Page 65 of Tarnished Queen

“It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not,” he says. “If I’d known, I would have warned you. I’m sorry.”

Belle shrugs. “It’s not like Elise was with me. That would have been worse.”

With that, she brushes past him. I fall in step, take her hand in mine, and together, we walk away from the flaming ruins of her past.

* * *

“I wasn’t sure you were going to show,” Yuri comments when I walk into my office.

He’s sitting in the leather chair across from my desk. The same one Belle fell asleep in last night.

She was talking to me, being honest, being vulnerable… then her voice stopped. When I looked up, she was asleep with her cheek resting on the arm of the chair. Her auburn hair fell around her shoulders and her hands were tucked under her chin. She looked perfectly at peace. I was content to watch her breathe for a long time.

When I finally picked her up and carried her back to bed, I paused outside my own bedroom door. For a second, I considered putting her in my bed. I thought about waking up to the sight of her wrapped in my sheets.

But then I thought better of it.

Belle is taking up enough of my brain space as it is. I don’t need her invading my unconscious hours as well.

“I always show,” I growl back at my new right-hand man.

“That’s my point. You usually aren’t late, either.”

“And my seconds aren’t usually so mouthy.”

He lowers his head, sufficiently cowed for a moment. But then he smirks. “Arslan probably just rolled over in his grave hearing you say that.”

“Arslan is the reason I said ‘usually.’ You are stepping into his role for now. But you aren’t him.”

He bows his head fully this time. He was trying to connect with me, but that was his mistake.

“I like you, Yuri,” I say, folding my hands on my desk. “You’ve always been loyal to the Bratva and dedicated to your work. You follow orders and ask the important kind of questions. The kinds that save lives and firm up plans. You’re a vital asset.”

“But…?” he asks, seeing where I’m headed.

I nod. “But I’m not interested in a new friend. I need you to serve me well and do your job. I need you to trust what I tell you and not push back when it’s unhelpful. Can you do that?”

“I can do that, Don Zhukova,” he says.

“Great.” I knock three times on the surface of my desk and call to the door, “You can come in.”

Yuri frowns, confused. But then the door behind him opens. He spins around just as Christo comes into the room.

I knew the first meeting would be tense, but I’m still surprised by the speed with which Yuri jumps out of his chair and turns to face Christo. He reaches for his gun before he remembers he doesn’t have it.

“And that is why you were required to leave your weapons at the security shack,” I say. “Stand down, Yuri.”

Yuri retreats back half a step, but keeps his body ready. Christo isn’t convinced the danger has passed. His shoulders are high and tense. He watches Yuri with wide eyes as he skirts around the edge of the room towards my desk.

“What the hell is that Greek motherfucker doing here?” Yuri growls.

“I invited him.”

He turns on me almost as quickly as he turned on Christo. “What is this, Nikolai? Is this your way of telling me you’re in bed with the Greeks? Because I don’t want a part of it. Kill me if you have to, but I’ll never turn on the Bratva.”

“Christo would have to be a lot prettier before I’d be tempted to crawl into his bed,” I drawl. “No offense.”

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