"Agreed." This comment Grandfather heard. "Igroek, if you wish to stay for the wedding, you're welcome to. If not?" He shrugged.
"The wedding," Igroek scoffed. "Like that will happen. We all know you won't marry your heir to a nobody."
"Better a nobody than an Igroek," Grandfather blandly stated.
"Right." A toss back of a bald head. "Better a nobody than the heir to the east coast. Don't think I don't know your scheme."
Grandfather leaned forward. "Heir to nothing. You disowned your daughter."
"Rumor." Igroek paused. "And bluff. We had an argument. She left. I waited. When she didn't return, I sent people after her. She was dead. No bullet to the head." He twisted his lips. "Car accident."
Nik stared at the old man. Was he a simpleton? That was easy enough to fake.
"Interesting." Grandfather puffed on his cigar. "And who headed the search?"
"My brother." He raised a hand. "Before you say anything, I know you distrust Avel, so keep your suspicions to yourself."
The great-uncle. Out there talking with Stepan. Nik exchanged glances with Grandfather.
"This invitation to stay, Igroek, does not extend to your brother." Grandfather stubbed out his cigar butt. "I want him on a flight tomorrow."
The old man's face reddened. "KaertaȄ"
"This is not open for discussion. Either he is on a flight or Nikolay puts a bullet in him." Nik inclined his head in agreement. If it meant Tatyana's safety, he'd kill the bastard. "I vowed to protect your granddaughter. I'll protect your granddaughter."
"She's not my granddaughter."
"The blood tests will tell. I hope for Nikolay's sake, I'm wrong and you're right. I've seen how you treat family and wouldn't wish you as a relative on my worst enemy."
"It was a misunderstanding," Igroek ground out.
"It is interesting how your misunderstandings all have to do with who inherits your empire." Grandfather lit another cigar. "But enough about that." He waved his hand, his rings reflecting the light. "I see you've been doing some innovative things in Philadelphia."
A city Grandfather envied.
"I said, no Walmart." Nikky leaned against the doorway, hands in his pockets, eyes glinting.
She knew what he wanted. Tatyana pulled her shirt over her head. She wanted it, too. "You also said that what was yours was mine and I'm not wasting my money."
He tossed his jacket onto a chair. "Our money." His gun and holster were placed on the end table. "And my wife doesn't shop at Walmart."
His wife. She liked the sound of that. "I'll shop where I damn well wish." She tugged down her pants. "And you don't have a wife yet, ass."
"Language." Nikky stood there in white boxers and black socks. "Two days, Brat." He moved toward her, all rippling muscle. "Two days and you're mine." She yelped as he tossed her onto the bed. "Then I'll teach you respect." He landed on top of her.
She removed her bra, needing more skin to skin contact. "You'll make me wait until then?"
She arched, brushing her breasts against his bare chest.
He slipped her panties off her hips. "Hell, no."
She guided him into her, sighing in satisfaction as they joined. If she could, she'd stay like this always. Belonging. Safe in Nikky's arms.
"You will respect me now, wife. I'll earn that respect." He moved, determined to prove his point.
"Not...your...wife...yet..., ass," she gasped out.
Nikky kissed her neck. "Soon." He stared into her eyes, watching her as he maintained a relentless rhythm, an endless parade of sensations marching over her body.
"Nikky!" Tatyana clutched at his shoulders.
"Come for me, Brat," he panted, changing the angle to hit that special spot. "Show me you want me."
She did. Oh, how she did. "Nikky!" She flew upward, lifting right off the mattress as she came apart.
"Tatyana!" He thrust hard, a burst of heat filling her. "Fuck, Tatyana." He collapsed, rolling onto his back, taking her with him. "How I love you, Brat."
He loved her. It wasn't simply her imagination. He loved her and they were getting married.
For real. "I love you, too, Nikky." She draped over him, listening to his breathing slow. She wouldn't allow anything to come between them. Nothing and no one, including a crazy gnome. "Nikky?"
"Yeah?" He opened one eye.
"Are you disappointed he isn't my grandfather?" She wouldn't have those connections to benefit the family. She'd come to the marriage with nothing the Kaerta's needed.
"He is your grandfather." Nikky kissed her forehead. "The stubborn ass simply won't admit it. But if he wasn't, no, I wouldn't be disappointed. I'd be relieved."
Tatyana understood. She didn't know if she wanted Igroek for a grandfather, either. He was awfully grumpy and he had disowned her much sweeter mom. He'd end up disowning her, also. That would hurt, even more than his rejection did now. Yes, not wanting her was for the best.
"It would be complicated, wouldn't it?" Nikky was his grandfather's choice to lead his family. She was Igroek's only grandchild.
"It would. If it turned out he was responsible, I'd have to..."
Oh, damn. She hadn't even thought of that. "You'd have no choice. If he killed my mom, his own daughter, there's no telling what he'd do." For him to have done that... "Do you think insanity runs in my family?"
Nikky lifted his head to look around the crowded room, filled with wedding stuff. "I'm sure it does, Brat." He laughed.
They had had a very successful trip to Walmart. "Aren't you glad we have separate rooms now?" Where he'd return eventually. She held onto him, not yet.
"No." He curled a lock of her hair around his finger. "I'm not glad. I miss your early morning wake-ups."
"Then you're in luck." She grinned, relaxing. He wouldn't be upset, then. "I booked the blood tests for eight o'clock." Tomorrow a busy day.
Nikky groaned.
"He didn't get on the plane, Boss." Pavel walked with Nik to the restaurant.
Shit. "Igroek know?"
"He hasn't made contact." A pause. "With him."
Double shit. Nik looked behind him. His cousin watched them closely. That backstabbing bastard. "Stepan?"
"They met in person, Boss."
He had been meeting with the enemy, putting the family, putting Tatyana, in danger. He couldn't ignore Stepan anymore.
