"Mr. Volkov smashed every antique vase in the ancestral estate study last night." Sasha's voice scraped like sandpaper. "Ms. Cole's words at dinner—he took them as a direct declaration of war against the Volkov family's legitimate authority. He thinks you've been completely brainwashed by a civilian woman."
I snorted, tilting my head back to drain the ice water. "A piece of rotting wood who can barely keep his teeth wants to talk about war? What about Derek?"
"Dead silence." Sasha's brow furrowed slightly. "Since leaving last night, no moves. Even his guys running the New Jersey territory haven't received new orders."
"A quiet snake's more dangerous than one that hisses."I slammed the glass down hard on the desk. "Derek's a vindictive little shit. After Vivienne tore his face off in public, no way he's going to swallow that. Raise the security level around Vivienne another notch. Inside and outside the manor—not even an extra fly gets in."
"Yes, Pakhan."
The faint sound of a turning doorknob cut through the quiet study.
Sasha and I both turned.
The heavy walnut door pushed open a crack. Vivienne stood barefoot in the doorway.
She wore my white dress shirt from last night, the one I'd tossed at the foot of the bed. What fit me perfectly hung on her like a dangerously sexy mini-dress, barely covering the tops of her thighs.
She rubbed her half-open blue eyes, yawned, hair a complete mess.
"Nikolai? Why are you up so early..."
Damn.
She came out dressed like that?
Sasha reacted fast. Within half a second of the door opening, he'd turned with precision, his gaze locked hard on the bookshelf spine, not daring to let his peripheral vision stray an inch.
I set down my water glass. Didn't answer her question. Just strode over, pulled her whole body into my arms, blocking the spring scene spilling from her neckline.
Vivienne startled at my sudden move, instinctively trying to step back.
"Firecracker, seducing me first thing in the morning?" I bent to her ear, my hand sliding under the shirt hem to grip her waist.
The woman in my arms stiffened briefly. But then, instead of retreating, she brazenly lifted her head.
Those blue eyes still carried the lazy moisture of sleep, but her mouth refused to lose an inch.
"Don't flatter yourself, boss man." She yawned, her finger jabbing my chest without mercy. "I was cold. Grabbed the first thing I found on your carpet. And if I was actually trying to seduce you, I wouldn't be wearing this damn shirt at all."
At her shameless, fiery provocation, my Adam's apple rolled hard. I punished her with a pinch on the soft flesh of her waist.
She made a muffled sound. Those restless hands climbed up, circling my waist with complete naturalness. She buried her face back in my chest, nuzzling lightly.
Sasha ghosted out of the study.
Now just the two of us. I didn't speak. Just tightened my arms, chin resting on top of her head.
This feeling of keeping her completely inside my territory, letting no one glimpse even a fraction—addictive as hell.
"You didn't answer me." Her voice came muffled against my chest, fingers unconsciously picking at the edge of my pants. "What are you doing hiding in the study so early? Up to something behind my back?"
"Dealing with garbage trying to ruin my mood." I lowered my head, nose brushing her neck, making her shoulders scrunch with a small laugh. My palm squeezed her soft waist. "Go wash up. Put on something pretty. Taking you out to survey the territory."
Evening.Obsidian bar in downtown Washington.
Deafening bass pounded the air so hard even the heart in your chest resonated with it.
On the surface, a playground where DC's trust fund kids and nouveau riche burned through their hormones. Underneath, the nerve center of my intelligence network controlling this city.
