Page 125 of Tarnished Tyrant (Zhukova Bratva 1)

“Was that hard enough for you?”

All I can do is lift my hand and weakly flip him off.

He laughs and then sucks my middle finger into his mouth for a second. “We already played the ‘fuck you’ game, Belle. What’s next?”

I close my eyes and feign sleep to avoid answering. Because, for a moment, I thought I was in control. I thought I knew what I was doing.

But now, I realize the truth.

I have no fucking idea…

And I love it.

28

NIKOLAI

I’m in the dining room with a black coffee and a plate of toast when Belle walks in.

She slept in her own room last night. I didn’t invite her to mine, and she didn’t ask. When she looks up at me now, it’s almost like she’s surprised to see me here.

“Good morning.” I gesture to the table. “Hungry?”

“I actually ordered breakfast this morning and ate it in bed,” she says guiltily. “I was starving. Sorry.”

“I know you did.”

“Of course you do,” she snorts.

She’s dressed for the day and has a black notebook under her arm. It’s the same one she had that night in the conference room at Zhukova Incorporated.

“It’s my job to know what happens here. But the kitchen just told me you ordered food. I don’t know what you ate.”

“Am I on a diet?” she smirks, eying my plate. “Because I didn’t order buttered toast like you did, I can tell you that.”

“I like a light breakfast.”

“And I like waffles with peanut butter and syrup.” She frowns. “But they didn’t have peanut butter in the kitchen. They gave me some chocolate spread instead. Did you know they don’t have peanut butter?”

“Peanut butter is mostly an American delicacy.”

“These folks don’t know what they’re missing,” she says. “Have you ever had peanut butter on your waffles?”

“No. Because I’m an adult.”

She mock-gasps. “What is it with you and food shaming? First, you judged me for wanting hot chocolate, then you judged me for liking powdered hot chocolate, and now, this. We may have come from similar circumstances, but you’re snooty now.”

“Having good taste doesn’t make me snooty.” I narrow my eyes at her and she stares right back.

Finally, she grins. “When we’re back in America, I’ll make you a waffle the right way. Peanut butter included. You’ll never look back.”

When we’re back in America.Maybe she’s just talking, saying things without thinking them through. But that sounds an awful lot like Belle has plans for the two of us.

"Someone’s in a hurry to get back,” I observe.

Her smile falters. "Not especially. I… I left things kind of a mess. But I guess my life hasn't exactly been tidy for a few months now. Since Elise came along."

"How long has she been living with you?"

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