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Maksim: Where are you, beautiful?
I text Anna back that I'll swing by the courthouse later, then text Maksim that I’m having lunch with the guys and where.
Maksim: Look up.
I do and notice he’s sitting at a table across the restaurant with Niko and… a woman. I can’t see her, but her dark hair is tied back in a tight bun at the bottom of her skull, and I want to tug at it, swing the bitch around, and claw at her probably gorgeous face. With both anger and jealousy rushing through me, I stand, interrupting whoever is currently speaking, but I currently don’t give a fuck.
Steady on my feet, I plaster a smile on my face, practically racing toward my husband, and he stands just as I get to him. The first thing he does is reach out his arms and I take them, suddenly wishing I didn’t have my gloves on so I could feel his warm hands in mine.
Huh.
“Hello, Duchess,” he greets, bending forward to kiss me, and when he pulls away, he tucks me into his side, right where I belong. The jealousy, while still swirling in me, wanes, but not entirely.
“Hello, darling,” I smile brightly up at him. God he’s so tall. I want to go uppies. I look over again and greet Niko, who is now standing in greeting. “Hello, Niko. It’s good to see you again.”
He does a weird head nod that’s almost like a modern bow. “Boss lady.”
Oh, I think I like that.
The woman also stands and holds out her hand. “Hello, I’m Daisy.” Beautiful, just as I suspected. Bronze skin, green eyes blurred with caramel, red lips, high brows and cheekbones, wearing a dress-to-impress killer black, sleeveless romper. “You can call me Daze.”
“Hello,” I say, taking her hand in mine. I will absolutely not be calling her anything.
“Sabrina, Daze runs Inferno out in Rayne-Moore for me. She tried to make it to the wedding but had to stay in Boston.”
“Oh, hello.” the rogue voice behind me is somewhat deep and familiar, and I turn my head to see Kallum, Maksim’s cousin, standing tall and wide as fuck as well. “It’s nice to see you again, cousin in law.”
I grin. While I briefly only met Kallum briefly at the wedding, he seemed somewhat favorable compared to the other guests we had. He leans and kisses my cheek, his tapered, auburn-brown beard scratching my cheek. When I feel the rumble in Maksim’s chest, I grin even broader. “Kallum, always such a pleasure to see you. Will you be in the city long?”
He shakes his head as he stands to his full, looming height, smiling at my husband, the both of us loving that we got a rise out ofhim. “Nil, from here I’m going across the pond, we’ve been having issues in Dublin I need to settle.”
I frown. “Well, that’s saddening. I wish we could have you over for dinner, get to know each other properly, being family and all.”
Green eyes shine brightly, the corners of his eyes crinkle, and the faint slash of freckles on the tops of his cheeks that have faded over the years pop over his beard. Other than the auburn in his beard, the dashes of it in his brown hair, and his green eyes, he looks so much like Maksim. “Well, if this meeting goes according to plan, and we can all come to an agreement, I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of each other.” he says with a Bostonian Irish lilt.
From what I gathered, like Maksim being a product of the Mafia and the Bratva truce, Kallum is a product of the Mafia and the Irish mob.Apparently there was a lot of bloodshed over thirty-five years ago.
I hike a brow and look at everyone still standing, waiting for me to either sit with them or walk away. I use my thumb to point back at the table where Parker and Raven’s trio wait for me. “Well, I’ll leave you to it, I’m helping my best friend’s men plan their engagement.”
“About time.” Maksim says, and it surprises me.
I lean up and press on the tips of my toes as much as I can to give him another kiss. “I’ll see you at home?”
He shakes his head. “We’re almost done here. Let me finish up, and I’ll be right with you.”
The words settle over me, and I can't believe how… excited I am to have lunch with my husband. I can’t help the smile that spreads across my face. “Okay. Have you eaten?”
He hums. “Not since this morning,” and the knowledge that it was my pussy he ate this morning makes not only my pink parts tingle, but a blush spreads across my face.
“Well then, I’ll go ahead and order for you. Is there anything in particular you’d like for me to order?”
He kisses my temple. “Thank you, wife. You know what I like. Whatever you choose for me is fine, Duchessa.”
Can one melt and swoon at once?
I say my goodbyes and practically skip happily in my Valentino’s back to my seat with the guys.
Our waitress comes by and we all order. I put in for Maksim, Niko and Parker. I’m so sick of him standing by the wall when I've told him countless times to stop doing that. Now, he won’t be able to refuse me.