Obeying the Russian Mafia Boss: A Mob Romance by Bella Rose, Leona Lee

outside help? Just because she has a pretty face doesn’t mean that she can be trusted,” Varleria hissed.
    Erik sipped his coffee and moved his breakfast from the tray to his place. “Jealous of a maid? That’s unlike you.”
    “I’m tired of playing these games, Erik. I want an answer right now.”
    “Oh really?” Erik set down his coffee cup—another inheritance from his grandmother—and leaned back in his chair. “Your father agreed that setting up my business was more important. You wouldn’t want to be trapped in a marriage if I wasn’t holding up my end of the bargain, would you? If I don’t make this work, I’ll be back in Russia. And if you’re my wife, you’ll be going with me.”
    Valeria rolled her eyes. “Please. You couldn’t fail if you tried. I know exactly what goes on in that basement, so I know exactly who you have in your pocket. Your club is already a success, so I want my answer. Now.”
    “Patience, Valeria,” he said softly.
    She rose up and smacked the palms of her hand on her table. “You tell me right now or so help me God, I will take your pretty little redhead and slice her throat open.”
    Erik gritted his teeth. “No.”
    “No, you’re not going to answer my question or no, you’re not going to let me kill your new little sex toy?”
    “Just no.”
    Realization dawned on her, and she stared at him. He could see the rage that simmered just below the surface. “Do you have any idea what’s going to happen next?”
    “Hundreds of miles separate my territory from your father’s. He can have all of Vegas. I have no interest in that city of sin. There’s no reason for you to retaliate. The deal was that I would think about it, and I have. Had you given me more time, maybe the answer would have been yes, but since you forced me to answer before I was ready, I’m telling you, unequivocally, no. Absolutely not. I would rather be dead than chained to someone like you.”
    Her nostrils flared with anger. “How dare you. I’m offering to double your wealth. I’m offering you this…” She ran her hand down her own body, neck to thigh. “To sleep next to all night long, and you’re turning me down?”
    Erik shook his head and clicked his tongue against his teeth. “You act like no one has ever told you no before. I find that highly surprising.”
    Valeria inhaled sharply and straightened. “This isn’t over,” she hissed and stomped out of the dining room. Erik basked in the peace and closed his eyes. It felt like a huge weight had been lifted from his shoulders.
    “Ella. Please come here,” he said softly. He heard cursing from the other side of the door before it opened.
    “I wasn’t eavesdropping,” she said quickly. “I was just coming to see if you needed more coffee.”
    “Is Dina really sick?”
    Her eyes shifted. “She was fine this morning, but when she saw that woman at the table, she asked me to cover for her. She said she’d do one of my rooms instead. I didn’t think it was a big deal. I can carry a tray to a table.”
    Dina obviously wanted Ella to see Valeria, which meant that Dina suspected that Ella had feelings for him. Or vice versa. Only one of those scenarios made him feel good. “What do you think of the woman?”
    “I don’t think it’s my place to talk about your guests,” she muttered.
    “Do as I ask,” he said softly.
    Ella tucked her hair behind her ears. It was a tell for her nervousness. “Fine. She’s obviously accustomed to money. She treats the staff like slaves, and she’s clearly had work done. No one has natural tits that big and that perky. Her blonde hair is so bleached that her hair is probably falling out, and her tan is a little too orange to be real. My opinion is that she’s so fake there probably isn’t a genuine bone in her body. She’s a horrible person. Is she really your fiancée?”
    Erik chuckled. “I didn’t expect that much honesty out of you. Are you jealous?”
    She slowly pushed her