Page 49 of Mikhail Petrov

Leah startles and whips around. “I’m not sure it’s the right one—” she says as she returns to her reflection.

I stalk toward her, sweeping the hair from her shoulders and dropping kisses along her skin. “What’s the matter, my love? You look— Fuck, you look exquisite.”

She closes her eyes and leans into my chest. “I’m nervous, Mikhail. Your father knows who I am and everything I represent to you, your family, and his empire. I’m afraid he won’t accept me. Neither will your brothers. Especially when they find out my father has allied with Yuri.”

“Look at me.” After a beat of hesitation, she meets my eyes in the mirror. “My family will welcome you with open arms because you’re the woman I love. They all know what happened and are still excited to meet you. I promise. And Roman and Nadia will be there.”

She sighs and nods, eyes back on the dress. “I trust you.”

“And even if by some twist of fate, they don’t. It changes nothing, pretty girl.” I dip to her ear. “Remember what I said, I’ll burn it all down for you.”

Leah lets herself melt into my arms. “I love you.”

“And you should know, the only reason I haven’t peeled you out of this goddamn dress is because I promised my father I’d attend.” I tug her closer, my cock hard on her back. “Otherwise, you’d be naked right now, on that table, spread open for me, while I enjoy my own little Christmas dinner.”

Leah turns around, a riveting smile curving her plush mouth. “We better hurry back home, then.”

“I think it’s cute that you think I won’t have you before the night’s end.”

Laughing, she rises to her toes and kisses me. “If you think we’re having sex at your father’s house, you’re dead wrong.”

“Challenge accepted.”

“Mikhail, no! Absolutely not.” I lift her and throw her over my shoulder before she can stop me. “What are you doing?” she asks, breaking into fits of laughter.

“The sooner we leave, the sooner I eat.”

RESIDENCE OF NIKOLAI & NATALIA PETROV

I see my father kiss his wife, tenderly touching her rounded belly before she says her goodbyes and leaves the office. Despite my initial reservations due to their age gap, he’s never looked happier. Glancing at my girl beside me, I realize I’m no one to judge. And I can’t help feeling overjoyed that he’s found someone to lift him from the darkness after a decade and give him things he thought he’d never have.

Baby Norah will be here soon, and she’ll be the most spoiled and protected baby in Chicago.

“Mikhail,” he says in Russian, “you’re welcome to stay until we secure assets and reinforce our allies and businesses in Texas.”

My arm instinctively curls around Leah’s waist.

“And, of course, you too, Leah,” he says, the corners of his eyes creasing with a smile. When he officially accepts the woman I love, the weight of some unknown stress, one I didn’t know I carried, lifts from my shoulders.

“Thank you,” she replies, returning his smile.

My father rounds his massive desk and claps my chest. “Dinner is in about thirty minutes.

The keys and paperwork to your property are in my top drawer if you want to take a look.” “We’ll catch up,” I say as he exits.

“That went better than I thought it would.”

“I knew he’d love you.”

I pull open the desk drawer and search for the paperwork he mentioned.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Mikki. It’s only day one.”

When I pull the file with my name, a white and blue box hidden beneath it draws my

attention. I couldn’t be happier for my dad and his wife, but I sure as fuck don’t want the visuals coming to mind when I stumble on his stash of lube.

“That old, dirty bastard.”

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