Page 97 of Ruthless Reign

Roman chuckles. “Don’t worry. I let him know what’s going on. It’s never a good idea to leave Maxim Belov in the dark.”

Guilt works through me knowing that Kira and Maxim are coming home in a few days, specifically for my wedding—a wedding I hope never happens, but I'm still fifty thousand dollars short of the million I need. After breakfast, while Roman was taking care of some work, I snuck away to keep up with all the trades.

I know in my heart that Roman would give me the money I need, but that would mean revealing everything. And then what? Would he break the deal with the Petroviches to protect me? Would he go to war for me?

Roman is bratva, first and foremost. When he took his oath, it was to Maxim and his syndicate. That's where his loyalties lie, not with me.

Roman sits up and stretches, then offers me his hand. “I’m freezing, and you must be too. We should go inside and warm up in front of a fire.”

We’re both quiet as we trudge back to the house.

“It’s nice here.” I look around. “I mean the property. It’s peaceful. I’m glad you didn’t sell it.” I know I’ve said the wrong thing when his lips curve downward and a shadow passes over his features. “I know it’s not all happy memories,” I’m quick to clarify. “But I hope we’re making a few new ones.”

“With you here, I can almost forget about all the bad things.” The pad of his finger trails over my cheek.

I can’t breathe when he says these things to me.

“You’ve gone awfully quiet,” Roman murmurs.

“Just cold.” I rub my hands together and give him a smile.

He wraps an arm around my neck and pulls me into him. His voice is thick with promise when he whispers in my ear, “Then let me warm you up.”

He lowers his head and drops small, drugging kisses along my jaw. He knows it’s my weak spot. My insides melt, and my brain turns to mush when he runs his tongue along my jawline and starts talking dirty, telling me every nasty thing he’s going to do to me.

Just as I’m ready to strip right here, freezing temperature be damned, a buzz in his pocket interrupts us.

He groans and apologizes as he pulls out his cell from the inner pocket of his jacket. Whatever he reads causes him to frown.

“Something important?” I ask.

“I wish it wasn’t. All I want to do is eat out that gorgeous pussy of yours and then fuck you into the mattress. But first…” He holds his phone up.

I’m not sure what comes over me when I pull him towards me and whisper against his lips, “I’m going to get naked and wait for you in bed. Don’t take too long. I’m already desperate for you.”

He lowers my hand onto his crotch, and even through his many layers, I can feel his very pronounced hard-on. “Damn woman. Now I have to get on a business call hard as nails."

I laugh and pull my hand away because if I don’t practice some self-restraint, this phone call won’t be happening.

“Go.” My voice is thick with need. “I’ll be waiting for you.”

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE

ROMAN

I’m still hard when I get to my second-floor office. Knowing Liza is in the bedroom just a few feet away, naked and waiting for me, is going to make this the longest phone call of my life.

If I could’ve delayed the call I would have, but Pavel said it was important.

“I was hoping not to hear from you for at least a few more days,” I quip when he answers the phone.

“Yeah, well, I think you'll want to hear this." The serious note in his voice catches my attention. “We got a fingerprint hit back on one of the men who attacked you and Liza in the car.”

“And?”

“His name is Yuri Zhukov. A second cousin to Sergey and Nikolai.”

A dark feeling slithers through me. “Fuck me. So it is the Zhukovs after us ... or after me. The only common denominator between the ambush at the port and the car attack is me.”

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