Page 35 of The Bratva King's Claimed Bride

I have a plan to ensure that Igor sees my value, even if I have to use my body to get his attention.

I wrap a towel around myself and meet Yvonne in the hallway. She leads me to the private pool on a balcony surrounded by guards. I drop the towel and climb into the cool water.

Yvonne joins me, also in a bikini, and she summons one of the staff to bring us some champagne.

“I wouldn’t mind some food as well,” I say. “I’ve worked up quite an appetite.”

“Well, you did a great job. Greg,” she calls, and a guard approaches. “Get us the hotel menu, please. We’re hungry.”

I can tell some of the guards are trying their best not to check us both out, but they’re doing a piss poor job at it.

Greg brings the menu along with a phone and sets it down on the edge of the pool. I swim over to Yvonne, and we look at the menu together. “It all looks good,” I comment.

“I want something with cheese,” she says. “Everything tastes better with cheese, especially melted cheese.”

“I don’t know. I kinda want that lobster roll I ordered earlier.”

A servant sets down a tray with two glasses of bubbly near us. I pick one up and sip it, sighing. “Definitely the lobster roll and the decadent chocolate brownie for dessert.”

Yvonne picks up the phone and dials the front desk. “Hi, room service, please. I’d like to order an extra cheesy lasagna, one Californian lobster roll, and two decadent chocolate brownies with extra chocolate drizzle and whipped cream.”

I lick my lips. My stomach is aching with hunger now.

I sip my champagne and float to the edge of the pool that overlooks the rest of the resort and, beyond that, the city.

“Right, food is ordered. Now we can relax and enjoy ourselves,” Yvonne says as she joins me.

“So, what am I expected to do in the family? Because that was fun. I like those sorts of situations,” I explain.

“I don’t know if Igor was impressed that I let you handle that,” Yvonne admits. “But maybe we can convince him to let you help with the property side of the business because, at the moment, he wants to acquire more property to put him in a place of power against the Milovs.”

“How do you know so much?” I ask.

“I’m a wallflower. The men aren’t afraid to speak around me.” Yvonne giggles. “I also work for the family, but I hate the property side of things.”

“I’ll gladly take that over for you.” I smile.

Chapter 12 - Igor

I don’t want to force myself on Arina, especially if she regrets sleeping with me the first time. I need her to come around on her own and decide on her own. That doesn’t mean that seeing her doesn’t drive me wild. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve jerked off in the shower to the thought of her. It’s insane that I have this sexy woman who shares my bed, but then it feels like miles between us. I don’t touch her in bed. I don’t caress her or hold her. Not even in my sleep.

Even though I want to.

There is work to be done, and I muddle through my meetings day by day, knowing she is in the house, most likely talking to Yvonne. Matvey continues to have his suspicions about her, but I think she’s fitting in slowly but surely.

Sitting in my office, I wait for my various managers to come in for a morning meeting before I can officially start my day. Bigger and bigger problems have been cropping up, and I need them dealt with. But this is what underlings are for—to manage the dirty jobs.

Once all five of them are in my office, including Matvey, I look at them, leaning on my elbows and resting my chin on my interlaced fingers.

“First of all, the supply run from Russia has been interrupted. Someone keeps raiding our ships, and for that to happen, someone is leaking information on which path our ships are taking. I want feedback on who is interrupting the supply run, who is aiding them, and what you plan to do to stop it.”

I look from Sven to Jameson. “I need new managers at the resort. Now that Liam and Christopher have been exposed and dealt with, I want you to find someone I can trust and put them in charge of making sure that the resort runs smoothly. Tourist season is upon us, and the more guests we have coming through, the more money we can launder through the resort.”

Sven and Jameson both leave, and I look at Matvey. I’m about to speak when I hear splashing and giggling. It sounds like Yvonne and Arina are having fun. The thought of Arina being wet in my pool drives me to distraction.

“Igor?” Matvey asks.

I look back at him. “Follow up on the paperwork for the acquisition of Matthew’s resort and theme park. I’m not paying a cent until they have signed over the deeds. I don’t trust them further than I can throw them, and that’s not far.”

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