Total pages in book: 187
Estimated words: 177397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 887(@200wpm)___ 710(@250wpm)___ 591(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 177397 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 887(@200wpm)___ 710(@250wpm)___ 591(@300wpm)
As my mother’s hand shoots out for my arm, Nikita steps in front of me and thrusts out her hand in offering, dislodging my mother’s deathly grip before it can clamp on. “Mrs. Galdean, it is a pleasure to finally meet you in person.”
The crowd’s huff is as loud as mine when my mother barges her out of the way. She just made a costly mistake. One Maksim will not take sitting down. He’s at Nikita’s side in an instant, and despite Nikita’s numerous assurances that she’s fine, he looks set to kill my mother where she stands.
I should feel panicked.
I don’t.
It is impossible to love someone who has never loved you. That’s why I struggle to understand Andrik’s suddenly cold demeanor. If he was honest about needing to stay discreet for Zakhar’s sake, I would have given discretion a whirl.
After a final silent plea for leniency, Nikita introduces Maksim to my mother. She emphasizes her parental title, hopeful it will calm Maksim enough for him to see sense through the madness.
“She has been out of contact with her daughter for some time, so in her eagerness for them to reacquaint, she accidentally bumped into me.” Nikita twists back around to face my mother. “Isn’t that correct, Dina?”
My mother is as smart as she is beautiful. “Yes. I’m so sorry, dear. I didn’t realize how close you were standing to my darling offspring. It will not happen again.”
Maksim doesn’t believe her, but since he would rather appease his wife than pry the truth from a woman unworthy of his time, he mutters, “Ensure it doesn’t.” His glare speaks the words he can’t say since he promised no more carnage only weeks ago. Or the next bullet I release will be earmarked for your head.
Confident his message was read loud and clear, Maksim finalizes our guide into the rehearsal dinner. Yes, our walk. He didn’t lie when he said I am forever in his debt. He looks out for me as much as he does Nikita.
I’d love it if it didn’t announce things are well and truly over for Andrik and me. Maksim’s inclusion in Nikita’s life came with hundreds of men who see any woman with a pulse as fair game—excluding Nikita. They’re horny not stupid—yet Andrik’s lack of contact makes it seem as if I haven’t been propositioned a hundred times in the last week alone.
I haven’t used my dirtbox since the flight to the Trudny Peninsula District, meaning every “Hey, baby, wanna fuck?” and its hundreds of synonyms have been recorded by the state-of-the-art surveillance system Maksim has watching Nikita’s every move.
The evidence is there for a war of jealousy. It is the judge, juror, and executioner who are missing.
I’m drawn from my thoughts when Maksim pulls out a chair for me. It is directly next to Nikita and facing the main entrance doors. The kitchen and bar are behind us. He doesn’t care what the table plan says. His security team would have plotted the most viable exit before he arrived, and he will implement their strategies to the wire since it will guarantee Nikita’s safety.
He won’t tell me who is threatening her, just that the threat is viable enough for him to act on it.
“Thank you,” I murmur to the waitress when she fills my glass with wine.
The red goblet of goodness offers the perfect distraction to the swishing of my stomach.
Each glass of wine I enjoy over the next hour soothes my stomach’s swirls and replenishes the confidence I lost when my mother dug her French-tipped nails into my arm.
The reason for the wine selection makes sense when Aleena finally arrives to greet her guests. Its glossy appearance matches the fiery coloring of the ensemble that makes her appear far more mature than the twenty-two years she has graced this Earth. Her dress is seductive and alluring—a look she can totally pull off. She is gorgeous and naughty at the same time, the perfect combination of sexy and cute.
It is a custom for the bride to show up late to the festivities of her wedding, but Aleena’s numerous apologies about her fiancé’s tardiness as she does the rounds reveal they’ve mixed things up this time.
“He won’t be too much longer. He had some family business to take care of.”
Her dress swishes against her slim thighs as she moves from guest to guest.
“Oh… I’m as eager as you for him to show up, Mrs. Florence. I promise the delay will be worth it when you see how dashing he looks in his tuxedo.”
She laughs off one guest’s comment on her glowing state. “I’ll have you know my dress is white.” She leans in close before whispering, “Off-white is still white, right?”
I’m dying for her to reach our table, but our mother delays that for as long as possible. She pulls Aleena from one side of the room to the next that by the time she makes it to our table, the groom-to-be has finally showed up.