Chapter 1 - Rodion

A low thrum of conversation drifts steadily through the air at my sister’s party. Raisa and Oleg look happy together. It annoys me, even though I should be happy that my sister is happy, I feel agitated just being here. I still don’t trust that guy. I still think that he manipulated the situation with my sister, and I don’t like it at all.

On top of that suspicion, ever since Oleg Dubrov forced us into an alliance by marrying my sister, I’ve had this annoyance about the whole arrangement because I think I got the short end of the stick.

Those Dubrovs act like they own Boston. But this city isn’t theirs. It belongs to no one with its pulsing energy and fast-paced lifestyle. They think they can control the city like they can control us.

I sigh, standing alone, leaning my shoulder against the wall as I watch the rest of the crowd converse, laugh and enjoy themselves while all I’m doing is waiting until it’s over and I can get the hell out of here.

I glance at my watch.

Still, a few more hours, I reckon.

Throwing back the rest of my drink, I push off the wall and head over to the bar for a refill. May as well take the edge off and enjoy the expensive single malt.

Stepping around Alexei and Leon, Oleg’s brothers, I nod a greeting and then quickly sidestep to avoid being dragged into any kind of conversation. The Dubrovs are a close-knit family. A tight group that makes everyone else feel like outsiders.

My sister seems to fit in well here, but my brothers and I are all looking as uncomfortable as I feel.

“Whisky,” I say, placing my empty glass on the bar counter.

The barman takes the dirty glass away and replaces it with a clean one, pouring me a double.

I hear her voice before I realize she is standing next to me.

“Pink gin, please. With strawberries,” I turn to look at her, and as always, she takes my breath away.

Anya Dubrov. The youngest of the siblings and the only girl in the family.

Since the first time I set my eyes on her, she has stolen my attention.

Anya glances towards me with a cold look in her eyes.

Her long light brown hair looks almost gold tonight. It’s beautiful, pinned up in that messy bun with loose strands hanging around her face.

Her caramel eyes are bright and fierce and her plump lips pulled tight when our eyes meet across the short space between us.

Then just as quickly as she looks towards me, she turns away again.

She is the only reason I actually don’t ditch these parties completely. Well, that and the fact that I need to maintain the business relationship I am trying to grow with them.

I didn’t know she had arrived. I’ve been wondering for the last hour if perhaps she wasn’t going to be here today.

I guess the party just started looking up.

The only problem is that she doesn’t seem very fond of me at all.

“Hello, Anya. Fashionably late?” I ask, turning towards her, leaning my elbow on the bar counter.

She turns towards me again, pulling a sour face and raising one brow as she looks me up and down with distaste. “Rodion,” she says curtly.

“You look lovely,” I say, admiring her dark blue dress and how it flows over her hips and curves over her lower back onto her ass. The things I would like to do to her.

“I know,” she says, her gaze straight ahead towards the bar.

Her coldness annoys the absolute hell out of me and turns me on at the same time. It’s like she enjoys taunting me.

I could be wrong, though. She might just flat out dislike me. More likely.

“Did your boyfriend make you late?” I ask, fishing for information. I am almost certain she isn’t seeing anyone, but despite being so drawn to her—I actually know very little about her.

“Hm. Wouldn’t you love to know?”

I chuckle. I would love to know. I would love to know who I need to eliminate to make her mine.

She turns away from the bar and bumps into me. She huffs in annoyance and sidesteps to get around me, but I sidestep at the same time and we end up stuck in this awkward dance. I grab her waist and stop her from moving. Her eyes flare at me as my hands heat against her skin.

“Get your hands off me,” she snaps.

I let go, chuckling, and step to the left so that she can get around me. But not enough, forcing her to have to brush that tight little body of hers against mine.

She smells of jasmine. Those soft, delicate white flowers that you wait all year to see bloom. And when they bloom, they are so intoxicating with their scent that they become all you can think about.

My blood boils as she presses past me.

Fuck.

I want her.

“Still got your eyes on that little firecracker?” Radmir's laughter comes from the bar. I turn to him and throw him a look. I don’t need other people overhearing shit like that.

“She’s a little young for you.” Rad taunts.

“She’s twenty-seven. I’m forty-three. I could teach her a few things.”

Radmir orders a beer and when it arrives he takes three massive chugs of it before setting it back down on the bar and wiping his hand across his mouth.

“Summer heat getting to you?” I ask, standing next to him, my eyes following Anya through the crowd as she walks towards my sister, Raisa.

“Yeah, and this place. How much longer do we have to be here?” he mutters.

“Think of this as a business meeting, Rad. Something we have to do. The alliance is working wonders for our turnover—we have to play nice here.”

“I know. But the Dubrovs are all so arrogant. I wish we could knock them down a level and show them they aren’t any better than us.”

I clench my jaw. I haven’t said it out loud, but I feel exactly the same way my brother does. Radmir just tends to be a lot more vocal about things than I am. Even when he really needs to learn to keep his mouth shut sometimes.

“I’ve got an idea,” I say, without elaborating.

“Good, because I was starting to worry that you were letting them take us for a ride. They’ve taken my sister,I think it’s only fair that we return the favor."

Raisa laughs loudly when Anya leans close to her and whispers something. They’ve gotten pretty close since she married Oleg.

Just behind Raisa, Oleg picks up a glass, waves at the DJ to stop the music and then calls for everyone’s attention.

“I need everyone's attention,“ he pauses until the crowd quiets down.

I lean close to Radmir and whisper, “I guess we are about to find out what the big announcement is.”

“About time,” he sighs.

Oleg pulls Raisa to his side and she giggles as she looks up at him with wide, adoring eyes. She really seems to genuinely love him. I want to be happy for her. I am. It’s just that—why did it have to be him?

“Raisa and I invited you to our home today because you all mean a lot to us and we wanted to share some really special news with you.” Raisa scrunches her nose, clearly excited. Oleg looks down at her and she nods. “Raisa and I are going to have a baby. My beautiful wife is pregnant.”

He leans down and kisses her, and I look away. There are some things I’m not interested in seeing.

My eyes immediately find Anya in the crowd. She’s clapping and excited, cheering just like everyone else.

I set my drink down and clap, too. A slow, obligated clap.

Then I pick my drink up and sigh to myself.

“She really looks happy. Both of them do,” Radmir says, sipping his beer again.

“Yeah. I’m happy for her,” I say, void of emotion even though I mean it sincerely.

“Them being together is a good thing, man. We get the alliance, she gets a husband, our families are united.” Rad shrugs, turning his back to the party and waving the barman down so he can order another beer.

“Are you driving home with Renat?” I ask.

“Renat and Rigor,” he nods.

“Good. Enjoy your beer. I’m going to go socialize.”

He snorts, knowing I am the worst when it comes to socializing. In truth, I’m going to see if I can get Anya to talk to me without being a feisty little brat about it.

She’s stuck up and rude to all of my brothers, but more so to me. I don’t know why she seems to dislike me the most. It doesn’t stop me from wanting her.

Maybe the challenge of it makes me want her more.

I push through the crowd, taller than most of the people here, so they move out of my way quickly. My dark expression is not exactly inviting, either.

Anya and Raisa are standing together. I walk into their little circle, wrapping my arm around Raisa. “Congratulations, little sister. I’m really happy for you,” I say, hugging her against my side.

“Thank you, Rodion. You’re going to be an uncle.” She is glowing, she’s so happy. It makes my heart warm. I want good things for my siblings. All of them deserve the world.

Since we lost our parents, I had to take over the role of making sure they were all ok. Being the oldest by quite a bit, I had no choice but to become their guardian.

Anya stands quietly watching us, smiling only when Raisa speaks.

“You’re going to be the most incredible mom,” she says. “And Oleg—I’ve never seen him happier.”

Someone calls Raisa’s name, and she excuses herself from us, making her way into the crowd. Then it is just Anya and I, standing alone.

“I guess we have a little niece or nephew on the way then,” I say, realizing just how tied up our families are, and us—the reluctant in-laws watching from the sideline.

Anya smiles tightly, glancing around herself, looking for a way out of this conversation.

I watch her for a moment, then grin. “You really don’t like me, do you?” I ask, blunt and to the point.

“What gave you that idea?” she says, pulling one corner of her mouth up and narrowing her eyes towards me. She’s being sarcastic. It’s as blatant as my question.

“You might have to learn to like me,” I say, with more meaning than she will read from it.

“We don’t have enough of these family gatherings for me to have to worry about needing to like you.”

“Hmm,” I growl darkly. She needs to be taught a lesson or two about manners. I’d love to be the one to teach her. I’d bend her over and slap her ass so hard that the rich bitch little attitude will disappear in a second.

I chuckle, picturing her face and the red handprint I’d leave on her ass cheek.

“What’s so funny?” she quips.

“Just wondering what man would put up with you.”

She glares at me in horror. “Enjoy the rest of the party— Rodion ,” she practically spits my name from her mouth.

That fiery temper of hers is nothing but sexy. I do enjoy pushing her buttons, even though it probably isn’t getting her to like me anymore.

“I will because you asked so nicely,” I grin.

Her cheeks flush Raisa pink with frustration.

With one last heated glare, Anya spins on her heels and marches away from me. I watch the dark blue dress sway over her hips.

I definitely have a plan and her brothers are not going to like it one bit.

But fair is fair, and I don’t see how they can rightfully turn it down given the circumstances.

Raisa arrives at my side, looking around. “Where’s Anya?” she asks, sounding disappointed.

“She just left.”

“What did you say to her?” She throws me a sideways, very accusing look.

“What the hell?I didn’t say anything.”

“You’re always so weird around her.” Raisa huffs, “she’s a really good friend of mine, Rodion. I need you to be nice to her.”

“I am nice to her,” I say defensively.

“Well, then be nicer because your version of nice isn’t working.” My sister rolls her eyes and walks off, looking for her friend.

I finish my whisky and set the empty glass on a tray as a waiter walks past me.

They’ve made their announcement, I’ve shown my face. I think it would be alright for me to sneak away now, unnoticed, hopefully.

I take a look around to take stock of where each of my siblings are.

Renat, Radmir and Rigor are all at the bar, chatting and laughing together. Roman and Ruvim are sitting with Yefim and his wife, looking bored, but chatting anyway. And Raisa—well, Raisa seems perfectly comfortable around these people, so I don’t have to worry about her. My youngest sister, Ruslana, couldn’t make it today.

So that’s everyone accounted for. They all seem fine. Which means that I can make an escape.

I turn to leave the party and walk straight into Leon.

“Rodion, I was looking for you. How are things going?”

“Good, yeah. Thanks. And you?”

“Everything is great, man. I don’t like to talk business at family events, but I wanted to check that you’ll be at the meeting on Monday.”

“I’ll be there,” I nod, shoving my hands into my pockets. I really want to get out of here.

“Excellent. Well, I’ll see you there then. Enjoy the rest of the party.”

I smile and Leon walks off. I don’t know why they all make me feel so damn uncomfortable. Something about their attitude. All of the Dubrovs. It’s like they think they are better than everyone else.

I walk quickly out of the party, not wanting to be caught in another weird conversation I don’t feel like having.

Climbing into my car, I rev the engine to life and head out of the Dubrov mansion towards my own home.