Page 90 of Trapped

“I’ll do two hundred now and the rest when Dimitri is in a hole in the ground.”

He mulled over this, the silence stretching between us. Finally, Mikhail nodded slowly. “We have a deal.”

He extended his hand.

I hesitated before taking it. “When will it be done?”

“It might take a few days, but I’ll contact you.”

Delilah’s father waved me out. I stood, my stomach churning. He didn’t even flinch before serving up one of his men. I caught the gaze of the guard, who ushered me out of the house. I wonder how his guys felt about that.

Walking out of that house was a relief.

Never in my wildest dreams did I imagine shaking hands with a Romanov. Making a deal with her dad went against every sane instinct, and Delilah thought I’d trapped her?

Such a fucking lie.

She was mine. And I was all hers.

I told Vinn about the deal with Romanov.

He said he’d be speaking with Mikhail to iron out a few more details. There would be weeks of negotiations, but it looked like the alliance was moving forward.

Costas and Romanovs.

Working together for the first time in decades. I had my doubts. Mikhail wasn’t known for his honor. I didn’t trust him, but I didn’t have to. I had something he wanted. As long as we held each other’s balls in a vise, nobody could move.

When I got home, Delilah was perched on the couch, her legs crossed. She wore a black dress with a plunging neckline, the fabric hugging her figure. Loose brown waves cascaded over her shoulders, her lips painted deep red. She looked gorgeous, like an actress from a noir film.

She glanced up at me, smiling. “How did it go?”

Something flipped in my chest. Her smile always fucked me up. I crossed the room and stood in front of her.

“The deal’s moving forward.”

She arched a brow. “And you trust my father?”

“Nope.”

Delilah took my hand, gently pulling until I sat beside her. “Did he ask about me?”

“I told him I was taking care of you.”

She gave me a sad smile. “So he just handed me over? Again?”

“He tried to get you back, but I’m a good negotiator.” I leaned over, kissing her cheek. “With everybody except you.”

She put her hand on my chest, showering my skin with sparks. Any lingering sadness on her face vanished as she straddled my waist. Her fingers traced the line of my jaw.

“Speaking of, I need more money.”

My gaze drifted down her neck. “So that’s why you’re dolled up, huh?”

“You know me so well,” she purred.

My principessa had no concept of money. How did she already blow through what I gave her?

I stroked her hair, inhaling the scent of her flowery shampoo. Delilah kissed the base of my throat. She didn’t need to fuck me for money anymore. All she had to do was ask. Should I remind her? I couldn’t think while her lips teased me.

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