Page 25 of Twisted Vows

Approaching the counter, he leaned against it, his gaze fixed on Nika with an intensity that would have unnerved lesser women. “You’re looking radiant this morning.”

She met his stare with a coy smile. “Flattery will get you everywhere, Malachi.” Her tone held a teasing lilt, one that hinted at the growing familiarity between them.

I watched their exchange with a mixture of amusement and envy. Malachi’s ability to charm women had always been a source of admiration for me, but with Nika, it stirred a possessiveness I hadn’t anticipated.

As if sensing my thoughts, his gaze flickered to me, a silent question in his eyes. I gave an imperceptible nod, affirming the agreement to explore things with Nika. We had discussed it a few times now, but he still seemed to need reassurance that I meant it. Perhaps he realized my feelings for her went far deeper than they had for any other woman we had shared.

She placed our drinks on the counter, her fingers brushing against mine as she handed me my coffee.

“Enjoy,” she said, her voice a husky whisper that promised delights far beyond the confines of this cafe.

We claimed a secluded table, the rich aroma of our drinks mingling with the scents of cinnamon and vanilla that were always present. He watched her as she moved behind the counter, his appreciation for her evident in the way his gaze traced the curves of her body.

“She’s a vision,” he said, his voice low and rough with desire.

I hummed in agreement, taking a sip of my coffee to mask the sudden tightness in my throat. The heat of the liquid did little to quell the fire that had ignited within me at the sight of Nika’s lithe form.

As the cafe bustled around us, we sat in comfortable silence, our gazes never leaving Nika. She moved with grace, her every gesture a tantalizing invitation to explore the depths of her sensuality.

When our gazes sporadically met, she offered a soft smile, her tongue darting out to moisten her lips in a gesture that sent a jolt of desire straight to my cock. Malachi let out a low groan, and I nodded, mutual acknowledgment of the shared hunger that coursed through our veins.

As the morning wore on, our flirtations grew bolder, our touches lingering a little longer whenever she stopped by the table as she had a free minute, our gazes burning with a heat that threatened to consume us. Nika met our advances with innocent sensuality that only fueled our desire, her every move leaving us aching for more.

When the time came to leave, I was reluctant to part ways with her. Malachi sensed my hesitation.

As we stepped out onto the bustling street, the crisp morning air did little to cool the fire that raged within. She dominated my thoughts.

***

The soft glow of computer monitors bathed Valentina’s domain in an ethereal blue hue, casting sharp shadows across her delicate features as she worked. The gentle tapping of keys provided a rhythmic backdrop to the hum of powerful servers that lined the walls, their whirring fans a constant background sound.

I approached her workstation, footsteps muffled by the plush carpet that adorned the floor. Valentina’s eyes flickered toward me, her gaze sharp and assessing, before returning to the array of screens that surrounded her.

“What have you got for me?”

Her fingers sped across the keyboard, and a series of windows flickered to life, displaying lines of code and encrypted data streams. “I’ve been monitoring the Armenians’ communications,” she said, her brow furrowed in concentration. “They’ve been probing our systems, looking for weaknesses, but my new code has repelled each one.”

A muscle twitched in my jaw as I processed the implications of her words. The Armenians were growing bolder, emboldened by their recent successes against us. “Have they found anything?”

Valentina shook her head, her raven tresses swaying with the motion. “Not yet, but I'm not sure I can keep them out indefinitely.” There was concern in her eyes. “They’re planning something big, Rurik. Something that could cripple us if we don’t act fast.”

My mind raced, piecing together the fragments of information we had gathered. The Armenians were desperate, their grip on power slipping through their fingers as we tightened the noose around their operations. They would stop at nothing to regain the upper hand, and the thought of what they might be capable of sent warning lights blazing across my brain. “What are they planning?”

She tapped on the keyboard and a new window appeared, displaying a series of encrypted messages. “I’ve been working on decrypting their communications. It’s been slow going, but I’ve managed to piece together fragments.”

She tapped a few keys, and a single line of text appeared, stark against the black backdrop of the screen.

“Leverage,” I read aloud, the word sending a jolt of realization through me.

Valentina nodded grimly. “They’re planning to take something—or someone—of value to us. A bargaining chip to force our hand.”

Fury rose quickly. “How dare they?” It was a rhetorical question; I didn't expect her to have any answer. “Who do you think they're targeting? Dimitri?”

She hesitated before shrugging. “Perhaps, but I think they might go for an easier target to acquire—one that would hit closer to home for you and Malachi, since you’re in charge of stopping them.”

The logic in her words resonated, hitting me in the gut like a punch to the solar plexus. “Nika.”

Valentina’s expression hardened, her jaw set in a grim line. “That’s my guess. She’s the perfect target—close enough to you to be valuable, but vulnerable enough to be taken.”

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