Page 31 of Lord of Passion

The asshole notices, the faintest smirk crinkling the skin around his eyes. "Because otherwise, he would have heard of it already. Agapov has a fangirl level of interest in our Bratva. You and I were married in a quick civil ceremony here in Moscow, something spontaneous. We're going to have a larger celebration back in New York with family and friends." His hazel eyes sharpen. "Do you still have your phone?"

"Uh." It takes me a minute. How am I supposed to talk with this asshole pressed up against me? It's bad enough that Nikandr radiates BDE like a beacon of sin. Having a reminder is repressing my ability to do things like use words. I shake my head to get those few brain cells moving around and banging into each other. "No. They took it from me before we got dragged out of the hotel."

"I'm thinking we have maybe fifteen, twenty minutes at most before Alexsey and Vasilisa come through the elevator doors." He shifts his hips away from me, thank god. "Though they might come in through the windows or the roof. If it gets loud and explosive, you stay behind me, understand?"

Oh, I hate him so much. Bossy son of a bitch.

"Caroline!" He gives me a little shake. "I need to know that you heard me."

"Okay, the shaking and the ear-ringing together are not good," I snap. "I hear you. If it gets weird, hide behind you. This is no hardship because I'm perfectly happy to use you as a human shield."

Nikandr's eyes drift down my body, lingering offensively on my chest for a good long time before he looks up at me, a slow smile spreading across his face. "And what a body to shield," he whispers, leaning in so his lips touch my ear, the manipulative prick. He's close enough that he can see the little spray of goosebumps sprouting up my neck from his breath.

"Okay,fine," I say, slipping out from between him and the sink. "Sounds great. Key points: no death. We're married."

I turn on the sink for a minute to make it sound like we might've actually been in here freshening up, then take a breath, shaking my hands out. Nikandr watches this with some amusement before he says, "Are you ready to go?"

"No," I say. "Kidnapping is new to me, you'll have to forgive my lack ofsavoir faire."

He straightens his tie and gives me another leisurely visual examination. "Just stand there, and look –"

"If you say, just stand there and look pretty I'm going to punch you in the nuts," I say, wrapping all five fingers into a fist and holding it up threateningly.

Nikandr chuckles indulgently and opens the door, wrapping his arm around my waist. "Come on, wife. Let's go greet our host."

Dariy is waiting for us like an exceptionally chubby spider crouched in the middle of his web, his gold chains glinting brightly enough to make my pupils retract.

"There they are!" he says grandly, spreading his arms. Seriously, what does this guy expect? Does he think we're going to come in for a hug? Nikandr seats me next to him on the sofa, curving his arm protectively around my shoulders.

"And what to drink," our creepy host muses. "Vodka? Or would you prefer tea?"

I'm trying to think of what would be less difficult to poison and Nikandr's thoughts must be going the same way because he answers for us both. "Vodka,pozhaluysta,please." One of the guards brings glasses and the bottle to the table, placing them in front of us and backing away quickly, like they might be next to get shot in the face.

"A toast!" Dariy raises his glass. "To new love," he says, with an unsettling grin, clinking his glass to mine, and then to Nikandr's.

"Uh-huh," I nod, smiling weakly as I sip my vodka and they throw theirs back. I put my hand on Nikandr's thigh, enjoying how his muscles stiffen just slightly. Yeah, he deserves that after rubbing up against me in the bathroom.

"Tell me, then," Dariy says, "how did you find this beautiful angel and snap her up so quickly?" He gives a pout that I suspect he thinks is adorable.

"We were introduced by Alexsey's wife, Caroline is her cousin," Nikandr says, taking my hand and kissing the back of it, and then each knuckle. His warm lips are having a converse effect on me, and I shiver slightly. His grin spreads across my skin and I know he noticed my shiver, the self-absorbed asshole.

"Caroline came with me for the weekend. I can't bear to be away from her even for business." He smiles down at me fondly, and I'm a little impressed with his acting ability. His hazel eyes are usually cold and assessing, but they actually look warm now and it's making me uncomfortable.

"And you, Caroline Morozova," Dariy turns his attention to me, "this sudden marriage he speaks of, when did this happen?"

I dig my nails into Nikandr's thigh as I ponder how to answer. What the hell do I know about getting married in Moscow? It's a civil service, right? "It was yesterday," I simper a bit. "We just looked at each other and we knew it was time."

Our host stares pointedly at my bare left hand, and I hold it up. "You might be noticing that my hand is bare. Nikandr gave me his mother's antique ring," I look at him adoringly. “I don't know if you have met Tania Morozov, she is a wonderful woman. Sadly, her fingers are slimmer than mine, so the ring is being resized.” I giggle, a light tinkly laugh that makes me feel vaguely like a creepy anime character. "As forhisring, I had the opposite problem where I got one that was too big. He has such small hands, you see." I shoot Nikandr a fond smile as he presses his lips together, trying not to laugh.

Dariy looks pensive. "Yes, it is a terrible tragedy to have small hands," he says, spreading his out to make his sausage-like fingers look bigger. "You know what they say about the size of a man's hand…" he chuckles, winking at me.

"Well, it's notallabout size, Dariy Agapov," I say sweetly, all wide-eyed innocence. "It is abouttenderness, a man who is gentle,and willing to bevulnerable."

Even the guards look vaguely nauseated by this.

"And where were you married?" he asks, eyes growing sharper.

"Oh. Well. My husband, as you must know, has many connections here in Moscow and he called over…" I'm beginning to feel sweat drip down my back. "A- a civil servant who performed the ceremony for us in our hotel room." I'm looking up at Nikandr, hoping to god I'm getting this right.