Chapter Nine

Samuel

“Is there a reason you brought that woman to my house, Samuel?”

Daniel asks.

I look at Isabel, who just smiles at me like she doesn’t have a care in the world. There’s a fire inside of her that shines through her eyes. I noticed it before—even as she was annoying the shit out of me. Now, it’s all I can see. It challenges me. I grin at her. I’m rewarded as a skittering of fear moves over her features.

That’s it, darling wife, be very afraid.

“To get rid of her. It seems I was misled as to who she was,”

I respond, looking once more at Isabel. The woman doesn’t even blink. She just stares at me. I’m starting to think this might be fun. “Once Natalie began telling me how she dressed up as a French maid to clean your … desk, I knew you’d like to have her back as soon as possible.”

“Misled? I seem to recall you personally telling me that Natalie would be staying with you,”

Daniel answers, after grimacing through my explanation about bringing the woman back. I get the feeling he’s had as much, if not more, trouble from her as I have.

“Hmm … I think my dear wife thought it would be nice to lead me down the path of adultery,”

I explain.

“Oh, please. Get over yourself. No one had to lead you down that road. You were going willingly. You were following Natalie’s fake boobs like they were the yellow brick road, and you were the scarecrow.”

“Izzy,”

Daniel warns.

“You sound jealous, wife. Don’t worry. I’ll give you equal time. Yours don’t quite measure up to hers, but they may keep my attention if you get inventive,”

I purr, baiting the hell out of her.

“No thanks, I’d rather stick needles in my eyes. Can we get on with this meeting? The quicker we end this marriage, the better,”

she retorts.

“Perhaps it would be better if we discuss the terms of the annulment,”

Daniel suggests.

“The only terms I have are that I want it done yesterday,”

Isabel says, speaking up immediately.

I’m barely containing my smile. My darling wife is in for a very rude awakening. Daniel lets out an exasperated breath. I bet Isabel provokes that response from every man in her life. Too bad for her that soon I’ll be the only one allowed to get close.

“Samuel, I’m fine with dissolving this entire arrangement, although I do think it would be advantageous to keep our alliance in place.”

I stare at him, pretending to think things over. My gaze moves to my wayward wife. As much as she annoyed me and drove me nuts before, I’m extremely attracted to her. Her little trick also revealed she has a cunning mind. She’ll never bore me. As much as I cared about Angelina, I’d be the first to admit I never understood how she’d lose herself in books and go quiet for hours, lost in her own little world. My time with her when she was fully present made it all worth it, however. I have a feeling it wouldn’t be an issue with my wife. She excites me in ways I never imagined.

“Well?”

Isabel prompts—clearly put out with me not answering.

“I don’t think I agree, Daniel.”

I completely ignore her, knowing that will piss her off. I’m eager to see how she retaliates.

“What?”

It’s all I can do not to laugh out loud at her screech. I keep my gaze trained on Daniel. He shakes his head. I’m pretty sure he sees how much I want to laugh.

“Why would you want to end the alliance? Do you realize how much support my brother has? He’s nothing like our sperm donor. You should count yourself lucky that he’s even extending the offer!”

“Isabel, enough.”

“Daniel—”

“Enough,”

he demands again. I glance in her direction. Her expression is mutinous.

“Fine,”

she huffs.

“I’m sorry you feel that way, Samuel. I’ll have my attorney draw up the annulment paperwork for your approval. A courier can drop it off sometime tomorrow.”

“I think you and Isabel are both misunderstanding me.”

“We are?”

Isabel becomes very still. My wife is very astute. She probably suspects I’m up to something.

“Yes. I’m not here about the alliance or an annulment.”

“Then, other than bringing that woman back, why are you here?”

Daniel asks, interrupting his sister.

“Well, now that I know Isabel, here, is mine. I’m here to claim her and bring her home.”

“Are you insane?”

Isabel shrieks.

Daniel pinches the bridge of his nose and closes his eyes as if he’s asking The Man Upstairs for patience. I just lean back, grinning at my wife. She stares at me, plotting my murder. I’m not sure I can remember being happier. It’s confusing, but true.

“Now, Pookie—”

“Stop with the weird names!”

she orders, standing up, her face red. “You are not claiming me. I’m not going anywhere with you. Even if we don’t get an annulment—which, mark my words, Sammy, we are! I—”

“Daniel, can you leave and let me have a moment alone with my wife?”

I ask politely, standing up.

“My brother is going nowhere! You are!”

“Daniel?” I prompt.

“I think it’d be best if you calm down, Izzy. The two of you need to speak calmly to decide the best way to bring this situation to an end.”

“You can’t be serious.”

“I am. Samuel, I’ll give you twenty minutes. Do not try to take my sister—you won’t get out the door. If you hurt her in any way, you won’t be leaving here alive.”

“You’d risk war to protect your sister?”

“In a heartbeat. I am not my father. Greed does not rule me. My sister is, and always will be, my priority.”

The man doesn’t blink. My respect for him blossoms. I may have thought little of him in the beginning, but it’s clear I’ve misjudged him—and his father, for that matter. I’m realizing that Juan Navarro was a greedy bastard. Isabel likely thinks I’m the same. There’s a lot that the two of us need to learn about each other.

“Daniel—”

“Talk to him, Isabel. I won’t let you be hurt or railroaded. You know that.”

I watch as the man walks over and kisses his sister’s forehead. For a moment, jealousy pushes through me. It comes out of nowhere, blindsiding me. Then I hear him whisper. “Yo siempre te protegeré.”

They probably think that I don’t understand his words—or maybe they just don’t care. I almost feel like an intruder here as they talk. It’s clear that these two are close in a way that I can’t even fathom. Then again, I never had anyone close. I trust my uncles, but I wouldn’t say we had a loving relationship. We have a mutual respect and a trust that has been earned between us.

“Te amo, Daniel.”

That jealousy from moments ago springs up once more. I imagine Isabela whispering those words to me. Just the thought of it makes my cock twitch in my slacks.

“Right back at you, Izzy,”

he responds with a smile.

Once Daniel exits, the tension in the room thickens to the point it affects the air. I watch every move she makes. She slowly sits back down, taking a couple of minutes before looking at me.

“You don’t like me. I don’t like you. Why are you even doing this?”

she finally asks.

“Correction. We don’t know one another, Isabel. I think it’s past time that we do.”

“Why? I’m not staying married to you.”

“The contract, which has your signature, says you will. You freely agreed to everything in it, Isabel.”

“Nothing involving my father was freely done, Samuel.”

I frown, tapping down any emotion I feel. “Regardless, you signed the contract. I think we should see if we can work this out so that both of us are happy.”

“It’s impossible. I’d be miserable in Russia. I love being a doctor. I’ve worked hard to get where I am with my career. I don’t want to move to another country, trying to scrape my way to the top once more. I also refuse to leave my brother.”

“You had to know this day was coming, Isabel.”

“I didn’t. I figured when the year was up, we’d meet and agree to end everything. At the very least, I thought you would agree to keep going like we have been. I still don’t see why you’re trying to insist you’re here to claim me. You don’t like me. We both know that. The feeling is quite mutual in case you were wondering.”

“I’m here to propose a deal,”

I respond, not taking my eyes off her. “I’ll be here to pick you up tomorrow. You’ll live with me for the next six months. If we can’t find common ground, then and only then, will I agree to this annulment.”

“Are you not hearing me? I don’t want to be married to you.”

“Too bad. You already are. You agreed to that with your signature. If you fail to uphold your end of the contract, I can and will seek retribution. Doing that will affect your brother directly. I don’t think you want that, Isabel.”

“This isn’t my brother’s fault. Besides, he has as many alliances as you do—if not more.”

“Isabel, my family rules the Bratva. My word is law. Your brother might try to start an uprising, but I’ve faced that before. I can do it again. Before you try to call me on that, I will tell you, dear wife, I’ve never lost a challenge. I’m not about to start now. You can agree to be a good girl and uphold our agreement, or essentially sell your brother out and leave his ass blowing in the wind. The choice is yours.”

“You’re a bastard,”

she hisses.

I shrug. “I’ve been called worse.”

“I have a job here. I don’t want to go to Russia. I don’t want to leave my brother.”

“Then, you’re in luck. I’m currently living here in Phoenix. I will remain here—at least for the next six months.”

“If you force me into this, I’m going to make you regret it, Sammy,”

she warns. Something settles inside of me. I’ve won round one, and hell if I’m not anticipating round two.

“I’ll look forward to it,”

I purr as the warmth of my victory settles over me.

“I’m going to continue to work.”

“When do you go back?”

I ask, studying her.

“Tomorrow night.”

“Then be ready in the morning. I’ll pick you up. We’ll have breakfast and when you go to work tomorrow, one of my men will go with you.”

“I already have a bodyguard. Tayko.”

“I don’t know him. I trust my men. You’re my property. People could try to use you against me. My men will be the ones guarding you. I won’t take a chance on your wellbeing, Isabel.”

“Six months and then this sham is over,”

she finally says, reaching out her hand as if I’m supposed to shake hers.

I take her hand, jerking her so that her face is close to mine. I feel her breath caress my skin. “Six months and you’ll be mine completely,”

I croon. Then, before she can stop me, I take her mouth. I feel her body stiffen, but choose to ignore it, biting down on her lip. When Isabel opens her mouth, I thrust my tongue inside. I explore and conquer, devouring her. I groan as her tongue seeks mine out. She softens against me, losing herself to the feelings that we’re creating. When my lungs burn—needing oxygen—I force myself to pull away. Her face is a mixture of hunger, shock, and confusion. “Be ready for me tomorrow morning by ten, Pookie.”

She remains quiet as I walk out. That kiss was fucking phenomenal. I think I just won another round …