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That made Soph grin like the wildling she was. The receiver was in my hand a moment later. I put the phone to my ear. Dropping my gaze, I clipped out, “Anya, we need to speak about why you were in Sophia’s office, otherwise we’ll have no choice but to see the incident as a case of bad faith and pursue termination of the marriage contract.”
There was a gasp on the other end of the line, but I focused on the flecks of crystal in the granite counter of the reception desk as I waited for her response. She took the bait.
“I'll be right down,” Anya bit out.
“Thanks, doll.” I handed the phone back to the receptionist.
Nikolai was hissing something in Russian to his cousin, but she shrugged. “Be a dear and go sit at the far end of the bar, Nik.”
We moved to the attached cocktail lounge. Nikolai scanned the room and took a seat as directed.
“We owe him big time,” I whispered.
Sophia shrugged. “He’s always getting into shit, and so far I’ve managed to bail him out every time. I’ve also accumulated enough dirt on him to bind him as my eternal bitch should I ever need to. He owes me.”
Blackmail—underworld currency. I gave my bestie a side squeeze. “I’m never going to make you my enemy.”
“Break my brother’s heart, and I might just have—”
But whatever she was going to say died on her lips as an impeccable platinum blonde entered the bar. Sophia flashed Anya a smile, but I was too focused on the shadows flanking the Bratva princess. Ever so gracefully, Anya motioned for them to stay back as she approached our table.
Showtime.
“I don’t know what she’s been telling you, but I didn’t do anything,” Anya addressed Sophia as she sat down across from us.
“I’m not interested in what you did so much as what you intended to do,” I countered, folding my hands in my lap and staring the socialite down.
“You can’t prove anything.” Anya’s pert nose lifted a fraction.
I only smiled. “You wouldn’t be down here if that was true.”
Soph drummed her nails into the table. “Should I tell her what I found?”
“Hmm, let’s give her a minute to sweat,” I responded, playing the part perfectly with my bestie.
“This conversation is done.” Anya pushed to her feet, but the pause before she stepped away from the table was all we needed.
“We have a video of you attempting to tamper with her computers,” I drawled.
Something flickered in the socialite’s eyes.
“And I have the email you sent to Spyder Security.” Sophia double tapped her fingers in unison and then crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re going to tell us why, then I’ll consider keeping my mouth closed to my uncle.” Sophia jerked her chin to where Nikolai perched like a gargoyle at the bar.
Anya paled and fell back into her chair. “My father will beat me if anything happens to this engagement.”
Revulsion made my gut flip. There had been clear warning given, yet I still hadn’t allowed the ways of the underworld to fully sink in. And while I didn’t like it, I could deal with the mob’s brutality—so long as I got the angel in the dark.
“Which is exactly why you’ll tell us,” Sophia was saying. “Because the moment my uncle finds out you’re moving against us, you’ll be considered an enemy.”
“Come on, you can’t want this marriage. Let us help you get out of it,” I insisted.
Anya turned on me, eyes flashing. “You think that just because you’re playing in our world that you understand? Viktor is a catch. He’ll be kind to me, and as long as I remain a faithful and dutiful wife, I won’t have to live in fear.”
“He’s mine.” A shiver rippled down my back as that declaration whispered from my lips.
“I see.” Anya cracked her knuckles. “Well, know this: I have no intentions of ending my engagement.”
“If that’s your final offer, I’ll ensure the contract is broken and you take the fall,” I said, the bluff sitting between us.
