Omar, like all the staff at the citadel, knew their master had taken a wife, but only Omar knew who the lady of the castle was and why she had not appeared in over five years.
“Boring us? Never, my lord.” Omar’s manners were as old-fashioned as his suit.
“Your lady will be joining us when time and circumstances permit,” Oleg said. “And she sends her greetings. She asked me to give all of you an extra holiday this month as a gift to her.”
Tatyana hadn’t asked him for anything like that, but she would no doubt approve. She would probably tell him to give all of them an extra week of vacation and double their already ample salaries.
“That’s very generous,” Omar said. “I will share that with the staff.”
“Thank you, Omar. That will be all for tonight.”
“I will retire, my lord. Please ring the kitchen if you need anything at all.”
“Sleep well.”
Oleg continued to map the jewels onto the wall, placing them to highlight just a few of the stalks so that when the fire was lit, it would give the appearance of sparkling in the sun.
He backed away from the wall, gazing on the image of the Black Sea, the dark blue waters as constant as his body.
The single change he had wrought on himself in centuries was a scar his mate had left on his neck, a pair of fang marks he had cauterized with burning fingertips in a sentimental gesture.
Your lady will be joining us when time and circumstances permit.
Tatyana Vorona would come to this place, sleep in this lavish chamber next to his own.
She would be his queen.
Though she had responsibilities to the Poshani, Oleg was greedy. He wasn’t willing to compromise on much in his life, and he definitely wouldn’t compromise on this.
Oleg would not rest until the intricate mosaic he had created was exactly what he pictured in his mind.
And he would not rest until he got everything he wanted.
Chapter 4
Tatyana
“The rest of you may have options for your exports, but my markets have been cut in half because of all thisshit.” Kezia wasn’t pleased. “And my people are the ones suffering. The human sanctions are bad enough, but if I have to cut my grey market shipments to Moscow?—”
“No one is saying you have to cut them entirely.” Radu was quick to jump in via the video conference.
“She’s saying it!” Kezia was fuming. “I don’t have fucking tobacco and wheat that I can foist off on?—”
“Eastern Poshani markets are even more dependent on Ivan’s distribution network than yours are.” Tatyana forced herself to keep her voice even. “But we’re managing. I’m not asking your people to make any sacrifice my own are not making.”
“Is this because you hate Oleg? You have a fight with an old lover and now you want payback? Get over it! You’re trying to cut him out because he didn’t prostrate himself? He’s not going to do that, Tanya, no matter how much you may deserve an apology. You can’t expect him to publicly?—”
“This has nothing to do with Oleg,” Tatyana said. “Radu and I had a productive meeting with him, but if we cannot depend onIvan for security when we’re shipping into Russia, we’re asking for trouble every time we send a truck east.”
“I haven’t lost any trucks.”
“Yet,” Radu said. “Yet, sister.”
“If you read the report I sent you,” Tatyana continued, “I’ve identified at least four other distributors in Western Europe who are looking for computer components and high-end manufactured goods. Your prices are competitive. If you want me to reach out to them?—”
“I can strike my own deals.” Kezia’s voice was biting. “I don’t need your help with that.”
Radu held up both his hands. “This is not business we should be conducting on the computer. I think we should table all this until Budapest. I have been able to carve out time to attend, so I will meet with Oleg when I am there, and perhaps Tatyana will be able to attend for a day or two so we can?—”
