Chapter 27
“You’re going to break that glass if you grip it any tighter.” Andrei slaps my shoulder, coming to stand beside me with a drink of his own.
“If his hand creeps any lower, I’m going to cut it off.” I shoot the last of my drink down my throat and slam it onto the first tray that passes me.
We’ve been at this fucking twenty-five-year celebration of whichever charity this is forever. I don’t want to be here.
I want to be at home, in my bed, with my cock stuffed down her throat, or in that hot, wet, tight pussy of hers.
Instead, I’m standing on the side of the dance floor watching my wife be swept off her feet by one of the host’s sons.
“The fingers won’t be enough this time?” Andrei goads me.
“You heard about that?”
He laughs. “Yeah. I heard about it.”
“You disapprove?”
“Fuck, no. If he’d said those things about Izzy, I’d have done the same.” He nods toward the dance floor. “She’s held her own tonight.”
“Bringing her was a mistake.” I fist my hands as I shove them into my pockets.
“Why? She’s played her part perfectly. The sweet side of the asshole Sergei Petrov. She’s even made the alderman more at ease in your presence.”
“I don’t want him at ease. I want him to do what we tell him to do and leave us the fuck alone otherwise.” I don’t take my eyes off her. Most important, I’m watching that fucker’s hand slip another half inch lower on her back.
“Down, boy, someone will think you’re being a little possessive of your wife.” Andrei nudges me. “That would be ridiculous, right? I mean you don’t love her. She’s just a business partner.”
“I should have beaten you harder when we were children.” I tear my gaze away from Cora to shoot him a look that would wet most men’s pants.
My cousin laughs. “Relax. The man she’s dancing with doesn’t enjoy the company of women outside of these public appearances.” Andrei sips his drink.
The tension eases in my neck, but only a little.
“You should have brought Izzy; she would have kept Cora busy and then she wouldn’t have been available to dance with anyone.”
“Izzy is studying for finals.” He rolls his shoulders. “And the last time I brought her to one of these things, I almost had to break a few hands myself.”
“So, you locked her away?” I huff. “And Viktor? Why is he not here tonight?”
“Marlena needed him for something tonight.” He shrugs.
“Any word on Oleg yet?”
“No. But I’ve been given assurances the detective has nothing and is being taken care of internally.”
I turn to look at him. “What does that mean?”
“It means I called in a favor.”
“And you’re sure we don’t have loose lips in our ranks?” I eye him.
His jaw tenses. “I’m worried about the same thing. Someone had to have given your cousin something for him to think he could go approach the authorities. Whatever it was, it was small, not worthy of anything but enough to get a new detective’s dick hard. Which means someone had to have been talking.”
“And we still don’t know who,” I say.
“There are only a handful of men that would be close enough to our business dealings that would know anything to hurt us. I don’t doubt their loyalty.”
“I don’t either. But we need to be sure.” I catch Cora’s glance as she looks for me in the crowd. The dance is finally over, and that fucker has his hands off her. “We need to set a trap. Leak information, see if it goes anywhere outside.”
He agrees with a nod. “I’ll figure something out.” He’s all smiles when Cora approaches us.
That dress makes her look like the belle of the ball, and all I want to do is rip it off of her and use her body in ways that would make her scream my name.
“Andrei.” Cora grins at him. “Thank you for not letting him barge onto the dance floor. He looked ready to kill when I looked over here.” She laughs, and it’s the most magical sound I’ve heard all night.
“He was, but I managed to make him behave.” Andrei nods. “I need to have a conversation with someone before I head home. I’ll call you tomorrow, Sergei.”
“Did you enjoy the dance?” I ask.
“Not really. I mean it was fine, but he wasn’t very fun. He kept talking about his business he’s going into. Jewelry making or something.” She runs her hand over my chest, pretending to brush away something on my suit. “I think he wants to discuss it with you.”
I wrap my fingers around her wrist before she can pull away and flatten her hand to my chest. I’ve grown used to these little touches of hers.
“What’s wrong?” Her eyes widen when I don’t release her right away.
“People are going to try to use you to get to me,” I say.
She nods. “I figured that out already. I’ve been invited to luncheons, dinners, and other social stuff that I didn’t know people actually did still. I’m not even sure what high tea is.” She looks over her shoulder to be sure we’re not being overheard. “I thought that only happened in books, or at least in Europe. Not in Chicago.”
“It makes them feel better than everyone else to pretend they’re high society in some other country. It’s just a game.” I bring her hand to my lips, pressing a kiss to her palm.
She’s so innocent. It’s easy to forget how new she is to this world of mine.
“You don’t have to go to any of them,” I assure her.
“Well, I might go to the garden tea.” Her mouth kicks up to the right, a mischievous grin. “I’ve always wanted to go to a tea party. A real one, with the little sandwiches and all that.”
I laugh before I can stop myself. It’s too much. The beauty in her soul matches every gorgeous inch of her physical self.
She deadpans, “Did you just laugh?”
I clear my throat and drop her hand. “It’s late. We should get home.”
“It’s not that late,” she says as I tuck her hand into my arm and lead us through the crowd.
I stop, lean down to her ear so only she can hear my words. “You should have been naked and sprawled out in my bed hours ago. If you make me wait any longer, I’ll have to punish your ass before I let you have your relief.”
She gasps a little, then leans away from me so I can see her face clearly.
Her pupils have already exploded with arousal.
“How would you do that?” She’s nearly breathless when she asks the question.
Oh, she’s too easy.
I kiss her cheek, an innocent brush of my lips, then move higher to her neck, just below her earlobe. A tiny nip.
“I will bend you over and fuck your ass until I’ve filled you up with every drop of my cum. And then.” I scrape my teeth across the sensitive skin behind her ear. “I will decide if you took my cock well enough to earn a reward.”
Her breath hitches and her throat works as she swallows.
“If I lift up this dress, will I find your pussy soaked for me?” I ask and she moans. A soft sound, meant only for me.
“Sergei?” A voice from a lifetime ago intrudes on the moment, cutting off Cora’s response. “It is you.”
Growling at the intrusion, I straighten, grabbing Cora’s hand and pulling her tightly to my side.
“I thought I saw you, but the lighting is so bad in here, I wasn’t sure.” Her crystal blue eyes are outlined in black and brought out by the shimmering deep blue eyeshadow.
“Victoria.” Her name tastes acidic.
She steps closer, sweeping her gaze over Cora before giving her one of her plastic smiles.
“You must be Mrs. Petrov.” She inclines her head.
“Cora,” Cora answers simply, squeezing my hand.
“I heard you married.” She swings her gaze back up to mine while straightening her spine. In one hand she’s cupping a silver clutch that matches the shimmering silver and lavender gown that’s hugging her body. Her breasts pour out of the low neckline. A single teardrop diamond hangs in her cleavage.
“Yes.” I’m already bored with the conversation.
“You needed to, right?” She tilts her head a little to the side. “Your grandmother must not have given you much time to find a bride.”
Cora stiffens beside me.
“I’m sorry, we’re being rude.” She turns toward Cora. “I’m Victoria Rosmonavich.”
“Rosmonavich. I’ve heard that name tonight a few times,” Cora says politely.
“My grandfather was a large donor. I think there’s a wing or something named after him.” Victoria glances up toward me with hooded eyes. “You are looking well.”
Cora wiggles her fingers in my grasp.
“You too,” I say, keeping my voice civil.
“Sergei.” She steps closer to me. “I never apologized, not really, for what happened between us.”
Cora’s body stiffens beside me again. With a small yank, she tries to get free of my grasp, but she’s going nowhere. She’s mine. She’s who I want. And I won’t let this witch of a woman scare her off.
“It was a long time ago, Victoria. And things worked out for the best,” I say firmly enough so she understands I want no part in any game she’s cooking up in her mind.
She sighs, moves back a pace and smiles warmly at Cora.
“We were engaged,” she says to Cora, as though it explains anything that needs explaining. “I was foolish enough to let him go.”
Victoria’s eyelids drop a fraction, and she dips her chin when she returns her attention to me. This look I remember well. She’s being coy.
“I guess your loss is my gain.” Cora laughs, but it’s forced.
“I do love your dress.” Victoria touches the beaded lace. “Genova Romanov?” She leans toward Cora. “She’s his favorite dressmaker in the city.”
“Yes.” Cora’s smile never wavers, but her fingers clench mine.
“She’s the only dressmaker in the city my family does business with,” I qualify, hoping to reassure Cora that it’s not a big deal that they’ve both been to Genova’s salon. “I was lucky she could get us in this week.”
“Both of you?” Victoria’s eyes widen. “You went with her to the appointment?”
“I did.” I pull Cora closer to me and move my hand to her back. “We were just on our way out.”
“Yes, of course. I’m glad I ran into you, actually,” Victoria says. “I’ve been meaning to get in touch. There were a few things we didn’t discuss after I left. Some business things.”
“What business things?” I narrow my eyes at her. What is she playing at?
“I’m not sure this is the right venue for the conversation. Maybe we can meet tomorrow afternoon?” She pulls out a card from her clutch and offers it to me. “We can meet at our old spot, or I can come to the house?”
“No.” I take the card. Her name and phone number are embossed on the card with gold ink.
“Oh, well, wherever you want is fine.” Her smile never wavers.
“I’ll meet you at Kraze. Two o’clock.” I tuck the card into my suit jacket. “Like I said, we were leaving.”
“Yes. Of course.” She steps to the side. “It was nice to meet you. Cora.”
“Thanks.” I tug Cora along with me before she can say anything else. The sooner I get away from that woman, the better I’ll be able to breathe.
It’s been years since I’ve seen her.
She is nothing like the woman I had etched in my memory, yet she hasn’t changed a bit.
“Sergei?” Cora’s voice is soft.
“What?” I shake my head loose of memories I no longer trust and turn to Cora.
We’ve already pulled into the evening traffic. Our driver, Dimitri, has the windows cracked to allow the crisp air into the cab.
“Are you alright?” She reaches across and places her hand on my knee. “You got really quiet after we ran into Victoria.”
“I’m fine.” I grip her hand, giving it a squeeze.
The silence in the car builds until we’re pulling up in front of the house. I climb out first, then help Cora down. The dress is long in the back, so I’m careful not to step on it as we make our way to the door.
Once inside, she turns me to me, a playful smile on her lips. “So, bedtime?”
“I have to do some work. I’ll be up in a bit.” I kiss her cheek.
“Oh. I thought… all right.” Her smile falters. “Right. Of course. Business.”
I already have my phone out of my jacket as I walk away.
“Good night.” Her voice follows me as my shoes click along the flooring.