My voice trembled as I answered his question, "I live here, Nik."
Nikolai's expression turned from confusion to shock. "What do you mean you live here? I thought...after Slava died, you went to live with your brother."
"I did, but then..." I hesitated, struggling to find the right words to explain how I ended up marrying Giovanni, his brother's archenemy. "It's a long and complicated story, but yes, I married Giovanni."
Nikolai's eyes widened in disbelief before turning into a fiery rage. He bellowed, "Y...you...you married Giovanni Leones!?" The name rolled off his tongue like poison, and I could see the hurt and betrayal etched on his face. "How could you!" he roared.
He tried to get up from the bed as if to lunge at me, but Sam moved quickly to hold him down.
Nikolai struggled against Sam's grip, his face contorted with anger and betrayal. "You married the man who killed my brother!" he shouted, his voice breaking with emotion.