Chapter 18 – Roman
I thought twice before asking her to come with me to this event at an upscale restaurant downtown. A part of me was worried Sokolov would make a move on her if we stepped out together.
But what’s to say he wouldn’t go after her in my absence? I didn’t trust anyone to keep her safe, not even my guards. She was safer around me because that way I’d always keep an eye on her at all times.
My insecurities weren’t the only reason I decided she should tag along. I wanted to show her off again so everyone would know who she belonged to. The last time I took her out, heads turned in admiration of her beauty.
Deep down, I wanted to see her all dressed up for me—gorgeous and sexy. I craved the excitement she stirred in me the last time and was hoping to feast my eyes on the magnificent sight of her body in a gown.
She didn’t refuse when I asked her to come with me, even though I was already expecting some form of resistance. However, Scarlett surprised me when she agreed to follow me without asking where I was taking her.
The grand hall was lit with the warm glow of expensive chandeliers hanging above. Guests, dressed to impress, hung around in small groups, chatting and laughing, their voices calm and gentle.
A live band was performing classical music in a corner, the lead singer’s voice filling the space. Her black beaded dress glistened in the soft light, her gloved hands moving theatrically as she sang.
I stood by the chocolate fountain, cradling a glass of wine in my hand, my black suit gleaming under the chandelier’s warm glow. Scarlett, stunning as ever, was by my side, her cream-colored gown highlighting her curves and contours.
She stood poised, elegantly balanced on a pair of heels, her signature perfume filling the air around her. Her hazel eyes sparkled with something I couldn’t quite name as she smiled at those admirers beaming from a distance.
Scarlett had barely spoken a word to me since we arrived at the hall, and I wasn’t sure if her silence was born from fear or something else. I sensed that she had a thousand questions that needed answers, but I figured she didn’t know how to ask them.
In the same way, I was struggling with what to say to fill the awkward silence between us. I wanted to start a conversation about anything, but the right words eluded me. My brain was blank, and nothing meaningful came to mind.
I lifted my glass to my lips as my eyes trailed over her, drinking in the sight of her body. Perhaps I should begin by telling her just how stunning she looked tonight. I heard that women loved those kinds of talks, so maybe she would respond well to that.
The only problem was that I couldn’t find the right words at the moment, which was strange because this had never happened to me before. Not even once. I wasn’t the type to second-guess myself about anything. Yet, here I was, unable to decide what was worth saying and what wasn’t.
When she looked at me and held my gaze, my stone-cold heart softened. There was something about the way she stared at me that ignited a familiar flame within me.
“I had a chat with your sister the other day,” she said, finally breaking the deafening silence.
“Did you now?” I asked, indulging her, my eyes boring into hers.
She curled her lips into a small smile. “Yeah, she’s a real charmer. Unlike some people in the family.”
My brows rose in disbelief, a faint grin tugging at the corners of my mouth. “Some people?” I asked. “Like who?”
She gestured, zipping her lips with a soft expression etched on her face.
My God, she was gorgeous!
I sipped from my glass. “What’d you guys talk about?”
She shrugged her shoulders. “Just a bunch of random stuff. Nothing serious.”
“Hmm.”
She held my gaze a while longer, her lips pursed as though she was about to say something. Perhaps she wanted to ask one of the questions running through her mind.
Scarlett looked right into my eyes like she was searching for something, her gaze soft and endearing. Her lips parted; however, before she could speak, we got interrupted.
“Boss.” Sergei materialized beside me.
My face contorted into a frown, displeased by his bad timing. He leaned in and whispered in my ear that one of our high-profile clients wanted to see me. I glanced across the hall and spotted them standing in a small group of three.
These were the Bratva’s most valuable allies in the business; keeping them waiting was not a good idea.
Sergei stepped away after delivering the message, his watchful eyes scanning the entire building.
“Wait here,” I said to Scarlett, my voice deep and husky.
“Where’re you going?” she asked, her brows knitting together to accent the confusion in her face.
I hesitated for a moment, reminding myself of why I shouldn’t introduce my wife to these people. They were very important personnel in my line of work, more powerful than me in more ways than one.
“Something needs my attention,” I replied, then walked away, adding, “I won’t be long.”
I wasn’t afraid of these men or worried that the womanizer amongst them—a man named Julius Clark—would find my wife attractive. That pig would fuck whatever was in a skirt as long as they had boobs and a pussy.
The mere thought of another man attempting to claim her made my blood boil. As dangerous as these men were, I wouldn’t think twice before going to war with them if they ever crossed the line and touched my wife.
They were notorious for taking whatever they wanted. And over the years, Julius Clark had taken more married women than I could count. The husbands who tried to fight him were all silenced.
Other organizations dreaded working with them because their methods were extreme and their heads were fuckin’ unstable. Especially Julius Clark—he was the real definition of a madman.
Sokolov was right when he accused me of protecting what’s mine after ruining what was his. Perhaps I was being a hypocrite for keeping my wife safe from another man when I’d had an affair with another man’s wife myself.
To be fair, I hadn’t seduced Sokolov’s wife into my bed. She threw herself at me, and I didn’t refuse her. It wasn’t my fault that he failed as a husband; his inability to keep his wife led her to my bed.
I was nothing like Julius Clark because, unlike me, he’d made it a habit to force himself on any woman he liked. Keeping my milaya away from that predator’s eyes was the perfect way to avoid an all-out war.
Nothing would stop me from going after him and the others with everything I had if they came after my wife. I wouldn’t care how dangerous they were; they’d learn the hard way never to mess with a Tarasov.
When I met with them at a corner, and we began discussing business, I made sure to keep their attention on me. I couldn’t risk Julius’s eyes wandering and falling on Scarlett across the hall.
The conversation was supposed to be brief, but for some reason, it wasn’t. They were taking up so much of my time on issues we could discuss another day. I looked right into their faces, as though I were engrossed in their opinions on our forthcoming project.
But in fact, I stopped listening about two minutes ago.
While I pretended to pay attention, something caught the side of my eye—something I simply couldn’t ignore.
A tall young man in a black tuxedo stood before my wife with a bright smile. She seemed excited, and although she was hesitant at first, she still let him hug her.
That sparked a surge of rage within me.
The hug was harmless—platonic—but it still triggered me, twisting my face into a frown. I shifted my gaze between my associates and her direction. What’s even more annoying was how she laughed with this strange, tall man, as if his presence had brightened up her mood.
Furious by this sight, my fingers clenched into fists at my sides, and my jaw locked. I was about to cut the conversation short when one of my associates received a call. They had no choice but to end the talk, saying they’d get back to me.
Perfect timing.
We shook hands and went our separate ways.
My scowl deepened as I walked back to my wife with slow, measured steps and a hand in my pocket. “What’s going on here?” I demanded, my voice low but venomous.
“Oh, we were just talking,” she said amidst soft chuckles. “This is Ethan, my former boss at Josie’s,” she added, attempting to introduce us.
“Nice to meet you.” He extended a hand, a curt smile playing on his lips.
I glanced down at his gesture, then returned my gaze to his face, ignoring his stretched-out hand. A wave of embarrassment washed over him, and his throat wobbled as he swallowed hard, lowering his hand.
He shrank under the intensity of my gaze and could barely maintain eye contact with me. I didn’t have to speak a word to him—my silence and deadly stare were enough to send the message.
Scram, you fuckin’ asshole.
I wrapped my possessive arm around her waist and pulled her closer to me while still looking right at him. Fear crept into his mind, and his forehead glistened with sweat. Shaken by my presence and the fire in my eyes, he took a step back.
“I’ll, uh…I’ll see you around, Lettie,” he said to her, his voice slightly trembling.
He stole another hidden glance at me, but my gaze was still unwavering, and that unsettled him. He pursed his lips, gave a curt nod, and walked away, trembling like a fuckin’ wet duck.
“What is wrong with you?!” she whispered, squirming out of my grasp. Her eyes blazed with fury, her face a mask of frustration. “You didn’t have to scare him off like that.”
My eyebrows furrowed, and my expression turned ugly. “Why do you care so much? Who is that man to you?” I asked, my quiet voice laced with disdain.
“I told you, he’s my former boss,” she replied with the same tone, glaring at me.
“He’s not allowed anywhere near you, you hear me?”
Her expression soured further, lips pursed even tighter. “Do you always have to be such a control freak?” Her eyes flashed with increasing irritation and defiance.