Page 65 of Taming Mika

“No, I—this is perfect. I just worked myself up into a sweat, picturing dinner as some big event.”

Again, Alfie chuckles, the sound filling my belly with warm excitement. “Nina’s an important part of my life. I thought it would be nice for you and my sister to get to know each other a bit more personally before—well, since you won’t be going anywhere.”

He winks, and my heart skips a beat, but I’m curious about what he was going to say before he seemed to think better of it and shifted the direction of his sentence. Before I can ask, Nina smiles and gestures quickly to her brother.

Alfie snorts, his eyes shifting back to me after she finishes gesturing. “She says she’s the best way to really get to know me.”

That makes me laugh. “I believe it.”

As we settle into our chairs at the table, several maids enter from the kitchen, placing an opulent plate of food before each of us. My mouth waters at the rich, smokey scent of cranberry-glazed elk served alongside cream-whipped potatoes and roasted vegetables. One of the maids pours each of us a glass of red wine from an expensive-looking bottle. They leave without a word, and Alfie raises his glass, waiting until Nina and I do the same.

“To new beginnings and making friends,” he toasts, his eyes dancing playfully.

The delicate crystal glasses clink with ringing clarity, and as I take my first sip of the peppery wine, I feel my muscles unraveling. My initial nerves are fading now that I know it’s just the three of us, and I feel surprisingly comfortable in the unfamiliar environment of Alfie’s home. Everything about this night feels right. Taking my first flavor-filled bite, I can’t help but moan appreciatively when the perfectly cooked meat melts on my tongue. It pairs beautifully with the wine, the rich flavor of the steak balancing out the wine’s acidity as it complements the creamy potatoes.

The conversation and laughter flow effortlessly, and I find I’m enjoying myself despite all the madness of these past few days. It’salmost enough to make me forget about the sword hanging over our heads, as Alfie seems to be intentionally avoiding the subject of his meeting this morning. Finally, after we’ve finished our plates of tiramisu and they’re cleared from the table, I can’t stand the wait any longer. I need to know.

Turning to Alfie, I lean in, fresh tension knotting my stomach. “You still haven’t told me what happened with the Russians.” I hope he’s not steering clear of the subject because it’s a sore one, but the longer he dances around it, the more I’m starting to worry.

His expression shutters slightly, his easy smile falling from his face, and my heart plummets as a guarded look enters his eyes. “Nikolai is dead. He was more interested in a power struggle than a compromise, and so I removed him from the equation. Dominik is the Kapranovpakhannow, and he and I came to an agreement.”

Hearing him say so bluntly that he killed Nikolai is a jolt to my system, but rather than the horror I thought I would experience, all I feel is relief. In the recesses of my subconscious, I’ve been terrified he might find a way to come back and finish what he started. The information is such a shock that I don’t fully process what he said, and it takes me a beat to understand exactly what he means, because the words contrast with the expression on his face so completely. “An agreement is good, isn’t it?” I glance toward Nina in confusion.

Amusement plays across her lips as she looks pointedly at her brother.

“Ithink so,” Aflie says, and the grip on my chest eases slightly.

“But?” I prompt, sensing his hesitation.

“Part of the agreement was that you and I would get married.”

I’m stunned by his statement, not quite comprehending, like his words got lost in translation. Slowly, they sink in, and I don’t know what to think about the fact that, somehow, I got roped into a marriage arrangement of some kind. Again, I’m struck by the bizarre tradition that seems to still be common in the mafia, though the rest of the modern world has moved on. Under different circumstances, I would probably find it horrifying—beingtoldI have to marry Alfierather than him asking—and I frown as I wait for the familiar sense of rebellion to take over.

Before I can talk myself into an argument, though, the rest of Alfie’s statement rushes out, as if the explanation will absolve him of any guilt for agreeing to Dominik’s condition. “It’s the best way to ensure your protection, Mika—to make the Russians understand you’re not just some passing interest of mine. The Kapranovs needed to know what you mean to me, or they wouldn’t have taken my warning seriously.”

“What warning?” I ask, my pulse quickening.

“I told them that harming you in any way would be an act of war.” Alfie’s voice is hauntingly serious. No hint of his earlier humor lingers on his face.

A shiver races down my spine as I consider exactly what his words mean. More men fighting, and probably dying, all to protect me. “You would go to war for me?”

Alfie’s expression softens, his shoulders relaxing as his eyes hold mine with dark intensity. “I would do anything for you, Mika. I assumed that was obvious by now.”

It’s as close to saying “I love you” as Alfie could get without using those exact words, and my heart hammers at the frank statement as deep emotion wells up inside me. “Why me?” I’m still baffled by the question—what it is about me that triggered his fixation before I even realized how much Alfie could mean to me. From the beginning, I couldn’t understand what could have captured his interest, and when I pushed him away, that only seemed to make him want me more.

“Because you know exactly who you are,” he says sincerely. “You stand by your convictions and speak your mind—even if it’s not what someone wants to hear. You’re passionate, independent, and smart. You’re the strongest woman I’ve ever met, Mika, and you’re so unapologeticallyyou. In a world where I’m constantly surrounded by wealth, vanity, and PR strategies, I find your blunt honesty incredibly refreshing.” He smiles at that last part and reaches across the table to brush his knuckles across my cheek.

Butterflies erupt in my stomach at the soft touch. That might bethe most romantic thing anyone’s ever said to me, and what means the most is that it makes me realize Alfie actuallyseesme for who I am. He’s attracted to me, not because of what I look like or what he can take from me, and being myself doesn’t chase him away. That makes the prospect of marrying him far less daunting—not to mention, he’s doing it to protect me, and I find that after getting a glimpse of whohereally is, I’m far less opposed to the idea than I would have initially believed. It’s ironic in a way. When I first met him, I made such a strong stand against being his side piece. Now, not only has he ended his engagement to another woman for me—creating massive waves in both our worlds in the process—but now he intends to make me his wife.

“How soon are we supposed to get married?” The question comes out breathy, exposing my quaking nerves and the unexpected flicker of anticipation shivering in my core.

Flashing one of his charming smiles, Alfie leans forward to capture my chin. He softly brushes the pad of his thumb over my lower lip, eliciting an electric spark between us, and I press my knees together as the sensual gesture feels far too intimate for dinner.

“When you’re ready.”

Relief floods my veins as the intense heat of his gaze makes me think he might already be ready. I’m surprised as anticipation pools in my belly at the possibility. I never dreamed I could want to marry Alfie—not after getting off on such a wrong foot when we met. I was so confident I hated Alfie. He was the last man in the world I could ever imagine wanting.

Now, I know for certain, he’s the perfect man for me.

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