Page 4 of Bound By Revenge

The director has his facts right for the most part. The Flame of Mir is unquestionably the largest red diamond ever unearthed, and red diamonds are the rarest of all diamonds. But he doesn’t know any of the things that make it truly unique.

For instance, he is unaware that I personally dug it out of the ground many years ago. He couldn't possibly understand how much that discovery meant to me and how it completely altered the course of my life.

He doesn’t know that I wouldn’t be a multibillionaire or thepakhanof thebratvaif I hadn’t found the massive blood-red gem in the Siberian Mir mine over ten years ago.

Like my identity as the owner of the diamond, these are secrets I only share with a handful of people. That’s how I handle my affairs. A long time ago, I learned the hard way not to trust too easily. I’m as careful with it as I am with the safety of my diamond.

It occurs to me then that I know absolutely nothing about the beautiful stranger who has captivated me tonight. An unsettling realization, to say the least, since I personally vetted everyone in attendance this evening.

Well, not exactly personally. I have people for that, of course.

But I went through the guest list and reviewed dossiers on all notable guests and everyone I didn't know. If her face had been in the mix, I'd remember.

I can’t say I’m surprised to learn there are party-crashers among us tonight. That’s what you get with such a highly anticipated, star-studded event, and the Flame of Mir is always the subject of great curiosity.

Of course, with a face befitting an angel—and a body made for sin—this woman had no troubles sweet-talking the security guards into letting her sneak in to join the festivities.

I force myself to stop gazing at the object of my sudden fascination for a second to search the room for a specific someone. A moment later, I spot Dmitri Ivashkov, my favoriteshestyorka, leaning against an adorned column in a darkened corner. Vetting tonight’s guest list was his responsibility. As the leader of thebratvaand the somewhat anonymous owner of the world’s most valuable diamond, it was up to me to ensure no one here was a threat to the Flame or my organization.

Dmitri finally realizes I’m glancing his way and walks over to me.

With unconcealed amusement, I watch as women, young and old, discreetly—or not so discreetly—gawk at Dmitri. As always, he pretends not to notice the attention he effortlessly attracts from the opposite sex. Tall and athletic, he cuts a striking figure in his tuxedo, even when he won’t stop runnings his fingers through his dark blond hair.

As usual, I’m struck by how proud I am of the remarkable man he’s become. For many unfortunate reasons, I’m one of the few who have been around long enough to see him grow up. His mother—God rest her soul—would be proud of him, too.

Once Dmitri reaches my side, he smirks at me, cockily raising an eyebrow as if asking,you called?His petulance would land anyone else in mybratvainto considerable trouble, but I let him get away with a lot—probably too much.

“Do you see the brunette in the dark dress next to my diamond?” I ask him.

He gives me a sly look from the corner of his eye. “You bet I do. How could anyone miss her? And before you ask—I don’t know who she is. No, she isn’t on the guest list. Yes, I checked. One of the guards probably snuck her in.”

“I figured as much.”

Shrugging, he shoves his hands into his pockets. “Well, I wouldn’t worry about her. We knew we’d have some party-crashers tonight. At least it isn’t Erin McGuire. Now,thatwould be a problem.”

I shoot him a warning glance. “The last thing I need in my life right now is another one of my men stirring up trouble with the Irish. Don’t bring up Erin McGuire. Ever. If I never hear that name again, it’ll still be too soon.”

“Interesting words coming from the man who invited her father to the party.”

“Vladmir’s right,” I say with a sigh. “One of these days, someone has to teach you a lesson or two about the value of keeping your mouth shut. Or respect for authority. I’m thinking it might be me.”

“If it’s all the same to you, I’ll take a rain check on that. Indefinitely.” He has the nerve to wink at me.

As the director wraps up his interminable speech, inviting everyone to step outside for refreshments and music, Dmitri walks away, chuckling with no remorse.

I look for the woman I’ve spent most of the night studying from afar, but I have no luck locating her. She must be outside in the gardens. I don’t blame her. It’s too hot with all these people in the exhibition hall.

Eager to escape the sweltering room, I step outside, still searching for her. Instead, Maxim finds me.

“Nikki,” he says, handing me a drink. “There you are. I’ve been looking for you.”

I happily accept the drink. Having Maxim back home is nice. Strange, but nice. It's been weeks since he came back from Russia, yet I’m still startled whenever I walk into a room and find him standing there. I do my best to hide my surprise and notlet him notice it, but having him back on this side of the Atlantic still feels surreal.

He’s been my best—and sometimes only—friend for most of my life. Even before thebratvaand the Flame of Mir, there was Maxim. And not much else, truth be told.

Once upon a time, he was the only person I trusted blindly. We had no secrets between us. Before Erin McGuire. Before he made me regret everything.

But none of that matters now—not anymore. The past is in the past. It’s time I make amends with Maxim. Somehow. No matter the cost, I’ll make it up to him for all he had to sacrifice for me and thebratva.

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