Epilogue

Italian Countryside

Titian shook out the newspaper as he lounged back in his chair. The morning light warmed his bare chest as he relaxed.

When he saw the first picture and headline, he laughed. “Ex-Princess and Billionaire Heat Things Up in London Nightclub” seemed fitting enough. The image showed Viktor practically devouring the princess in the middle of what appeared to be a packed venue.

The woman pictured to the side of the new couple made his eyes narrow.

Irina Leskova. The heiress wore a tiny little dress that could slip at any moment to reveal her damned tits. He rolled his shoulders. She’d been quiet lately, but he felt as though his reprieve was about to end. Then he would be dragging her tight ass out of places she shouldn’t be.

He crumpled the paper as a high-pitched squeal filled his ears. His sister’s damned pig ran through the garden, playing with the geese. Hell, he had no idea if they were even playing, but that was what his sister called it.

He sucked in a breath. He needed to get back to the city. Maybe he would take a trip to London.

*****

Two months later – London, England

“Viktor!”

He tried not to show any amusement as his woman stalked to his position at the desk in what had become their home. The ire apparent in her beautiful chocolate gaze shouldn’t have pleased him as much as it did. Over the last two months, he’d gotten her to share his home and his life. He loved having her there and watching her curl up on the couch as she scanned reports. Her mind was nearly as beautiful as she was.

She hadn’t made any of the steps easy. His woman challenged him.

He’d taken her to society events he would never have stepped foot in if not for her. Standing at her side as the cameras flashed had started to irritate him less.

“Yes.”

She narrowed her eyes. “You can’t just take over an operation.”

The latest mark had been easy enough to take care of. He’d had the information in his safe of secrets, and his men had handled the situation without him having to do more than make a few calls.

“Not even if it was a simple one?” he asked as he drew her into his lap. She came willingly, likely without realizing it, as she was still frowning at him.

She actually growled at him. “We are supposed to be a team. You can’t just do all the work and take the risks.”

His lips curved. She’d worried about him.

“I’m very serious, Viktor.”

He could see that, so he admitted his error. “I’m not used to working with others, Котёнок.”

“I know.” She smoothed a hand over his cheek as her tone grew stern. “You said you wanted full knowledge of the operations. I gave it to you. I trusted you with it. How would you have felt if I’d kept it secret and handled it myself? There are to be no secrets between us.”

He assessed her closely, remembering his vow not to keep things from her. “No secrets,” he agreed somberly. “I hadn’t intended to hide it from you. After scanning the operation notes, I simply made a few calls.” That had been days ago.

His answer seemed to appease her some, as her beautiful features smoothed out, but she sighed. “Okay. I give in too easily with you.”

He would have to disagree with that assessment, but he kept his mouth shut.

He’d been intending to keep only one thing from her.

The ring he’d had commissioned for her was one fit for a queen.

His queen.

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