Page 69 of Sweet Deception

Gleb glanced at his watch, barely looking at me. “Obviously.”

My jaw dropped. He was serious.

I stared, speechless.

“I should’ve been in a meeting thirty minutes ago.”

I smirked, deciding to push his buttons. “Guess I’ll have to wait until you’re back to eat it.”

His brows furrowed. “Why?”

I leaned back in my seat, stretching. “Because I’d rather have you feed me.”

He stiffened.

I gave him a smug look. “You won’t see me again after thirty days, remember?”

His gaze flicked to the pizza, then back to me.

I was toying with him. Testing him.

He checked his watch. His lips pressed together.

Then, in a single, decisive motion, he pulled out his phone. “Tell the Bratva from Yakutsk I won’t be making it tonight.”

I blinked, startled. I hadn’t expected him to actually do it.

My fingers curled around the warm pizza box. Maybe I had more control over him than I thought.

His phone rang again and the person on the other end of the call spoke, their voice low and urgent.

Gleb’s response was clipped. “I know millions of dollars are at stake, but I’m handling something far more important right now.”

He paused, listening, then his jaw clenched. “No. I’m not canceling. Send Oleg in my place.”

I shifted on the bed, guilt tugging at me. He was canceling a major meeting because of me. Millions of dollars were at stake, yet... he stayed.

I should hate him. I needed to. But when he spoke to them on the phone, ignoring millions of dollars just to stay with me, I felt something else. Something I didn’t want to name.

“Come here,” he said.

Before I could react, he lifted me effortlessly into his arms. I let my body go limp, making myself heavier, but he carried me like I was weightless. He placed me gently on the bed, then grabbed one of the pizza boxes.

He was silent for a moment, his eyes trailing over me. Then, so quietly I almost missed it. “You smell nice.”

My breath caught. That was... unexpected.

I blinked, startled.

A compliment. From him.

My face heated involuntarily. I had just bathed, but hearing my husband say those words made my stomach flutter. That had to be the first compliment I’d received from him since our marriage. A farewell compliment, maybe.

He sat across from me, picking up a slice of pizza and bringing it to my lips. I took a bite, savoring the warm, cheesy goodness. It was the first time I’d had pizza since coming here.

I swallowed my last bite and stared into his hazel-blue eyes.

“I’m full,” I said.