Page 39 of Forced Marriage Vows

“Like I could with you breathing down my neck,” I mutter. “So eager to shed some blood, Rossi?”

“Eager to have my revenge,” he corrects. “We’re watching you, Mikhail. If you don’t deliver Vasiliev to us, there?—”

Ramirez cuts him off before he can continue. Which is fortunate because I was about to do something we’d have all regretted.

“What Adrian means to say is that we understand that you’re doing your best to find Igor. It’s just incredibly frustrating because he never should have been able to escape in the first place. It would be a shame to ruin all the hard work that went into building this alliance over one man.”

I clench my jaw. “I’ll find him.”

“Good. And Mikhail? Congratulations on becoming Pakhan,” Nicolas tells me with a small smile.

It hits me in that moment what I’ve been able to achieve. My appointment as Pakhan isn’t official yet, but it might as well be. I offer the Don a nod of acknowledgment before walking away. Ivan walks at my side.

“They need to chill the fuck out,” I say once we’re out of earshot. “And Ramirez needs to control his dog.”

I’m trying very hard to be diplomatic because I know we have a lot on the line, but I only have so much patience.

“You have to understand where Adrian is coming from.”

“I understand it. That doesn’t give him an excuse to talk to me that way.”

Ivan assures me that things will get better once Igor is found. But it’s all so incredibly frustrating.

I do my best to stay calm, not wanting to fuel Anastasia’s bad mood, but she still picks up on my frustration and anger.

“Why the hell are you so angry?” Anastasia asks on the ride home.

We’re in the backseat of my car being driven home by Jerome while a guard sits in the passenger seat. Our car is in the middle of two other black vans filled with my men. I’m not taking any chances, just in case Igor does decide to show his face.

“No reason,” I reply, irritated.

She crosses her arms over her chest. “It’s not really nice that you’re stealing my thunder. I’m the only one that gets to be mad.”

My lips twitch and I finally look at her. “That’s very mature,solnyshko.”

“I’m being serious. If something’s bothering you, either tell me what it is or pretend like nothing’s wrong so I’m not worried.”

That has me arching an eyebrow. “Ah, so you’re worried about me?”

“I worry about everybody, Morozova. You’re not special,” she scoffs.

“I think it’s about time you started using my name. Don’t you think, sweetheart?”

“No, I don’t think. Using your name means I lose. I’m not a fan of losing,” she tells me.

“But I know how to make losing so much fun,” I point out, my eyebrows rising suggestively.

Her cheeks heat as she immediately understands my insinuation.

“Give in, Anastasia. You know you want to. I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”

She sucks in a sharp breath before looking away.

“Here’s what’s going to happen tonight. I’m going to go to my room and you’re going to yours, and neither of us are going to touch each other with a ten-foot pole.”

I laugh lightly. “Sounds like a challenge I can get behind. Alright, sweetheart. I won’t come near you.”

“Thank you,” she says, seemingly relieved.

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