Page 23 of Savage Reign

His jaw flexes, his expression darkening. “I don’t force myself on women. I don’t need to. But considering how fast and hard you came in that bathroom, maybe you should think about making yourself available for conjugal visits.”

Heat floods my face as I lift my middle finger at him. It’s immature, but I don’t care.

His body shakes with quiet laughter. “Good to see how deeply I affect you.”

“If I could take back those five minutes, trust me, I would.”

“Oh, I could’ve gone all night. It was you who came all over my cock in record time.” His tone shifts, the teasing edge replaced by something heavier. “If you require a repeat performance, just say so, wife.”

I force myself to hold his stare, but something inside me breaks wide open. The same cracks I thought I’d sealed long ago. He’s doing what my parents did to me. He’s reduced me to a pawn, a means to an end.

“You act like my life doesn’t matter. You robbed me of my future. I was about to move to Berlin and live like a normal person. You stole that from me, and you couldn’t care less.”

His face hardens, the teasing edge gone. “I know this, moya sladost,” he says, his voice low and cutting. “And it still doesn’t matter to me. I don’t prioritize anyone’s life or well-being above my own, and you shouldn’t either.”

I shake my head, glaring at him. “What is it you want? What is this actually about?” When he doesn’t respond, I continue. “I have a right to know, don’t I? You’re ruining my life for your gain.”

He rubs a hand over his chin, his expression cool. “The minister of finance is about to hand me a string of casinos to run across Russia, but I won’t get the contract unless I secure Moscow.”

“Let me guess. The Syndicate doesn’t want you in their territory.”

He shrugs. “It’s a fair deal, but Roman and Pavel don’t see it that way. And quite honestly, it pisses me off that after everything, they have so little faith in me. It’s a slap in the face.” He leans back, his gaze steady. “So here we are. If they want you back, they’ll have to agree to my terms.”

Dread pools in my gut. It sounds like this situation is far more complicated than I’d hoped. “You’re wasting your time using me to get to Roman—or anyone, for that matter. The only thing you’re going to accomplish is getting yourself killed when the Belov Syndicate comes for you.”

He folds his arms in front of him, his broad shoulders pulling taut beneath his shirt. “The Syndicate won’t find you. The location of my estate is a well-guarded secret. And even if they did, your sister would never let Roman risk your safety in an attack.” His eyes bore into mine. “Follow my orders, and you’ll have nothing to worry about. If that’s a problem...” His lips curve into something wicked. “I’ll teach you how to follow orders. And believe me, I’ll enjoy every moment of it.”

A chill runs through me, but I’m too tired to continue this conversation. I doubt there’s anything I could say to change his mind. I pull the blanket tighter around me, wrapping it like armor, and lean my head against the window.

CHAPTER

NINE

NIKOLAI

The sun is just breakingthrough the horizon when we touch down in St. Petersburg. My city.

Sofiya is out cold, unsurprisingly, after everything I put her through.

I sit nursing a whiskey, my eyes fixed on her as the plane taxis down the runway. I angle my head, studying the strands of her silky hair, dark with a hint of auburn, like the embers of a dying fire. They frame her delicate face, and I have the sudden urge to brush them aside so I can feel the softness of her skin. But I know better. My touch would be as welcome as a slap.

I have to get these urges under control. She’s my wife in name only. On paper. But fuck me if being around her doesn’t stir something inside me. I told her I’m an unfeeling monster, and ninety-nine percent of the time, that’s true. Turns out, she’s the one percent exception.

I felt it watching her dance on stage. And I definitely felt it when she cried in my arms as I dragged her onto the plane. I did what I had to, but seeing her miserable stirs something I’m not willing to explore.

The jet comes to a stop, and a few minutes later, the door opens. One of my soldiers, Emil Merinov, bounds up the stairs, a grin stretching his face. “Welcome home, pakhan.” He claps me on the back, his eyes flicking to the sleeping woman across from me. His head tilts with curiosity. “You brought a friend with you.”

I grit my teeth. Turns out I don’t like others looking at Sofiya when she’s sleeping and vulnerable. But Emil doesn’t know who Sofiya is to me, so I’ll give him a pass. Along with the rest of my crew, he’ll find out soon.

“You could say that.”

He raises an eyebrow but doesn’t press further. Emil and I have a long history. Along with Eva, one of my top lieutenants, we grew up in the same crappy apartment complex. Now, they’re both trusted members of my bratva.

Guarding Sofiya will be his first major responsibility. He won’t see it that way. He’ll see it as babysitting duty, but that’s too fucking bad. In my organization, the only way up is to earn it.

I don’t bother waking Sofiya. I scoop her into my arms. The blanket she had over her falls, but I keep on going. She’s soft and warm pressed against me, her head falling against my shoulder like it belongs there.

And it does. We fit together perfectly. The memory of fucking her will haunt me for the rest of my days. The way her body trembled against mine, the feel of her nails biting into my scalp, the way she clenched around my cock, milking the hardest orgasm of my life from me.

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