Page 26 of His Forced Bride
The knot in the pit of my stomach tightens as I think of being forced to greet mourners and put my father's body in the ground.
"And we need to think of the staff."
Alina nods at me, but her expression is tight.
She knows I'm putting on my war paint, and there's nothing she can say to make me change my mind.
I will go to dinner with Yuri Gravitch and I will fight to disentangle my world from his, one way or another.
And if it doesn't work, I will call my mother for support.
If I don't, I will end up calling him my husband, and that's a future I don't think I can survive.
6
YURI
The private dining room at Beluga is bathed in light from crystal chandeliers, the walls lined with imported leather and polished mahogany.
The restaurant caters to men who value discretion above all else—no recording devices, no curious staff, no windows that might allow surveillance.
Perfect for conversations that could start wars or end lives.
I sit at the head of the long table while my most trusted men occupy the chairs on either side.
Oleg is to my right, his massive frame making the expensive furniture look delicate.
Alexei is across from him, thick fingers wrapped around a glass of Georgian wine.
Kirill is at the far end, his wiry build coiled with nervous energy.
These are the men who have bled with me, killed for me, built this empire one carefully calculated move at a time.
Tonight, they question my judgment.
"Marriage to the Mirov girl makes us look desperate." Alexei's resistance to my plans is bold.
I know he is only looking out for the family, but he's walking a line.
"We should let her company collapse and pick up the profitable pieces."
"The alliance was with Dominic, not her." Oleg leans forward, his scarred hands flat against the table.
"His death voids any obligation we had. We'll find new ways to launder our currency."
I cut into the venison on my plate, letting them voice their concerns before I respond.
These men have earned the right to speak freely, but their doubts reveal how little they understand about power and perception.
"The alliance was between our families," I say without looking up from my food.
"The contracts specify heirs, not individuals."
I'm not going to put the entire operation into upheaval when we have a perfectly viable option.
Inessa will be my wife and her operations will become mine.
It's the simplest thing to do.
