I stare at Rai’s back as she leaves the house. Her steps are confident and wide, with a gentle sway of her hips I’m sure she doesn’t even notice having.
Beneath the ice-cold exterior, there’s a feminine side she crushed and burned before it was able to blossom.
But it’s not completely dead. Not even close.
My lips twitch at the prospect of thrusting myself into her life and exploiting those hidden parts of her, the ones kept under lock and key.
My gaze follows her all the way to the entrance even though one of her most loyal soldiers, Katia, meets her and accompanies her outside.
And yes, only Rai would specifically choose a woman as one of her closest guards. She always did things differently while flipping the world her middle finger.
I’ll be the exception in that world.
She thinks she can go to war with me, but what she doesn’t know is that the war already started a long time ago. Her cards were already dealt, and all she can do is play her role as previously planned.
It would be a shame to see her princess eyes shed tears, but what’s victory without sacrifices, huh?
Still…I rub my thumb against my forefinger, relishing the feel of her skin against mine. She’s so soft, like untarnished silk, and according to the red marks that remained on her neck after I released her, she might bruise easily, too. No idea why that fact excites me, but it does. It could be my depraved nature, or the simple fact that I always liked breaking things, ruining them, then watching them shatter in the wake of their destruction.
People become raw in that state and show their truest, most hidden tendencies.
Rai will join the list as my latest acquisition. Sure, it won’t be easy considering the way she stabbed me with those darkened eyes as if that’s her favorite sport.
My dick strains against my trousers as I recall the feel of her pulse beneath my hand when I held her throat. Rai might act like she’s all that, but in that very moment, her breathing hitched and I saw a hint of her muted desires.
Desires I would be more than happy to explore.
I place a hand in the pocket of my pants and turn around, silently heading back to the dining room. I stop at the corner when I spot the four kings and Vladimir leaving along with their guards.
That only leaves Sergei and Adrian inside, which means juicy business.
I wait until the front of the room is empty then I approach slowly. I don’t eavesdrop like an idiot in front of the room. That will give me away to any of the guards stationed nearby.
Instead, I stand in front of the hall mirror, retrieve my in-ear piece, plug it deep inside so it’s not noticeable, and then tap it. I got this gadget from my friend’s most talented hackers. The guards who sweep daily for bugs can’t for the life of them find it because it doesn’t really exist. It appears like a normal lamp wire.
There’s a small rustle from the other side before the voices filter in.
“What’s so urgent that needed all the others gone?” Sergei asks in Russian, voice low and tone perturbed.
“You’re the only one I trust with this information, Pakhan, especially considering the current circumstances.” Adrian, who’s usually so silent you forget his voice, continues in the same language. “Someone is stealing from the brotherhood.”
“What?” Sergei hisses. “Who has the balls to steal from us when they know the penalty is death? Is it one of our own?”
“I’m not sure yet. I still need to run background checks so I know the exact numbers. What I’m certain about is that a sum has been strategically transferred from V Corp to multiple accounts abroad for the last year. At first, I chalked it up to something unimportant, but in total, it’s close to one hundred thousand dollars.”
“Is it not related to the money laundering?”
“No. That is separate.”
“What do you suggest we do?” Sergei throws the ball completely into Adrian’s court, which isn’t so surprising considering he’s responsible for the Bratva’s security. Not only that, he’s also the genius mastermind of this brotherhood. The reason why they always slip through the authorities’ hands isn’t because of the four kings’ ruthlessness; it’s because of Adrian’s brains and strategic thinking. He usually finds the right influential men who will give them immunity.
He predicts solutions to events that haven’t happened yet, and that’s why he’s the best ally I currently have. However, that doesn’t change the fact that he will turn into my worst enemy in the future. As much as he keeps away from the limelight, Adrian’s loyal to this fucking brotherhood to a fault.
“Let Rai collect all the brigades’ financial reports and then send me a copy,” he says to Sergei. “I will be able to figure out if it’s from the inside.”
“You got it.”
“I will also need V Corp’s numbers.”
“Are you suspecting Rai?” Sergei’s voice hardens, taking offense on behalf of his grandniece.
“I suspect everyone, Pakhan. Family is not exempt from this. If my suspicions are correct, I—”
I cut off the feed on my own when I feel a presence watching me from the corner, then I pretend to button my shirt in front of the mirror, whistling joyfully.
“What are you doing here?” Vladimir stands in front of me, trying to intimidate me with his tall and broad frame.
Poor Vladimir doesn’t know that I could stab him in the throat in a heartbeat and he wouldn’t have a chance.
But that would be unnecessary violence, especially at a time like this.
So I grin at him. “What does it look like I’m doing? Looking at how handsome I am while waiting for my father.”
“Igor left.”
“Oh, he did? I didn’t know that since, you know, I was talking to Rai.”
He steps in and grabs me by the collar of my shirt. “Hurt a hair on her head and I will rip your heart out.”
I push him away, still smiling. “I see you’re still loyal to the Sokolovs—nice. But you don’t have to threaten me. I intend to cooperate with her.”
He narrows his ghostly eyes. “Cooperate how?”
It’s my turn to get in his face. “It’s a husband-and-wife matter. Stay out of it.”
I don’t know why I say that. Since I’m on a mission to be everyone’s favorite, I don’t want to provoke Vladimir. However, the way she was always close to him—and apparently, still is—pisses me off to no end.
Ask me why it pisses me off. Go ahead.
The answer is, I have no fucking clue, which is even more infuriating.
I step past Vladimir to leave when he says, “She’s not your wife yet.”
Stopping, I meet his flat gaze with mine. “She will be.”
I feel the words instead of just saying them, because there’s no doubt in my mind that she will be my wife. It’s not even completely because of the plan.
Rai will fall to her knees in front of me.
Just like everyone else will.
