Page 22 of The Pakhan’s Heir

I can feel his eyes on me, reading my face. “That all he said?”

“Pretty much,” I tell him. “You have to admit, what I just did was pretty stupid.”

He sighs and leans back into his chair. He picks up his nearly empty glass of wine and swirls it around. “Yeah, well… At least you fought back. I wasn’t expecting you to, if I’m being honest.”

I look at him incredulously. “You really have a low opinion of me, don’t you?”

He finishes the wine in his glass. “It’s about as high of an opinion as you have of me.”

No lie there. Our disgust with one another is the one thing uniting us in this sham marriage.

“Let’s just get through this night without any more outbursts. Okay?”

“Deal.”

8

ALEX

Finally. The reception is over and we’re on our way home.

We’re about five minutes away from the house and we’ve been riding in virtual silence the whole way. Finally, the last piece of this day is about to fall into place and tomorrow morning, I can get back to my own life.

Her things were all transferred from her father’s house to mine. Yeva, with the help of a couple of her friends, gathered all her things and brought them to my brownstone early this morning. I’d asked her to do me the extra favor of finding a place for them, but I’m sure she ignored me. It’s just as well. Nona will probably want to do that herself.

And I have plenty of room for her clothing and such. At the beginning of this whole thing, I had been debating giving her a separate room. I’ve since been convinced otherwise. Any sign that we’re sleeping apart won’t bode well for the brotherhood, so we’ll just have to share a room.

Which brings another problem that I hope she’s ready for. The consummation of our marriage.

I glance over at her from my side of the backseat. At least she’s beautiful. Really fucking beautiful, if I’m honest. She’s wearing her hair up in a dozen or so curls, showing her graceful neck and delicate collarbone and shoulders. Her heart-shaped lips look juicy and ripe in that deep red color. So much so that I was a little pissed that the kiss at the altar only lasted a half-second. And her dress. That white silk dress she’s wearing makes her peach-shaped ass stand out.

Maybe that’s why I grabbed it. I’ve chalked it up to having had a little too much to drink. I guess I forgot my manners for a minute. As much as I chastised her for lashing out at me, she was in the right. I’m a little surprised that she didn’t smack me across the face for good measure.

Not sure how tonight will go. She’s got quite a bit of naivete about her that makes me wonder if she’s even had a sexual experience at all. Dear God, I hope I’m not her first. There aren’t too many worse ways somebody could lose her virginity than through a fake marriage.

Then again, I’ve heard some horror stories from some of my brothers involving prostitutes, various toys, and other out-of-place implements. Stories about wild nights that went wrong just compounded by being young and stupid. At least whatever happens tonight won’t be anything like that.

The car pulls up to the brownstone and the driver gets out, opening her door first, then mine. I walk around the car and meet him on the sidewalk. “Be back here around noon,” I say to him. “No later.”

“Yes, sir,” the driver says and walks back around the car to the driver’s side. Nona looks up at me, questioning.

“What’s at noon?”

“Business,” is all I say. “Come on.”

I lead her up the stoop and into my brownstone. As soon as we’re on the other side of the front door, she slows down, looking around my foyer with wonder.

“This is nice,” she says. “I always thought brownstones looked so small from the outside.”

“This one is connected to two other buildings,” I say matter-of-factly. “So, it’s bigger than most brownstones.” I pause, and she gives me a tight smile. The awkwardness is thick between us.

“Do you want to have a drink before we get started?” I ask her. “I’ve got a liquor cabinet in the living room and the parlor, or we can just go straight to the bedroom. I think I’ve got half a bottle of whiskey in a drawer.” I stop because her brow furrows. “What?”

“What are you talking about? Get started?”

“Right.” She just stares at me like she doesn’t know what I’m saying. “Consummating our marriage, Nona.”

“Oh. Oh.” She looks away from me and starts fidgeting with her hands. “I, um, didn’t realize… Is that absolutely necessary?”