Page 22 of Tarnished Tyrant (Zhukova Bratva 1)

“I know your word is good, Don Zhukova,” Xena says in a surprising show of submission. “Which is why I’d like your word that you’ll remain faithful during our marriage.”

Giorgos snaps his attention to his sister. “You mean physically?”

“This is between me and my future husband, brother. But yes, I’d like Don Zhukova to be physically and emotionally faithful to me. Marriage is sacred. I refuse to desecrate it.”

“Bullshit,” I snort. “You don’t think anything is sacred. You’d just be jealous. At least have the courage to be honest about that.”

Before this deal came along, I never once considered getting married. Women are a distraction at best and a hindrance at worst. They want more than a man like me can give. The money and lifestyle isn’t enough—they want love and attention.Devotion.

But those things don’t come free. They come at the expense of everything else. And I’m not willing to throw away what I’ve earned for any woman.

Xena clenches her jaw so tightly I think her teeth might crack. “The two things are not mutually exclusive. Marriage is sacred, therefore I would be jealous if you slept with anyone else.”

“So you want to put a noose around my cock?”

“More like a ring on your finger,” she says with a sly smile. “Do you agree?”

I consider my options. I could refuse her offer and force her to accept the deal without my pledge. It would be easy enough. A little pressure, a threat, and boom, she’d break.

But…

“I won’t make love to any other woman,” I say.

She beams, oblivious to the distinction I’ve made. I have never and will never make love to a woman.

But I’ll fuck whoever I damn well please.

Giorgos claps his hands and raises his glass again. “Then it looks like we are in business together, Nikolai. And now, we have a wedding to plan.”

* * *

Arslan doubles over laughing when I tell him about the meeting.

“She heard the words ‘make love’ come out of your mouth and thought you were being serious?” he cackles.

“I’m surprised I didn’t spontaneously combust.”

“I think that’s a myth, but it’s still more likely to happen than you ever falling in love.” He flops back in the chair in the corner of my office and mimes an explosion, making rumbling noises through his laughter. “I can’t believe I missed it.”

“You had more important things to worry about.”

He sits up a bit straighter, turning serious the way he always does when we talk about work. Arslan may fuck around ninety-nine percent of the time, but he’s my righthand man for a reason.

“You took care of everything?”

“Don’t I always?” I stare at him, waiting for an actual confirmation. Eventually, he sighs. “Of course I did. Did you really think I’d let you down?”

“You know how I like verbal confirmation.”

“I know how you like to micromanage every single thing down to the smallest detail,” he counters. “Which is why I had to come meet you at your office. You know, just once, we could have a debrief at a bar over drinks. Or at your house with the game on.”

I frown. “What game?”

He shrugs. “I don’t know. A game! Any game. You pick, I’ll watch. Anything to get you to relax.”

“My wife will probably want the same.”

Arslan shakes his head. “Fuck… I can’t believe Xena Simatou is going to be your wife.”

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