Page 101 of Savage Reign

Galina nudges me, smirking. “You’re turning heads, you know that, right?”

I shrug, throwing her a mischievous smile. “Good.”

I sense his stare first—a simmering heat that sends a shiver through me. When I finally glance at him, Nikolai’s eyes are locked on me, dark with a dangerous edge. Welp. I’ve definitely got his attention.

I look away first, tossing my hair over my shoulder, my heart pounding as I keep dancing. I’ve poked the bear; now I have to see it through.

“Uh-oh.” Galina’s voice is barely above a whisper, but I don’t miss the warning. My head snaps up just in time to catch Nikolai storming toward me, his jaw clenched, his arms rigid at his sides, and his fists curled tightly.

“Sorry,” Tatiana whispers with a grimace as she and Galina quickly retreat. So much for girls sticking together. Not that I can blame them. Nikolai looks absolutely lethal.

The dancers step aside as he cuts straight through the room, clearing a path to me. I keep swaying, pretending I don’t notice him until he’s right in front of me. My nose brushes against his solid chest, but I refuse to look up.

“What are you doing?” he asks with a lethal calm that sends a shiver of both fear and excitement through me.

I tilt my chin up, feigning innocence. “Dancing. What are you doing?”

“Wondering why my wife thought it was a good idea to wear that sexy little number,” he says roughly. “Especially when she knows I don’t like sharing.” His gaze drags over me possessively. When his eyes linger on my breasts, my nipples tighten—and he notices.

Is it my imagination, or has the room gone completely silent? My hands land on my hips. “You didn’t tell me where we were going. I thought tonight would be just us.”

Before I can blink, his hand wraps around my arm, and he’s leading me off the dance floor. The air feels charged, and I catch glimpses of men glancing away as Nikolai cuts through the room with me in tow.

“Where are we going?” I ask, unable to hide the tremor in my voice.

“To show you what happens when you act like a brat, wife.”

CHAPTER

THIRTY-EIGHT

NIKOLAI

Sofiya wanted my attention,and now she has it. My bratty little wife knew exactly what she was doing the moment she tossed that shawl aside and swayed those hips like she was on a stage.

She wants to play games? Fine. I’ll play, but she should know by now I never lose.

“You're acting like a neanderthal. Let go of me.” She tries to wrench her wrist from my grip, but I don't let go until we're in my office, the door shut behind us.

She was half naked in front of all my men, dancing seductively. They all had the brain power to look away, and for that, she must be taught a lesson.

Punished.

Fuck, that word alone gets my dick hard. “There are consequences to your actions, moya sladost.” Pushing her down onto the couch, I stand above her making use of our power and age difference. “Now explain to me what you were thinking, showing everybody what's mine?”

She narrows her eyes, refusing to give up. “I can ask you the same thing. Did anyone ever tell you it’s bad taste to invite your former mistress to the same party as your wife?”

Jesus fucking Christ. Is this about Eva?

I lift her effortlessly, slide into her seat, and settle her onto my lap. She’s playing with fire, but she doesn’t seem to care. Her breaths come fast, our lips just a whisper apart. I can’t tell where her anger ends and her arousal begins. My hand cups her chin, tilting her face toward me, forcing her to meet my eyes.

“I meant it when I said there’s no one else. Eva isn’t my lover and never has been. She’s an old friend and a high-ranking member of my bratva. You're mistaken if you think she’s anything more to me.”

“Liar. You admitted she was your girlfriend the first day I got here.”

“I never admitted anything. You assumed she was and I didn’t correct you because I liked how jealous you got.”

She bites her lip. “Was not.”

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