ARIA.
I wasn't asleep. Not even nearly sleepy. But I had to act like I was sleeping to avoid the awkwardness of being on the same bed together. I'd put a pillow behind me; I wasn't sure if I wanted him to remove it or not.
The bathroom opened with a soft creak followed by his heavy footsteps. The mattress dipped gently beneath his weight as he settled in. He didn't remove the pillow. I hated how my heart sank at that.
The bed shifted and I knew he'd turned to me. Then the pillow that separated us was gone. He leaned to me and placed a chaste kiss on my cheek. I forced my breath to stay steady. His quiet chuckle told me he wasn't fooled.
"Ты такая красивая, детка," he murmured against my ear. You're so beautiful, baby. I could feel his breath fanning my cheek. He kissed my cheek again, grabbed my waist and settled his chin on my head. I could feel the hard ridge of his chest and for the first time, I felt safe. And in the warmth of his hold, I finally let sleep take me.
MIKHAIL.
I'd been right about her face. I'd seen beautiful women until the makeup came off. I knew Aria didn't wear any. And now, at three in the morning, her face was so smooth it seemed unreal. High cheekbones carved like sculpture, soft but striking with the kind of mouth could ruin a man — in many ways. Even her nose…
Jesus. She's drop dead gorgeous.
She shifted like she could feel me staring, her tiny button nose twitching softly.
My pretty little malyshka. I never wondered what Aria thought of me, but suddenly the question was there, persistent. Does she like me? Does she mind the age gap? It's only eight years. That's nothing… right?
She tensed slightly and then her eyelids fluttered open to reveal gorgeous sleepy hazel eyes. We stared at each other for a full minute before she broke eye contact and stood up.
Thirty minutes later, we were seated by the dining table. She didn't mention me staring earlier. I wouldn't know what to say if she did.
I try to look anywhere but her face because watching her eat — opening her sexy little mouth —does something to me. Something I don't have time to deal with this morning. I'd arranged a meeting with my officials. I needed to inform them off the Albanian deal and obviously —
I glance at Aria. They need to meet the Pakhan's wife.
I clear my throat, and her eyes flick to me, one brow arched. "We have a meeting with my officials."
"We?" That arched brow again.
"Yes, we. They have to meet the Pakhan's wife," is all I say.
She didn't say what I expected her to. How we're not really married and stuff. She just continued eating.
ARIA.
I'd never admit how cool Mikhail's car was — or how unfairly good he looked driving it.
It was so unfair how he made changing lanes look so sexy, his tattoos peeking out from under his suit.
"I'm sure you've profiled most of the Bravta. You have nothing to worry about," he assured. I scoffed. Was he telling me that? I practically ruled Cosa Nostra, my father was just a figure head.
He slowed as we pulled up alongside the building.
Cresta Noir Estates.
If I envied the Bravta for anything, it would be their wine conglomerate. Under Mikhail's leadership, the Russian Mafia established a legal international wine empire they used as a forefront for laundering and other…not-so legal stuff.
If I tried to establish something like that in the Cosa Nostra, the Capos alone would have driven me insane before it even launched. They didn't believe in hiding behind companies and so on. Rather than pretend, they preferred to pay off politicians and be known for what we really were. Criminals.
"We're here," Mikhail murmured. I nodded.
He rounded the car, opened my door, then offered me his arm. We wrapped our arms around each other and I braced myself internally for what I'd meet inside.
MIKHAIL.
I could feel the change in hair. The detached coldness that seems to constantly surround her…dimmed. As the elevator stopped, she clung closer to me. Was she nervous? I doubt it. I hope she'll be okay today. I knew my officials well enough, they'd accept this if I say so but they won't like it. They won't like her. I sighed.
My officials rose respectfully the minute I pushed open the glass doors that led to my conference room. All eyes seemed to snap to Aria. I expected her to tense up but she remained lax around me.
"Privet, bratva," I greeted with a firm nod as I took my seat on the head table and placed Aria at my right. Their expressions were quite similar to that of the Italian Capos —horror and disbelief.
"Господa," Gentlemen. Aria greeted softly. Like everyone else, I couldn't hide my surprise at Aria's Russian accent. I'd known she knew Russian but I didn't know she sounded native, like she'd been born and bred in Moscow.
"Pakhan, I ask this respectfully, w..why is there an Italian on our land. In our conference room. On the chair reserved for your wife?" Nadia's voice cut through the room. I'd expected this. Nadia's…feelings would severely complicate matters. I need to find a way to…relocate her for a year.
"I'm glad you asked. This woman is Aria Belladonna Volkov, Моя жена." My wife.
Nadia's face drained of all colour. The gasp that rippled through the room — save for Felix — was all the confirmation I needed of their disapproval.
"I brought my wife with me today to formally introduce you all to your new Madam." When I finished, every one of them stood and bowed to Aria. "Госпожа," Madam. They greeted. Aria gave a slight nod.
As they took their seat, Orlov — my head of operations —asked. "Does that mean we'll be partnering with the Italians?" I turned to Aria.
"Well, baby. Are we partnering with the Cosa Nostra," a sly smirk painted my face. Knocking that smirk off my face was the most gorgeous smile I'd ever seen. I almost forgot it was fake.
"Of course baby," Aria murmured to me licking her delectable lips. Oh fuck. My cock was already hardening from the pet name and her pretty mouth. I almost didn't catch Aria's eyes go to my bulge and come back to my eyes. I fucking wished I hadn't. Now I was as hard as a rock.
Sensing what was happening between us, Felix cleared his throat to grab my attention. "Right, moving on to business…," I began.
ARIA.
Mikhail was always hard. I saw his hardon last night, when he tried — and failed — to hide it. I'd also felt it as he held me to sleep. He was obviously attracted to me. I have no idea why that made me tingle.
I also have no idea why the dark blonde lady won't stop steering at me. My mind was partially on what Mikhail was saying, the other at home wondering how Dominic was handling the Familglia. I'd been receiving constant reports from him so I was basically up to date on everything but I still couldn't help but want to handle things myself.
I'd have to speak to Mikhail. I need to go home soon. I was about to lose my mind. I was almost certain Mikhail had fucked the lady that continued to look at me.
If he didn't, that would be way worse because it wouldn't be that she wants him, it'd be that she loves him. And I cannot get in the middle of that crossfire. Been there, done that. It wasn't a very pleasurable experience.
I tried to ignore her stare as well as the multiple glances the male officials continued to give me. You'd think they'd never seen a woman with the way they were reacting.
"Is there something on my wife's face," Mikhail suddenly yelled out. "Everyone's either stealing glances or outright staring. I'm in love with her and I'm restraining myself — can you do the same?" he continued.
I tried —and failed —to stop my heart from reacting to his statement. I knew he wasn't actually in love with me. But the woman that has been shooting daggers at me with her eyes, didn't.
Suddenly Mikhail kept quiet. "Are you okay, malyshka?" he murmured in my ear. "Mikhail," I warned softly.
"I have to give them a bit of a show. Make it more believable and chase them off you know. I'm getting bored," he replies. He leaned in and kissed behind my ear, then my neck. Was he—? Oh God, yes, he was sucking my neck.
I could feel the heat on my cheeks. What the hell is he doing? He suddenly took a long sniff of my neck and I wanted to die then and there. "Relax," he murmured.
"This meeting is over, everyone get out." Mikhail said then continued his ministration on my neck. No one hesitated to leave the room, except the woman. Our eyes accidently made contact, and I could see the pain and hatred in her blue orbs. They were really pretty.
Once she left, I pushed Mikhail away. He tsked but didn't fight me. "See, everyone believed it. We probably seemed like horny lovers," he said. Wiggling his brows, he continued. "You know, we don't have to stop."
I rolled my eyes at his suggestion. He simply chuckled and stood. My eyes — unfortunately — went too low and met his bulge. Again. It was rock hard. Again.
God, does this man's dick ever calm down?