Edwina appreciated his current honesty.Mikhail took a plate and filled it with a selection of snacks.He handed it to her, along with a napkin.
“What would you like to drink?”he asked.“We could have a glass of wine, or Rita has included a pot of coffee.”
“Wine sounds lovely,” she said.“Won’t this situation be ongoing?There is a reason gangs are so successful.”
Mikhail frowned as he selected food for himself.“I weary of this topic.”
Edwina got the message, even though affront filled her.But she didn’t intend to act the little woman who waited at home.She wasn’t stupid enough to ignore his security measures but refused to be kept in the dark.This marriage would be a partnership for as long as it lasted.She didn’t care if that wasn’t how her grandparents or parents worked, or if Mikhail’s country didn’t behave in the same way.Saber Mitchell and his brothers had strong marriages, and their wives and mates were partners in everything.That was what she’d dreamed of once she’d wised up and ceased her self-destructive path.
“I am going out for dinner tonight, but I shouldn’t be home late.”
“Can I go with you?”
“Not this time,” he said smoothly.“Maybe the next business dinner.This one is unavoidable, unfortunately.”
Edwina narrowed her gaze on him.Every instinct told her that while he was telling the truth, there was something shady he didn’t want her to understand.Subtext.She didn’t even know how she perceived this.Some sixth sense.
“White wine?”
“Please,” she said, not caring.This situation she’d found herself in had way too many currents beneath the surface.It simmered like a pot coming to a boil, which scared her.She hadn’t allowed much to frighten her in the past—possibly because she’d been young and stupid.Now that she had a mate, everything had changed for her.
Gods, she needed time to think.Mikhail still only wanted a temporary arrangement, and maybe now that the Bratva had openly attacked her, their marriage no longer mattered.The bite of the shrimp savory turned to dirt in her mouth.She hadn’t wanted any part of this marriage, but now that she was here, she didn’t want to leave.
9
Despitetheseriousnessoftheir conversation, Edwina impressed him.She might be unseasoned, but she was mentally strong and had a backbone.His tiger issued a chuff of approval.The young woman—his wife—had garnered their respect.Of course, she might be a pain in his backside in certain circumstances, but life with her would never become a tedious round of parties and shopping.
A sliver of guilt ran through him because he’d destroyed her plans.He reminded himself to speak to his grandmother again and organize the tutoring.He’d also remind his grandmother of her promise not to discuss this with anyone but him.Edwina’s grandmother had run roughshod over her dreams, and he hated to shatter her fully.
As to who had tried to shoot her…
Anger pulsed through him, along with protectiveness.His young bride hadn’t deserved that.Depending on the next few days, he might have to sequester her in a more private place that only his two trusted friends knew of.Staying at the cabin would allow them to run in their feline forms, and he liked this idea.
Aware of the growing silence, he settled in with small talk and found himself eager to learn more about her.“Tell me about the town you come from.My knowledge of New Zealand is scanty.”
“Middlemarch is a small country town in the South Island of New Zealand.The South Island is more mountainous and gets more snow than the North.When I was growing up, the town seemed isolated and confining, even though we’re close to Dunedin, a large city by New Zealand standards.During the last ten years, the local Feline Council has done heaps to attract women to the area because the population is more skewed to men.We have lots of different social events.”
“Like what?”Mikhail asked, fascinated because tiger shifters stuck to family groups and were territorial.There wasn’t much fraternization.
“The first function was the Middlemarch Singles’ Ball, where unmarried women visited from Dunedin and nearby towns.It was a success, and several local men found their mates.Since then, we’ve had woolshed dances, parades, and fairs, a zombie run.Loads of unique events that draw humans and shifters to Middlemarch.The Feline Council also arranges runs for the felines and wolves who live in the area, and we have a plan for any time a human sees a leopard or wolf when they shouldn’t.New arrivals and mates have set up businesses within the region, allowing the locals to work near home.”Her brow puckered.“The Feline Council has achieved loads in a short time.The council also sponsored me and five friends to attend the gathering.”
“Yet you wanted to leave,” Mikhail mused.
“Yes, but I’d intended to make frequent visits home.Living in the city would be difficult, but New Zealand is small.It’s easy to find wild spaces.”
“We have beautiful countryside,” Mikhail said, wanting to show her his favorite spots.He sighed.That would need to wait.
The grandfather clock in the hall struck five, and reluctantly, Mikhail rose.“I need to get ready for my business dinner.I won’t be late.”
“Where will I sleep?”Edwina asked, her gaze uncertain.
It made him want to embrace her.He didn’t because physical contact would entice him to stay instead of leaving.“You sleep in my room,” he said, his gaze meeting and holding hers.“That is our room now.”
“You want to share with me?”
His tiger’s growl echoed through his mind as he sought to exert his will.“It’s a large room, and sharing is best for our scents to mingle.”Her stricken face had him clenching his jaw.Fuck.That wasn’t tactful or the best way to keep her onside.Another silent curse washed through him, and he attempted to rein in his frustration with Clarice, his grandfather, and the situation.
His decision hadn’t changed.She was his mate, and he wanted her.Difficult when he’d kidnapped and dragged her to another country against her will.She was young and inexperienced and had been a virgin, and he’d behaved no better than the Bratva, taking without permission.
