Page 125 of Legacy
He knows the rule. Don’t solicit the girls. Especially not the ones who’ve already survived too much. And even if she wasn’t one of them, it still applies.Especiallyfrom us.
Rachel swallows. “No, I—”
“Don’t,” I cut in, voice cold now. “Go make yourself useful upstairs.”
She hesitates. Maksim arches a brow like he dares her to say anything else.
She leaves.
Maksim watches her go, then leans back and mutters, “Too much perfume.”
I down another shot, jaw tight. “Don’t talk to the girls like that. I mean it.”
He doesn’t argue. Just nods once and pours again.
“You gonna text your girl again?” he asks after a moment.
I glance at my phone. I already did.
Still nothing.
***
I don’t want to bring Maksim to the penthouse.
He says it’s to talk strategy—tighten the noose around the Armenians, figure out what the hell to do about the Turks still pushing on his territory. And sure, that might be part of it. But I know him. I know the way his curiosity works, the way his eyes flicked when I mentioned Adriana the first time.
He wants to meet her. And that pisses me off more than it should.
The elevator opens and we step into the foyer.
He follows me to the living room.
There she is.
On the couch, surrounded by paperwork, documents spread across the glass coffee table like some beautiful, untouchable storm. She’s wearing jeans now, dark and fitted, and a soft charcoal-gray shirt that hugs her just right. Casual, but composed. There’s makeup on her face too. Subtle. Enough to make me wonder if she went out while I was gone.
The thought tightens something in my chest.
Maksim spots her immediately.
His interest is instant.
“Bozhe moi,” he mutters under his breath. “That’syour wife?”
I don’t answer. I’m already watching Adriana, watching the way she straightens just slightly when she notices we’re not alone.
Maksim steps forward with that cocky smirk of his. “Maksim Korsakov. Pahkan of the Bratva. Sometimes friend of your husband.”
Adriana smiles just enough to be polite, but not enough to invite more.
“Adriana,” she replies, her tone calm, unreadable. “Nice to meet you.”
He grins wider, and I see it—that flicker in his eye like he just found something shiny to break.
I clench my jaw. “Office,” I bark, already heading down the hall.
Maksim follows.
