Where the old generation was happy to be on the streets, taking on the weak, Ivan went after the strong to make his force even stronger. We all worked together.
Staring down at my wife, I had to ask the questions now. Ivan wanted her for questioning. With how she looked, she wouldn’t survive it. She’d been petrified. “What is going to happen?”
“Volkov wants to talk to you.”
Her lip wobbled. “Of course he does.” She nibbled on her lip. “I had nothing to do this with. I swear. I saw an opportunity with Roger Hampton, it’s not a ploy.”
“I know.”
She gasped. “You do?”
“I saw the way the man attacked you. I was getting to you. If you’d been part of this, you’d have seen it coming.” I had no doubt she was innocent of this attack, but now, I was curious. Her father sent in those men, knowing we’d turn to her.
I rounded the table and looked down at her back. There were several cuts, and the doctor had put some Band-Aids on the worst ones. The others already had dried blood on them.
“Change quickly. Ivan doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”
She stood up, holding the towel to her chest. “If … if I have to die tonight, will you be the one asked to kill me?”
I gritted my teeth. She knew our world so well. From the look in her eyes, she seemed devastated. I’d never taken the time to read people for these kinds of emotions. I wasn’t sure if I liked what I saw in her eyes.
“Get dressed,” I said. Without another word, I turned my back and left the bedroom.
I folded my arms and waited. Sergei stood, ready and waiting. Over the past few weeks, I’d started to notice the way he looked at my wife. I didn’t like it.
“Sergei, you know your job is to protect my wife,” I said.
“Of course, sir.” He bowed his head, performing all the necessary respectful moves, but I didn’t see it, and he knew it.
“Keep your eyes off my woman or I’m going to have to remove you from this position and find someone else who can follow my rules.”
Sergei didn’t get a chance to respond as Aurora chose that moment to appear in a pair of jeans and a crisp white shirt. Not exactly the choice of clothing I’d have recommended.
I took the lead, not complaining, grabbing Aurora’s hand and leading her out of our apartment.
The elevator ride was awkward. I kept my gaze on the doors, which allowed me to look at my wife.
She was nervous.
Who wouldn’t be? They were about to see the leader of the Volkov Bratva. It was an honor and also a death sentence.
Sergei stood in the corner, and it gave me the perfect opportunity to watch him. I’d picked him because of how loyal he was, but now I was starting to realize my mistake, and I didn’t like it.
His gaze was on my wife’s ass. Did he not realize I could see him? I had a feeling I was going to have to drill in some more respect.
The doors opened, and reaching out, I rested my hand at the base of Aurora’s back, leading her toward the car. I couldn’t resist the tips of my fingers grazing her ass, allowing the man behind me to see that he was looking at my woman, and I would kill him for it.
Aurora tensed up in my arms, but I didn’t care.
Our marriage had survived five months, it would last longer. I was sure of it. I helped her into the car, and Sergei took the wheel. To drive home who Aurora was, I made sure to take my place by her side, resting my palm on her knee.
She shook a little.
I stroked her inner thigh, trying to calm her.
Ivan didn’t like scenes of any kind. If Aurora broke down and started to blubber, it would reflect badly on me.
“Why does Mr. Volkov want to see me?” she asked.
“You know why.”
“I had nothing to do with that.”
“Either way, he’s going to want to talk to you.”
She nibbled on her lip, and I had the urge to reach over and suck it out before plunging her mouth with my tongue. She tugged her knee away from me and turned her entire body toward the window.
Her lack of respect didn’t amuse me.
She wanted to play this way, then fine, we could play.
I grabbed her body, and even though we were seated at the back of the car, I pulled her against me, securing her against my body.
She didn’t fight me, even as her body tensed up. Nor did she argue. Sergei was in the car, and she knew the rules.
“What are you doing?” she whispered the words so low I could only just hear them.
Tilting her head back, I stared into her eyes. Her plump lips called to me. Of all the women I’d been with, I’d never felt this overwhelming need to kiss one before. In fact, I often made it my mission not to put my lips on any of the women. All I cared about was getting my dick sucked.
Aurora was my wife.
A few hours ago, I’d kissed her.
I wanted to do it again.
Cupping her face, I traced my thumb across the plumpness of her lip. It looked slightly sore from where she’d been nibbling it, but I wanted to taste her again. Enemy or not, I felt like I was drowning in the very essence of who she was, and I couldn’t stop.
Before I got a chance to worship her mouth, the car came to an abrupt stop.
We were here.
I hadn’t even noticed we’d arrived at Ivan’s secure location. He liked to live outside of the city. He moved around a lot. It was one part of keeping himself alive and confusing his enemies. He was never in the same place long enough, which meant if there was ever an attack, they never had time to prepare and were always so fucking sloppy with it.
I opened my door as Sergei did the same. I offered a hand and I watched as Sergei struggled with opening Aurora’s door.
She took my hand, sliding out of my side of the car.
I was going to have to have a talk with my wife. For a woman who didn’t have many prospects, she seemed to be taking one of my most loyal men and turning him into her little pet.
The very thought of Sergei touching my wife. Loving her. It awakened the beast within me that needed to lay his claim. To show the world who Aurora belonged to.
Holding her hand, I walked up the steps, nodding to the guards. No one stopped us as we passed.
Aurora kept up with my pace, and when I entered the dining hall, I saw Ivan was waiting.
It was rare for him to want to talk to someone like my wife. I imagined it was down to the peace treaty that he broke protocol. Then again, Ivan never followed the traditional brotherhood of the Bratva. He paved his own way. Fulfilled his own path.
With my wife before him, he stood, and I had no choice but to press Aurora into the chair that had been left in the center of the room.
“Leave us,” Ivan said.
The soldiers each left, one by one, filtering out. Sergei had followed us in, and I made him aware he was to leave too.
His gaze landed on Aurora one last time, but he didn’t save her.
Instead, he left.
“Aurora, you’re looking good.”
“Thank you.” Her hands rested on her thighs. I saw the slight shake in her body.
I couldn’t resist reaching out to her. I placed my hand on her shoulder, not that it gave her any comfort. If anything, it appeared to make her more nervous, which only served to piss me off.
“I had nothing to do with this, I swear.”
“The man you saw, he was in employment with your father, correct?” Ivan asked.