Guards stand at attention, their eyes tracking us as we approach the residence.
This is so fucking wrong.
I’m delivering her straight to a viper's nest with insufficient protection.
Maybe I should have been clearer with Alessandro about the way Maksim looks at her.
Like he’s eager to ruin her, to break her.
Maybe he wouldn’t have agreed to this demand, or hell, the arrangement altogether.
Or would he?
The cold calculation of the Mafia sometimes means sacrificing those closest to them.
"Ready?" I ask, my hand checking my weapon.
Valentina straightens her spine. "As I'll ever be."
Maksim's men open our doors before I can cut the engine.
It's a power move to remove my control as her protector right from the start.
I exit first, positioning myself so I can scan the surroundings while keeping Valentina in my peripheral vision.
"Welcome to my home," Maksim calls from the entrance.
He doesn't descend the steps to greet us.
Another power play.
Making Valentina climb to him, reminding her who is boss.
Valentina clutches the flower samples as we approach, her spine straight.
Pride surges through me at her composure.
She walks like the queen she deserves to be, not the sacrifice she's being forced to become.
"Mr. Vasiliev." She greets him formally, offering the floral arrangement. "I've selected these for your approval."
Maksim barely glances at the carefully chosen blooms. "Beautiful," he dismisses, keeping his gaze on her face. "But I've had a more interesting thought. The gardens are particularly stunning today. I'd like to show them to my bride personally."
My muscles tense. I don’t like the idea of a private garden tour. What game is he playing?
"The gardens?" Valentina's voice remains steady, but I catch the slight widening of her eyes.
She senses the trap too.
Maksim's smile doesn't reach his eyes. "You’ll be mistress of this estate soon. Time you became acquainted with it… intimately."
The way he says "intimately" makes my trigger finger itch. I get the feeling he’s testing boundaries, seeing how far he can push before either I object or Valentina submits.
The bastard is enjoying this game entirely too much.
"Come." Maksim gestures to Valentina, then points directly at me. "You keep ten paces behind us. You don’t need to hear private conversations between a man and his bride."
My jaw clenches tightly. "With respect, sir, my orders from Don Dante are to remain at his sister's side at all times.” I work to keep my tone professional yet respectful, even as I imagine ripping his arms off.
