Page 61 of Possessive Vows

Camilla points between two different sets and says a few words. The woman nods vigorously and disappears through a door at the back of the store and returns a few minutes later.

With her brows furrowed, my wife inspects the new items before turning and offering them up to me.

Mostly black with minimal silver accents, the child-sized watch is a miniature version of something I would wear. A small knife, complete with holster, and the shoelace tags are a sleek black while the necklace is a simple silver chain.

“Yes. We’ll take this set today, but I also want to put in a custom order before we leave,” Camilla says.

I shouldn’t find watching her shop erotic, but her decisiveness as she pampers my children makes my balls throb with need.

After a brief discussion, the saleswoman shows Camilla to the tables on the other side of the room.Moyaso´lnyshkatakes her time choosing Zoya’s gifts. She adds a few extra hair bows and a small stuffed rabbit with no prompting.

We pay for our purchases, wait for the saleslady to wrap our items, and step out into the afternoon sun. Camilla leans on me to hide her uneven strides, but her features tighten in pain.

It has been a long day, both emotionally and physically. Maybe a lesson in self-defense is too much.

I open my mouth to suggest we reschedule, but Camilla rises onto her toes and presses a chaste kiss to my chin.

“Yes, I’m tired. No, I’m not skipping my lesson with Loretta.” It’s eerie how well she reads my mind. “Self-defense is about more than physical strength. She told me earlier we’d mostly talk during this session, so don’t try to stop me. I need this, Dimitri,” she says.

I lean into the car, trusting my men to have my back from dangers on the street as I pin her in place with a stare.

“I will protect you even from yourself if you make me. Do not push yourself too far,so´lnyshka. Da?” I murmur.

Her lashes widen. She swallows. Her nostrils flare and hunger sparks in her dark brown eyes as she flicks a glance over my shoulders.

“Da. Capisci. I understand,” she stutters.

She’s too gorgeous when she’s flustered. I steal a quick kiss before shutting her door and wedging my body into the driver’s seat.

No matter what happens, I will protect, support, and nurture my new wife, Camilla Volkov. Watching her grow stronger is now my favorite addiction. I never want to leave her side.

Impatience pulses through me. Feliks has been too free for too long.

I’ll enact her revenge and make him wish he were never born.

As soon as I catch themudak.

I trust my men to find him and believe Camilla’s brother is doing everything he can to catch Feliks, but it’s taking too long, so the moment I pass Camilla off to Loretta in Giorgio’s private home gym, I step away for a few minutes to hail the mafia don.

We can’t tiptoe around each other any longer. With my children arriving in New York City soon and my wife’s resilience maxed out, capturing my exiled brother is more important than ever.

Feliks Volkov must die a slow and painful death.

Now.

Chapter 15

Camilla Volkov

The scent of cleaner and sweatmingle in the brightly lit room. With two blue mats laid out side by side on one end, equipment on the other, and floor-to-ceiling mirrors on three walls, the space is nicer than most hotel gyms.

Loretta takes one glance at my attire and motions me over to the equipment. She plops down on the multi-functional machine’s seat and gestures for me to sit on the weight bench.

“You look tired, but you also seem… lighter,” she says.

I use the vertical support to lower myself onto the bench, not bothering to hide my wince, and shrug.

“The last few days have been pure chaos, but it’s for the better,” I respond.