Page 16 of Bound Vows
“You’re still my captor. I’m still planning to kill you at the first opportunity.” Maya sits up and reaches for her discarded clothes. “Great sex doesn’t erase kidnapping and coercion.”
“Of course not. Though it does add an interesting dimension to our relationship.”
Maya pulls on her sports bra and stands to step into her shorts. “We don’t have a relationship. We have a temporary arrangement that ends with one of us dead.”
“Or maybe you’ll figure out what we could build together is worth more than whatever revenge you’ve got brewing.”
“Don’t count on it.” Maya heads toward the gym door, then pauses with her hand on the handle. “Though I will admit, you’re full of surprises, Volkov.”
“You haven’t seen anything yet, Piccola. Before I’m finished with you, you’ll be begging me never to let you go.”
Maya’s laughter chases behind her as she opens the door. “We’ll see about that.”
But the laughter sounds hollow now, forced. As if she's trying to convince herself as much as me. And deep down, I think we both know that the first battle has already been won.
Chapter 7
Maya
Expensive vodka and territorial smiles make for interesting introductions when you're already having the worst week of your life.
I stand in Andrei’s pristine white living room, eyeing the woman who just appeared with a smile that could freeze vodka. She’s beautiful in that ice-princess way that Russian women seem to perfect—platinum blonde hair swept into a flawless chignon, porcelain skin that’s never seen a blemish, and blue eyes cold enough to give hypothermia.
“Maya Mastroni.” She says my name like she’s tasting something unpleasant. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
“All good things, I hope.” I keep my voice pleasant while I zero in on every detail about this woman. She moves through Andrei’s home with proprietary familiarity, and she touches objects like she owns them as she does. She’s important to Andrei, or rather,Andrei is important to her. I can tell that much by the territorial gleam in her arctic gaze when she looks at me.
“Of course.” Her laughter sounds like breaking glass. “Andrei speaks of you… frequently.”
The pause before “frequently” tells me everything I need to know about what she thinks of those conversations. She’s wearing a charcoal business suit that probably requires a trust fund to afford, but something in her posture screams danger despite the professional outfit.
“How lovely. I’m sure he has nothing but wonderful things to say about his kidnapping victim-turned reluctant bride.”
The woman’s smile falters for just a moment before it snaps back into place. “Kidnapping is such an ugly word. I prefer to think of it as… expedited courtship.”
“Expedited courtship.” I roll the phrase around on my tongue before spitting out. “That’s one way to describe drugging someone at a charity gala.”
“Andrei has always been decisive when he sees something he wants.” She moves to the bar cart and pours herself what looks like premium vodka without bothering to offer me anything. “It’s one of his most admirable qualities.”
There’s hero worship wrapped in the way she says “admirable”, along with something deeper and more possessive. And that’s when it hits me. This woman doesn’t just respect Andrei; she’s in love with him.
“And you are?” I ask, though I already suspect the answer.
“Katarina Sokolov. Elena’s younger sister.” She takes a delicate sip of vodka as she watches me over the rim of her crystal tumbler. “Which makes me family, in a way.”
“Elena?”
“Andrei’s wife. Well, his late wife.” Katarina’s voice takes on a softer quality, though whether from genuine grief or practiced performance, I can’t tell. “She died several years ago.”
Andrei’s dead wife. Well, this is news to me.
“I’m sorry for your loss,” I offer, because even in my current situation, basic human decency applies.
“Thank you. Elena was… special. Irreplaceable, really.” Katarina sets down her glass and picks up a leather portfolio from the coffee table. “But life continues, doesn’t it? And Andrei has responsibilities that require attention.”
“Such as?”
“Such as you, apparently.” Katarina opens the portfolio and spreads several documents across the table between us. “Wedding arrangements, primarily. Andrei has asked me to brief you on your new role in the organization.”
