“Because that title belongs to someone I know.” She looked me straight in the eyes.
Amused by her effrontery, my lips curled into a mischievous smirk as I sipped from my glass. She lowered her head slightly, as if to hide her flushed cheeks and a faint grin.
As the evening progressed, Emiko’s charms caught the hall off guard. She was polite and smiled with all the right people. Everyone who greeted us and engaged us in conversation ended up fascinated by her.
I’d never been prouder of a woman!
Later on, I spotted Pakhan Artem in the crowd. He was standing by a champagne tower with his wife, Sierra.
“Come,” I said to Emiko. “There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
We walked hand in hand, like a loving couple, as I led her to the most powerful man in the Tarasov family.
“Pakhan,” I greeted him, my voice low and reverent. “Sierra.” I gave her a curt nod.
She beamed at me.
“Ahh, Adrik.” He released a puff of smoke into the air. “You made it.” A quiet laugh fell from his lips. “And you brought the bone of your bone.”
My lips curled into a small smirk. “Emi, this is Pakhan Artem.” I glanced up at him. “Pakhan, my wife, Emiko.”
The older couple looked at each other, and then Sierra stepped forward. The hem of her lacy dress brushed against the floor as she moved. “Hello, Emiko.” She took her hands.
“Hello.”
“I’m Sierra.”
“My lovely wife,” Pakhan Artem chipped in, throwing his arm around her waist.
“Nice to meet you,” she answered, an inviting smile perched on her face. “Both of you.”
Sierra leaned in and whispered to her husband. “She’s even prettier in person.”
“Clearly not as pretty as you,” Emi said to her, beaming.
“Flattery.” Sierra chuckled. “Okay.”
As the two women laughed, Pakhan Artem drew me aside, his arm slung over my shoulder.
“So, tell me,” he began. “How does it feel to be married?”
I hesitated for a moment. “I don’t know, honestly. Nothing’s changed.”
“You sure about that?” he teased. “You seem a little…lighter. Doesn’t that classify as change?”
“Not inmybook,” I answered.
“Yeah, I was once like you,” he said, dragging on his cigar. “New to this marriage stuff and so full of myself.” He paused. “Until life humbled me.”
By now, we were already far away from the champagne tower and had stopped by a massive pillar.
“Let me tell you what nobody told me.” He stood in front of me with his hand on my shoulder. “It always starts off badly. You’ll disagree, you’ll fight. But when you start fucking.” He chuckled. “That’s when the real change begins.”
I glanced back at the two women, only to find that Sierra wasn’t with my wife anymore. Emika was smiling at one of my younger cousins, who’d taken Sierra’s spot.
What the fuck? My blood boiled with fury. Why was she smiling like that? What exactly was so funny?
Because Pakhan Artem was still speaking to me, I returned my attention to him. I’d deal with that situation later.
