Page 20 of Koroleva

My man arrived promptly.

"Madam, is something wrong?" He was clearly on edge.

"I want a complete report on my husband, from the damn hour his mother went into labor to his last medical check-up. I want everything. Habits, friends, schedules, the whore he's probably sleeping with, and of course, who Adriano's mother is and where the hell she is."

"Understood, madam."

"I want it yesterday, so you'd better get to work. I haven't done things well, I was too obsessed with Mentium and those mangy dogs of the press to focus properly on what's important. I've overlooked the most essential thing, which is to breathe the same way as your enemy, to blend in with him. I want to soak up every detail, no matter how trivial it might seem."

"It won't be too difficult, after all, you're going to be sleeping together." «I gave him an icy look» "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that."

"No, you shouldn't have."

"My apologies. Is there anything else you need?"

"For now, no, when you have everything, send it to me by email, I don't want physical documents that could end up in his hands."

"Yes, madam."

"You can go back to the party."

"At your command."

I waited for Andrey to leave. I rubbed the back of my neck. I was too agitated to return to the room like this; it would be best if I went to the bathroom first, as I had told my tablemates. As soon as I stepped into the hallway, I realized that R was standing in front of the door, watching me. I looked at him defiantly, not knowing how long he had been there.

"If you've done your business in there, we have a problem," he joked. His hands were in his pockets and his gaze was laden with intent. If he looked handsome in casual wear, in a suit he was irresistible, I couldn't deny that.

"I was lost," I responded, playing innocent.

"And your man came to rescue you?" he emphasized "your man" before moving dangerously close to me, like a predator, I could almost feel his breath on my lips.

"No, he came to do the handkerchief test, you jerk." I knew that gypsy tradition, I had seen a documentary on TV once that struck me. I assumed that living in Spain, he would know it too.

"Very funny, but we both know that more than one has been through that body." His hand reached up and grabbed my neck firmly. I flinched.

"And does that bother you?"

"I don't give a shit about that. However, I do hope that if you mess with him, at least, don't fuck him here." His thumb slid over the place where my pulse raced.

"I'll keep that in mind." I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of telling him that I had never slept with any of my men.

"The bathroom's right there, dear."

"Thanks, I need it, with so much love from you, I got the cramps."

I moved away from him and went in the correct direction.

Did he hear me? Did he know what I had just asked Andrey? From his words, it didn't seem so, but it also didn't change anything if he knew; I had every right to know about the man I had just married.

I opened the bathroom door and slipped inside.

It was a big bathroom, with a small entryway before reaching the vanity area. I heard a few feminine giggles that made me stop dead as I heard their comments.

"Have you seen her? That dress is as vulgar as she is. She looked like a gypsy bride with all that sparkle and the gemstones on the veil. With how much R hates ostentation, he's gone and married a walking light bulb."

"She must have been trying to dazzle him and achieved the opposite effect. Did you see the stomping the kid gave her in front of all the guests? I almost died laughing, it's clear he can't stand her."

"And when she didn't even know the name of the man she was marrying?"

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