Page 58 of The Pakhan’s Accidental Bride

"When I'm meeting with other Pakhans or handling sensitive business, they can't be on the estate. Those meetings are dangerous, and I won't risk your brothers walking into something that could get them killed." He pauses. "But otherwise, yes. They can visit."

I hadn't expected him to agree to that at all. I thought he'd want to isolate me completely. "Okay. That's fair."

"What else?"

"I'm not going to be treated like a prisoner. I need freedom to move around and have a life."

"With security," he says immediately.

"Fine. But I get to go places. I'm not locked in your estate forever."

"Agreed."

This is going better than I expected. Too well, maybe. I eye him suspiciously, but his expression gives nothing away.

"And I want to keep my job," I say. "I know you called my office and got me time off, but when this is over, when whoever is after me is caught, I want to go back to work."

"Why?" He sounds genuinely curious. "You'll be my wife. You won't need to work."

"Because it's not just about money." I lean forward, needing him to understand this. "That job is a stepping stone. I want to be a designer someday. I'm learning the industry, making connections, and building experience. I'm not giving that up."

Emil is quiet for a long moment, his fingers drumming once on the table. "Once the threat is neutralized and it's safe, you can return to work. With conditions."

"What conditions?"

"You'll have a driver. Security will be discreet but present. And if there's ever another threat, you stop immediately. No arguments."

I want to fight him on it, but honestly, this is more than I thought I'd get. "Deal."

"Anything else?"

I think about it. There are probably a hundred other things I should demand, but these are the most important. "That's it for now."

"Good." He signals the waiter, who appears instantly with the check. Emil doesn't even look at it before placing cash on the table. "Then we have an agreement."

We stand, and he places his hand on the small of my back as we walk out. The gesture is possessive, claiming, but I'm getting used to it. People nod to him as we pass, fearful respect in their eyes.

This is my life now. This world of power and violence and luxury.

The thought should terrify me more than it does.

The drive back to the estate is quiet. I stare out the window, processing everything that happened today. And now these ground rules. The fact that he agreed to most of them surprises me. I expected more of a fight, more demands that I simply obey. But he negotiated like we were equals, like my needs mattered.

Maybe this won't be as bad as I thought. Maybe I can actually survive this.

When we arrive at the estate, Emil doesn't lead me to the guest room where I've been staying. Instead, he takes me through a different part of the house, down a hallway I haven't seen before.

"Where are we going?" I ask.

"You've had a long day. I thought you might want to relax."

He opens a door, and I step into a room that takes my breath away.

It's an indoor pool. The water is a deep, inviting blue, lit from below so it glows in the dim lighting. The ceiling is high, with skylights that show the stars above. Plants line the edges, creating a tropical oasis feeling. Steam rises from the surface, indicating the water is heated.

"You have an indoor pool?" I turn to look at him. "You already have an outdoor pool."

"Three pools total," he corrects. "The third is smaller, in my private suite."