Page 34 of King’s Promise

“I’m thinking it’s someone close to us. Who else would know Igor’s guard, where he lives, and the fact that he must have called in that day so Igor would be vulnerable?” I run my left hand over my chin in thought before I sip the warm liquid.

The sky turns cloudy; the weather will be warming up soon. I’m thinking about Anya and fucking her on the bow of my yacht. My cock swells under my fitted jeans just daydreaming of it..

We walk inside the salon to see Anya sipping champagne as she chats with the hairdresser. One would never know this is not a part of her normal routine. She talks and moves her hands, growing more confident as she and the stylist connect.

I’m jealous and tell myself her stylist is gay. What the fuck am I jealous over?

The truth is I’m not into sharing. Even though I’m here, there are other men around, and her ring sits on my dresser. I bought a matching band for myself. Anya has a modest expense account. One I’ll dump money into, as the wife of the heir apparent, she needs to be able to live a certain lifestyle and it requires money to move in the social circles we need to be a part of.

It's late in the afternoon before we return to the house. Anya disappears upstairs with her loot. Pavel and I head to my large office and close the door.

My mind is preoccupied with thoughts of Anya in the dressing room. Her body under me makes my cock regret not taking her there. I’m horny and I want what is mine.

I text Anya to wear a particular dress with heels for dinner tonight. I send another text, telling her not to wear panties. That should give her a clue to the evening I have planned.

12

Anya

Katerynia calls while I’m in the salon.

“Are you okay? I didn’t tell Mum; I was worried she’d be upset.” She’s talking softly so I assume Mum is within earshot.

“Everything is fine. Nikolay will handle it,” I reply confidently.

“So, what happened?”

“It appears one of my school friends put something in my drink at the bar. It made me tired and gave me a wicked headache.”

“How did Nikolay know?”

“He happens to own the club, and the staff tipped him off when I showed up without him. He got there in time to save me from who knows what…”

“I hope he’s not angry with me. You should’ve seen the look on his face. If I was a puppy, I would have peed on the rug.”

“Really? I was so out of it.” A snicker bubbles in my throat at her graphic description and it takes all my willpower to not burst out in a hearty laugh.

“Oh, yeah. That girl better leave the country if she knows what’s good for her,” Kat replies. “You should have seen the look on Nikolay’s face!”

“Don’t tell anyone, Katerynia. Swear to me you won’t say a word. We don’t know where our enemies are,” I plead.

“Fine, I won’t say a word,” she promises.

I hope she can keep a secret. I have no other choice but to trust her.

“I have to go; I’m getting my hair done by a top person. I was afraid to ask if you could come. I’m not in a position to ask for favors after last night. Nikolay is reluctant to let me out of his sight.”

“I wish I was with you when you picked out your dress.”

“That’s a secret too, the guests have been invited to a black-tie event, but they don’t know it’s a wedding, so say nothing,” I remind her.

“No one is here but Sergei. I really don’t think he’s capable of anything more than killing a fly. He spends more time looking at himself in the mirror than he does anything else.”

“Hush! Don’t speak of it again,” I snap, getting upset at how flippant she’s become so soon after Papa’s death and after an attempt has been made on my life. Did she forget how scared we were? Doesn’t she know phones are bugged? Hell, I thought someone was stalking me last week.

Being drugged wasn’t fun. I never asked Nikolay if he sat by the bed all night. I didn’t need to, his wrinkled clothes confirmed he never left my side.

“I have to go.” I say, ‘I love you,’ and hang up, returning to my day of pampering as my hair sits in foils for highlights. After two hours of a massaging wash, rise, and toner, my hair is brilliant. The dead ends are gone, and I agree with Nikolay’s assumption. The day at the salon was long overdue.

---