Page 21 of King’s Promise

She raises her eyebrows. “I’m sure you can afford it with the size of this place. Let’s not forget we have to paint the perfect picture to sell this. And you need me to do that.” She smirks.

Damn. She’s got a point. At times, she has me over the barrel. I need her to pave my way into combining the Bratvas, and even though she can’t lead it, her name has clout. It also brings fear, as her father was a target. Two men have died, and I’m told the underbosses are getting jumpy.

I can’t afford to add more discord. I lean back in my chair and chew the flavorful meat. I never guessed Anya would know international cuisine. She’s full of surprises for someone who lived a sheltered life. I need to stop worrying about the wedding. It will be worth it to provide a happy occasion to life the heavy dread infiltrating our nostrils. It’s what the men need, what we all need. Anya’s been a good diversion to keep my mind off my own father’s untimely demise. I think of him often when I have decisions to make and wonder what he would do in the same situation.

A night off for my top men will get them to relax and let them see another side of me, the one I am when I’m not ordering men around like a tyrant even though it’s good of the business.

I also need to meet with some unsavory men of my own to keep the drugs and weapons flowing in and out. In addition, there are the hotels, sex clubs, and bars we own. Each brings their own challenges. No longer will I be able to split my time between Russia and England, our organization here requires a full-time leader with clout. I’m sure we’ll figure something out in time.

Anya asks me a question about accommodations. I tell her my two brothers and mother will fly in for the affair. Mama will stay with us, and my brothers will remain at another estate we own. We have enough money, we could all live in London, or anywhere for that matter.

“Are we getting an official honeymoon? Or are we having a staycation?”

“I need a break, I thought we’d take my yacht and travel somewhere warm. Would you like that?”

“That would be nice. I have a passport.”

“I thought the French Riviera would be nice.” I take a sip of the wine and let it settle on my pallet.

“Really? That would be great. My classes end soon and won’t resume until fall.”

“Perfect, are you a fan of the water?”

“I haven’t been to a beach in years, but I think I’ll like it.” She demurely sips the lovely red wine the color of her lips. She closes her eyes to enjoy the flavor. It’s as if she’s taunting me to seduce her.

I have a mind to lean over and taste the wine lingering in her mouth, and as I’m leaning forward to make my move, the doorbell rings. Who could be here on a Friday night?

“That must be my sister.” Anya leaps to her feet, wipes her mouth and dashes to the open door. Alex is off for the night so it’s a different guard answering the door. Anya stays in after dinner; this has been her routine as she doesn’t have night classes.

I follow her so I can greet my future sister-in-law.

“Katerynia.” I kiss both her cheeks. “What brings you out tonight?”

“I wanted to see my sister and we have wedding things to go over,” she replies as she clutches magazines with brides on them to her chest.

“Let me take your coat,” I offer.

“Thank you.”

She slides out of a cheaply made discount store jacket. I’m appalled Igor kept his family on a tight budget. It’s so… unoriginal. When his bank accounts are in order, the women in the family will have enough money to meet their needs and then some. Things are tied up now, but I suspect they will be released soon. Money talks louder than words.

“We’re going upstairs,” Anya announces before Katerynia gives me a tiny wave and they race up the steps, giggling the whole way.

It’s times like this I’m reminded how young my fiancée is. The upside is she’s still capable of conforming to lifestyle changes and new rules. I can’t help but curl my lips into a smirk, it will be fun breaking her in.

I retire to my living room on the second floor, poring over my encrypted laptop with contracts I need to read. We have solicitors, but I trust no one.

8

Anya

Dinner offers us a space where a truce exists. I enjoy perusing the fine wines from the cellar and selecting vintages to go with our dinners. I love looking up new things for Hazel to cook. Eating is like traveling the world without the price tag. I’m not used to having someone cook for me, but Hazel is enjoying the new challenges. In our many conversations she told me she went to a school to be a chef and doesn’t mind serving us. The house was previously on low staff, and it sat empty most of the time. It’s obvious we’ll need more people to run the mansion at some point.

Nikolay’s cologne arrives with him and stirs memories of my past. I was young, very young, but I can’t place it. It’s irritating as hell. It doesn’t conjure bad memories, just memories I can’t place.

“Nikolay, how was your day?” I play the dutiful wife. This is the type of home-life I want. A man home for dinner, a home I never imagined, and staff to wait on me. I should pinch myself and make sure it’s not a dream.

“Busy, as usual,” he replies as if we’ve known each other forever. I’ll probably never know what he does when calls come late at night, and he has to rush out. His role as the King is new to both of us. I, however, had no time to prepare for it. He fills our glasses. Hazel brings the food, and our dinner ritual starts. I never dreamed I would love sitting in the same room with him when we met, Sure, he’s easy on the eyes, but his gruff, abrupt retorts have me second guessing myself. The perplexing part of our relationship is, I can’t deny the attraction between us.

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