Page 25 of Twisted Vows

The air smells faintly of the sea, and I move to the window, pulling the drapes aside just enough to catch a glimpse of the ocean.

A dozen bratoks are on duty, along with Anton and Nikolai. Alexey suggested six more, but I feel confident that my men will keep us alive long enough to consummate the union.

That is…if Ari agrees.

Loosening my tie with a swift motion, I allow the fabric to slip through my fingers as the waves crash against the shore in the distance. I have no plans to force the issue but understand that sealing the alliance is necessary.

I let out a slow breath and accept that my usual detachment is absent. Control is everything. It’s what’s kept me alive, kept me at the top. But there’s a flicker of something else here tonight—something I’m reluctant to name.

The door creaks open behind me, and I turn to see my wife. She steps into the room, her movements slow, deliberate, as if testing the waters. “No peignoir for the wedding night?”

“That’s not a look I could pull off with a straight face.” She runs her hand over the soft fabric of her cashmere lounge set and looks around. “You promised me cake.”

I hook my finger over my shoulder. “A feast was delivered ten minutes ago.” A genuine smile lights up her face. A first. And something I would like to see again.

“Maybe this union won’t be a total disaster after all.” She brushes past me, lifting silver domes off the plates. “What are you going to eat?”

“One of those cheeseburgers.” The pitying look she gives me lifts the pressure in my chest. “Unless you plan on eating both.”

“I might.” She slides out a chair and plops down with a happy sigh. “I wasn’t sure I’d be alive to enjoy this.”

I take my seat and release the two top buttons on my shirt. “Not one drop of blood was spilled.”

“That we know about,” she retorts before taking a healthy bite of her burger. “For all we know, the cleaners took care of the mess before we could see it.”

After rolling up the cuffs on my shirt, I pick up my burger and take a bite, knowing that Anton would’ve let me know if something happened.

After I’ve eaten half, I notice Ari’s plate is clean. “So, you’re not one of those women who starves themselves.”

“Do my hips suggest I ignore my desires?”

“No.” I wipe my mouth and remember the many nights I’ve woken up in a sweat after Ari starred in my dreams. I push the plate of fries toward her and drain the water from my glass. “You handled the evening well.”

“You sound surprised.” She meets my gaze with a challenge, and I’m reminded that she’s not like the others—pliable, eager to please. She’s exactly what I want…a force of nature.

I tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear. The movement is slow, deliberate, as if I’m assessing the boundaries between us. “That was a compliment, Ari.”

Her body tenses, but she doesn’t pull away. Instead, she lifts her chin slightly, meeting my gaze. Something vulnerable lies beneath, but she masks it with the same fire that drew me to her initially.

“Why are you saying nice things?” She wrinkles her nose. “It doesn’t make sense.”

“Believe it or not, I have no interest in sparring with you for the next fifty years.”

“Then the lobotomy is already scheduled?”

Smirking, I twine our fingers together. “You are the first thing I’ve ever wanted.”

The statement lands heavily between us, an unexpected truth.

I didn’t plan to admit it and expect her to recoil.

But she doesn’t, and the silence stretches, thick with unspoken tension. I can feel her trying to figure me out, trying to see if there’s more to my words than what I’ve let on.

Shifting closer, I let my hand move to the back of her neck, my thumb brushing the delicate skin just below her hairline. The gesture is possessive but also—softer, more protective.

“Why did you book this suite?” She swallows, her throat moving under my touch. “My cousin got rid of the bloody sheet tradition. If we stayed at the estate, proof wouldn’t have been necessary.”

“This marriage is a lot of things.” I lean forward. “But most importantly, it’s not anyone else’s business.”

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