Page 27 of Koroleva

I reached the countertop, took a jump, and sat on it to let myself fall. I stretched out feeling immediate relief in my back. My muscles were shattered, too many hours standing and a lot of tension accumulated. I occupied it completely, bending my knees so the soles of my feet touched the marble.

I let out a sigh feeling each of my vertebrae on the polished surface.

"I don't know what you use this for in Russia, but it's no good for lying down, we have beds for that," his voice was liquid velvet. Husky and suggestive.

His dark eyes climbed up my bare thighs, thanks to the snips I had given the dress. Romeo took a seat on one of the stools with both glasses in hand.

He placed mine on the countertop. I turned sideways, letting my left leg hang out through the slit of the dress.

"In Russia we use them for fucking," I said, regaining my posture to sit spreading my thighs. The shiny fabric fell between my legs.

"Beds?" he countered.

"And countertops, any surface is good, even an empty bottle box in the back of a bar," I took the glass and raised it without taking my hot gaze off his eyes. "To our future married life."

We clinked glasses and drank, savoring the fiery sweet liquid.

I was exhausted. Still, I had a pending matter with Romeo that I wanted to resolve.

"Shall we go upstairs?" I nodded, running my tongue over the inside of the glass.

"I'll be up in a while, your room is on the second floor, to the right."

"My room?" I couldn't help being surprised. He smirked.

"You didn't think that, after last night, you and I were going to fuck?" The question felt like a kick. He stood up with his hands placed on either side of my hips. "If I want sex, I'll do it with someone who didn't try to betray me the night before I marry her. In fact, I was about to stop by the hotel to pick up Irene to relieve me, I suggest if you don't want to watch, you get into your room."

I raised my hand and slapped him unceremoniously.

"Don't you dare fuck that slut in our house," his fingers violently gripped my chin.

"Should have thought about that before trying to screw one of mine," I was sure that if he didn't have the beard, a reddish mark would be visible on his cheek.

"We weren't married! And it was you!" I reproached him.

"Do you think that matters? I don't like being betrayed and you did it yesterday. If I gave you pleasure, it was only so you would understand what you're never going to have again. Neither you love me, nor do I love you. You can fuck whoever you want as long as you don't set your sights on my men and keep it discreet. Ours is a business transaction. My family wanted your company and you, with our alliance, to dominate the Costa del Sol, and now you have it. Just make sure you behave and take care of Adriano, if you do that, you and I will get along fine."

I was boiling with anger. I wasn't sure if it was because of his disdain, what he expected me to become, or because that slut was going to screw him right under my nose.

"Fine. Go fuck that classless whore if you like, but not here. I demand the same respect you want from me," he narrowed his eyes. "And looking after that brat of yours wasn't in the contract, I told you before, I'm not a nanny." He tightened his grip.

"Watch your words and how you treat my son, he's suffered enough without having to endure the scorn of a harpy like you. If you don't behave with him, I won't hesitate to divorce you, not before sinking your beloved company instead of saving it. You have no fucking idea who I am or how I do things, so let me warn you, don't piss me off, darling." He spat out the last word venomously.

He really had no idea who I was or what I was capable of if scorned like he did.

He stepped back from me and offered a lascivious smile.

"Don't wait up for me, it would be a waste of time."

After dropping that line, he stormed off through the garage.

12

The call

I grabbed a glass and threw it to the floor.

If Romeo thought I was going to sit back and do nothing, he didn't know me at all—though I already knew that. I picked up the phone and dialed Andrey's number. He answered on the second ring.

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