Alexandr's Reluctant Submissive by Ann Mayburn Page A

also knew Ivan would be his choice. It was selfish of him; he understood that Gia, Ivan’s wife, wanted nothing to do with the criminal world, but Ivan would make a good Pakhan and Gia would fulfill her duties as the leader’s wife well. After all, it wasn’t just the man who would be running the Bratva , but also the woman working hard behind the scenes at his side. It used to baffle Alex that the Dubinski Pakhan would consult his wife on Bratva matters, but he now understood the need to seek his woman’s opinion. Jessica was highly intelligent and she often helped him look at things in a way he normally wouldn’t.
    Kostya sighed. “Agreed. Come, let us speak of lighter things. Alexandr, on behalf of myself and my family, we congratulate you on your wife’s return. As is our agreement, she is now under the Boldin Bratva’s protection, as well as your daughter. My mother would like to meet them, sometime in the future when the world is a little less insane. I must say, not many women could do what Jessica did in order to survive. You should be proud.”
    “Thank you, I am.”
    Unexpected warmth softened Kostya’s normally cold expression for a moment. “Will I get to meet her at some point?”
    Alex glanced at his watch with a frown, noting that it had been almost two and a half hours since he’d sent her into the salon. “Yes, she should be arriving soon.”
    Luka kept his eyes on the front door to the club, his posture agitated. “How long does it take to dye a woman’s hair?”
    Alex was wondering the same thing. He was getting a gnawing sensation in his stomach as time stretched on. Logically he knew his wife had Maks rabidly guarding her every move, and that this building was incredibly safe, but he wondered if he’d ever feel completely calm without her by his side. His heart began to speed up and he had to fight down a feeling of panic that urged him to go to her, now, to rescue her before something bad happened while she was out of his sight. The emotions were so powerful that his hands trembled, and he gripped them into fists. Dimitri caught his gaze with a questioning look but Alex couldn’t reassure him. Not when his mind screamed that his wife was about to be taken from him again.
    Movement caught his attention as the front doors to the club opened and Jessica shuffled in with a wounded look on her face that had him bolting upright from his seat.
    As soon as she spotted them, she schooled her features into a pleasant but strained smile and began to make her way across the room at a more normal pace. Her deep auburn hair flowed down her back in a straight sheaf and his heart stuttered at the sight of his beautiful wife. Seeing her true hair color soothed something inside of him, some jagged edge that kept poking at his heart. Memories of that glorious fire spilling over his thighs as she arched her back and rode him hard had his cock twitching. As she got closer, he noticed the little line between her eyebrows was there, a sure sign she was irritated. Maks trailed behind her, a furious scowl twisting his thin lips, and all of Alex’s internal alarms began to go off.
    Before he could say anything, Luka let out a loud whoop and leapt from the table, his light-brown hair in a disarray of spikes from constantly running his hands through it. Jessica’s smile became real when Luka swooped her up, his hands at her waist as he twirled her around before giving her a huge hug. Her feet dangled off the floor as she wrapped her arms around his necked and hugged him back.
    Jessica squeaked when Ivan grabbed her from Luka, placing two loud, smacking kisses on her cheeks before stealing one from her lips. She laughed and shoved playfully at his chest, her smile fading as Ivan said something to her. With a soft expression, she cupped his cheek and nodded, her gaze holding his while they spoke. It took a great deal of restraint to keep from going over there and taking her from them. Rationally Alex knew he was