Page 104 of Wicked Villain

“No,” I rasp.

Wide-eyed, she inches away, but I hold her there, eye to eye so she can see I’m serious.

“I called you back here for work. If you can’t do that, get on the first flight back to Moscow. If that’s a problem, let’s part ways now in peace.”

She looks at me like I just threw shit in her face, but she gets the message. Aside from that, I made no promises to anyone to look after her, so if she becomes a problem, she’s gone. I’m certain Father would forgive me if I cut her loose.

“Do you understand me?” I cock my head.

“Loud and clear.” She nods once.

“Good. Now only contact me if you have intel.” I release her. She straightens, eyes still on me in shock. “You may leave.”

She walks away, back straight, eyes ahead.

She goes through the door, and it slams shut.

I rest my head back against my chair and gaze up at the ceiling.

My world is changing. Shifting in ways I never saw coming.

I know I need to be careful.

That wife of mine could make me go crazy.

But I don’t want to be careful when it comes to her.

Chapter

Twenty-Four

Allegra

“How about roast beef?” Mama suggests excitedly.

I press my phone to my ear and gaze listlessly out the bedroom window, watching the morning sun beaming on the flowers in the garden.

Mama continues talking about the meal she plans to prepare for my first visit back home, but I barely hear her.

I’ve been speaking to her for the last ten minutes. She called wanting to let me know Lev had given the okay for me to go back to the house. She suggested dinner tomorrow evening because Papa will be back from his trip.

That’s where she lost me.

I haven’t seen my father since the wedding. That’s almost a month. Apart from when Gabrielle and I were taken captive, that’s the longest I’ve ever gone without seeing my father.

I worry what I’ll be like when I see him. I won’t be a virgin anymore, and I think he’ll somehow be able to tell that I don’t hate Lev anymore.

How do I explain that I like my husband now?

Papa would go crazy if I ever said such a thing. I’m pretty sure Mama would have a thing or two to say about Lev too.

She referred to him as the devil a lot more than I did.

The thing is, I can’t explain any of it to my parents. Neither would understand, and I would feel bad. I already feel bad.

I’ve barely begun to process my feelings. All I’ve thought about since I woke the other morning is the wild night I spent with my husband.

My body still has that delicious ache that came from giving myself to him. What I hate is that he’s had to work for the last two days and that I haven’t seen him since.