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And just like that, understanding dawns in Sergey’s eyes. “Yes.”
“Why?” I demand, having a hard time processing this new development. All of a sudden, I’m in his debt. And I hate it.
“I wanted you as an ally,” Sergey replies, carefully choosing his words. “I had planned to get in touch with you, but then Yakov came home bloody and full of hate. I knew that I’d missed my chance.”
“Your good deed will pay off now,” I tell him. “Take your son and get out of here.”
Sergey’s eyes fill with hope. “Are you serious?”
“Remember what you promised. You and your family serve me now,” I tell him, and he nods. “Now go before I change my mind.”
Luciano steps forward and helps Sergey carry his paralyzed son out of the basement. Roman and I follow them closely. Before they leave the restaurant, Sergey turns back and meets my eyes. He gives me a barely perceptible nod, but that small gesture holds a vast well of meaning. Despite crippling his son, I’ve earned this man’s respect.
“What now, Nik?” Roman asks, when they’re gone.
“Let’s go home,” I tell him. “It’s finally over.”
Roman’s lips curl up in a slow smile. “That means you have a wedding to plan.”
I roll my eyes and chuckle, knowing that they’re all looking forward to seeing my sister again. “You can wipe that smile off your face. Katya’s too good for you or Ivan.”
“We’ll see about that,” Roman says jovially, as he hands me my clothes. “If you managed to get Katarina Sokolova to fall in love with you, me convincing Katya to stay in New York should be a walk in the park.”
“Dream on, big man.”
I might be teasing and laughing, but I can’t deny I would like to have my sister living close to me. Maybe I should find a way to convince her to move. It’s definitely something to think about. But first, I want to go home to my soon-to-be-wife.
FORTY-SIX
KATARINA
“There’s still time for you to change your mind, you know,” Nikolai tells me when he kisses me awake.
“The wedding’s in six hours,” I reply. “I think that train has left the station.”
“Damn right, it has,” Nikolai replies.
I take his hand and link it with mine. We lie in bed, our bodies naked from making love the night before, and not caring about the time or the world around us. It’s been a month since Nikolai handled the Gargarins, but it took my father until last night to officially welcome Nikolai as his future son-in-law. Now our families are closer than ever before. There’re no more threats on the horizon. Just freedom.
“Do you think you’ll get bored?” I wonder, letting my fingers trail up and down Nikolai’s chest.
“Without enemies to chase and outsmart? Without finding a way to kill our rivals and keep ourselves alive?” Nikolai asks and looks at me. He places his hand on my cheek and cups it. He strokes my lower lip with his thumb, sending tiny tingles all over my body.
“Will you?” I push.
He snorts and smirks. “With you by my side, I’ll never be bored. You and the family we’re building will be enough for a lifetime.”
“So confident.”
“Told you, it’s my charm,” he replies, his voice low and growly. “Besides, we’ll also be blessed with sexy times.”
I roll my eyes and let out a soft chuckle. Leave it to Nikolai to remind me of something so obvious. And in case his meaning isn’t clear enough, he slips his hand underneath the sheets and captures one of my breasts. My skin tingles with excitement, my nipples turning erect as he begins to tease them.
I moan, prompting him to lean closer.
“I like it when you beg, moye serdtse. No matter how silently.” He lets his finger slowly descend lower and lower, leaving no part of my flesh untouched. It feels as if I’m falling, though his hand doesn’t leave my body. If anything, it moves closer and closer to where I’m aching for it the most. “You might be the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
His gaze is piercing, trapping me in its fiery gray core. I’ll never completely get used to him complimenting me like this. It feels like a never-ending dream. I can’t get enough of being in this sweet bubble.
