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There was nothing really wrong with Sofia’s looks. She could probably be downright pretty if she wasn’t always scowling, frowning, or worse, simpering. Thankfully she saved that for when her father was around. We were spared Roman Pavlov’s presence today, something else I should have been grateful for, but wasn’t. There wasn’t much that could salvage my mood today. She tossed her icy blonde hair behind her shoulders and turned her sour look onto me.
“It’s been more than a few minutes,” she informed me imperiously, then turned to Ivan, who she was much nicer to. “You’ll have to tell Reina I’d love to go shopping with her. She must know all the best places and I’m dying for some new clothes. Nothing I brought from Russia works in this heat.”
Ivan smiled politely while I rolled my eyes again. His wife Reina was the least materialistic person I knew, despite how much he spoiled her, and I had it on very good authority from Nik’s wife that they were both trying their hardest to avoid her. That should have made me sad for Sofia, since they were great women to be around, but she brought it on herself, snapping at Reina and Ivan’s toddler like she was an annoying puppy. It made me sad for myself because I was sure we’d be excluded from family gatherings once we were married, unless Sofia somehow learned how to be a human.
What mostly had me in a bad mood was the fact I couldn’t get Theresa out of my head. She should have been nothing more than a one night stand, albeit the hottest one night stand I’d ever had, and I should have forgotten her as soon as I left the hotel last night. But I swore I kept smelling her delicate raspberry and vanilla scent, and I could still feel her soft skin on my fingertips. Remembering the taste of her almost made me have to excuse myself from the table, but I only huffed and stayed there, stewing in my misery.
Sofia was rambling about wallpaper now, for our new house. How could I be expected to spend the rest of my life with her when I only wanted more of Theresa? And I didn’t even know her last name. If I wanted badly enough I could send some of my men to Boston to track her down, drag her back to me. I almost wanted to send the order right then, from my phone, under the table. Theresa was mine, after all. Every inch of her belonged to me after the way I’d made her tremble and cry out with pleasure. And the way she made me feel the same… It was cruel that I might never see her again.
Ivan loudly cleared his throat and his foot connected with my ankle. I blinked, realizing I must have drifted off into a much better place and missed whatever inane question Sofia asked me. Ivan excused himself to go to the restroom, shooting me a warning look.Don’t screw this up.Our family's peace was on the line.
Yes, I knew what I had to do, but I didn’t have to like it. Once he was gone I turned my full attention to Sofia, even reached across the table to take her hand.
“Is this what you really want?” I beseeched. “To be married to me?” Her father doted on her. Maybe there was a way out of this if she was as miserable as I was.
She shrugged, sliding her hand out of mine. “I haven’t really thought about it,” she said. “I suppose if we’re really incompatible, we’ll just go our own way.”
“But is that what you really want, what you dreamed about as a little girl?” I asked, disgusted by her easy answer.
Once again she shrugged. “Do people like us get silly childhood dreams? I do what’s best for my family. I thought you did, too. I really don’t care if you stray, Aleks. Just don’t embarrass me, and I’ll take care to be discreet as well.”
She spoke as if she really did already have someone lined up and my disgust intensified. Before marriage was one thing, but I never wanted a life full of empty, sordid affairs once I tied the knot. Except, according to Sofia’s own rules, if I found Theresa again, I’d be free to sleep with her. I almost laughed out loud. I didn’t know much about Theresa, but what I did led me to be certain she’d kill me for coming onto her if she knew I was married. And if she was my wife, she’d definitely tear me to pieces if I strayed. That was the kind of passion I wanted.
“And that’ll make you happy?” Surely she could hear the revulsion in my voice, but didn’t care what I thought of her at all.
Sofia patted my hand, shaking her head at me. “Look, keep me in the manner I’ve become accustomed to and I’ll be happy, which will make my father happy. And as you must know by now, that’s the most important thing, right?”
Her eyes grew cold and vaguely threatening at the mention of her father’s happiness. It was clear she wasn’t scared of him. She loved the power she had from being the head of the Pavlov family’s favorite daughter. She wasn’t going to be the one to back out of our arrangement. And I knew the mayhem it would cause if I tried.
Feeling suffocated and trapped, my eyes shifted miserably to the door, as if I could make a run for it. Was I hallucinating from thinking about Theresa so much? Because at that moment, she walked into the restaurant, bringing the glow of the outside sunshine with her until the door swung shut behind an older woman and a man. I barely noticed them, since I couldn’t stop staring at Theresa, stunning in a pale pink sundress that molded perfectly to the curves I could still feel writhing under me. Her dark hair flowed down her back in shining waves, taunting me as it slid across her shoulders. My fingers flexed, the sense of memory of sliding through those silky locks still strong. How I wanted to recreate every one of those memories, and create new ones.
While the older woman talked to the hostess, the man put his arm around her. He looked close to her age, closer than I was, anyway. Perhaps a much more suitable man for her than I was, but that reasoning didn’t stop my anger. My woman with his hand on her waist, pulling her close to his side. For a moment all I could see was red, and when I regained my focus, the three of them were heading to a table across the restaurant, his hands still infuriatingly on her body.My body. Mine.
Rage erupted in me. She lied to me, she was with another man. Our eyes met and locked until hers flickered to take in Sofia, chattering away about something I couldn’t even hear over the rush of anger thumping in my ears.
Theresa’s lip quirked up in a smirk, one shoulder rising in the merest shrug. So we were both here with someone else. What a shock. Especially since she was supposed to be back in Boston.
As soon as Ivan returned to our table, I excused myself. “I see someone I have business with,” I grunted, pushing away to stalk over to Theresa.
She visibly gasped when she saw me coming her way, her gorgeous face blushing bright pink. Much like when she admitted she was a virgin.
“Theresa,” I said jovially, reaching for her hand. Out of habit, she let me take it, her anxious glance cutting to the older woman with her. The warmth of her skin spread through my palm and stiffened my cock. “What a surprise to see you still in Miami.”
“Um, yes,” she said. “Change of plans at the last minute.”
“That’s great because I love the painting, and I must have more.” I stared at her intently, recognizing the moment she knew what I really wanted more of, because her beautiful doe eyes filled with wrath.
Chapter 6 - Theresa
The drive from the airport after collecting my mom and brand new forced fiancé was close to torture. My mother wafted out to the pickup area, dressed to the nines and looking crisp and fresh despite the flight. She immediately complained to me about the car, which had nothing wrong with it but was nowhere near good enough for her. She griped about it loud enough for the poor driver to hear, and we were lucky he didn’t ditch us for more pleasant customers. Through gritted teeth, I reminded her that I couldn’t rent a car, and she sighed as if the world was ending.
Donny jumped to offer to rent one then and there, but she acted as if it was no big deal, tucking herself into the perfectly nice and spotlessly clean vehicle as if it were filled with squawking livestock. Donny himself seemed pleasant enough, at least to my mother. He hung on to every word she said, laughed like a hyena at her sarcastic remarks, and flirted with her so hard I thought my teeth would crack from cringing. He was probably around twenty-five, so closer to my age than Aleksei, and he wasn’t bad looking. When I wasn’t comparing him to Aleksei, there wasn’t much wrong with him, just not really my cup of tea. Everything he wore, from his designer jeans and limited edition kicks to his heavy gold Rolex told me exactly why this arrangement was going through. Donny Rossi came from big money, and his family probably got it in much the same way as we did, which meant his family probably also had some power and wanted more. I tried to stay positive, because he wasn’t ugly. Jet black hair, dark hazel eyes, tall, muscular. Not as tall and muscular as…
I gritted my teeth and forced Aleksei from my thoughts. He was yesterday’s news, and I needed to concentrate on my future. I had to stop comparing Donny to him and look for the good or else we’d both be in hell for the rest of our lives. I hadn’t given up completely on regaining my freedom because there was always a chance I could make my mother see reason if I could get on her good side. A minuscule chance, but I had to try.
At the hotel, the porter took their bags up to the rooms I booked for them and then we headed to one of Miami Beach’s swankiest restaurants. The best way to get on Giana Lorenzo’s good side was to surround her with the best the world had to offer. Nine out of ten times she’d still find fault with it though, so I was pleasantly surprised when she seemed to approve once we were out of the brash Florida heat and into the sumptuously decorated place. A tall, willowy hostess seated us and then a hunky guy brought us ice water and menus, winking at my mom as he assured us he’d be back soon.
“Everyone’s gorgeous here, aren’t they, Theresa?” she asked, watching the server’s butt as he walked away.
