"No," he shook his head in disgust. "No, I drugged and kidnapped her."
Dmitry frowned. "I told you that you didn't know a damned thing about women."
"I have to keep her there until I take her back to Memphis with me," he sighed and looked at his father, who was obviously flabbergasted by his idiotic move. "I sound so fucking stupid."
"It won't work, Anatoly. You should just let her go now. She is trouble, but the two of you together is a disaster."
"Who says I want it to work? I'm going to make her facilitate the buy of the art to clean the money. That's all."
"We don't allow women into the inner workings of the brotherhood. Not even Royal. It's almost sacrilegious. The men won't like it if you let her do anything more than you're saying. You'll end up getting her killed and yourself. The code is the code."
"I'm only using her to cover my ass. I'll get rid of her in a few months."
"Bullshit."
"I don't love her."
"Can't help who you love."
"If I start to fall for her, I'll put bullet in her head."
Dmitry didn't say another word. He gave his son a disapproving look and tasted his borscht. ***
Royal washed her daughters hair carefully, separating the delicate strands and brushing through the curly black locks one section at a time. She had been doting over Anya for over an hour now in the bathroom.
While the act was so small, it was so meaningful. Where had all the time gone? What had she been doing for months on end that she would have missed her small angel grow so much? The questions brought tears to her eyes. This was what she lived for, to be with the child that she nearly died for and would die for again over and over if she had to.
"Momma, why are being so nice?" Anya asked, squeezing her rubber ducky until it squealed and shot out water. "You are being my best friend again."
Royal smiled while inside her heart broke. "I'm sorry, Anya, for everything. I'm being nice, because I realize that I need to treat you more special than I have in the past."
"So you love me now?"
"I've always loved you." She turned her daughters face towards her own and rubbed the water from her rosy cheeks. "Don't you know that Momma would do anything for you?"
"Yes," she said proudly. "And I'll do anything for you and Daddy. I'll be four next month. I can buy you both two white ponies."
"Just what we've always wanted," Royal brushed through her hair again. "It's quite a big feat to make it to four years old. We should have a big princess party for you."
"Did you have a princess party when you turned four?"
"No, I wasn't as special as you are."
"Momma, you are too special. Daddy says so all the time."
Dmitry walked into the bathroom and smiled at the sight of his wife and daughter. Grabbing a chair from across the room, he sat beside the tub and put a towel in his lap. "Let Papa dry you off, princess."
Royal helped her out of the large bathtub and into her fathers arms, where he quickly covered her with the oversized towel. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him.
"Love you, Daddy," she said, rubbing her nose on his.
"Oh, I love you too, my sweet one," he said, holding her tight. He looked up at his wife and saw hurt on her face.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing. I just," she sighed. "I realize how much I've neglected my own daughter."
Dmitry dried Anya off and pulled her hair out of her face. "When I was child, I would have killed for the attention that you call neglect," he said cleverly. "And if you were to ask me, Anya doesn't look like she's going without much." He ran his large fingers over the carat diamonds in his daughters ears.
Royal knew that he was just trying to make her feel better. She took her daughter out of his arms and put her on her hip. "I'm going to get her dressed, and were going to go downstairs and have a great time. Aren't we, Anya." She smiled at him more warmly than she had in many years.
"Papa is making borscht for you," Dmitry added. "It's going to be great time."
"Do you know how lucky we are to have your father," Royal asked her daughter.
"Yep," Anya said cheerfully. "Daddy, you need to get dressed too. You can't wear that."
"I will honey, after Momma gets you dressed, she'll come back and help me with a few things," he explained. His eyes sparkled. "Then Daddy will help her get dressed and then we go down for party."
* * *
While every arrangement could be made downstairs, and Anya helped the maids set the tables with beautiful Khokloma dishes, Royal and Dmitry were getting reacquainted with each other in the confines of their bedroom.
He stood across the dimly lit room by the bed undressing her with his eyes. His sensual looks made her blush, made heat rise from her body and singe her cheeks.
He had a way of clenching his wide jaw and staring at her that made her feel naked, even when she was fully dressed. He licked his lips and smirked. Naughty thoughts filled his head, making him dizzy with lust.
"I could get used to this," he confessed.
"So could I," she said, happy with herself.
"Are you… back for good, or is this a glimpse of what I could have had?"
She walked very slowly across the room, making him watch the sway of her hips and stood at his feet. Laying her hand on his lower chest, she watched him take a deep breath, like he was anticipating lightning and
