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To say I was shocked by Daniil agreeing to let me come along was an understatement.

But there was no denying how good that felt—to have him inadvertently admit he needed me to some degree, even if reluctantly.

I was well aware that the Novikovs wanted to take my resources and men, but it was my hope he’d eventually realize they couldn’t just have it all. They couldn’t take it and expect everyone to fall into line like good little soldiers.

They needed me. They needed me to continue leading whether they wanted to say it or not, and that was exactly what I intended to do.

I didn’t say a word during the drive, not while my mind was focused solely on how badly I needed to see my men and my cousins again—to remind them that I was still their leader, regardless of Daniil forcing me into hiding.

Even if it meant doing that from behind Daniil’s shadow for the time being, it was better than nothing at all.

His coldness had known no bounds ever since we forged the marriage pact, and while he made his distaste for it all very clear, along with how his intentions were very different from my own, there was something different about that moment.

Daniil wasn’t one to willingly back down from an argument, or admit he could be wrong, but even if it was in his own way, he seemed to do exactly that by bringing me with him.

Regardless of what he thought or felt, he needed me there, and I wasn’t going to let him forget it.

While I didn’t want to get ahead of myself, I couldn’t ignore the slight flicker of hope within me that Daniil could be having a change of heart. It seemed like an unlikely thing for him, but if he did, my life would be a hell of a lot easier.

When we finally reached the familiar warehouse, it felt like a small weight had been lifted from my chest. It had been about a week since I saw it all, but it felt like a lifetime. Once we pulled up and the dust gathered around the car, I watched as the others walked out to meet us with their calculating eyes and felt a stab of guilt.

I never wanted them to think I abandoned them, or that I was giving up. Before they were contacted by Alex, nobody would’ve known what happened to me, or why I disappeared out of nowhere.

Before I could open the door, Daniil’s strong hand was on my forearm. His eyes were full of cold warning, and his words were firm. “Remember our deal.”

The reminder irritated me, but I didn’t want to wait a moment longer. “Yes, I know…no tricks.”

He looked at me for another moment, as if running through every reason why he shouldn’t believe me before finally landing on a more cooperative, albeit reluctant, response. He nodded once, then pulled the warmth of his touch away.

The faintest shiver went through me at the feeling, but I didn’t let it show.

Impatiently, I unbuckled myself and got out, closing the door behind me while Daniil did the same thing. He put on a pair of sunglasses and moved around the car to follow along behind me.

Immediately, everything felt so different.

My cousins and men…they were all there. Gabriel, Giovani, Vinny, and all the others were appearing through the front and from beneath the big bay doors, watching. It felt like forever since I had seen them, and while I didn’t mean to be too sentimental about it all, I couldn’t help how it moved me.

Gabriel was the first to step forward. The caution in his mature features softened when he saw me, and he didn’t waste any time closing the space between us.

“Thank god…”

His dark eyes gave way to obvious relief the moment he pulled me in for a one-armed hug. He wasn’t usually a touchy person, but being surrounded by the familiarity of him was a breath of fresh air for me.

I couldn’t fight the faint smile on my face when he pulled back enough to put a steady hand on my cheek, looking me over. Faint concern knitted his brows together.

“Are you all right? No injuries?” he asked, tilting my face back and forth slightly, assessing me.

It seemed like such a simple thing, but after being away, the question hit me harder than I expected it to. Even if I didn’t want to look weak or vulnerable in front of the others, I still appreciated how he considered how I felt and how everything affected me.

“I’m okay,” I told him, managing a smile to reassure him. “I’m fine, thank you.”

With a small breath, looking mostly satisfied by the answer, he let go of me and took a respectful step back. “Good, good…I was worried when I couldn’t reach you. I didn’t want to assume the worst, but…”

Nodding, I knew it had likely taken a toll on him as well. “I took a bit of a detour to that meeting.”

Gabriel had served my dad when he was only a teenager, then my brother into his early thirties. He was loyal to my family, and he took his job as my right hand more seriously than anything else. I owed a lot to him, and I was more than happy to see him again.

Letting out a humorless sound, he murmured, “You could certainly say that.”

For a moment, I forgot all about Daniil’s presence behind me until it seemed to fill the space like a cold front. He took a step next to me, and immediately, everything felt so different.

On my property, outside of one of my locations, Daniil was the outsider. His family had their empire and ambitions, and having him there beside me even though he was in what would likely seem like enemy territory to him, I couldn’t shake how strange it all seemed.

Regardless of how he kept his head up and maintained his usual domineering demeanor, I could sense the slightest waver in his control, in the confidence and respect he usually commanded.

Beyond that, I could feel the heaviest of his reactions—his anger.

Glancing over at him, I saw the tension in his jaw, along with the slight narrowing of his eyes through his sunglasses while they remained on Gabriel. It was incredibly clear how closely he had been scrutinizing our interaction and surely getting a read on it for himself.

I could almost taste how irritated he seemed by it, despite not saying anything.

For some reason, it was almost satisfying. I didn’t know why, but catching him looking rattled for once, showing me as clear as day that I still could put him on edge regardless of how in control he seemed, brought me a different kind of pleasure.

Pushing that feeling aside, I received hugs from both of my cousins while they expressed their relief. They had never been ones to express their emotions much, but in that moment, it was clear my disappearance caused them some kind of grief.

As much as I wanted to dive into a full reunion with them all, Daniil’s lingering presence behind me reminded me of why we were there in the first place, and of the fact that we still had business to attend to.

While I moved inside with my new and reluctant husband in tow, he received many looks from my men, but they parted for us anyway. If their staring bothered him, he didn’t let it show.

Eventually sitting at the table, Daniil got right to it, explaining how business would be changing. How the leadership was shifting due to our pact.

There was no mistaking the tension lingering in the air, nor that regardless of the ranks shifting hands in a sense, those men were loyalists—they were still mine.

As much as I had given up the driver’s seat through the beginning of the meeting, I didn’t want Daniil or the others to think I was completely relinquishing control. Whatever changes were coming, they had to know they were coming from me.

While he spoke, I couldn’t ignore the quiet reminder in the back of my head that Daniil was outnumbered. It was his turn to be the hare caught in the wolf den, and for a moment, the temptation to do something hasty clouded my thoughts.

It would be so easy to screw him over and find myself on top. It would be easy to put an end to the agreement and regain my position.

But as alone as he was in the moment, that wasn’t the reality of it.

If anything happened to Daniil, the Novikovs and Levovs would crush us in a heartbeat. They’d be on us in a second, and they’d know without a shadow of a doubt that it was me and my men.

Besides, we were legally married. I couldn’t just wipe him off the face of the earth and move on.

And annoyingly, something in me didn’t want anything to happen to him.

Revenge wasn’t something I’d ever wanted, even if they killed my brother. I was informed enough to know Esidor dug his grave himself, and he had nobody else to blame.

Everything seemed to be going well enough. My cousins and the others were being receptive while Daniil outlined how everything was going to work. As much as I was itching to step in, I refrained and watched as it all unfolded.

Then, Giovanni out a breath and leaned back in his seat.

“I don’t know about this,” he murmured, considering everything while he idly stroked his chin. His skepticism was clear. “You’ll have us working alongside the Russians. That’s not exactly something we’re inclined to do.”

Vinny nodded from beside him, glancing between me and Daniil. “What makes you think that’s a good idea? We’re not known for getting along.”

Despite the faintest flicker of irritation in his gaze, Daniil sat there with his sunglasses hooked into the neckline of his tee. He maintained a level, firm tone that spoke of his experience. “We all have to set long-standing conflicts aside to achieve the bigger picture every once in a while. Besides, any acts of retaliation from either side won’t be tolerated. Everyone will be held to the same standards and rules.”

Giovani’s gaze lingered on him for a moment, seemingly not entirely convinced yet. “And what is that bigger picture, Novikov?”

Daniil let go of a discreet breath and began, “The Levovs are the leading family in this city; hell, their influence spans even beyond this nation. They’re our partners, and with our numbers, we’re a force to be reckoned with. Think of what could be achieved if those numbers were even higher. Think about the reach and the gains to be made…the rewards for achieving exactly that.”

“Rewards as in payment?” Vinny asked.

“Exactly.”

“So, you don’t mean to hoard the lion’s share, then?” Giovanni added, lifting a vaguely accusatory brow. “You’re telling me that money will trickle down the ranks?”

Daniil hummed. “Yes. You’d all be paid more than you are right now.”

At that, a murmur moved through the room, and while I didn’t like how he was essentially bribing them, I knew it was also in my own best interest for them to follow along and agree.

Vinny and Giovani shared a glance, communicating silently between themselves before the latter spoke up.

“All right…we’ll follow your lead, but only if the orders come from you,” he murmured, pointing a finger in my direction. “We’ll cooperate, but they won’t dictate every move.”

I wasn’t surprised at all to hear it. They weren’t going to give in completely just because Daniil spoke confidently and had money to back him. They weren’t willing to let Daniil or anyone else force my hand beyond my control.

Despite expecting as much, it still placed an extra heaping of confidence within me. They weren’t afraid of the Russians or their threats, and so long as there was room to protest, they had demands of their own. Even if someone had been working against me, those men as a whole were still with me.

There was no need to look at Daniil to know his anger was boiling beneath his skin. He sat there stiffly, glancing silently between my cousins, Gabriel, and myself.

He didn’t like what was happening one bit, but there was nothing he could do about it.

He already tried to bribe them, but to my relief, it didn’t have the desired effect.

With another boost of satisfaction, I could see in Daniil’s eyes how he wanted to rage. He wanted to use the brute force he was accustomed to, but even he knew it wasn’t possible if he wanted to have them behind him.

Aware that my time had come, I sat forward with my hands together on the table.

“We’ll do this together. We’ll respect the pact and work alongside Novikov and Levov men, but those orders will move through me before anyone else hears them,” I began, glancing around at the various faces in the room. “I know I was gone for some time, but your loyalty hasn’t gone unnoticed. Things will be different, but we’ll navigate the change as a unit, like we did before.”

My cousins, along with everyone else, nodded along, quietly expressing their agreement.

I took some satisfaction in the way Daniil was stewing beside me, completely aware that he had no pull in the moment. He was hardly masking his restraint, but at the moment, I didn’t care.

As much as I was willing to abide by the pact and keep the peace between us, I wasn’t going to let him reduce me to nothing but his wife.

I wasn’t going to give up my father’s empire just because he told me to.

Even if it meant I’d be operating as a middleman, I still had a semblance of control and leadership to wield.

And that meant Daniil had no choice but to give me more of those freedoms he had taken away from me.