Chapter Seventeen : Flex
Dimitri
“My club is arriving next week. Where do you want to put them? The pool house?”
Her voice jolted me, pulling me away from the botched accounts scattered on the desk before me. I glanced up to find her leaning in the doorway, draped in nothing but the gray sheet from my bed. Holy fucking God. Did she know how tantalizing she was?
I allowed my breath to flair through my nostrils, willing my dick to settle down. We had shit to do - a war to win - a wedding to orchestrate. Now was not the time for fucking.
“How many of them will be arriving?”
I should have anticipated this - should have anticipated that this house would be run with Witches, but somehow - when I was balls deep in her, I hadn’t thought that far - hadn’t thought of what her people might think of me, only what the Bratva thought of her. Because her place was here. My men respected her - had even obeyed her while I was recovering. Would her Club expect the same from me?
If that was the case, that clown of a magician could get fucked. I would never bow to them, but they were welcome here. I had a feeling that they served as more of Corinne’s family than her mother did, and so as such, our home would always be open to them.
“Six.” Her answer was swift, but her gaze was filled with trepidation. Did she think that I didn’t want them here? Wouldn’t allow it?
I nodded once, making a snap decision. “I think we should keep the pool house for your parents and let your Club stay here.”
If I had to spend any more time with Emily Rand than was absolutely necessary, I would kill her, of that I had no doubt.
“You’re okay with that?” This time, she allowed a little bit of that vulnerability to taint her cheeks, and I wondered if she knew exactly how fuckable that made her.
“They’re your family, they’re welcome here anytime.”
I watched her movements, picking up her tells carefully. Corinne was guarded - careful in allowing all that simmering emotion to overflow, which is why I studied her meticulously, watching as her shoulders seemed to curve slightly in relief.
“This is your home as well, Corinne, have as many of your family members here as you wish - redecorate if you like. I don’t give a fuck, but I care if you’re comfortable.”
The bob of her throat was the only indication that she was experiencing any surge of emotion. Had she ever had a home of her own - a place that she could truly decorate in the way that she chose? Or had Emily Rand systematically taken care of everything, unknowingly depriving her only daughter of a vital life experience?
She looked as if she wanted to say something, but instead, she swallowed down the words, offering up another question in its place.
“So..”
Her hesitation was enduring. I was so used to seeing her fury, or only opening up herself wholly in the bedroom, that I never really got a chance to see this Corinne. This Corinne was all softness - all hesitant femininity, and I wanted to wrap her up and clutch her to my chest because she made me fucking ache - ache to create a space where she not only belonged, but fucking thrived.
Instead, I remained silent, allowing none of my thoughts to flicker through for fear that they may deter her.
"Russians get married pretty soon after they’re engaged, right?”
I held her gaze as I watched her dig her teeth into that bottom lip of hers, allowing my gaze to trail down across her chest, halting their descent where the sheet seemed to dip. Her skin flushed under my gaze, the increased rise and fall of her chest informing me that she wasn’t as unaffected by my gaze as she pretended to be.
I was about to marry The Empress.
I knew that Eli was threatened, because once Corinne and I were wed, it became far more difficult to usurp me, possibly more so when we had children.
“It’s usually done within a month after the proposal.”
She sagged, seeming somewhat relieved, and I couldn’t help but narrow my gaze on her.
“But we will get married within two weeks.”
Her gaze widened in surprise, and my chest heaved a sigh of relief when I didn’t see disappointment there - only panic at the prospect of planning and executing a wedding within two weeks. But without my name, she was vulnerable - my enemies would do everything in their power to eliminate her before the wedding, so getting married quickly was imperative.
“I will set up a meeting for you with Nina so she can walk you through the ceremonies and what is expected.”
“Ceremonies?”