Page 9 of Sinful Union

Pavel threads an arm around my waist and pulls me close; his body feels solid against mine. His body heat radiates through my silk dress.

I risk a glance up at him, the intensity of his gaze nearly undoes me.

“I’m glad you agreed to this,” he says, his voice low in my ear. His thumb brushes the back of my hand; the lightest touch, but it wrecks me. “It’s been a long time.”

Six years, and damn him, my body remembers everything. The pull between us is instantaneous. The moment I took his hand at the altar, a familiar fire sparked to life with terrifying ease, a slow burn, dangerous and insidious.

Chapter 4

Pavel

Fifteen minutes earlier…

Viktor Novikov stands across from me, swirling the vodka in his glass in slow, deliberate circles.

His expression is carefully fixed, his mouth slanted into something that almost resembles amusement, but I know better. The man in front of me isn’t amused; he’s calculating. He’s testing the waters, searching for cracks, looking for any sign of weakness.He won’t find any.

“Quite the spectacle, Pavel,” he says in a smooth voice. “You always knew how to put on a show.”

“This isn’t a show,” I retort. “This is my wedding.”

He laughs. “Ah yes, that’s right. And what better way to celebrate your nuptials than in top-notch style?”

“It goes beyond that. It’s a necessary event for a necessary alliance.”

Novikov hums, taking a sip. “Yes, an alliance. That’s what we’re calling it.” His gaze flicks briefly to Piotr, who’s laughing with a group of men near the bar, then to Kat, on the dance floor with Vlad. “I have to say, I didn’t think she’d actually go through with it. It’s been a long time since the lovely Katerina was in your life.”

His words are deliberate and probing.

“I almost forgot that the Bratva families enjoy gossiping like schoolgirls as much as they enjoy their more lucrative businesses.”

He chuckles. “Perhaps, but there’s also the matter of precisely what is happening here tonight.”

“A wedding—just what it looks like.”

“With a wife who appears to be a million miles away? We know her heart isn’t in this, but what about her head?”

I nod slowly. “She knows her duty.”

Novikov chuckles again. “If you say so, though, I can’t help but wonder what her thoughts will be after things play out. Does she know what’s coming?”

I keep my expression neutral as he continues to fish for information. “She knows enough,” I reply smoothly.

Novikov watches me for a long moment before sighing heavily. He leans forward, placing his glass on the table. “You and I both know this won’t be as clean as you’d like it to be. The Andreevs are unpredictable.Piotris unpredictable. I doubt he’ll take kindly to being dictated to.”

I finally allow myself to smirk. “Dictated to? No, that’s not how I see it. It’s a negotiation, Viktor. One where the terms have already been set. Whether Piotr is ready or not, the merger will happen within the week.”

Novikov leans back, watching me with sharp, calculating eyes. He’s not pleased, but he won’t fight me on this, not yet. I drain the rest of my whiskey, then set the glass down.

“Enjoy the celebration,” I tell him. “I’ll see you at the next meeting.”

Novikov picks up his glass again and raises it in mock salute. I make my way toward the dance floor. I’ve already dismissed the conversation. The real game will begin soon enough.

For now, my attention is on someone else: my wife.

I spot her immediately, dancing with Vlad. She’s stunning, her ample curves hugged perfectly by the silk of her dress. Her hips are lush, and her breasts—Christ. I swallow hard, pushing back the rush of heat that threatens to take over my body. She’s always been beautiful, but tonight, she’s something else. Untouchable. A dream draped in white, looking every bit like the woman I once thought she’d be, the woman she now is.

Vlad says something to her, and she laughs, her full lips curving in a way that makes my cock twitch. That laugh causes memories to surface; how easily her laughter would arise when she was with me. My body tightens. It’s been years, but my reaction to her hasn’t changed. If anything, the hunger is more intense.

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