Page 107 of Sovereign

He reaches for my hand across the table and gives it a squeeze. “No. It wasn’t your fault. Where everything went to hell was when I was sent away. I knew that no matter the protection my brothers would give you, our enemies wouldn’t hesitate to initiate an attack like they would if I were there.”

Ahhh. I nod in relief. “I understand. Good God, what a complicated mess, isn’t it?”

Mikhail reaches for one of the cookies he bought and breaks it in two, handing half to me.

I take a bite. “Mm.” I sigh, relieved that I’ve gotten that off my chest, when he leans across the table.

“We have more to talk about, though, don’t we?”

I swallow and nod. “We absolutely do.”

His phone buzzes with a text. “Everyone is ready for discharge. We will not be going home, though, after all.”

I give him a curious look. I’m exhausted and ready to discuss everything else I’ve been holding onto.

We need to.

“Where are we going?” I can’t imagine a single place that’s safer than his own home nestled right in the heart of The Cove.

His eyes shine as he stands and reaches for my hand. “I’m taking you to Russia.”

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR

Mikhail

Aboard the plane,I make sure my bride is comfortable before I look in on everyone else. Our private planes allow us to travel in luxury. The plush furniture converts from chairs to roomy beds, each nestled in the confines of private suites. The bathrooms are well equipped and climate controlled, and we have a well-trained and attentive crew with us.

Aria lies in bed in our private suite, but she isn’t asleep. She watches me attentively, her eyes never leaving me.

I’d arranged every detail of business before we traveled. My staff will take time off except the few that will come with me to Russia. The press release was pretty innocuous: Upon my release from jail, my mother's home was under attack by a nameless assailant. Nameless assailant spent time in the ICU before he passed away.

The others have similar histories and fates.

Volkov’s been arrested on charges of human trafficking. While my charges were fabricated, his were absolutely true. The pace of what’s happening makes my head spin, and I can hazard a guess Aria’s no different.

I finally strip down to my boxers and join her in bed. It will take us about ten hours to fly to Moscow which gives us time to sleep.

But first, we have to talk.

When I join her in bed, she does this thing that I love. She snuggles up closer to me, nuzzles under my arm, buries her head on my chest, then crooks her knee up so her whole body is flush against mine. “It was a waste buying that body pillow, you know,” she says. “You’re my body pillow.”

I run my hand through her hair, and she sighs.

“I want all of this behind us, Aria. This whole ordeal.”

“Me, too,” she whispers. “Which is why you need to know that I looked at your texts and I know that Tatiana sent me to you.”

I nod. “I told her I needed a wife. She told me she was on it.”

Aria swallows. “How much did you pay her?”

“Does it matter?”

She pauses before she finally nods. “It does, Mikhail.”

“I paid her two point five million.”

Her jaw drops. “Two point five million? I’m not worth that much. Are you crazy?”

---