Page 22 of Dangerous Promises

"So you're leaving now right?" I ask, noticing that she doesn't seem to be heading for the door and instead is pausing in the foyer.

"Like I said," she says, eyes going hard as she folds her arms. "Some of this is your business, and some of it isn't."

"I think you're done," I say. I attempt to grab her wrist, but she spins at the last second to stop me, grabbing my hand instead and squeezing in a way that borders on painful.

"I have no intention of doing anything other than what I am paid to do. Do not test my patience and do not forget your place." She frowns for the first time since I've known her. Finally dropping the false exterior she always presents.

"Let go of my niece immediately," Anton says, appearing in the hall with us and looking very intimidating with his harsh stare, power pose and hands in his pockets.

Angie's jaw tightens as he flicks her eyes to my uncle. "Remember who you're talking to Anton."

"Let her go, Angie," Anton commands.

Angie pries nail after nail from my wrist and even though it stings I don't let it show. Her smile returns to her face almost instantly.

"Careful, Anton. You need me," Angie reminds him.

His eyes shutter. "I need allies."

"And where else would you find them other than with me? Chet has many friends. You could use a few."

Angie helps herself up the stairs to my uncle's office, and he follows after her with a resigned look.

"Trouble,bella?" Freddie asks, making me jump as he appears out of nowhere.

"Fuck," I laugh. "Don't scare me." I shake my head. "No, no trouble. Just don't see why she has to be here all the time. What do we need her for, anyway?"

"Well you certainly do," Freddie laughs. "She's done a lot of your dirty work."

I slap him playfully. "Really? Why can't we just leave her out of this? She gives me a bad feeling."

Freddie gives me a sad look.

"What?" I demand. "What am I missing?"

"We can't fight Chet ourselves,bella," Freddie replies, as we both watch the space where they disappeared to. "We need her."

Chapter

Eight

Alexei

Ipace the floor of my brother's den, balling up a piece of paper and squeezing it like a stress ball. Though it does little to help. Counting to ten. Deep breathing. None of it has ever been enough to stop my perfect storms from coming. A crumbled piece of paper isn't going to change that.

After killing at least five of our men, Chet went on a bigger destructive rampage than I could've anticipated. His work is far-reaching and significant. It's also impressive, which is a pain in the ass.

Not only did he make an attempt on my fucking house, there were men killed at our safe houses, too. Safe houses I was sure nobody even knew we had. Chet is already several steps ahead of me in a race I didn't realize we were running.

We were lucky to get away with what we did. Which wasn't much. It was very nearly just too much for us to handle.

From reports, the DeMarcos were hit just as hard. Many of their properties damaged and their own estate defaced as well. From Anton's reaction last night, it's clear those reports are true.

The fact that Chet nearly had the resources to take out my empire whilst simultaneously launching an attack on the DeMarcos is more than a threat. Chet is coming, and he's coming for all of us. Trying to disrupt the tenuously held peace we clutch onto. The peace that my brother, too, tried to interrupt.

I throw the ball of paper across the room and it flies underwhelming close just to land right in front of my black dress shoe. I grunt, and given that isn't satisfying enough, I pick up a glass and smash that, too.

Isla opens the door just as the glass comes sailing for it. She quickly closes the door, letting the glass smash before she slips into the room. "Smashing glasses already? Can't be a good sign," she says, kicking away the broken glass with her boot as she closes the door again.