Total pages in book: 82
Estimated words: 79326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79326 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 317(@250wpm)___ 264(@300wpm)
“How do you do that?” I ask.
He shrugs. “Mostly relying on rumors of illicit activities that aren’t actually happening tonight. It will keep people coming back and hoping they’re cool enough to be let in on them next time.”
“Like what?”
He kisses me again. “I’m not sure you want to know, printsessa. And I don’t want to make my wife an accessory.”
A spike of resentment rises in me. I respect that he wants to keep me clean. My father is absolutely the same. My mother and I never knew about his bratva cell’s activities.
But it seems like everyone else in this house–all of Baron’s friends–are in on it. Everyone but me. I don’t like feeling left out, even when it is for my own good.
I frown at him. “I do want to know.”
He considers me. “You sure?”
“Yes.”
“The usual sins–high stakes card games. Designer drugs. The dungeon downstairs.”
I absorb that. “But nothing tonight?”
He shakes his head. “Not even one underage drink. Titan House wants to take us down, and we don’t know how they’re going to come at us, so we have to play it very cool tonight.”
Wow. No wonder Baron looks like he has the world on his shoulders. He’s not just in charge of his house, he’s running a full-scale enterprise here. Plus, it sounds like he believes he’s responsible for the safety and protection of everyone in this house.
This might be the first time Baron shared anything personal or important with me, and I like it. I appreciate that he trusts me enough to bring me in on it.
“What can I do to help?”
Something in Baron relaxes, and he flashes me a smile–perhaps the first I’ve seen on him. It makes him look boyish. Carefree. Heartbreakingly handsome.
He presses his weight against me and slowly moves in for a kiss, making me hold my breath in anticipation. His lips are supple; the kiss is perfect. “You can help me by circulating around here in this sexy little dress and making everyone wonder who this fucking gorgeous woman who is the new queen of Baranov House.” He kisses me again.
“Queen?”
“My queen. So don’t be too friendly to the commoners–you’re royalty in this house. Leave them guessing.”
“Leave them guessing,” I repeat.
“Yes. Extra points–you want to drop a few hints about our arranged marriage or that you’re a bratva princess. It will only add to the mystique. You’ll become a mystery they’ll forever want to unpack.” Baron’s hands settle on my waist. He kisses my jaw. My neck. “You know what the most helpful thing you could do is?” His voice has a seductive rumble to it.
“What?”
“Let me take you upstairs, strip off this dress, and tie you naked to our bed, so I know what’s waiting for me at the end of the night, and I don’t have to worry about any mudak trying to touch you tonight.”
“Hmm. Let me think about that.” I pretend to consider. “No.” I give his chest a shove. “I’m the queen. Queens don’t get tied up naked.”
He gives me a mock innocent look. “Some do.”
“So are you allowed to have fun at this party, or are you just working the whole time?”
His expression clouds again. “These things aren’t playtime for me. They’re business.”
I look at my new husband—a twenty-two-year-old who seems to have entirely missed his youth. A man in a perpetual state of self-sacrifice for his father, for the cause, for others. He’s clearly a natural born leader but one with the weight of responsibility for everyone who falls beneath him.
I want to lighten that load for him.
I kiss him. It’s the first time I’ve initiated a kiss, and Baron doesn’t miss the occasion. He holds perfectly still through my kiss then throws me back against the wall, his fingers wrapped around my throat in a gentle hand necklace as he delivers his own searing version of a lip lock.
It goes on and on until we’re both breathless, and he breaks away and rubs his lips together, his gaze locked on mine.“Thank you,” he says reverently.
I practically hear my walls come crashing down to rubble around me.
My husband deeply values the gift of my affection. It couldn’t be more clear. And it couldn’t be more of a turn-on.
The music suddenly turns off.
“Pakhan!” Anya calls out, taking off her headphones. “They’re trying to get you on comms. There’s a line at the door of people waiting to get in, and they wanna know if they should open up.”
Baron’s hand slides from my neck up to grip my jaw, and he gives me one more rough kiss followed by a feral smile
My knees go weak.
He reaches up to his ear and flicks a button in his comms device.
“Let the party begin.”
Chapter Fifteen
Baron
We’re close to capacity by 10 p.m., which is about two hours earlier than when most campus parties fill up.