Heart of My Monster (Monster Trilogy #3) by Rina Kent

“Kirill.” He’s struggling to remain calm when I’m sure all he wants is to punch me. “Can you, for one day, one fucking day, just stop being so selfish and do something for me?”

“Why would I? You said I was no longer your brother the day I left for Russia, no? Am I suddenly back to being your brother now that you need me? Besides, I’m doing you a huge favor right now. Why do you think I got you riled up a few days ago?”

His eyes widen and recognition starts to show in his gaze.

So maybe I was being an asshole and told Konstantin that I look forward to having a wife that will serve me every night. I was thinking of a different wife, but he didn’t know that and he would have punched me if I hadn’t moved out of the way.

That’s how I confirmed my suspicions. That, and I saw them together during the engagement party. I couldn’t reveal anything back then, because I needed the wedding ceremony to happen.

Konstantin and Kristina look like ghosts, too caught up in their little romance to realize they’re not the ones holding all the cards in this game.

I already built them a nice tidy house of cards, and if they play right, I might choose not to destroy it.

“You…did that on purpose?” my brother asks.

“Maybe.”

“You knew?”

“Perhaps.”

“Then why?” Konstantin breathes heavily. “Why the fuck did you make a deal that includes marrying my woman?”

“Because she wasn’t your woman in public, and I had an opening to achieve greater purposes, so I took it.”

“You fucking—”

“Calm your fucking tits.” I stand toe to toe with him. “Igor, Alexei, and the Pakhan are on their way here. They might bring their guards or the entire wedding party, though I doubt it, because I sent Igor and Alexei this nice and tidy picture of you two kissing.”

I unlock my phone and show them evidence of their cringey make-out session.

Kristina trembles and pushes Konstantin away. “Go! Leave! They won’t kill me, but they will definitely kill you.”

“No,” my brother growls. “They might not kill you physically, but they’ll still sell you to the highest bidder. If it’s not Kirill, then it’ll be someone else.”

“Please go, Kosta.” She desperately pushes him while crying, but he’s not moving. “Please, I’m begging you.”

“I’m not leaving without you.” He clutches her waist and pulls her to his side.

“And lose everything you and Yulia have been building?” I ask in my patronizing tone.

“I don’t give a fuck.”

“I’m sure you do. Kristina is right. Her father and brother will hunt you down and kill you for sullying her honor. Besides, do you want her to live frightened for the rest of her life? And how about you? You’re an ambitious man with lots of plans for the future. Will you be able to handle being cast aside with no option but running?”

“We don’t have a choice since you refuse to help.”

“Who says I refuse?” I raise a brow. “In fact, I’m going to give you the chance of your life. All you have to do is agree with what I say.”

He narrows his eyes. “What are you planning now?”

“Something nice,” I whisper. “Here we go.”

As expected, only Igor, Alexei, and the Pakhan show up. Kristina partially hides behind Konstantin. The idiots have probably been seeing each other in secret for a long time, but only got their shit together and confessed their undying love when everything came tumbling down. But oh, well. It played in my favor.

“Kristina!” Igor snaps. “What is the meaning of this?”

She seals her lips shut then murmurs, “I… I love Konstantin. I always have.”

Alexei raises a hand, probably to strike her or yank her away, but my brother catches it and glares at him. “Don’t fucking touch her.”

Alexei is a large man but around the same height as my brother, yet he still looks down his nose at him. “Step away from my sister before I kill you.”

“Now, now.” I effortlessly disengage them by standing between them. “There’s no need for violence on a happy day.”

“You’ll marry Kirill this instant,” Igor tells his daughter, to which she shakes her head and sinks her nails into Konstantin’s jacket.

“I’m afraid I can’t marry another man’s woman, Igor. Especially if that man is my own brother.”

Igor’s face contorts. “We made a deal.”

“Yes, and you didn’t keep your part of it. I was promised your daughter, but I come here to find out that not only does she already have a man, but she’s also pregnant.”

Everyone falls silent, Konstantin and Kristina included.

Of course she’s not pregnant, but it doesn’t hurt to add more salt to Igor’s wound. Besides, this plays an important role in the next part of my plan.

“You fucking bastard!” Alexei lunges at my brother again, and this time, I move out of the way so he can punch him.

He needed to get that one in to somehow lessen his anger. Kristina shrieks as blood explodes out of Konstantin’s nose.

When Alexei lifts his fist again, I’m the one who blocks it and glares at him. “I let you punch him the first time out of courtesy, but if you hit my brother again, I’ll break your legs.”