logic would convince him that he shouldn’t be with me.

And while that’s all I’ve ever wanted since I left, a weight presses on my chest at the thought of losing him. And sometimes, like now, I can’t breathe. It doesn’t matter that ever since Papa gave me back access to my laptop, I’ve been creating more systems than should be healthy and spied on his and Dan’s social media accounts.

I know the right thing to do is to give up, to let him live his life as the hotshot lawyer and not drag him down with my shady family business. I should watch from afar and abide by Papa’s wishes, but the mere thought of another man besides Knox touching me brings nausea to my throat.

It’s even worse imagining him with another woman. It would eat me alive.

A knock sounds on the door and I murmur a “Come in” without breaking eye contact with the screen.

“Ana!” Rai’s uncharacteristically cheerful voice makes me stare at her.

She stands at the door with a hand on her growing belly and smiles so big, it would be contagious under any other circumstances.

“What it is, Rai?”

“Granduncle is asking for you in the dining room.”

“No…Rai…please stop him. He’s going to make me marry Kirill and you know how manipulative he is. He’ll swallow me alive and I can’t…I can’t just marry him when I have someone else in my heart—”

“Hey.” She’s by my side in a second. “There will be no marrying that cunning fox Kirill, not if I have to reveal his secret to stop it.”

“W-what secret?”

“You don’t have to worry about it. Just know that it’s not going to happen. Besides, I’m pretty sure that’s not the reason Granduncle is asking for you.”

I frown. “Then what is it?”

“You’ll know when you get there.” She gently yet firmly lifts me up, then smooths my hair that’s gathered in a bun.

I must look like shit in my PJs and makeup-free face, but my appearance is the last thing on my mind these days.

Rai intertwines her hand with mine and leads me downstairs. Papa’s guard stares at me funny and I chalk it up to my unflattering appearance.