Captivated by the deadly mafia boss

Lena

Niko looks over his shoulder for the second time as we descend the staircase. I throw on a smile for his benefit, but truth be told my stomach is shaking so hard I might not be able to get anything into it. At least I’ll have Micah beside me. I can get through this with him at my side.

“Everyone’s already seated,” Niko tells me as we arrive at the dining room doors. Sounds of soft laughter and conversation are muffled behind the door. “Are you ready?”

The way he asks gives me pause. It’s just a dinner, but something in his tone makes it sound like I’m about to be strung up.

I run my hands down my stomach and hips; the beading of the dress is coarse against my palms. The dressmaker took the waist in just enough to let me breathe comfortably, but still, I can already feel my breath catching. Niko staring at me with such concern isn’t helping.

“I’m fine, Niko. Let’s go before Mr. Ivanov gets angry.” I wave a hand at the door where he’s already turning the knob.

He gives me a supportive smile and slides the doors open, revealing a full dining room. He was right, everyone is already in their seats on either side of the long banquet table. Roman Ivanov sits at the head with Micah beside him. The conversation comes to an abrupt stop as soon as I step foot into the room.

Roman keeps his expression bland, but it’s still enough to send a chill through me. I take a slow breath, calming myself. As soon as I get to my seat, I can hide beside Micah.

I take a step in the direction of Micah’s side of the table, but Niko gently grabs my elbow.

“This way, Lena,” he says quietly.

My heart jumps into a rapid race, but I force myself to move with Niko. He takes me around the table, and I do my best to give a smile to everyone staring at me. No one speaks to me, and not a single person smiles in return.

I search the table again for Micah, hoping to find encouragement in his eyes. But my gaze lands on a woman.

The same woman from the restaurant a few nights ago. My heart dives to my stomach. She’s seated beside Micah and she’s smiling brilliantly at me.

When my gaze drags to Micah, he has a stern set to his jaw.

“Here you are.” Niko pulls out the chair for me. I’m seated across from the mystery woman, but thankfully not beside Roman. Niko takes that seat. It’s a small comfort, minuscule really considering her hand inches closer to Micah’s on the table. Subtlety doesn’t appear to be her strength.

“Well. Now that we’re all here.” Roman nods at the servers waiting in the corners of the room. He hasn’t introduced me, and there will certainly be no congratulatory speech on our behalf.

The room fills with conversation once again as the servers begin to bring out the first course. Red borscht. A soup that normally would make my mouth water, but tonight my stomach is too twisted to be accommodating for anything.

“Micah, it’s your favorite,” the woman says with a singsong voice as she lays her hand on his forearm. “Do you remember the batch I made for us in New York?” She laughs. Her hand wraps around him, squeezing. “It was a disaster.”

Micah gives her a warm smile, then turns to his soup. I stare at him. He hasn’t even acknowledged my presence. No one, other than Niko, has. My chest cramps watching her lean into Micah, saying something softly and laughing again.

Micah tips his gaze up to me, and I’m frozen as he says something back to her.

“Your soup.” A server places a bowl in front of me. My hands stay cemented in my lap. If he’s trying to make me jealous it won’t work. He can laugh and flirt with whoever he wants to.

“It’s made with beets.” Niko leans over to me.

I break my stare with Micah. “What?”

He points at the borscht. “The soup. It’s made with beets,” he says again.

I blink several times. “I know what it is. We have a similar dish.” As I turn back to my bowl, I catch Roman glaring at me. It’s as though my sheer presence at his table has angered him.

Maybe I should tell him I don’t want to be here anymore than he wants me, but something tells me Micah would take exception to that. Though the idea does make me smile as I pick up my spoon.

“Oh, we’re ignoring poor Lena,” the woman beside Micah says with such a force of fake sympathy I want to pick up the butter knife and shove it in her throat.

I smile instead, putting my spoon back down.

“I’m Katina.” Her ruby red lips pull into a bright smile, showing off her perfectly white teeth and a small dimple in her right cheek. Two thick black curls frame her porcelain face. The woman is a picture of perfection. I’m no wallflower myself. I’m not threatened by the beauty of another woman, but the way she leans closer to Micah has my nerves on edge.

Is there something going on with them? They are being so open, so blatant in front of everyone at the table. Sets of eyes wander toward us.

This is meant to be a humiliation. Roman Ivanov wants me to melt into a puddle of embarrassment. Is this the reality of my future with Micah-to sit and watch as he’s openly intimate with other women? I’ll be forced to be humiliated at every event, every dinner. People will laugh at how foolish I am.

“Nice to meet you,” I say when I finally find my voice. “That’s a very unique necklace. Very pretty.”

She picks up the charm hanging around her neck, dipping almost entirely into her heavy cleavage. Two golden hearts overlap each other and in the center is a setting of diamonds and emerald flecks.

“Thank you, it’s one of my favorite pieces.” She reaches over and squeezes Micah’s hand. “Micah gave it to me for Christmas one year. He had it specially made.”

The air whooshes out of my lungs as my heart squeezes. When I drag my gaze to Micah for confirmation, a stormy glare looks back at me.

“For a long time, it was almost certain Katina would marry Micah.” Roman says, drawing my attention to him. Others at the table have quietly gone back to pretending not to witness this mess.

“That was a long time ago,” Micah says, averting his gaze momentarily to his father. The tension clings to his jawline.

“Not so long.” Roman waves a hand. “But,” he narrows his eyes on me, “things change.”

“Yes, they do,” Katina sighs sadly.

“Well, I hope it’s not me getting in your way.” I force myself to keep my stare on Micah, whose eyebrows shoot up when he turns his attention back on me. “By all means, if you’d like to have him back, I’m sure he and his father can arrange for that. They’re very good at arranging the future for women. Deciding who they should be given to.”

Niko groans beside me. The man to my left-who no one felt necessary to introduce-gasps. Other guests still their tongues. Silverware stops clinking against their bowls.

“Lena.” My name is filled with warning as Micah shoots it across the table at me.

“Truly, Micah.” I place my spoon onto the table and tuck my napkin beside my bowl. “I don’t want to stand in your way. Of course, I’m sure her father might want to discuss this. Make a good bargain. I doubt he’ll sell for a high price given the situation, but I’ll leave that up to your family.”

“Enough!” Roman’s fist pounds into the table, making his soup bowl dance. Droplets of the deep red broth sink into the white linen tablecloth.

Katrina’s hot glare settles on me. “How dare you speak so disrespectfully,” she says.

“I speak only the truth.” My chest is heavy, air gets harder and harder to grab, but I’m not going to let them see my distress. “If it is upsetting, maybe you should discuss the matter with them.” I point to Roman and Micah.

“Lena.” Again, there’s a warning, heavy and unrelenting. “Watch your words.”

“I am.” I force a grin and curl my toes into my shoes enough to distract my nerves from showing in my voice. “I’ve been watching how much she clearly wants you and now I’m giving her what she wants. What you obviously want, and what will make your father happy.”

“Niko,” Roman snaps. “Take Lena to her room. My son will be up to deal with her shortly.”

“No.” Micah tosses his napkin onto the table and moves to his feet. Katina shifts away from him as he stands. “I’ll take her.”

I stare at him, frozen in my chair. I’ve played all my cards. Provoked the beast in him. His lips are pressed thin, his jaw tight as a violin string.

No sense in letting up now.

I push away from the table and sigh heavily.

“You’ll have to excuse me; Micah needs a word in private,” I say to the table. “I’m sure you’ll all enjoy your meal, and I look forward to having you at the ceremony tomorrow.” I clasp my hands in front of me as Micah moves around the table. The lion stalking the wounded prey. “That is if Mr. Ivanov isn’t able to come to a better offer from Katina’s father.”

“Lena, stop it.” Micah’s hand wraps tightly around my forearm and he pulls me away from my seat.

“I do hope you all have a wonderful evening.” I wiggle my fingers at them as Micah marches me from the room.

My last sight is Katina’s wide-eyed stare on me as I leave. If I’m not imagining things, there’s a hint of admiration in her dark brown eyes.

As soon as we’re outside the dining room and the doors are closed, Micah pulls me close to him.

“What were you thinking?” he seethes.