"Your death?" My voice breaks. "That's what he wants, Dimitri. He wants you dead."
"Maybe." He pulls back enough to look at my face. "But he also wants to gloat. To prove he's smarter, better, more deserving of power. That ego is his weakness. If I can exploit it, if I can get him talking, I might find an opening."
I see the plan forming behind his eyes, the cold calculation of the Pakhan taking over. But I also see the fear underneath. The knowledge that he might not come back from this.
Dimitri's eyes narrow, and I can see him processing this, his tactical mind working through the angles. I watch the war play out behind his eyes. Finally, he speaks, and his words make my blood run cold and my heart soar all at once.
"You're coming with me," he says, his voice rough with emotion. "Because Mikhail will expect you to try to stop me, and your presence might be the only thing that keeps him from killing me on sight."
36
DIMITRI
Ispend the entire day preparing for tomorrow night's meeting with Mikhail, but my mind keeps drifting to the woman upstairs. Every strategic decision, every contingency plan, every backup arrangement—it all comes back to protecting Alina.
"You're making a mistake bringing her," Alexei says for the third time, his blue eyes sharp with concern. We're in my study, maps and tactical plans spread across the desk. "Mikhail will use her against you."
"Mikhail will expect me to leave her here where he can get to her." I lean back in my chair, the leather creaking. "Bringing her is unexpected. In our world, the unexpected is an advantage."
"Or it's suicide." Alexei crosses his arms over his chest. He studies my face for a long moment, then nods slowly. "You love her."
I don't answer. Can't answer. Because admitting it out loud makes it real, makes it a weakness that can be exploited. Besides, I haven’t even unraveled my feelings yet.
"Just be careful," he says quietly. "Love makes us do stupid things."
After he leaves, I finalize the arrangements for Katya's safety. If things go wrong tomorrow night, if Mikhail manages to kill both Alina and me, I need to know her sister will be protected. I've set up a trust fund, arranged for her education, assigned guards who will take her somewhere safe. It's the best I can do.
By the time I finish, it's nearly midnight. The house is quiet, most of the staff retired for the night. My men are at their posts, vigilant as always. But I feel the weight of tomorrow pressing down on me like a physical thing.
I climb the stairs to our bedroom, my boots silent on the marble. The door is slightly ajar, warm light spilling into the hallway. I push it open and find Alina sitting on the edge of the bed, wearing one of my shirts and nothing else. Her red hair falls in waves around her shoulders, and when she looks up at me, I see fear and determination in equal measure in her green eyes.
"Is everything ready?" she asks.
"Yes." I close the door behind me and lock it. "Katya will be safe no matter what happens."
She stands and moves toward me, her bare feet silent on the hardwood floor. "And us? Will we be safe?"
I want to lie, to tell her everything will be fine. But I've promised her honesty. "I don't know. Mikhail is dangerous, but I'll do everything in my power to protect you."
"I know." She reaches up and cups my face, her palms warm against my beard. "I trust you, Dimitri."
The words break something open inside me. This woman who has every reason to hate me, to fear me, trusts me with her life.
I pull her against me and kiss her hard, pouring everything I can't say into the press of my lips against hers. She responds immediately, her fingers fisting in my shirt, her body molding to mine. When I finally pull back, we're both breathing hard.
I lift her easily, carrying her to the bed. She wraps her legs around my waist, and I can feel the heat of her through my clothes. I lay her down on the blue sheets and step back, taking a moment to just look at her. Red hair spread across the pillow, my shirt riding up to reveal the curve of her hip, her lips swollen from my kiss.
"You're so fucking sexy," I tell her, my hands already working at my shirt buttons. "Do you have any idea what you do to me?"
"Show me." Her voice is breathless, challenging.
I strip quickly, efficiently, my clothes falling to the floor. When I'm naked, I see her eyes widen slightly as they travel over my body. The tattoos that mark me as Bratva royalty. The scars that tell stories of survival. The evidence of how much I want her.
I climb onto the bed, covering her body with mine, and kiss her again. Slower this time, deeper. My tongue traces the seam of her lips, and when she opens for me, I taste her thoroughly. She makes a small sound in the back of her throat that goes straight to my cock.
My hands slide under my shirt she's wearing, finding warm, soft skin. I push the fabric up, breaking the kiss long enough to pull it over her head. Then she's naked beneath me, and I have to close my eyes for a moment to maintain control.
"Dimitri." Her voice is needy, pleading. "Please."
