Page 10 of Deceptive Vows (Bound by Vows #3)

Chapter Nine

NAZAR

Just an hour ago, I sat across from Thea at Luminous soaking in her company, her laugh, and her smile. She was an incredible woman.

In that jewelry store, I saw a side of her in what I knew was a rare moment.

Her claws had retracted, and her walls had come down.

To most, they would have said she’d shown weakness.

What I saw was a tenderness I could imagine being poured on myself and my future children.

A wife. A mother. The very embodiment of a warrior as a partner .

Not surprisingly, by the time we’d returned to the limo, there were no lingering signs of anything soft.

My Dark Angel was back, and her shields were firmly in place.

I had walked her to her door and would have given anything for another kiss.

But a soft goodbye was the only parting gift I received.

On the way to the penthouse, there was a change of plans. Pasha asked me to stop by and pick him up. Marco wanted me to walk him through the location I'd chosen for the auction earlier that day, the old Nightingale Opera House by the Chicago River.

Until now, my job had consisted of vetting security personnel, acquiring equipment, planning routes for the arriving merchandise, and other various tasks.

One of his guys held up a phone while we conferenced via video. "It's going to need a lot of work."

"Yes, but if we set it up as a shell company, we can use it as a front to bring in the necessary equipment and staging to facilitate the auction.

It will look as if we're revitalizing the area and give your high-end clients a reason for being here. Plus, with being located near the river, the ability to transfer cargo would be less likely to be intercepted as well.”

"And you think you can make this happen before the end of the year?" I could hear the questioning in Marco's voice.

I could, but I wouldn't. Of course, to Marco, it would seem as though it was. At some point, I'd have to know the location of the women to provide the necessary security to transport them. Once I found that out, the location wouldn't matter.

"Da. I'll make it happen. When will I find out the location of the merchandise? I'll need to?—"

"That's not your concern at the moment." Marco waved his hand. "I guess the date tonight means they've accepted your proposal for an alliance."

As soon as Lucas and Thea left the penthouse, we called Marco. He didn't hesitate. The idea of a fake wedding seemed to give him a grotesque sense of victory.

Pasha smiled and looked at me. "They fell for it. Even with the sudden infusion of cash they received, they're still weak. They need this."

With a nod, a smile crept onto his face. "Good. And the sister? How much of a fight did she put up?" Marco chuckled. "I've heard she’s no fan of being told what to do.”

"It seems she understands family obligations." My Pakhan slipped his hands into his pockets. "Although, she did seem a little put out at the prospect of marriage."

Marco's smile turned predatory. “That's good.” He looked at me. “Do you think she suspects anything?” There was something off in his voice that I couldn’t quite place.

I shook my head. “ Nyet. ”

“When’s the wedding?”

I had no idea. It was the one detail we hadn’t discussed because neither of us planned to go through with it. “Those details are still being worked out. It’s a busy time of year for a church or venue.”

“Just make sure I get an invitation.”

Pasha gave a nod. "I'll make sure you do."

"And that your bride doesn’t get cold feet.

Cold feet are such a… tragedy.” His lips curled, and for a moment, something shifted, like the birth of a darker idea.

“Actually, I would like to amend the plan slightly. I want Lucas and Thea alive. I want him front row when I se ll her off like a brood cow. Let him die knowing he was powerless.”

The thought turned my stomach. I shoved my hands into my pockets, where the urge to draw a blade was so strong it pulsed in my fingers. If he touched her, he wouldn’t live long enough to regret it.

No one touched what was mine.

The violent reaction surprised me. I liked Thea. Enjoyed her company, but claiming her was not only premature, it was fruitless. This could go nowhere. Not when I knew she would never trust me.

“Consider the plan altered,” Pasha said.

“Good. Meeting’s adjourned.” The video feed went dead.

Marco’s men nodded and headed to the exit.

I walked with Pasha out of the building and said nothing until we were safely in the car. “When we find out his decision, I’ll let Lucas know,” Pasha said. “What will you do to keep the victims from being taken by their buyers?”

“No one can leave until it’s over. A few days before the auction, we plant the idea that there’s a snitch and that leaving the girls where they are would be the best way to prevent anyone from alerting the authorities.”

Pasha nodded. “Good. Marco was paranoid enough that he didn’t risk his presence at the warehouse, so that makes me think it won’t be hard to play on that fear.”

“ Da .”

We rode a few blocks in silence until Pasha cleared his voice. “So, how did the date really go?”

It was Pasha, and he knew me better than anyone. Marco may not have seen my visceral reaction, but my best friend did. “Good.”

“Is she everything you thought she’d be?”

With a sigh, a smile formed on my lips. “And more. She’s… perfect.” I looked at him. “I’ve never met a woman like her before. Thea is everything I’ve ever wanted. I know if something happened, she could take care of herself.”

“I can also take care of myself, Nazar.”

“You can, but I gave you my life. My loyalty is to you. It will always be that way, and she would understand that, unlike most women.”

Pasha exhaled heavily. “My friend, if you think you can find happiness with her, pursue it. My opportunity died with Rada.”

Voicing it would have led to a disagreement, but I knew Pasha would have a second chance.

“You have my blessing to see where it goes should you decide to.”

“Thank you, but I need to focus on the current situation with Marco.” Anything more than sticking to the plan would be an unneeded distraction. If Marco were to get suspicious, we’d need to be prepared.

Once again, I walked into Lykos. Lucas and his siblings were the only ones privy to the plan. Their extended family would find out today about Lucas’s plans for his sister.

It was easy to find out information about Helen, and her history was a winding path. She’d started life as Helen Christakos. Her older sister, Elisabet, had married Alexandros Kalantzis forty-five years ago.

Helen’s timeline included three husbands and no children. She was very close to her sister’s family and had remained so after her sister and brother-in-law’s deaths.

Like the jeweler, Mr. Marcello, Thea was loyal and loved her aunt. I hoped my introduction went well. I found myself desiring her approval as much as I had the jeweler’s.

“Hello, Lover.” The room fell silent at Thea’s greeting, all eyes now fixed on me.

I was a confident guy, but to suddenly be the focus of everyone in the room—the family of a woman I very much liked—was unnerving. As I approached her, I smiled. “Hello, tyomnyy angel .”

A lone eyebrow rose. “Oh, I’m an angel, but what sort?”

Pulling her close, I pressed my mouth to her ear. “Dark Angel.”

A soft purr. “I think I like that.” Her hand slid up my chest, and she leaned back. Every time I saw her, she grew exponentially more beautiful. “Do you call all your women that?”

“Nyet. None have ever measured up to the name.”

“You continue with that sort of flattery, and you just might get more than a goodbye tonight.”

Our eyes locked. “Don’t make offers you don’ t intend to keep.”

She chuckled. “Challenge accepted.”

My heart. “Challenge won.”

“And who is this?” an older woman asked.

Without breaking eye contact, Thea said, “This is Nazar Volkov. My… fiancé.” She lifted her hand showing off her ring.

Her aunt’s mouth hung open slightly. A few seconds passed as though it took her a second to process what Thea said.

Then her eyes widened. “Fia—?” She blinked.

“Young lady, you don’t spring things like this on a holiday.

Even Ari had the courtesy of telling me about Anna before Claire’s rehearsal dinner. ”

“It all happened so quickly.”

She planted her right hand on her hip, wagging her left finger. “Don’t you try and charm me, Thea Marie Kalantzis.”

Thea smiled. “Whatever do you mean?” She palmed my chest. “Besides,” she cut her eyes at me, “he’s gorgeous, right?”

I got the distinct impression she was attempting to use my looks as a distraction. “I’ll take the blame.”

“And you can’t charm me either.” Her aunt's gaze drifted from the top of my head to my toes. “Even if you are attractive. ”

Thea took her aunt’s face in her hands. “We both know how this world works and my penchant for surprises. Be happy for me.”

After a moment, the older woman softened. “If you’re happy, I’m happy.”

My Dark Angel smiled. “I am.”

Eyeing me, Helen said, “You better not hurt her.”

“If anyone hurts her, I’ll kill them. And if I’m the source of her pain, I’ll turn myself over to you.”

The woman rolled her eyes. “You’re very charming. Maybe too charming.”

“And honest.” I winked.

Helen narrowed her eyes and then looked at Thea as she took her hand, her gaze dipping to it. “Marcello?”

Thea nodded. “Isabella helped him design it.”

She gasped. “Oh, Thea… what a special ring.”

“I know.”

Her aunt looked up, and I was taken aback by the tears in her eyes. “How I wish Lisbet and Isabella were here.”

Thea was quiet for a moment. Even without knowing her well, I could see how deeply thinking about the two women affected her. Marriage wasn’t a flippant thing to me, and I suspected it wasn’t for her either.

Finally, she smiled. “I do too. Maybe we should finish getting the meal ready.”

“All right.”

Thea waited until her aunt was out of earshot, and turned to me. “Well, you passed your first test.”

It didn’t escape me that she played off the mention of her mother and friend. I’d leave it too. If anyone understood loss and grief, it was me.

I tucked a lock of her hair behind her ear. “I like her, which made it an easy test.”

“Just so you know, I don’t invite men to my family get-togethers. You’re… the first.”

Why did that fill me with such satisfaction? “Really?”

“These are sacred. Private. These people are my inner sanctum. I would die for them, so normally I wouldn’t expose them to anyone I don’t trust.”

“Why now?” I tilted my head and caught her gaze.

She gave a one-shoulder shrug. “Those girls that Marco took are worth the risk. I could never live with myself if I stood by and did nothing.”

I don’t know what came over me, but I pulled her close and pressed my lips to her forehead. “We’ll find them, get them help, and I’ll guard while you take care of that pig, Marco.”

A mischievous grin grew on her lips. “You really know how to sweet talk a woman.”

And she was the only woman I wanted.