23

My eyes lock with Tiana’s as I tilt my head. I hope she can hear the compassion in my voice as I answer, “Once we’re married, the apartment will be our home. I don’t want you to ask permission for anything. I want you to make the place your own. I don’t believe in divorce, so we’ll spend the rest of our lives together. It will take a lot of work, but I believe we can be happy.”

Heartbreaking emotion washes over her face, her chin trembles, and she struggles to keep the tears back. Her breathing speeds up as her eyebrows pull together.

She doesn’t try to hide her strong reaction to my words as she asks, “Will you really be happy having me for a wife?”

Only time will tell. It’s a bit too soon to answer that question.

“As I said, it will take some work on our part. We’re already becoming friends, so I believe if we continue to get to know each other, we’ll be able to have a successful marriage.”

I can see there’s something else she wants to ask, so I wait patiently until she’d ready.

“What about children?” Tiana’s eyes fill with hope.

“God willing, we’ll have children.” I smile at her and ask, “How many do you want?”

Happiness pours over her face, and I feel like a king for being the one to make her feel this way.

“I don’t care how many we have. I just want to be a mother.”

Her emotions seem to settle, and when she continues to eat her food, I get up to pour myself a drink.

“I’m a morning person,” I start to tell her about myself. “I love getting up at dawn when everything is quiet. My apartment has a private courtyard by the entrance where I like to sit and have my morning coffee.” I glance at Tiana. “Are you a coffee or tea person? Or neither?”

“It doesn’t really matter. I like tea and coffee.” She takes the last bite, and getting up, she collects my plate and places the dirty dishes on the cart.

“What do you like to drink?”

“Lemon water. Any juice.” She tugs at the hem of the shirt. “I’m not picky.”

I take a bottle of orange juice from the bar fridge and hand it to her. “What do you like to eat?”

“Anything but bread.” Her eyes rest on mine. “And you?” Suddenly her eyes widen, and she starts to ramble, “I mean, what do you like to eat, not that I’d like to…eat you.” She lets out a mortified groan, her face bright red, before she covers it with her hands. “Pizdets.”

I chuckle at her cute reaction. “It’s okay. I understood what you meant.” She lowers her hands while inhaling deeply. “Sorry about that.” Answering her question, I say, “I love any home-cooked meal.”

A smile tugs at her mouth, and as she’s about to ask another question, my phone starts to ring.

I pull the device out, and seeing Luca’s name flashing on the screen, I answer quickly. “Yes, sir?”

“Viktor and I are on our way. He talked to Aslanhov and Makarova.

We’ll meet at St. Monarch’s to discuss this mess.” “Yes, sir.”

“Keep the girl there. Don’t you dare run off with her,” he warns me. “Yes, sir.”

The call ends, and I check to see if any of my texts have gone through to Misha. They’re still marked unread, so I dial his number again to leave another message.

“I have Tiana. Luca and Viktor are on their way to St. Monarch’s for a meeting with Aslanhov and Makarova. I hope you get this message soon and get your ass back to Switzerland. If you don’t, I’ll handle everything.”

I place my phone back in my pocket, and looking at Tiana, I see the worry is back in her eyes.

“The meeting is inevitable,” I inform her. I wish I could put her at ease, but wanting to prepare her for the worst, I say, “Viktor will have the final say about who you’ll marry.”

The blood drains from her face. “Oh, God. What if he chooses Karlin?” She paces away from me while shoving her hands into her hair. “He’s going to choose Karlin. The bratva wants his business.” Panic tightens her voice until she sounds frantic. “This is going to be so bad. I’ll probably get punished for running away.”

Walking to Tiana, I take hold of her shoulders, spin her around, and press her to my chest. “Viktor isn’t an unreasonable man.” I lean down so I can see her face. “Tell him everything Karlin did to you. Leave nothing out. The Vetrovs disapprove of women being abused. It will count in your favor.”

Tiana nods, her eyes jumping over my face. “Do I have any say in this?

Do you think it will help if I tell Mr. Vetrov I want to marry you?” “Definitely.”

“Do you think Misha will get back in time?”

I let out a sigh as I hold her to me again. “I don’t know. Try not to worry too much. I’ll do everything in my power to keep you with me.”

Tiana wraps her arms around me, pressing her face hard into my chest. Her words are mumbled against my shirt as she pleads, “Please, Armani. I want to stay with you. I know it’s asking a lot, but I can’t marry Karlin.”

I press a kiss to her hair and wrap her so tight against me it will take an army of men to pry her from my arms.

There’s no way on this godforsaken earth Tiana will marry Makarova.

Over my dead body will I allow that to happen.