Page 82 of Unbreakable Vow

“No. This has nothing to do with her.”

“Nothing to do with her?” Andrei’s eyebrows leap up. “You married her in order to get this inheritance, and now the whole thing looks like it’s going to be tied up in the courts. Between the bullshit here and the red tape back home, it could be years before it’s all settled.”

“The estates in Russia are mine,” I explain. “Nothing is being held up there. It’s only here the fucking bastard is making a claim.” I glare at my cousin.

“I want this done as much as you, we have business that is on hold until you have the armor distribution line going in our direction.”

“Boss,” the man stationed outside my office door peeks his head in. “She’s here.”

I give a curt nod.

“Who’s here?” Andrei spins around.

“Victoria.”

His face twists. “What the fuck is that woman doing here in our club?” He gets to me in three strides. “Don’t tell me you’re dumb enough to think of taking her back. Not after everything you went through when she?—”

“I’m not,” I cut him off, slicing a hand through the air. “You said the other day that we were having trouble getting a hold of my fucking cousin because he’s hiding behind someone.” I get to my feet.

“Yeah?”

“I think it’s her.”

“Victoria? You think she’s hiding him?”

“If she’s not, she’s working with him.” I swipe my phone open to check for messages from Cora.

Nothing.

There’s been nothing all fucking day. What did I really expect?

“Does Cora know you’re seeing her?” Andrei asks, narrowing his eyes on me.

“Why do you keep bringing her into this?”

“Because she’s your wife!” He jerks a finger at me. “You married her, Sergei. And don’t give me any of this ‘it’s only for a year’ bullshit. You know damn well there’s no divorcing her. Even if it wasn’t in your blood to keep to your vows, you can’t let her go and you know it.”

“You think I’d disrespect her by being with Victoria?” Punching him in the face has never been more tempting.

“You’re keeping this whole thing a secret.”

“I’m protecting her from the bullshit that is my family,” I shoot back. “I need to get this straightened out. Just because the detective has been dealt with doesn’t mean Oleg won’t find another way to make a mess for us. Victoria has something to do with him. And once I figure it out, and get it taken care of, his claim will go away, and everything will be back on track.”

Andrei stares at me in silence, like he’s not sure he can speak without getting us into blows.

The door opens and Victoria saunters in, her thickly painted lips spread wide with a smile. She’s put her hair up into a tight bun, pulling on her face until her eyes slant upward toward her hairline.

She’s painted herself with blue eyeshadow and heavy blush.

Cora never needs so much to bring out her beauty. She needs none, actually. Without all the makeup, I can see Cora’s natural blush for myself. And I’ve come to enjoy finding new ways of making that happen.

“Oh. Andrei.” Victoria comes up short when she realizes we aren’t alone.

“Victoria.” His lips barely move as he says her name.

“It’s good to see you.” She quickly replaces her surprise with a bright smile. “I heard you got married.”

“I did.”

---