Chapter 20

Nikolai

E ndo and Kimiko are less than happy with my decision to bring Arianna to the party. But I pulled the pakhan card and told them to shut up. If I want to bring her I can. I can do what the fuck I want. The thought of leaving Arianna at home while we went to the party was out of the question. I want her near me.

I'm starting to regret my choice now. She looks fucking incredible. She's wearing a red corseted dress that clings to her hourglass shape like a glove. Her breasts are tantalizingly plump and look like two ripe melons that I want to bite. The dress plunges to the floor and has a split in it, something I'm starting to see as a trademark look on her. Her dark hair is swept up with loose tendrils hanging down, framing her face and slender neck. The vibrant red against her pale skin and dark hair is striking.

She's easily the most beautiful woman in the room. I can't take my eyes off her. Much to my irritation, it seems that neither can anyone else. It's driving me mad that I can't be by her side. But since I have to network and I'm technically meant to be here meeting a bride it was agreed as a compromise that Arianna would come, but I had to keep my distance. She's being escorted by Dimitri. He's the only man I'd let touch her without breaking their hand.

I watch as she tilts her head back and laughs as she chats with Dimitri and some business partners of ours who seem thoroughly charmed by her. Their table appears far more enjoyable than mine. She's in her element. Her smile is radiant. My eyes are fixated on her mouth, she's wearing the same red lipstick that she wore when she sucked my cock in the back of the car. The memory has me stirring in my pants and I fight back the urge to go over and drag her away like a caveman.

I know she's pissed at me for bringing her here and then ignoring her, she's resolutely avoided looking over at me all night. That only makes me want her more. To show her how fucking crazy she's driving me.

I'm pulled from my thoughts of Arianna by the woman next to me. The Russian bimbo that I'm supposed to marry.

At least Endo seems smitten with the Yakuza girl. They couldn't take their eyes off each other from the moment we were all introduced. Which means I'm lumbered with… what was her name again? Svetlana?

"Don't you think Niki?" she simpers, placing a hand on mine.

It takes all of my willpower not to remove her hand. I tense, forcing myself to tear my gaze away from Arianna and look at my potential future wife. She's not unattractive, all things considered. She's supermodel tall with blond hair, bright blue eyes, and a slim figure most women would kill for. One that I'm confident she works hard to maintain if the way she's pushing her food around on her plate is any indication of her eating habits. But she's also unbelievably vapid and dull. So far, the conversation has been decidedly one-sided between us with me nodding or giving one-word answers to her. When she's not talking, her father has been constantly singing her praises and listing the many attributes that he thinks will make her a good wife.

Before, I'd have had no issues with the arrangement. She's the kind of woman I'd have happily fucked, and she's well aware of what being a Bratva Pakhan's wife entails and that she can't expect fidelity. But the thought of having sex with her leaves me cold. It's also incredibly irritating that she is already giving me a pet name and thinks she has any sort of claim over me.

At my blank expression, she barrels on.

"Kimiko and Juan make a gorgeous couple, they will have such beautiful babies, don't you agree?"

Kimiko and Juan look decidedly uncomfortable, Juan's father saves me from having to respond by answering Svetlana's question himself.

"Of course, they will make handsome sons. My boy is a virile and strong young man, no doubt he and his beautiful bride will have many children."

Kimiko and Juan simultaneously wince at his words. Either the man is deluded or in denial. Even though the pair are amicable, it's clear that their relationship is platonic to anyone who cares to look. And Juan is hardly the kind of man that you'd think of as strong. He's a slim, effeminate man, too shy to look you in the eye. Not the kind of guy you'd bet on in a fight. Nor the kind of man you'd want to run a Cartel. Garcia must be relieved to have other male heirs. I'm glad that Kimiko will at least be married to someone who will be kind and gentle. Not that she can't take care of herself. She'd be able to kick her husband-to-be's ass in a fight.

"Svetlana will provide many children for you, Pakhan Kuzmin. Her mother birthed six strong sons and three beautiful daughters. You can have your pick of my daughters if Svetlana is not to your liking," Petrov informs me proudly.

"That is most generous of you, Pakhan Petrov," I reply calmly.

Right now, I have no intention of marrying any of his daughters unless I have no other choice. Svetlana pouts, seemingly disappointed by my answer. I imagine she would rather I acted more like Endo toward his potential bride. He's been flirting and charming her like his life depended on it all night. She seems equally taken by him. I'm glad for him. It will make things a lot easier if at least one of us is happy with their arranged marriage. Hopefully, it also buys me some time before I have to agree to shackle myself to Svetlana.

Petrov launches into another long anecdote that everyone is forced to listen to, giving me the chance to glance over at Arianna again. Svetlana notices my gaze and I see a flicker of annoyance in her eyes, she places a hand on my thigh, attempting to be seductive. I calmly but firmly remove it. I can practically feel the irritation radiating off her, but like the well-trained Bratva princess she is, she says nothing. Good. She needs to learn now that I will never be capable of loving her or being faithful. Any marriage would be one of convenience to strengthen the Kuzmin Bratva.

With the meal over, people begin getting up to dance.

"Oh Niki, let's dance!" Svetlana declares, grabbing me by the hand.

I'm about to refuse when her father says, "Excellent idea my darling, I am sure Pakhan Kuzmin would be most honored to dance with you. My daughter is quite the accomplished dancer," he directs to me.

To refuse would be a deliberate snub so I reluctantly rise, holding out my hand for her to take, "Shall we Miss Petrova?"

She giggles, takes my hand, and practically drags me toward the dance floor. I try to maintain as much distance between us as possible, standing rigidly and making sure to keep my hands in perfectly respectable positions. Svetlana has other ideas and continues to edge closer and closer to me. Her father was right, she's a good dancer and I twirl and spin her around with ease. Several men direct hungry gazes her way and she enjoys the attention.

As we dance, I try to steal glances at Arianna. I can't see her at her table and I panic, where is she? Just as I'm contemplating going to look for her, I spot her on the dance floor. She's dancing with one of Garcia's sons. A known playboy and ladies' man who frequently cheats on his wife with his several mistresses and regular one-night stands. He's looking at her like she's some sort of tasty treat he'd like to devour. My inner lion rages and roars, I want to go over and rip his head off. How dare he look at my woman like that?

"Excuse me," I say through clenched teeth to a bewildered Svetlana, abruptly ending our dance and stalking across the dancefloor.

I'm intercepted by Dimitri.

"Pakhan. I know what you're about to do. Think rationally about what's at stake here. If you touch Garcia's son, the deal is off, and you've made a powerful enemy. Is she really worth it?"

I want to scream that yes, she is. But I take a breath and try to calm myself. Dimitri notices this, visibly relaxing.

"It's just one dance. Neither she nor I could refuse it."

The anger is still there simmering, but he's right. I can't jeopardize everything I have worked so hard for. The Bratva comes first.

To my relief, the song ends, and Arianna politely curtseys to her dance partner and excuses herself, heading toward the ladies' room. I see him briefly contemplate following her. Luckily for him, one of my men whispers in his ear and he glances over at me. The expression on my face and the dangerous energy that is radiating from me causes him to rethink and he finds one of the waitresses to flirt with instead. He's smarter than he looks. I'd have killed him with my bare hands if he'd followed her, alliances be damned.

"Thank you, Dimitri," I say, clapping a hand on his shoulder, "Allow me to introduce you to Svetlana," I add heading back over to where a confused Svetlana is standing.

"Svetlana, this is my uncle Dimitri. Would you do him the honor of a dance?"

As I expected, Svetlana would no doubt do anything I ask of her.

"It would be my pleasure, anything for you, Pakhan," she purrs.

Dimitri knows exactly what I'm playing at. He also knows me too well to try to stop me. So, he takes Svetlana's arm and distracts her while I slip away to the restroom.

Arianna is standing by the mirror reapplying her lipstick when I enter, locking the door behind me.

"Nikolai, what are you doing in here?" she asks, surprised and a little pissed off.

"Why, were you hoping your dance partner would come join you?" I ask sarcastically.

Her eyes blaze, "What, so you can dance and flirt with whoever you like, and I can't?"

"Exactly," I growl. "I didn't bring you here to whore yourself out to the Cartel."

"Don't you dare call me a whore!" she snaps, "Why did you bring me if you were going to ignore me all night and parade that woman around in front of me? You have no right to go all jealous caveman on me when you're the one who's had some bimbo hanging off your arm all night."

She glares at me defiantly. She looks unbelievably hot when she's jealous. I move closer to her, wrapping my arm around her waist. Her breath hitches and I can tell that, despite her anger, she still wants me as much as I want her.

"I brought you here because I wanted to. Because you are mine," I growl.

She opens her mouth to argue back but I catch her by surprise, cutting her off by kissing her. It's a raw, angry kiss, one that channels my jealous rage and desire. She responds in kind, as eager and hungry as I am. I lift her onto the counter, parting her legs and ripping the thin fabric of her thong off in one deft move. She lets out a gasp of surprise and desire.

I spring my aching cock free from my pants, plunging straight into her wet and ready pussy. She feels so fucking tight, perfectly made for me.

"Fuck, Nikolai," she cries out as I thrust in and out of her, fucking her hard and aggressively.

The sex is possessive, I want my scent on her, to mark her as mine. She screams and cries out, not caring who can hear us. My little wildcat claws at me, pulling me closer, hungry and desperate for more. I happily oblige, thrusting faster and faster until we both reach climax.

"Fuck, yes, oh god yes, Nikolai," she screams as we simultaneously orgasm.

I feel her pussy clench around my cock as I release. As I straighten myself up, she does the same. Though she'll have to go without any underwear since I tore hers off. The thought of her totally bare underneath her dress, with my seed running down her thighs has me getting hard again. There will be no doubt now who she belongs to.