The Russian's Proposal (Friends Forever Book 3) Read online

  And yet…looking down at Katia’s smiling face, her soft lips that had tasted like heaven when he’d kissed her…he wanted to own her. No, that wasn’t right. No one could own another person and Katia seemed like a free spirit, someone who would want to be able to flutter away with the first warm wind.

  He wanted her to…

  Sergei didn’t finish that thought, knowing that his desires might put her in danger. He’d been able to avoid collateral damage so far in this war between Sosta and himself. Katia had to remain safe. Above…yes, even above his need for revenge.

  Stepping out into the sunlight, he wrapped his arms around Katia, protecting her from the press of the media. He allowed the media to move forward, but only to a point. With a nod of his head, his body guards moved into place and pushed the media frenzy back again.

  “Are you sure you’re ready for this?” he double checked, gently cradling her as he looked into her eyes. Damn, he wished he could protect her even from this media craziness. But it was important that Sosta find out that Katia had surfaced and that she was married, completely out of his grasp.

  Katia smiled up at Sergei, feeling warm and secure with his arms around her. “Yes. I’m ready.” He started to move away, but she put a hand to his arm and he stopped, looking back at her with a question in those incredible eyes.

  “I just wanted to thank you for arranging all of this. It was brilliant of you to have those wills ready. And,” her smile brightened even more, “the idea to give all of his assets to charity in the event of our deaths was brilliant. It might actually keep us safe. If there’s anything that Sosta hates more than someone else winning, it’s giving his money away.”

  He laughed, hugging her gently. “I never considered your father to be much of a philanthropist.” He kissed her quickly, vaguely aware of the media standing about ten feet away, shouting questions at them. “Just to be safe, I ordered my legal team to send copies of those documents to your father immediately. I don’t want him to even think about trying to hurt you in any way.”

  “When will he get them?”

  Sergei looked at his watch. “In about five minutes,” he replied.

  Katia laughed and tried to cover her amusement with her hand.

  Unbeknownst to both of them, that was the picture that the media snapped. It was also the first picture that Sosta Valissi had seen of his daughter in more than six years. The fury that exploded from the man when he laid eyes on that email was worse than anything his aides had ever seen.

  “How the hell did this happen?!” he roared, standing up and literally tipping over the heavy wooden desk. Everything tumbled from the top only moments before a loud shudder rocked the room. “My daughter is married!” he yelled to the startled group of people milling about him, all trying to look more industrious than the others in their attempts to prove their worth to the Valissi organization.

  “My daughter…the little bitch every single one of you has been trying to find for years…is now married! And not to the asshole that I chose!” He stopped to glare at each of them individually, carefully ensuring that they would each bear the brunt of his fury. Unfortunately, seeing their fear didn’t soothe his temper as it normally might have. Not this time. His panic was real now. Because not only was his daughter married to a man he wasn’t assured that he could control, she hadn’t signed the legal documents transferring ownership of his companies and assets back to him – which was supposed to take place upon her wedding day! Before the wedding occurred.

  “Even worse, my daughter is married to that man!” he spat. Then he literally spat on the man who had the unfortunate luck of being closest. “Find her! Bring her to me! I want her standing in front of me in twenty-four hours! And in the meantime, I want all the money drained out of every company! Put it into my private accounts!” He waited…but no one moved. Normally, he would chuckle at the fear that was almost palpable. He would revel in it. But he was too livid to enjoy this moment of terror. “Now!” he bellowed, throwing up his hands.

  Immediately, everyone moved, two of them even bumping into each other in their rush to get away.

  “And clean up this mess!” With that order snapped at no one in particular, he walked out of his office. He needed a woman, he thought. There were three he could choose from, all of them locked up in separate rooms, naked and ready for him. Maybe he’d have all three, he thought with relish.

  Chapter 5

  “You okay?”

  Katia looked over her shoulder at Sergei, tensing as his heavy hands descended to her shoulders. “I’m fine,” she replied. But she really wasn’t fine. She was jumpy and nervous. And painfully aware of Sergei as a man. An attractive, enticing, and magnificent man.

  He pulled the soft, white coat from her shoulders, tossing it carelessly onto a chair as if it hadn’t cost him several thousand dollars.

  “Thank you,” she whispered and moved deeper into the beautiful living room. “This is lovely,” she praised, her voice stronger now that he wasn’t touching her.

  What was it about this man that made her so aware of him? His scent, his touch, the way he looked at her…everything made her want another kiss. Another touch.

  It was crazy! She wasn’t doing all of this for any romantic reason. Nor was Sergei. Both of them were in this relationship simply to obtain revenge on her father. She had to keep that uppermost in her mind so she didn’t embarrass herself.

  “Your ideas on the inheritance were brilliant,” she complimented, glancing up at him, then quickly away. “And the media standing outside when we walked out of the courthouse…a stroke of genius.”

  He laughed as he walked over to a bar, lifting a crystal decanter and pouring something into two glasses. “What better way to announce our marriage than with someone else telling him?”

  She ran a finger over a polished credenza, feeling nervous and anxious. “Adds a bit of credibility to the news,” she laughed. “He won’t like the snub either. He’ll look foolish to his employees and his acquaintances because I surfaced and he knew nothing about it.”

  He chuckled as well, slipping the charcoal jacket from his shoulders and tossing it on top the white coat. “Da. That was my intention.” He lifted the glasses, bringing one over to her and taking a sip from his own.

  Katia smiled in thanks as she took the glass. She took a tentative sip of the liquid, but barely anything touched her tongue. She’d never allowed herself to drink, knowing that she had to be fully aware at all times.

  Watching him, she noticed that his expression looked…heated and she turned away. “So what’s next?”

  “Next, we have a honeymoon.”

  Her stomach just about dropped into her feet with that announcement. With luck, she maintained her hold on the glass as well, but it was a close call. “A honeymoon? Is that necessary?”

  Sergei’s free hand slipped into the pockets of his slacks, drawing her attention to his long, powerful legs.

  “Yes. We will stay here tonight, then fly to Grand Cayman tomorrow. I’ve reserved a villa there and we will spend a week relaxing in the sunshine.”

  She eyed him skeptically. “Relaxing?”

  He smiled slightly. “Perhaps I should say that we will appear to be relaxing. My men have already seen movement from your father’s organization. Several men were dispatched via private plane an hour ago.”

  She’d sort of expected that news, but hearing it out loud was still startling. For too many years, she’d done her best to stay several steps ahead of her father. Now she was simply going to wait until these goons arrived? “When will they land?”

  Sergei shrugged. “My sources say that the itinerary of Sosta’s men is to land at National Airport in the morning.”

  Her fingers tightened around the crystal glass. “And will we still be here?”

  Sergei smiled. “We will be on a plane to Grand Cayman fifteen minutes before they land.”

  That news caused a burst of laughter from Katia. “You’re evil,” she giggled
and turned to face him. “So, what do we do until they land?”

  He moved closer to her. “Well, two of your father’s men are stationed downstairs in the lobby. My guards are watching them and are on alert to see if they are the only two.” He lifted his hand, his fingers twisting a lock of her hair, letting the silky strands slide against his skin. “I think we should put on a show by having dinner down in the dining room tonight.”

  Katia swallowed, trying not to breathe in the clean, male scent of him. He was talking about a show for her father and all she wanted to do was touch him, dine here in the privacy of this suite so that she could learn more about Sergei.

  If she let herself, she could very easily lose her head over this man. He was pretty potently male.

  “Dinner in the dining room would be…lovely,” she agreed.

  “Do you need to change?”

  She thought about her wedding dress, then the other clothes she owned. “I don’t think I own anything that would be appropriate for the dining room,” she explained, feeling gauche all of a sudden. And then it hit her. “I didn’t pack anything for…”

  His warm thumb covered her lips, stopping whatever she might have said. “My assistant ordered a new wardrobe for you. Clothing for warm weather is already packed and there are clothes ready for you when we travel to other places.”

  She smiled, warmed by his thoughtfulness. “You’ve figured out everything, haven’t you?”

  He pulled her into his arms and kissed her, just a light caress and he pulled back before she could respond, but it still sent her senses spiraling in a crazy direction. “Yes,” he replied. “Most things.”

  Taking her hand, he tucked her fingers over his arm. “We’ll be watched in the dining room. Are you up for a performance?”

  “Ready,” she told him, her lips still tingling from his too-brief kiss. “A bit nervous, but ready.” She was ready for dinner, but Katia wasn’t sure she was ready for more of Sergei. Even now, as he led her back out of the suite, she wanted to ask him for another kiss. This was dangerous, she thought. This marriage was only for show. Only to get revenge on her father. She had to remember her goal. Sergei’s goal. If she let that slip from her mind, allowed herself to immerse herself in the fantasy that was slowly weaving itself around in her mind, she would be hurt at the end of this endeavor.

  Chapter 6

  The champagne was delicious, the music soft and romantic. Sergei had reserved several tables on the upper balcony of the restaurant, telling the manager that he wanted more privacy. But Katia knew that it was really for security. Sergei didn’t want any of her father’s goons to get close enough to take a shot at them. The balcony didn’t allow for any good angles in which a rifle could easily aim and the empty tables kept the area cleared so his guards could watch for possible threats more easily.

  Mindful of everything he’d done to ensure that her father knew about their wedding and still keep both of them safe, she focused all of her attention towards putting on a show. She was aware of several cameras clicking away as they walked through the restaurant so she pressed her body against his arm, smiling up into his eyes just like any other newly married couple.

  Once seated at the table, she clinked her glass of champagne against his, smiled at him, and leaned forward as if she were enjoying the conversation.

  In reality, she truly was enjoying the conversation and his confidence allowed her to relax. The guards around the restaurant as well as in the kitchen allowed her another measure of comfort and she smiled, thinking that this was going to be fun.

  Sergei was a wonderful dinner companion, able to converse on just about every possible topic. In return, she challenged her mind to find humorous subjects on which to talk and her efforts paid off when she heard his deep laughter. She loved seeing his features relax, but even better, when he laughed, it sounded as if he really meant it.

  She knew that they were both playing the role of devoted newlywed, but she really didn’t notice anyone else but Sergei. Not only because he was one of the most attractive, rawly physical, and amazingly masculine men in the room, but also because he acted as if he were hanging on her every word. Because of who she was and the menace her father represented to her life and those around her, she’d never allowed herself any sort of friendship until she’d reached Lisdeer. And definitely no boyfriends. She’d had her fair share of male attention, but until Natalie, Hayden and Arianna had strolled into her coffee shop, Katia had never allowed personal friendships. She’d never had any true friends that she could count on.

  Looking across the table at Sergei as he twisted his fingers with hers, she wondered if she might be friends with him after this was all over. The thought of something more flashed through her mind, but she quickly discarded the possibility. She wouldn’t allow herself to hope for anything more from Sergei than getting out from under her father’s tormenting existence. Romance was completely out of the question.

  “Are you finished?” he asked when she licked the last of the chocolate torte from her fork and set it down on her plate with a sigh of contentment.

  “Yes!” she replied, happy and stuffed. She hadn’t felt this relaxed in a long time, if ever! “That was delicious!”

  “You seem pretty easy to please.”

  She laughed. “Well, my culinary skills consist of opening a can of soup or spaghetti. On really daring nights, I pop a frozen meal into the microwave. Unfortunately, even the microwave has a tendency to defeat me at times.”

  “Not a fan of cooking?”

  She shrugged, feeling shivers of awareness as his thumb rubbed across her wrist. She certainly hoped that he couldn’t feel her rapid pulse. That would be too embarrassing.

  “I would love to learn to cook, but I’ve never really had a chance.”

  “Too many other things to do?”

  She smiled and shook her head, unaware of how the candles shimmered on her dark hair or sparkled in her chocolate eyes. “Not exactly. My father had a chef when I was growing up. And after my mother managed to smuggle me out of his house and then out of Russia, I was always on the move, never really having time to learn to do anything other than…”

  “Other than write a computer program that hacked into your father’s corporate infrastructure which allowed you to steal money from your father and send it to various charities?” he finished for her.

  Katia’s eyes widened. She tugged her hand away, hiding it underneath the table. Pressing her lips together, she looked around, her eyes darting from one place to the next, but never really focusing on any one thing. “I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she defended.

  He laughed softly. “Relax, Katia. I’m impressed with what you’ve created. It’s brilliant.”

  His words, and more, his tone, told her that he truly was impressed. She’d developed a computer program that hacked into her father’s companies, slowly stealing small amounts. Not enough to raise any red flags, but enough so that she could accumulate small amounts of money and send it to some of his victims.

  She felt that confusing rush of heat hit her when she saw the admiration in his blue eyes. Had she thought they were cold?

  Definitely not cold right now!

  She felt her pulse ramp up another notch. “Not so much,” she said with a grimace. “I only took small amounts. It was more about being a mouse, sneaking around in the dark and trying to make things right rather than actually stealing from him.”

  His soft, deep chuckle sent more of those strange tingles throughout her body. “You pissed him off royally,” he told her. “One day he even threatened to get the police involved.”

  That made her sit up straighter in her chair. “Really? I got to him that much?”

  “Yeah. He was sure that it was either me or someone in his organization who was stealing from him. It was small amounts, but Sosta doesn’t allow for any kind of defiance. It was brilliant actually. It undermined his trust in most of his closest aides and, when he couldn’t prove that any of t
hem were stealing the money, his distrust moved throughout the ranks. Over the past six months, he’s either fired or moved around about half of his staff. Some have just disappeared.”

  Her grin widened and a warmth spread through her. “How do you know this?”

  He winked at her. “I have my own contacts within his organization.”

  “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, eh?”

  “Something like that,” he chuckled. “Come. Time for us to go.” He stood up and extended his hand for her. When she trustingly put her fingers into his hand, she felt warm and secure. How could he do that with just a touch?

  It didn’t matter and she moved closer, wanting to increase that sensation. It was nice to feel safe after being on the run for so long. She could get used to this, she thought as she allowed him to guide her through the tables. When they neared the elevators, he lowered his head. To anyone else, it looked like he was whispering sweet nothings in her ear. But what he actually said was, “My guards just warned me that the spies are close to the elevators. So, I’m going to kiss you while we wait. Be prepared.”

  She felt her cheeks heat up and hoped that the dim lighting in the restaurant hid her reaction to the idea of him kissing her again. Trying to be casual about all of this, she squeezed his hands, letting him know that she was okay with his game plan.

  And yet, her heart was pounding so hard, she wondered if he could hear it. She certainly hoped not. That would be humiliating!

  They walked slowly through the restaurant and, when she saw the elevators, her heart rate actually picked up even more. Katia refused to admit that she was excited about the kiss. Kissing him…it was just part of the role she was playing. Nothing more.

  Never mind the anticipation. That was only because she knew that she’d have to make it look good. She’d have to fake it so that her father believed that they were truly married, truly in love. She would give it everything she had inside of her because this was life and death. Literally, life and death!