Page 25 of Mafia King's Bride

The first man shakes his head, his hands trembling. “We didn’t mean any disrespect, Dmitri. Really. It was...It was just a joke.”

“A joke,” I say, my tone low and dangerous. “Here’s a joke for you: I break every bone in your body and leave you in a ditch. How’s that sound?”

They both pale, stammering apologies, but I’m not listening. My hand itches to grab one of them by the throat, to make an example out of them.

“I’ll give you a word of advice,” I say, stepping back slightly, just enough to let them breathe. “Keep your filthy thoughts to yourselves. If I ever hear you talking about Ana like that again, I won’t just break you. I’ll erase you.”

They nod furiously, practically shaking with fear.

Satisfied, I turn on my heel and head back inside, my fists still clenched at my sides. The rage hasn’t subsided. If anything, it’s grown. I’ve never felt this level of anger over a woman before, never cared enough to let something like this affect me.

But Ana’s different.

And that terrifies me.

NINE

ANA

I stride across the lobby, eyes locked on the elevator, ignoring the buzz of my phone reminding me about an upcoming meeting. Not now. Nikolai Petrov is going to see his daughter today, whether he likes it or not.

If he won’t come to me, I’ll find my way to him. Simple as that.

“Miss Petrov!” I hear my name being called from behind, and I come to a sharp stop, sighing as I turn around. It’s Ivan, my father’s aide—a man with a huge family. I watch impatiently as he hurries toward me, taking his time while the elevator doors open and close like a ticking clock.

“Ivan,” I say, forcing a smile. “It’s been a while.”

He nods, but then his face flickers with realization. “I’m sorry,” he stumbles. “It’s Mrs. Orlov now, isn’t it?”

Oh, right.

I barely noticed. Being Mrs. Orlov doesn’t sit quite right, and honestly, I’m still more Nikolai’s daughter than Dmitri’s wife. Always will be.

“It’s fine. Is my father in his office?”

Ivan scratches at his beard, thinking. “I’m not sure. I haven’t seen him today, but that’s because I haven’t been upstairs. He’s usually at his desk unless something urgent has come up.”

“Thanks, Ivan.” I take the opportunity to slip into the elevator before another interruption can slow me down.

The ride to the top floor is quick, and soon I’m stepping out onto the plush carpet that leads to my father’s office. His door is at the end of the hall, but I’ve got to pass through Daria’s space to get there.

When Daria sees me, she stands up quickly, clearly surprised. “Ana! What brings you here?”

“I’m here to see Papa,” I say, glancing toward his door. “Is he in?”

She hesitates, and that’s my first red flag. “I’m sorry, Ana, but he’s not in his office right now. You could leave a message, and I’ll make sure it reaches him.”

This feels weird. If he wasn’t around, Daria wouldn’t have hesitated. She’s hiding something, and I’m not about to let it slide.

I move closer, resting my hands on her desk, looking her straight in the eye. “Daria, did Papa tell you why I married Dmitri?”

She sighs, eyes darting to the door before she looks back at me. “No, but I figured it wasn’t exactly a love match.”

“Exactly.” I nod. “And he wasn’t thrilled about it, as you can imagine. But now he’s avoiding me, and I can’t figure out why. If he’s in there, I need to see him. It’s important.”

Daria shakes her head, her expression soft with sympathy. “I swear, Ana, he’s not here. I wouldn’t keep you from seeing him if he was.”

I fold my arms, skeptical. “Then why did you hesitate?”

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