Page 7 of Deceptive Vows (Bound by Vows #3)

Chapter Six

THEA

“No, I don’t.” My phone rested on the bathroom counter as I spoke to Claire. “This is business.”

Claire’s wild idea that I had a thing for Nazar was absurd. I’d called a friend in New York about him but hadn’t heard back yet. Going into this date blind wasn’t my usual style.

Claire snorted. “And I wasn’t going to fall for Lucas, but here we are.”

“My brother needed you. I, however, have everything I need. My brothers, you, Anna, Aunt Helen, and my cousins. Men are complications.”

“Your brother is a man. ”

“And he’s your complication. I can walk away. You’re stuck with him.” I finished putting on my diamond studs and studied myself in the mirror.

I always dressed up, but had I considered a certain Russian when choosing this particular outfit? Yes, because Nazar was picking me up, and I might have been interested in his reaction. The last time we’d met, his eyes had lingered just long enough to let me know he wasn’t immune to my charms.

Our official ‘date’ was at Luminous, an exclusive restaurant on the 50th floor of a Chicago high-rise, frequented by politicians, socialites, and elite families. It was upscale and exactly the place we needed if rumors were to get back to Marco.

The meeting had gone as well as could be expected. Now it was time to convince the rest of the world—and Marco—that Nazar and I were exactly what they feared: united. The official engagement announcement was scheduled for Thanksgiving. Just in time to season Aunt Helen’s turkey with shock.

In the past, the holiday had been dull, but I’d anticipated a more interesting time with Claire and Anna joining our family.

Now, it would be explosive. It was just my style to light the match and watch the fireworks. My little black heart could hardly wait to see Aunt Helen’s reaction. Though I hesitated slightly. I didn’t want to give her a heart attack.

On the plus side, Nazar was incredibly attractive, so maybe that would ease the shock. Me, engaged. It was a comedy.

“After years of sleeping alone in a big, cold house, I’ve come to appreciate that even after we argue, he’s still going to hold me at night,” Claire said. “I’ll attack with cold feet and teasing, but it’s the best feeling in the world to have his arms around me.”

My sister meant well, but she’d only known me for a few months. She’d come to my brother with a proposal for marriage in exchange for half a billion dollars. I couldn’t blame her, she’d been desperate to escape her father. In the end, fate had worked its magic, and they’d found each other.

What my sweet sister didn’t understand was that I didn’t need anyone to hold me. I was fine on my own. I’d always been fine.

I sighed, letting the thought linger as I adjusted the jeweled neckline of my dark blue dress. A new venture deserved a new dress, and when I saw it, I knew it’d make an impact.

“You’re quiet,” Claire said, her voice softer now. “Thea, are you nervous?”

I rolled my eyes, though she couldn’t see me. “No. I just want tonight to go smoothly. Marco’s men will be watching, and we need them to believe this is real.”

Claire hesitated. “You mean the engagement or your interest in Nazar?”

“Both.” I quickly brushed off the question. “The engagement has to sell. Nazar and I are on the same page. This is business, nothing more.” I adjusted an earring, focusing on the tiny details rather than the conversation.

“Hmm,” Claire hummed, clearly unconvinced. “I get it, but just... don’t shut yourself off too much, Thea. What if this has the potential to be something?”

“This has the potential to lead me to Marco,” I countered, grabbing my clutch. “Now, stop trying to turn this into some sort of love story. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Fine.” Claire heaved a resigned sigh. “But if sparks fly, you owe me dinner.”

I laughed despite myself. “ Deal.” As if that would happen.

Hanging up, I tucked my phone into my clutch and gave myself one last look in the mirror. The woman staring back at me was polished, confident, and untouchable—my signature look.

The sound of a knock at the door pulled me from my thoughts. I took a deep breath, squared my shoulders, and walked through my house with measured steps.

When I opened the door, Nazar stood there in a dark blue tweed suit that fit his broad shoulders perfectly. His eyes—sharp and assessing as always—took me in.

“You look...” His gaze traveled from my face to my heels and back. “...perfect.”

“Flattery will get you everywhere,” I quipped, setting the alarm system, stepping out, and closing the door behind me.

Nazar offered his arm, and I took it. The faintest smirk tugged at the corner of his lips.

The November air hit me as we stepped outside, and I suppressed a shiver. Nazar’s driver stood by the open door of a black limo, nodding respectfully as we approached.

Inside the limo, the scent of leather and subtle cologne filled the space.

The first few minutes in the car were silent with only the hum of tires on the road.

Nazar sat beside me, not quite close, not quite distant, his posture relaxed but coiled with the kind of readiness that never fully turned off.

It wasn’t surprising. A man who ran security didn’t get to relax.

I braced my hand on the seat, touched my chin to my shoulder, and smiled, looking up at him through my lashes.

“So, how are we playing this tonight? Am I so smitten by your accent, good looks, and charm that I hang on every word, or is this more like general respect and tolerance akin to a business transaction?”

“You find me charming and good-looking?”

A lone eyebrow lifted. “Are you going to try to convince me that you’re unaware of your attractiveness?”

Chuckling, he shook his head. “This will be much easier to sell if you’re attracted to me. I was merely verifying.”

Tease. I loved it. Palming his cheek, I brushed my thumb across his skin. “Easier sell than ice on a hot day.” I dropped my hand. “I guess I should ask the same question.” I batted my lashes.

“In that respect, I have nothing to sell.” His eyes traveled from my face to where the dress met the leather seat. “You are a vision.”

“At least we’re not climbing a mountain then.” My lips lifted in a grin.

He smiled. “ Nyet .”

Truthfully, the accent did warm my blood. The way his mouth shaped the words, the rich, low timbre of his voice, and the hint of exotic allure made it undeniably captivating.

“Back to my question then, how are we playing this?”

He shook his head, but I could see his lips curve up at one corner. “I’ll play it however you would like.”

“You don’t have a preference?”

A soft groan. “Of course I have a preference, but I’m trying to be a gentleman.” He chuckled, eyes briefly dropping to my lips.

“Oh, I see.” I shouldn’t have done it—I knew better—but it had been so long since I’d been kissed, and curiosity got the better of me.

I leaned forward and pressed my lips to his. Light, testing. The contact lasted only seconds, but it was enough to send an unexpected current through me. Not once in my twenty-nine years had a simple kiss made me want more .

Until Nazar.

Control slipped, just for a moment. I’d always seen relationships as transactions—one party had something the other wanted, and payment was exchanged. But this brief touch threatened my carefully constructed viewpoint.

Straightening, I offered a practiced smile. “I thought maybe I’d take the edge off so that if we’re forced to kiss, it won’t feel awkward.”

“Right,” he said, his accent slightly thicker as his eyes locked with mine. “We wouldn’t want to put our plan in jeopardy.”

“No.” I cleared my throat. “Of course not.”

The rest of the drive passed in silence. Not exactly tense but certainly not as lighthearted as before my lapse in judgment.

The limo glided to a smooth stop at the entrance of the high-rise. The driver opened the door, and Nazar moved first. Chicago’s evening air wrapped around us as he stepped out and then offered his hand. I took it, ignoring the lingering warmth from his touch.

The lobby gleamed with marble floors and brushed steel accents, all understated elegance. We stepped into the elevator, and fifty floors slipped by in silence. Not awkward, just… taut. The memory of that kiss hovered between us, unspoken but very much alive.

The elevator dinged. Luminous stretched before us, the city’s skyline a glittering backdrop through floor-to-ceiling windows. As expected, politicians, socialites, and business moguls filled the space, each table a potential source of gossip.

The ma?tre d’ approached. “Do you have a reservation?”

“Mr. Volkov,” Nazar replied, his hand settling at the small of my back.

“Ah, right this way.”

We followed him through the restaurant. I could feel eyes tracking our movement. Marco would know about this outing before we even ordered appetizers.

The table was positioned perfectly—near the windows, offering a view of the city’s night skyline, yet close enough to the center of the room that we would be noticed.

Nazar held my chair out and then took his seat across from me. His eyes never left mine as he settled in—all part of the show, of course. I reminded myself that was all this was. A show.

So why did it feel like something more?

Our drinks were the only choices we’d get tonight. This restaurant served a menu set by the chef with each night changing depending on the ingredients sourced that day.

Sitting back, I watched Nazar for a moment. Unusual for me. Men were tools to be wielded, not studied or understood. Yet, I found myself interested in anything I could learn about him. “Do you mind if I ask questions?”

“Depends.” His eyes caught the light as he looked up from his water.

“On?” I smiled.

“May I ask questions in return?”

“Depends.” I teased, mirroring his response.

His deep laugh tickled my ears. “All right. What’s the first question?”

“How long have you known Pasha?”

“Since I was a child. My father was his father’s vor. My family has served his family for generations.”

My eyebrows rose. “That’s quite the history.” I knew enough about Russian criminal hierarchies to understand the significance. “Are you friends because you like him, or is it merely duty?”

He wiped his hand down his beard. “I consider him to be my best friend. We share common goals and values. He’s a good man. An even better leader than his father. He’s tough but fair.”

The waiter returned with our drinks, and I waited until he was out of earshot.

“I can appreciate that.”

Nazar fell silent for a moment, his gaze more assessing now. “Do you typically use knives in battle?”

A chuckle popped out. “I have a talent for them.”

He nodded. “Yes, that was obvious. Do you also bring them to gunfights?”

“I bring them to everything. A girl can never be too prepared.” I winked.

“You knew I’d followed you, didn’t you?” It came out less like a question and more like a statement.

“I did. Did you enjoy the show?”

“Very much. It’s not often a woman can back up her threats.

I found your ability to do so quite…alluring.

” He took a sip of his water, eyes never leaving mine.

“To be honest, that’s what I admire most about you.

In my line of work, having a woman close always means worrying about her safety. But with you? That’s not a concern. ”

Something warm and unexpected unfurled in my chest. This wasn’t part of our charade—we were well out of earshot of anyone who might report back to Marco. Why did I find it exhilarating that he spoke like we were actually a couple?

“So you wouldn’t worry about me?” I kept my tone light despite the sudden weight of the conversation.

“Maybe some, but not as much as with a woman who couldn’t take care of herself.” His lips lifted in a small grin. “If you were…entangled with someone, would you worry about them?”

The question hit something raw inside me. When my mom was alive, all I did was worry. Men would beat her, use her, and throw her away. The memories of her were tumultuous. I never knew if I was a friend or an enemy. She never treated me like a child.

I didn’t realize I’d gone silent until Nazar tilted his head slightly, waiting.

My mind drifted to a memory I rarely allowed myself to revisit.

“Abigail, you know you don’t have to take care of Gianna. I’ll do it.” Ma tried to shoo me away from changing Gianna’s pull-up.

I shrugged as I looked up at her. “I always cleaned up after my mom. She said it was my job to take care of her. I just thought…”

Ma knelt down next to me and took the pull-up. “Your job is to be a little girl. I appreciate you so much for wanting to help, but go play, my darling. I’ll change her.”

Hesitating, I chewed my lip. It’d only been about a week that I’d lived with Lucas’s family. I didn’t want them to not want me. My mom told me all the time that I had to earn my keep.

Gianna squealed and ran away sans pull-up, and Ma laughed. My mom would have… thrown a tantrum. She hated it when I was messy or disobedient.

“I…”

Ma took my face in her hands. “My darling, your job is to be a child now. Okay?”

“You won’t…” My voice faltered. “You won’t make me leave?”

She shook her head. “The moment you walked through my door, I knew you were sent to me. I prayed and prayed for another little girl to love, and here you are. So beautiful. So sweet and kind.”

I started to cry. Mom was unpredictable. When she was high or drinking, she could be mean. Other times, she’d be loving. I was always guessing, always worried. Always responsible. Always the adult .

Ma pulled me into a hug. “My sweet girl. It’s okay.” She held me out. “I’m not trying to take the place of your mother. I just want you to know how wanted you are. That you don’t have to do anything to be wanted.”

“Thea?” Nazar’s voice was gentle, as if he’d noticed my momentary absence.

“I’m sorry.” The lights from the skyline reflected in the crystal glasses between us.

“Where did you go?”

“Nowhere important.” I deflected with a shrug. These intimate memories were mine alone—though lately, they’d been surfacing more frequently. I picked up my fork, trying to regain my usual composure.

His gaze dropped to the table, then returned to me. There was something knowing in his look, something that suggested he understood far more than I intended to reveal. “I believe any entanglement of yours would be extraordinarily motivated to return to you.”

“You think so?” I lifted an eyebrow, grateful for the shift back to lighter territory. It was easier to flirt than admit how much I wanted to believe that.

“I know so.” His voice dipped low as he grinned, eyes never leaving mine.

A shiver of desire danced down my spine, the first clear sign that perhaps I’d landed myself in a situation that would blow up in my face. A part of me screamed to back away slowly, but the wilder, more reckless side whispered, “bombs away.”

I took a sip of my drink, wondering which side would win.