Page 35 of Lord of Passion

I stifle a groan, finishing my coffee and pouring another cup. Bukharov was, in fact. fucking relentless about the possibility of getting me to marry his daughter. The oldsvoloch'had the audacity to approach Dmitri asPakhanto propose the union, trying to get him to order me to do it.

Dmitri found it hilarious.

The flowers are from the Balabanov Bratva, along with an invitation to dinner, and the other gift box is from the especially chatty Sokolovs, who'd managed to call my father with the news before I could tell him.

Around nine, I pour a cup of coffee and knock on her door softly. "Caroline? It's Nikandr. We need to talk." I open the door and she's just sitting up in bed, still dazed from sleep, her eyes half-lidded and her lush mouth soft. She instantly tightens the robe around her, an action I note with some regret.

"What's going on?" she says, her voice cautious.

"Here," I hand her the coffee. "You're going to need this. If I remember correctly, you're a sixteen cup a day girl."

Her mouth twitches just slightly as her gaze lowers to the coffee. "Oh, good. You made it black. Just like your soul.” She takes a cautious sip.

I happen to know she likes it black but I don't say anything, pulling a chair next to the bed and sitting down. I straighten my jacket. "Last night was a mess," I say, watching her closely.

She shudders a little in agreement. "Yeah, that guy was like a cross between a tarantula and Fat Bastard."

I barely conceal a chuckle. "Fat Bastard?"

"The guy from theAustin Powersmovies? The one who says 'Get in mah belly!'" She laughs a little and it's charming.

"That is uncomfortably accurate," I agree.

"So, now that we've been rescued at gunpoint from what was considered 'a meeting', where does that leave us?"

"Let me tell you a bit about Bratva culture," I say.

"Oh good," she says, looking interested and setting aside her coffee. "I've wanted to know more, but it's not exactly dinner table conversation."

"The Morozov Bratva is the most powerful one in New York and St. Petersburg," I begin. "We also have substantial holdings here in Moscow and throughout Eastern Europe. There are different alliances between the Bratvas internationally, but here in Russia, there's six extraordinarily powerful families. They'recalled the Moscow Six. Our Bratvas are interconnected through several different ways. Commerce, crime, we trade services."

"Okay," she says, pulling her knees up and wrapping her arms around them.

"You have to understand…" I hesitate, rubbing my finger along my lower lip. "You have to understand that ritual and position are important to these people. Appearances are crucial, showing respect for the old ways. You've seen that arranged marriages are still very much in play, based on Liria's experience with Alexsey."

"Yes." Something murderous flashes across her expression. "That was a very rough start. Alexsey was a complete bastard there for a while." Her face clears a bit. "It all worked out and Liria got her happy ending. I don't know if that's common in your circles. But it was with Liria and Alexsey and I am forever grateful."

"You're important to this family, Caroline," I admit. "You have endeared yourself in a very short time to all the women, and you are appreciated by Alexsey."

Her confused expression narrows into suspicion and she's watching me carefully. "I can tell you're building up to something I'm not going to like," she says acidly. "Spit it out."

"The Moscow Six families know that we're married," I say bluntly.

"But we're not!" she protests. "It's just what you told Agapov so we could get the hell out of there and he wouldn't try to feel me up."

"News travels fast, and I assure you that every one of the Moscow Six families has heard of our sudden wedding and theyall now consider themselves to be involved. Gifts are being sent. Invitations will be extended. Should they find out that our union was a lie after making so much of it, they will consider it a grave insult."

"What happens if they think it is a grave insult?" she asks, a little hoarsely.

"A grave insult to the point of causing serious damage to the relationships between our Bratvas because to these families, everything is about pride and potential insult."

Caroline is staring at me as if she's trying to pluck individual words out of my sentences and create them into something that makes sense to her. "You're saying that they might go to war with the Morozov Bratva because theirfeelingswere hurt?" she asks incredulously.

"We're not in America," I shrug. "It's no longer a matter of just putting you on a jet and flying you out of here. Moscow's ways are different."

She slumps back against the pillows and grabs her coffee, finishing it in one gulp like a shot of tequila. "Okay." She sets her jaw. "What does that mean exactly? You have a plan. I can already tell."

I smile pleasantly. "Darling, we're getting married."