Total pages in book: 108
Estimated words: 100416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 100416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 502(@200wpm)___ 402(@250wpm)___ 335(@300wpm)
He leaned down and pressed a quick kiss to her temple. “Ya lyublyu tebya.”
“I know what that one means.” She grinned. “Ya lyublyu tebya, too.”
His answering smile was worth the hour she’d spent mangling the words this morning using her phone’s translation app. Learning Russian was high on her list of things to do if they survived the coming conflict with the Eldridges, if only because she wanted to know what filthy shit he was whispering in her ear every time he was inside her. “Let’s do this.”
“Let’s.”
They stepped into the room and headed for the center table, where several Romanov cousins had already set up a space. Keira caught sight of Ivan and a tall, gorgeous blonde who must be his Natasha, as well as a group of men who were obviously their muscle.
On the other side of the room, the O’Malleys held court. Aiden and Charlie had the table in the corner, along with Olivia and Cillian. Keira paused to wonder if it was difficult for Olivia to be back in the home Dmitri’s father had confined her to for several months, but it was too late to worry about it now. At the table farthest from the door were Teague and his wife, Callie Sheridan. Opposite them sat Carrigan and her husband, James Halloran.
They had all the main players in Boston’s power structure here in a single place. If Alethea Eldridge didn’t try something, she’d be a fool.
She leaned into Dmitri. “Are you sure everyone is safe?” They were in an interior room, so drive-bys were out of the question. The walls were reinforced, anyway, and all the windows boasted bulletproof glass—she’d asked Pavel about it a couple days ago.
“We’ve swept the entire residence several times—two of which were today. Nothing explosive has been smuggled in before the party, and everyone coming in now is scanned on entry for weapons.”
That didn’t cover their mystery traitor, and the tightening around his mouth conveyed his frustration with that. She squeezed his arm. They were as prepared as they could be. Part of her almost hoped that nothing would happen tonight and the only thing she’d have to worry about was one of her family members trying to haul her ass back to Boston for her own good.
They wouldn’t get that lucky. She was sure of it. “I guess all we can do is wait, huh?”
“Wait, and deal with our guests.” His gaze flicked around the room, the only sign that he wasn’t comfortable with not being completely in control of the situation. “In order to avoid showing favoritism, we’ll be seated at our table and let them approach.”
Keira snorted. “I’m sure the power balance of acting the king and queen to their petitioners was purely coincidental.”
He gave her a tight smile. “Da.”
“Mm-hmm.”
They’d barely reached the table when Ivan and his woman met them. He looked like he wanted to sweep Dmitri into a bear hug the same way he had the first night she met him, but he restrained himself to a firm handshake. “Dima, you’re looking well. Marriage agrees with you.”
“I should have taken your advice years ago, starry drug.” He turned to the woman and took her hand, brushing her knuckles with a polite kiss. “Natasha, you’re looking particularly beautiful tonight.”
She gave him an arch look and focused on Keira. “So you’re the woman who turned our Dima’s head.” Her accent was thicker than both Dmitri and Ivan’s, though he’d told her that Natasha had been in the States since birth, the same as the men. Her gaze dropped to Keira’s feet and coasted back up to the top of her head. “You’re very beautiful.” She nodded as if to herself. “You’ll join us for dinner next week before we depart for Texas.”
Dmitri cleared his throat. “Natasha—”
She frowned at him. “No, Dima. Do not give me these excuses about how busy you are. You are family, and you’ve married this woman, which makes her family. You will come to dinner. We will talk.” She aimed that frown at Keira. “You will wear something more appropriate than the last time my Ivan saw you.”
Her face flamed at the memory of that dress. Keira wasn’t ashamed of it, exactly, but she’d been so furious at Dmitri, she hadn’t bothered to think about the consequences. No, that was a lie. She’d known there would be consequences. She just hadn’t cared at the time.
She cared now.
There was no time to come up with a reply—not that she had one—before they moved away and were replaced by Teague and Callie. Teague held himself tightly, as if doing everything in his power not to take a swing at Dmitri. “Romanov.”
“Teague.” For once, Dmitri left all mocking out of his tone. She appreciated the effort, even if it was totally lost on her middle brother.