Total pages in book: 97
Estimated words: 92133 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92133 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“Thank you for putting on the red dress,” I said.
I had to wonder if she would fight me or give in. Teasing my fingers against her knee, I slid them between her thighs, or tried to, but she pressed them together tightly. That was fine. I stroked along her thigh, teasing the fabric of the dress where it lay. It looked to me like she had stopped breathing.
“What was wrong with the blue?”
“I didn’t like it, Adelaide. You want to do things that please me, don’t you?”
She didn’t respond.
“What’s the matter, Adelaide? Don’t you want to talk to me?” I asked.
“I … I don’t want to be … your penthouse, it’s too much.”
“You can change any part of the penthouse you want.”
She shook her head. “That’s not what I meant.”
“Then tell me what you mean?”
Adelaide opened her mouth, closed it, opened it again. She had such lovely plump lips that would look so good wrapped around my dick. She was a virgin. Ivan made that perfectly clear. I don’t know how he got those details out of her, but he’d been more than happy to let me know.
Stroking her thigh, I wonder if she would like fucking. I could teach her. I had the patience, especially when I’d be the one to reap the rewards. Having boring sex seemed dull. We’re going to be married for a long time, unless it turns out she’s got a mean streak we don’t know about, or she’s not loyal. Ivan makes sure everyone is loyal before they’re marked.
“We’re here, sir,” Leo said.
Fuck.
The moment was wasted, and I couldn’t keep Ivan waiting too long.
The valet knows not to go for my doors. The last man that tried it ended up with a broken wrist. I don’t allow anyone to touch my car. Leo’s already out of the car and opening my door.
I climb out, run my hands down my jacket, not a wrinkle in sight, then round the car to my wife. The title is still foreign to me. I’d vowed never to take a wife, but what Ivan decreed, I followed. Holding the door handle, I pull it open. Offering her my other hand, I wait.
Adelaide nibbles on her lip, hesitant to take my hand, but before a scene could be caused, her hand slides right into mine, exactly where it’s meant to be. I help her out of the car, place my hand at her waist, and head inside.
Ivan’s already at the table waiting. The maître d’ leads us to the center of the room, where I’m surprised to see Slavik and his wife Aurora at the table. This isn’t my first visit with Slavik, nor will it be our last.
I shook hands with Ivan and then Slavik, before taking Aurora’s hand and giving it a kiss just to piss him off, in greeting. While I’m doing that, Ivan’s already moving Adelaide close to him. Aurora’s on one side, my wife on the other. He’s done it on purpose, the asshole, but I can’t say anything at risk of causing a scene.
“Now isn’t this nice?” Ivan said. “Two beautiful ladies here to eat dinner with.”
“I didn’t know this would be a family affair,” I said, looking at Slavik. He takes a swig of water.
Slavik and I don’t trust each other. We never have, but that’s our personalities. Surviving in this world is knowing you don’t have anyone at your back. I didn’t even trust Leo. People were fickle and could be easily swayed. The only person I did trust was the one person I swore my loyalty to—Ivan.
He’d given me the greatest gift of all. The ability to wipe out every single person in my family line, from my father, all my brothers, their wives, and beyond. The only living male heir with the Belov name is me.
“Surprises are all well and good,” Ivan said. “These two lovely ladies need to know each other. They got along so well at the wedding.”
I watch Adelaide, who offered Aurora a smile.
“Weddings do bring people together,” Slavik said.
Adelaide and Aurora might become friends, but not yet, and not now. I’m not sure of my wife’s loyalty to Volkov. She’s an outsider. She doesn’t know how the Bratva work, and until she has complete and total loyalty to me and Ivan, there will be no reaching out to others, not even Aurora.
Slavik has his own area to protect, and his place is not near mine.
I pick up the menu and chance a glance through it to see if there’s anything I want to eat. I’m a steak man, have been for a long time. All those years of diving in dumpsters, I vowed that one day I’d never do that again. Good food was a necessity.
Adelaide reached for the menu, but Ivan took it from her. “I know this restaurant, sweetheart. Let me order for you.”