Page 57 of Queen of Spades

“Okay, so how much longer do I need to house her before I can put her on a private flight to the East Coast?” I grind out.

“Do you remember how many lives I had to take to ensure your father’s enemies didn’t attempt to punish you for his crimes?” Ranger asks conversationally. “Because I do. Seventeen men. It was supposed to be less than five. Take out the ones at the top, and there would be no one left to carry on that vendetta. Do you remember that conversation, Cassian?”

“I do.”

“Perfect,” Ranger purrs. There’s something about his tone that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. “Now, to ensure Sparrow’s safety, you’re going to repeat those words in front of the minister who will arrive early tomorrow morning.”

I’m on my feet before the thought even crosses my mind. “What the fuck are you saying?”

“I thought my instructions were fairly cut and dry. Your last name carries weight. It provides a fair amount of protection?—”

“And enemies that aren’t even my own,” I remind him.

“You let me worry about that. Your job is to marry my sister. Do not let her escape, bring her back to me in one piece, and we can discuss your possible divorce sometime in the future.” Ranger chuckles. “Make sure she takes your last name.”

He hangs up while my jaw hangs open. It’s incredibly satisfying to slam the receiver into the base on my desk. Unfortunately, it takes two tries with how drunk I am.

I’m fairly sure Annika will try to remove my nuts when I inform her of this new development.

With a ragged sigh, I aim for the kitchen. I’m going to need to chug water and several Tylenol if I don’t want to wake up with a hangover.

I slam my office door behind me, chuckling to myself. The absurdity of my life at the current moment isn’t something I ever could have anticipated. This is why Ward is always preaching at me not to accept favors from anyone.

I can practically hear him now. “These things should be handled in-house. You don’t want to pay back something you can’t afford to give.”

He’s fucking right about that. I was too headstrong to listen to a word of it. I’m clearly three sheets to the wind. There’s no other reason for me to be slightly intrigued by the prospect of calling Annika my wife.

I come around the corner into the kitchen, and my head tilts.

My wife-to-be sits on the kitchen counter in a white nightgown. That must be one of the clothing items Ward picked out. It’s soft but practically see-through in places. Her dark tan nipples poke through the thin fabric. She’s twisted to the side, cutting an apple with a paring knife.

“Hey,” she says, taking a bite of the apple slice.

My hand flies to run over my face. I’m entirely too intoxicated for this.

Chapter Nineteen

Annika

“Ithought you were in bed,” Cassian says, prowling closer.

“I was.” I nod, chewing the rest of the bite of apple. It’s delicious, crisp, and flavorful, with just the right amount of tart. “Ward was right. I needed something before I could fall asleep.”

“He’s often right about things,” Cassian says, staggering over and grabbing a slice.

My nose twitches as I breathe in his scent.

“You’re shit-faced.” I chuckle, trying to ignore how sexy he looks with his sleeves rolled up over his muscular forearms. He’s got several black tattoos lining his skin, but I can’t make out the details in the low light.

“I have not been this drunk in a long time.” It sounds like a solemn admission.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do more with your dad,” I say sincerely. “He’s really good.”

“It would bother me significantly less if he was just better than I am.” He shrugs. “I don’t know why he even made the offer if he was going to make it impossible for me to claim it.”

My head tilts, but I don’t say anything.

“I believe it’s a punishment for refusing to take over the family business.” He moves to lean at my side with his forearms on the countertop.

---