Page 126 of Sweet Deception

He caressed my back gently, his touch soothing but laced with an undeniable sadness.

So, he has nightmares every night he doesn’t sleep with me? “When you travel, do you have the same experience? Bad sleep because of nightmares?”

“Yeah,” he murmured, his voice low, distant. “It’s not something I want to remember. It always... always brings back the death of my mother and my ex-lover.”

I stayed pressed against him, my heart heavy with the weight of his words. I thought back to the first day I had seen him. The memory felt distant, but vivid. From the moment I was picked up at the airport, I’d felt a strange, uneasy tension.

At first, I thought the older man who welcomed me at the airport was my soon-to-be husband. I was horrified. But as he drove in silence, I forced myself to ask if he was the one I was supposed to marry. He’d laughed softly and answered with a brief, “No.”

When we finally arrived, I saw him, a man so strikingly handsome, his presence so overwhelming, I knew immediately that he was the one. The mafia king, the Merchant of Death, they called him. His gaze had been predatory, as if he would devour me on the spot.

To me, I was just marrying a stranger. A powerful one, yes, but a stranger. When he ignored me, I felt nothing but a cold, resignedacceptance. I was led straight to the room where I’d bathe and change into my wedding dress. Everything had been happening too fast, too unreal. I couldn’t believe I was getting married on the same day I arrived in his country.

And what was even more surprising was the lack of ceremony. There were no family members at the wedding, just me, him, and the priest. A few of his men stood guard at the entrance, but that was it. None of his family, no friends, no guests. It wasn’t what I had imagined.

Still, I accepted my fate, hoping that as we spent time together, we’d open up. And if we didn’t, maybe we could fulfill our duty and have a child, as our families wanted, then go our separate ways.

I had no idea then what I was really getting into. This wasn’t just an arranged marriage. it was my father selling me off to the Russians. My family knew this. They knew what I was walking into, but they sent me anyway. They probably didn’t think I’d survive, let alone be protected by the man they thought would destroy me.

And yet, Gleb did try to tear me apart, but he stopped. He was cruel, yes, but also my safe haven. The only family I had left.

I slowly pulled away from him when I noticed his breathing had evened out. He was asleep. His face, relaxed in sleep, looked even more handsome, innocent, almost. I couldn’t help but trace his features with my gaze. his soft eyes, his long, perfect nose, his full lips. Leaning down, I kissed him gently, sighing in relief when he didn’t stir. He was deep asleep.

Since I wasn’t feeling sleepy myself, I decided to watch some classical dance tutorials on YouTube. I pulled my laptop closer and began to get lost in the rhythm and elegance of the movements.

Fifteen minutes later, a phone rang loud, insistent. I glanced down, recognizing it was Gleb’s phone. The screen displayed “Chief Security,”

The fact that his chief security was calling at this hour made me nervous. Something must have gone wrong. But Gleb was sleeping so soundly, and I didn’t want to disturb him.

Reluctantly, I reached over and picked up his phone, answering it.

“This is Gleb Romanov’s wife. Can you speak English, please?”

“I need to speak with him. It’s urgent,” came a thick Russian accent.

“He’s asleep. You can talk to me.” My voice was firm, trying to mask my unease.

“Please wake him up,” the man insisted, urgency in his tone. “It’s bad news.”

“Tell me.”

“The Petrovs attacked our dock.”

I frowned, glancing at Gleb’s sleeping form. I had no idea who the Petrov family was, or what docks he was talking about. “Is there something you can do about it?”

“That’s why I’m calling. Should we strike back, or wait for him to contact them first?” His words were clipped, but still urgent. “Our cartel and theirs haven’t breached our agreement in eight years. An attack like this, it’s a clear violation of the contract. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

I exhaled sharply, unsure. “I’ll let him call you back.”

Without waiting for a response, I hung up, biting my lip. I hated that I’d had to disturb Gleb’s sleep, but I had no choice.

I leaned over to kiss him again, hoping to wake him gently.

He grunted softly, his lips brushing mine before he slowly opened his eyes. His gaze locked with mine, a mix of confusion and tenderness. “You were kissing me in my dream.”

I laughed softly, my heart lightened by the playful tone. But the seriousness of the situation weighed on me. “I think your chief security needs your attention urgently.”

His expression darkened as he rolled away from me, his eyes scanning the phone. “You already answered the call?”