us with a frown. Her nostrils flare when Nataly uses her napkin to dab at an imaginary drop of custard from the corner of my mouth during dessert. She gives me an annoyed look when I meet her gaze.
Is my little kitten jealous? Or is she annoyed over what she might see as a deviation from our plans?
Giving Nataly half an ear, I stare at Elena while edging my foot toward her beneath the table. She flinches when the toe of my shoe touches the inside of one angle, prompting Viktor to ask her if she’s all right.
“I’m fine,” she answers, narrowing her eyes at me while I rub my foot against hers. “I felt a little chill just now.”
Viktor gets to his feet and sheds his suit jacket, draping it over Elena’s shoulders. “There you are.”
A low sound of annoyance escapes my throat, but I ease my expression to neutral when Elena, Viktor, Oleg, and Nataly give me curious looks.
“That was kind of you,” I say to Viktor before looking to Elena. “Feeling better, gatita?”
“Yes, thank you,” she replies with a shaky smile.
Dessert is followed by coffee, then Galina herds us back into the sitting room. Just before we enter, I pull Viktor’s jacket off Elena’s shoulders. I let it fall to the floor, then step over it as I bring Elena close to my side.
The vodka comes out, and Oleg makes the rounds, offering cigars to the men.
Coming to me last, he inclines his head to the far side of the room. “May I have a word?”
“Of course,” I reply. “I’ll be right back, gatita,” I say to Elena.
I kiss her cheek and then release her, following Oleg across the room. He takes his time getting to the point, lighting a cigar for himself and then me.
“I know this isn’t a night for business,” he begins, a cloud of smoke floating over his head. “But I’m concerned about the reports I’ve heard of your trouble with the Armenians.”
I wave him off. “It’s nothing to worry about. I can handle the Armenians.”
“I have no doubt,” Oleg says with a chuckle. “But our pending merger means I have a vested interest in protecting your assets. Will you accept a crew of my men to guard your next incoming shipment?”
I raise my eyebrows, surprised by his offer. Oleg has always made it seem as if this agreement hinges on me dancing to his tune. Now it feels like he’s courting me, trying to convince me that our arrangement will mutually beneficial. Maybe he realizes things aren’t going well between me and Nataly.
“We have crates of weapons coming in this Friday,” I tell him. “I guess reinforcements can’t hurt.”
Oleg slaps my shoulder and then gives it a squeeze. “Consider it done. Get me the details, and Viktor and the boys will be there.”
At the mention of Viktor, I cut my gaze to where he stands talking to Elena. I’ve been aware of both their locations in the room the entire time, and knew the second he found his way back to her. The fucking prick.
Oleg follows my gaze. “Elena is quite a woman. Why didn’t you tell me you were seeing someone?”
“I didn’t want to insult you or Nataly.”
“Is it serious?”
“She recently started living with me at Indian Creek.”
Oleg looks surprised, but I can look him in the eye without flinching since that isn’t exactly a lie. “I see. And she … knows why we’ve gathered tonight?”
“She knows I’ve been asked to consider marriage to Nataly, but Elena isn’t an insecure woman. She knows how I feel about her.”
Oleg puffs on his cigar, looking thoughtful and slightly disappointed. “I have to admit, seeing you with another woman does not make me happy, syn. But … I can admit the two of you are a striking couple. Does she make you happy?”
I look at Elena, which seems natural within the role I’m playing. But once I see her, I can’t look away. Partly because Viktor is standing way too close and stroking a finger down the back of her arm … but also because she’s so fucking beautiful. For most of her time under my roof, I’ve been able to pretend not to notice. I put her out of my sight, but each time I saw her again it was like a fist to the gut. Every fucking time.
Does she make me happy? No. She makes me want to tear my own hair out, punch holes in the walls, burn everything to ashes.