Page 20 of King’s Promise

“It’s fine,” he concedes as he dips a fry into the sauce. I watch as he chews and swallows. “It’s good.”

Why am I working so hard to please him? He’s said nothing of the kisses in his office, my back is a bit sore from getting crushed against the bookcase but I kinda like the reminder.

Secretly, I long to feel him again. He left me so horny I didn’t know what to do. However, I managed to get myself off with my vibrator alone in be, and as I orgasmed, it was his face in my mind.

7

Nikolay

As much as I wanted to fuck her, I didn’t want Anya’s first time to be up against the library doors and my better judgement won out. I must be going soft because it never mattered before. She drives me crazy, at times trying to please me, and others, testing the limits of my patience.

The wedding is being planned and Anya asked for her sister to join her when shopping for her wedding dress. With Alex taking them, I don’t care, as long as she’s safe. The stores are filled with men waiting on wives and girlfriends. They may as well be sitting on death row, time wasted and boring as fuck. Today, she has classes, and I suspect she’ll work on details of our small wedding.

I need to shop for a ring befitting a young bride. Anya is not only stunning, but her vibrant blue eyes are also the last thing I see before I fall a sleep at night. I can’t deny her status within the Bratva, she will be the one to bear my children even if I’m not ready for it. Thankfully, she probably wants to finish school first.

I visit a famous jewelry store and find a sapphire surrounded by diamonds set in white gold.

“She’ll love it.” I hand it back to the salesman.

Pavel chuckles, “Sure, just a young schoolgirl. How many pounds are you spending?”

I’m convinced the ring will impress her. She has her nose in all those glamour magazines for a reason. My little bird is fascinated by glamorous lifestyles and fashion. She has exquisite taste in the few expensive items she owns, and I have no doubt she’d love to emulate women who set the bar on fashion trends. I can’t wait to take her on a honeymoon and show her the best restaurants the world has to offer.

I smile as the clerk puts the light blue box in the monogrammed bag.

“Statements are important, I don’t have to tell you. Remembering her dressed in her short business suit as she headed to classes made my cock raise like a flag in the morning. I’m tapping that before the wedding.”

Pavel lets out a low whistle and chides me. “I’m surprised it’s taken you this long.” He’s the only one who can tease me like this. The ride home is an opportunity to work, so Pavel drives and I use the back seat as a portable office. Fires to put out, meetings to arrange, it’s endless.

I’m elated to see Alex’s SUV parked in the driveway when I arrive. I’m looking forward to seeing Anya and dinner is a neutral ground in which we can converse without every sentence igniting her rebellion.

I had a long day going through information with Konstantin and Pavel. My brain is fried, overwhelmed by the numerous rackets Igor had set up and he even participated in with other smaller criminal organizations. Pavel researched Anya’s father and it appears the oil company executives may have made remarks which were not favorable to Russia’s leadership. Similarly, others from the oil giant have been found murdered while vacationing. One fell overboard while in the Mediterranean on a yacht. Another jumped off a high rise in France. Of course, they were all ruled as suicides.

This is why my father never got involved with large organizations where anyone can shoot their mouth off and think there will be no repercussions, so I wonder how this debacle took his life. Dad liked to be in control of his own destination and always shielded his identity from the lower rungs of the Bratva. His old school way of doing things gave us decades of protection without losing top leaders. Unlike Italian mobsters in the States, where everyone has dirt on someone, we’ve compartmentalized so our lowest ranking soldiers can’t give us up to avoid prison time. Russians are tough, prison means another tattoo and is worn with honor. Most bravely fall on their sword to protect the Bratva,

I pull the ring box out of the bag and place it on my dresser before I shower and change into casual clothing for dinner. I’ve decided to lighten up on the formal dining as we’ll be entertaining more after we’re married a year, and Anya has enough on her plate with wedding preparations. I shouldn’t care, but she’s more relaxed and talkative when she’s not forced to do my bidding. This is a small compromise with no consequences. I tug my fitted jeans on, pull a polo over my head, and spritz cologne before I step into leather loafers. I can’t deny I look forward to dinnertime.

Anya is already there and talking to Hazel when I arrive. I didn’t expect her to be here so early.

“How was your day?” I ask as Anya sits. I slide her chair in before I pour from the bottle of expensive red wine sitting on the table. I take note of the fact she has discovered the wine cellar.

“Great, classes went well and Mum and Katerynia are working on the wedding. I’m going along with this marriage to protect my family. I want my sister to marry for love. So, don’t get the impression I’m doing any of this for you.”

“Agreed, I never wanted to marry someone young and inexperienced, so we’re on the same page.” I agree. It’s easier to placate her and end the argument.

“We’re having French food tonight,” she announces as she places her napkin in her lap.

The flowers on the table have been replaced with fresh Gerbera daisies. Clearly, Anya likes making decisions.

I use my knife to push aside the fresh green beans and cut into my perfectly cooked steak. I take a credit card out of my pocket and slide it to her. “For anything you need. Enjoy shopping. We’ll change the name on it after the wedding.”

She nods and slides the card to the other side of her plate. I’m sure she knows there’s no limit to the amount she can spend judging by the company name it bears, and the fact it’s a black card.

“This weekend is reserved to getting you fitted properly,” I add.

“It will be cutting it close. Mum is sending out the invitations to your requested dinner. It’s in the afternoon, followed by an outdoor seated dinner under tents. There will be lights for dancing so a wood dance floor will be laid over the grass.”

“No, it will kill the grass. Do you know how much that costs? Replacing grass is a bitch,” I grumble before taking another bite of steak.

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