Page 15 of Mistaken
Now, he was Pakhan again. “Because you never could have survived the forest if you were not capable of courage and intelligence under pressure.” His hand went under my chin and held me for a long, firm kiss. “Now leave your lipstick smudged and go out looking like the happy bride you’re about to be.”
My first good look at the ring was during the salad and entree courses at lunch. Who has five courses at lunch? At lunch? I was ignoring the pictures Karida was trying to show me on her tablet. Something about draping for the arch. What arch, I wasn’t sure, but we’d been at this long enough to apparently delay the fifth course - dessert - which was the only thing I was living for at this point, because the wedding planner would not stop hammering this information into my skull.
“It was quite the miracle, but I did manage the secure the Grand Ballroom at the Plaza Hotel for the ceremony and reception, and I’m working the with NYC Fire Department for the fireworks permit; it looks very promising, and-”
“We’re having fireworks?” I nearly bit a hole in my lip to keep from howling with laughter. Fireworks. Of course. Looking down, I caught a glimpse of the ring. The ring, notmyring, because this whole thing was a nightmare that I would wake up from soon.
It was really quite beautiful, though. An absurdly large - what - maybe five-carat emerald, square, in a platinum setting. There were more pale green emeralds flanking the larger stone, and it fit my finger perfectly.
“...So, when Maksim’s mother and sisters fly in tomorrow, they’ll join you for your dress selection. Is there anyone you want to invite?”
My breath left me in a huff. Maksim had a mother? He had family? He was ruthless and cruel, and it never occurred to me that he would be human enough to have actual siblings. I guess I’d been thinking he’d hatched from an egg of evil, or something. I looked up to see Alina staring at me, those ice-chip eyes of hers widened meaningfully.
“Oh, yes! I’m so excited to see them!” I gushed. “I’d… I’d like to have my best friend come; I’ll give her a call.”
“Fine.” The tablet was pulled from my hands and Karida snapped her notebook shut. “Well! I feel like we got a lot done today,” she smiled at me brightly, and I stretched my mouth into a facsimile of a grin in return. “I’ll see you tomorrow at the shop.”
Rising from the table, I walked with her to the front door. “Thank you, Karida. I appreciate all your hard work.”
“That’s just fine,” she smiled kindly, looking at my stomach, “you have more important things to think about right now.”
Remembering Maksim’s casual comment about my “surprise pregnancy,” I nodded a little too fast. “Oh, yes, uh-huh. Well, thanks again.”
I lingered in the entryway as the elevator door closed on her smiling face and the guard standing next to it gave me a look. I narrowed my eyes back and glared back until he bowed his head in respect. There was a brief flush of triumph until I realized Maksim must be standing behind me. I could feel that solid wall of heat his body seemed to radiate on my back.
“You’re finished with the wedding planner?” He was still looking at some documents as he spoke. “Good, you’ll need to get ready for an event tonight. The dress should have been delivered by now.”
He turned and walked away from me, so I chased him down the hallway. “Wait! She said your mom and sisters are flying in?” Not that he slowed down, but I trotted alongside as fast as my Prada pumps would let me.
“Yes,” he said absently, “from St. Petersburg. We will discuss how you address my mother tomorrow.”
“Wh-”
Aaaand, he was gone again, the door to the study shut by a smirking Alina.
“There will be other significant families at the fundraiser tonight,”
Maksim was lecturing me as the limo headed closer to the Morgan Library and Museum for their annual fundraiser. I’d never been, of course. Even though libraries were almost sacred to me, $50,000 for a ticket was a bit beyond my budget.
“No one will expect you to know who they are, tonight. But Alina will have a dossier on the most important figures to memorize before the wedding.” He was still checking something on his phone, so I was allowed to feast my eyes without him catching me. Because as much as it pained me to admit it, he looked amazing. I thought his expensive suits, perfectly tailored for him, would be the height of his hotness. I would be wrong.
Maksim Morozov in a tux is the death of women’s undies everywhere,I thought resentfully. He’s wearing a sleek, black tuxedo with none of the silly embellishments. And he ismeantfor black tie. Black tie was invented for him. I hated that this man was so hot. I really hated that I might be one of those women whose undies were in danger of immediate destruction.
“A dossier. Okay. Um, I really need my phone.”
Now he looked up, blue eyes as chilly as the Antarctic. “No, you don’t.”
“Maksim, please. I have to call Tania. She’s not going to buy your fake texts for very long. She’s my best friend, I won’t-” My throat closed up; I was furious I had to ask for something as simple as my own phone. “I won’t call my work, I won’t tell anyone anything. I’d be insane to endanger anyone else.”
“This is unwise.” At least he wasn’t saying no, his gorgeous face lighting briefly under the passing streetlights.
“I am assuming, that even Organized Crime spouses are allowed cell phones?” I was terrified for a minute that I’d gone too far as his eyes narrowed.
“Do you question, even for a second, that I will not kill everyone you love if you disobey me?”
“No,” I managed between numb lips, “I do not.”
The limo slowed as we pulled up to the library, bright with spotlights. He lifted my left hand, studying the play of light on the engagement ring. Kissing my knuckles, he nodded. “Be a good girl tonight and you’ll have your phone when we go back to the penthouse.” When the door opened, he leaned closer. “When I help you out, lower your eyes to the carpet. The lights will blind you for a moment. It will help you adjust.”
