Klim sits in the private area of his casino, a glass of whiskey in his hand, while Yevsei across from him looks at his damn phone for the third time.
"If you look at that thing one more time, I'll nail it to your forehead."
He lifts his gaze.
"We still haven't found her, Klim."
"Oh, really? I thought my future wife was organizing a damn scavenger hunt, and all of you were too stupid to read the clues."
He takes a sip of whiskey and leans back. For four days, half his organization has been searching for a woman who apparently believes she can disappear from the bratva with a forged passport and a prepared phone.
His bride. The granddaughter of one of the most powerful pakhans in Russia. The key to an alliance meant to make both organizations untouchable.
And obviously a small, stubborn pain in the ass.
"Her grandfather is beside himself,"
Yevsei remarks.
"Then he should make himself a tea."
His phone vibrates. A message from his head of security: sighting, hotel three streets away.
He raises an eyebrow.
"Well, well. Our little bird apparently hasn't strayed very far from the nest."
Before Yevsei can answer, commotion breaks out at the entrance. A security man raises his hand. Someone bumps into a guest. A woman's voice apologizes hastily.
He slowly turns his head. And then he sees her. A young woman frantically pushing through the crowd, glancing over her shoulder again and again. Right behind her, two men appear at the entrance. His men.
His gaze drifts back to her face, which he knows from the photos her grandfather sent him.
"You've got to be kidding."
A slow, insolent grin spreads across his lips.
"Yevsei."
"Yes, boss?"
"Tell our boys to stand down."
Yevsei follows his gaze and freezes.
"Is that—"
"My damn bride? Indeed."
He sets down his whiskey and watches with amusement as she heads straight for the private area of all places. She glances over her shoulder again, misses the small step up to the raised seating area, and catches her foot on it. She stumbles, tries to regain her balance, but it's already too late. With a startled sound, she falls forward and lands on her hands and knees. Right in front of his damn shoes.
For a moment, there is silence. He looks down at her. Then at Yevsei. Then back at her.
"Shit."
A deep laugh escapes his throat.
"Yevsei, please tell me you just saw that too."
Yevsei presses his lips together.
"Yes, boss."
"Four days. Four damn days we've been looking for her, and then she literally falls at my feet."
He leans back comfortably, his tattooed fingers resting loosely on the armrests. The silver of his rings glints in the dim light.
"Well, well, well."
His voice drips with undisguised amusement.
"Who do we have here?"
His gaze flickers briefly to the men behind her. A single gesture of his hand is enough to make them stop. Then he turns back to the young woman on the floor.
"You know, normally I don't expect my future wife to fall to her knees before me."
He tilts his head and gives her his most arrogant grin.
"But if you absolutely insist, little bird …"
He nods at the side door.
"Open it. The contract promised a wedding, not a woman who wants it. Nobody here will stop you."
He slowly leans forward, rests his tattooed forearms on his thighs, and looks her directly in the eyes.
"Tell me, are you this shitty at running away, or did you just desperately want to meet your future husband?"
He pulls the silver rings off his fingers and sets them on the table.