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“I think you know, Antoni,” I told him softly. “I think it’s time you stopped bullshitting us and we figure out how we’re going to make peace in these troubled times.”
“You know nothing about the Baltics.”
“I know you’ve been supplying the Ukraine with guns. I don’t think your President would appreciate that. Do you, Aidan?”
“No, Finn, I really fucking don’t.”
“And let me see, funneling weapons to them is an international war crime and wouldn’t you know it, I have someone in the press who likes me and who’s willing to break the news on this scandal on my behalf.”
“You wouldn’t dare,” Vasov barked.
“I really fucking would.”
Aidan sat straighter in his seat. “Now that we have your attention, gentleman, let’s get down to the details. The Colombians are becoming meddlesome. I want you to talk to them, make them see sense, and if they don’t, I want you to threaten to cut ties with them.”
Vasov’s jaw twitched. “That’s ridiculous—”
“Is it? Fancy being tried at the Hague, do you? Or how about landing in a Siberian gulag? I’m sure the cells there are real comfortable,” I sneered.
His Sovietnik ground out, “We are due to meet in four weeks’ time. They are erratic. They have no base that we have found. We will not be able to speak with them until they communicate with us. It has been that way for five years.”
Aidan grunted. “That’s a damn shame.” He sighed. “Well, the wait can’t be helped, but are we agreed that you’ll be helping us out, Antoni?”
Though it obviously pained him to say it, the Pakhan gritted out, “Da.”
It was the first step in a dance, but we’d made the first move, the first parry. That was how you did business with the Russians.
You made them your bitch.
***
Aoife
“It’s too big, Finn.”
He clucked his tongue. “Don’t complain, Aoife. We both know you like it big.”
Despite myself, I had to giggle. My cheeks burned though because the assistant was watching us and I knew she’d heard what Finn had said. “Finn,” I hissed. “You’re incorrigible.”
He pressed a kiss to my lips. “I try.”
Rolling my eyes at him, I gnawed on my cheek as I stared down at the princess cut emerald that Finn swore was an exact match to my eyes. It was huge. So big I was terrified I’d lose it. “I don’t need it to be so big, Finn.”
“No? Well, I need everyone to know you’re mine.”
I huffed a breath. “I thought we’d already established I was getting a tattoo on my forehead with your name on it?”
A snicker escaped him. “Well, that’s a far cheaper option, but I decided against it. I love your creamy skin the way it is.”
That had my lips curving in a deep smile. “Okay, then. If you insist.”
“Oh, I do,” he teased, his eyes flaring wide as I reached up to kiss him in thanks. When I pulled back, we were both panting a little, and his tone was gruff when he turned to the assistant. “We’ll take it.” He handed her a debit card, she dealt with the transaction, and ten minutes later, we walked out with a three million dollar ring on my finger.
The price tag made me want to choke, but every time I’d tried to look at something that cost less, Finn had growled and dragged another expensive one down my finger. I mean I’d figured fifty grand was a hell of a lot to spend on an engagement ring, but every day I was reminded that the wealth Finn commanded was beyond insane.
Speaking of insane, when we stepped out of the jewelers, Aidan Sr. was standing there with Conor and Magdalena at his side.
“Aidan? What’s wrong?”
