Page 16 of Reign

At one point, a group of four guys tries to dance with the women but they approach Victoria first and bouncers are on them quickly. I guess they didn’t get the memo that flirting with the club owner’s wife is a fast track out of here.

I’m starting to relax again and scan faces in the crowd when my hackles raise.

Max is making his way over to the girls, his gawdy silver shirt catching the lights and making him look like a clown. Ignoring Victoria completely, he makes a beeline for Isabel and walks up behind her, placing a hand on her low back.

Oh, hell no.

Before I can get there, Camila has already intervened by grabbing his hand and removing it from Isabel. I can’t hear what she says but the look on her face saysdo not fuck with me.

Max holds his hands up in mock surrender and turns his back on them to grab for his wife who also looks less than pleased at his touch.

When Victoria leaves the dance floor a few minutes later, Max tries again at dancing with Isabel. She visibly shakes her head no and leans in to say something to Camila before walking off the dance floor.

Where is she going? By herself?

That’s when I see the sign for the restroom hanging overhead. My best guess is that she told Camila to keep him occupied so she could slip away but when I look back at the dance floor, Max is nowhere to be found.

Time to move.

I’ve barely left the table when a firm hand clamps down on my shoulder, halting my progress.

This motherfucker better get ready to die if he thinks he’s going to stand guard while his buddy tries to get his dick wet inside my wife.

I throw both of my hands over top of his securing him in place, preparing to throw my hips back and roll this guy over my shoulder when I hear his voice at my ear. “Let me take care of this guy. I’ve been waiting for a reason to fuck his shit up all night. Seems your woman just granted my wish.” I relax slightly at the fact that he realizes Isabel is mine but then quickly wonderhowhe knows that. I haven’t been anywhere near her all night. Realizing that I’m wasting time, I just nod at the voice behind me.

I let his hand go just as he breezes past with me close behind. I can only see the back of his head, but the guy is stacked. The same height as me with shoulders slightly broader – which is no small feat. The dude is a tank. He pushes through the bathroom door, slamming it against the wall and then I forget all about him as my eyes land on Isabel. She has her pistol out of her purse, pointed right at Max.

Looks like she doesn’t need defending after all.

When will I learn?

It’s only once I realize she’s safe that I look at the other man in the room who closed the bathroom door and threw the lock after I came in behind him.

Now leaning back against the sink with his arms folded across his expansive chest which is covered by a sport coat and black button-down matching my own, he has a dangerous smirk on his face. His light eyes are laser focused on Max with a palpable hatred and all the breath leaves my lungs.

Nikita Orlov.

Max’s voice breaks through my surprise. “M…Mr. Orlov,” he stammers.

For the first time I make eye contact with Isabel whose eyes are wide at the scene unfolding before her.

“Maxim, what did I tell you about keeping your fucking hands clean?” he growls, his Russian accent absolutely undeniable. “You wanted to prove yourself and here I gave you the opportunity to run my club. Even let you put this shithole in your name and let you skim my profits. You could have grown your business portfolio on my dime if only you’d proven to have some business sense.” He leans forward until he’s right in Max’s face. “Raping your guests in the bathroom isn’t showing me that you haveanyfucking sense at all. Especially when her husband has been sitting at a table watching her every move since she arrived. Even more especially when she’s here as a guest of yourwife.”

Max turns acidic eyes from Isabel to Nikita. “We both know mywifeis in love with another man.” As if that excuses his behavior.

Nikita drops his voice to a menacing whisper as if Isabel and I aren’t even the room. “Then perhaps you should try being a man that she’d want to love and stop being such a pathetic excuse for a human.”

I’m busy watching the exchange between Nikita and Max but I take two seconds to look at Isabel who is staring at me with her mouth open. I give her awhat did you expectlook, knowing she’s processing the fact that I’ve been here all night.

Max is seething but it seems that he’s Nikita’s subordinate and therefore has to swallow the words he wants to say to his boss.

Nikita backs up a fraction and puts his hand over the top of the barrel of Isabel’s gun to slowly lower the muzzle toward the floor.

“I appreciate a woman who can defend herself and keep a man in line, but trust me when I say his blood isn’t worth staining your pretty hands,dorogoy.”His Russian term of endearment really brings out his accent even further. Isabel’s eyes narrow and I can tell she isn’t sure if he just insulted her, and whether she should shoot him here and now.

I see Isabel flit her eyes back and forth between me and Nikita and I nod for her to do as he says as I whisper, “It means sweetheart. Do as he says.”

After she lowers her gun, Nikita jerks his head toward me, indicating for her to come here.

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