“It seems I’m not the only one who’s charming.”Her laugh boomed out, sounding happy.Keira cast a glance over him that was just shy of an invitation, but then shook her head in mock sadness.“But I’m afraid it wouldn’t happen.My Dmitri keeps me more than satisfied.”
My Dmitri.
It was an act, but the words still rang through him.If he had his way, his wife would have already beensatisfiedseveral times over today, but the only person who knew it hadn’t happened—wouldn’t happen—was Keira.
“My Natasha would like you, I think.”Ivan gave Dmitri a lingering look.
“I’m going to take that as a compliment.”
He transferred that look to Keira.“You should.Excuse me.”He headed back to the bar and poured himself a double.
The night was going nowhere fast.Dmitri had expected some rebellious act, but this was… something else altogether.Keira allowed him to take her hand, her dress shifting around her.Her pale skin shone beneath the black beading, and his attention was drawn back to her nipples again and again.
“See something you like?”she murmured.
Yes.He hated it, but he also fucking loved that dress.He wanted her to wear it for him at a private dinner, where he could touch her, could drink in the sight of her, without eyes on them.The fact that therewereeyes on them—on her—had him speaking without intending to.“You look like a high-class sex worker.”
“Isn’t that exactly what I am?”Her smile never wavered, and she didn’t look at him.“You might not have paid in cash, but you bought me all the same.”With that, she expertly detached her hand from his and moved to perch on the single chair next to the fireplace.“Ivan, you must tell me how you met my darling husband.”Her hazel eyes twinkled, and he almost believed the lie in every line of her body.“I’m sure you have some hair-raising stories to share from his formative years.”
CHAPTER SEVEN
Keira had been under the impression that this was a meeting with several men, so she’d been surprised when it quickly became apparent that Ivan was the only one who showed.That had to sting, Russian.Apparently, Dmitri wasn’t as all-powerful as he would have liked if he couldn’t compel family members to come to something that should have guaranteed attendance.
Layers within layers there.The O’Malleys didn’t have much interaction beyond their immediate family, but Keira’s father had only ever wanted Boston.He wasn’t interested in spreading his empire beyond the city, though he would have liked to take the city entirely.The Romanovs were different.From what she gleaned of Dmitri and Ivan’s—blessedly English—conversation, the Romanovs were the big players back in Russia, and they had representatives of the family in several of the big port cities in the US.Dmitri in New York, Ivan in Texas, Kirill in LA, and Sasha in Seattle.
Finally, Ivan checked his watch and rose.“I must be going.My Natasha gets irritated when I’m late.”He waggled thick brows at Keira, making her laugh.“She’s far too good with a knife to risk displeasing, no matter how enchanting the company.”He took her hand and pressed his lips to it, releasing her almost instantly, and then turned to Dmitri.“I wish you and your bride the best of luck, and a long and healthy marriage.”
Dmitri didn’t appear amused.“You’ll convey that to Kirill and Sasha, of course.”
Ivan’s eyebrows lowered further, almost covering his eyes.“Of course.No need to be so crass as to point it out.The marriage mended some of the issue, but if you don’t control your territory, it won’t make a difference.Fix things, Dima.Fix them fast.”
She half expected Dmitri to threaten him or do something to slap him down for his attitude, but he just nodded.There was no reason to take it personally.This man didn’t care about her, no matter how charming he was, any more than Dmitri ultimately cared about her.She was a pawn in a deeper game they played, and she was slowly coming to realize that the rules she’d grown up with—the O’Malley rules—didn’t apply here.
She had to learn the lay of the land—and fast.
Dmitri’s hand on her arm urged her to stand, and they walked Ivan out.She tried to pay attention to what they were saying, but they’d switched to Russian, and Keira didn’t know more than a handful of words.Whatever it was, it didn’t seem particularly serious, because their body language was relaxed and open.Or they’re better liars than most people you know.
It wasn’t until the front door closed behind Ivan that thereality of her situation sank in.Dmitri wasfurious.He might have faked it for his friend, but he stood next to her, a pillar of stone with anger coming off him in waves.His grip on her elbow didn’t hurt, but if she’d tried to leave, he would have restrained her.
She should be afraid.She should beterrified.
Keira’s heartbeat picked up, adrenaline kicking in.She swung to face him with a fierce smile on her face.“You didn’t compliment me on my dress.”It was a work of fucking art.She smoothed her free hand over her hip and up her side.“Actually, you called me a high-class sex worker.Is that any way to speak to yourbelovedwife?”
His gray eyes followed the movement, a muscle ticking in his jaw when she cupped her breast.“I meant it when I said you’re playing with fire.”
That wasn’t just anger on his face now.No, it was rapidly being overtaken by sheer lust.An answering feeling sent a bolt straight to her core.She stepped back, and he released her instantly.A strange feeling coursed through her, straightening her spine and making her want to laugh out loud.Power.This is what power feels like.
He wanted her.He wanted her so badly, he had his hands clenched at his sides to keep from touching her again.But he wouldn’t until she gave the green light.Keira took another step back.“I have a hypothetical question.”
“Ask.”His voice was rough.The way he watched her made her feel like prey, and she liked it far more than she should—because shewasn’tprey.Keira had her own teeth and claws, and Dmitri would learn that as time went on.
“Hypothetically, if I said yes tonight… how do you imagine that would go?”
He stared at her a long moment.“Nyet.I’m not playingthis game with you.”She blinked and he was on her, one hand snaking around to press against the exposed small of her back, the other tangling in her hair.“We are not children,moya koroleva.These games don’t become us.”
He kissed her.There was no cautious exploration or easing into it.Dmitri kissed her like a conquering warlord who was sure of his welcome because he owned everything in the room—including her.There was no fighting this.She didn’t even want to try.Keira slid her arms around his neck and pressed herself more firmly against him.His cock was a hard length with too many layers between them.She rolled her hips, an invitation she wasn’t sure she was ready to follow through on.
Dmitri slid his hand down to cup her ass, guiding her movements.Long slides up the length of his cock and back down again.The tight goddamn dress kept her from spreading her legs wider, from getting him exactly where she needed him.Her nipples rubbed against his shirt, the silk incredibly decadent across her sensitized skin.
