BEAST: A Mafia Romance Page 17

  I sold Lure as a going concern a month later. The same buyer also bought my estate and took over all my other businesses. His name is Taras Melekhov, and he's one of Balandin's puppets. I feel no regret at leaving my former life behind. Eva and Kir are my life now, they fulfil me in ways I'd never dreamed of.

  We stayed on in Fairwood until Eva's parents' ballroom dancing business had been sold. Thanks to the funds I invested in it, they were able to find a buyer three months ago, and we all moved to Denver together.

  Eva and I had already chosen a penthouse condo, a corner apartment with a wrap-around terrace and fourteen-foot tall floor-to-ceiling windows. There's one giant room that holds the kitchen, the dining room space, and the family room. Three bedrooms only. Yuri and Olga look after the place in Beaver Creek for us, and we go up there most weekends.

  Ludmila and Ivan live on the floor below; they'll be taking over one of the stores I'm redeveloping and turning it into an ultra-modern dance studio next year. I'm grateful they agreed to change their lives for us and will help them as much as I can.

  A sudden shift in the tempo of the hymn singing and the congregation stands. Daniel places his hand on my shoulder and gives it a reassuring squeeze. I get to my feet, turn and feast my eyes on Elousha, making her way down the aisle on her father's arm.

  She looks so goddamn beautiful, her hair in a chignon under a trailing white veil, and a figure-hugging white silk dress. Kir is following behind them holding his mom's train. Catrin, maid of honor, is keeping a close watch on him. At the front of the church, she scoops him up and takes him to sit with his cousins for the rest of the service.

  I bend and whisper to my kitten. "You look stunning. Ya lyublyu tebya."

  Her amber eyes glowing, she mouths the words back at me.

  Standing before the altar, we exchange rings. My heart overflowing, I take her hand; we keep them joined, as tradition demands, to show we have become 'one'. The priest places crowns on our heads, signifying we are now king and queen of our own family. We share a cup of wine and follow him three times around the lectern to symbolize our journey into married life. Then he takes the crowns off, pronounces us married, and gives the benediction. I kiss Eva, whispering my love.

  Her parents come up and offer us a crystal glass each. We throw them on the floor, mustering all our strength to shatter them into as many tiny shards as possible; every piece signifies a year of happy marriage.

  No one bothers to count them. All of us are ready to get to the reception and party the night away.

  Kir runs up to us, "Mama, Papa," and I lift him up before he can tread on Eva's veil.

  Still holding her hand, our son on my hip, we exit the church man and wife.

  Later, after myriad toasts and enough food to feed an army, I take Eva in my arms for our first dance. "Happy?" I ask performing the waltz Ivan choreographed for us.

  "So happy... there's something I want to tell you." She blushes.

  I think I know what's coming... she stopped taking her pills right after I proposed, saying Kir needed a little brother or sister and she wanted to give birth before going back to school. She hasn't touched a drop of alcohol in weeks.

  Dare I hope?

  She places my fingers on her lower stomach. "Guess who's in there?" she giggles. "I'm pregnant."

  I whoop and lift her, twirling her around and kissing her forehead, her nose, her cheeks and finally her mouth.

  "Kiss. Kiss. Kiss," our friends and families shout.

  So, I kiss my wife, going for the world duration record, until Kir runs up to us squealing, "I wanna dance with you, please," and we break apart laughing. We hold him between us, swaying to Savage Garden's Truly Madly Deeply.

  In my periphery, I catch Brash dancing with his plus-one, the latest in a long line of girlfriends. He's at college now, aiming to major in software development, but I think he enjoys the social life more than studying.

  Daniel and Catrin take to the floor, moving in unison, as totally wrapped-up in each other as ever.

  Ludmila and Ivan are showing us all how ballroom should be danced, however, gliding across the room on the lightest of feet.

  Even Yuri is dancing, holding Olga stiffly. Could there be romance on the cards? Hmm, she's still mourning Dmitry. Maybe someday...

  The soundtrack changes to the Black-Eyed Peas I Gotta Feeling, and the rest of what Daniel calls his 'tribe' join in, his teenaged step-daughter, daughter and other sons, busting their groove to the music. They aren't Russian but American, through and through. Just like my own kids, and I'm glad of that.

  How far my brother and I have come from the back streets of Moscow.

  I stare down at Eva and Kir, loving them so much a lump blocks my throat.

  They are mine.

  They. Are. Everything.

  Eva - Eight Months Later

  I'm sitting up in the hospital bed, holding my daughter in my arms. She turns her head, nuzzling into my breast for milk. We've named her Irina after Gleb and Daniel's mom, a woman I would so like to have met. I kiss my baby's soft downy head. She was born last night, after ten hours' labor with no complications. My heart is filled with so much love for her, a tear of happiness trickles down my cheek.

  My parents have just visited and Gleb will be here soon with Kir. Gleb went home for some well-needed rest after he'd stayed with me for Irina's birth. He said he would have been there for Kir's as well, if only I'd told him. But I was a different woman then, just like he was a different man. Both of us have come a long way, I said, and he agreed.

  I unlace my nightdress and put Irina to my nipple. She sucks greedily, and I feel the milk flow down. I was unable to breastfeed Kir, having at first rejected him. That was over two and a half years ago, and I still can't believe how much my life has changed since.

  The development of our arts and entertainment center is proceeding according to plan, and we'll be opening in the new year. I've decided not to go back to school next fall, after all. I told Gleb he'd given up his old life for me and I wanted to offer him and our kids my undivided attention. He'd made love to me like a beast afterwards, and I'd loved every second of it.

  Gleb has done all he could to keep us safe. He assures me we are no longer in any danger and I believe him. He's cut all links with the Vory. The fact that his so-called godfather feels somewhat responsible for what happened to Gleb's dad and is honor-bound to make sure we are protected is not infallible, but nothing in life is certain. I've made up my mind not to stress about it.

  I've gotten over the shock I felt when I found out Natasha was obsessed with Gleb and might have harmed me, even killed me. She must have been suffering from mental illness, and I know I shouldn't judge or condemn her having been ill myself. Easier said than done; she might have hurt Kir. Who knows? All I know is, I’m glad I’m not a Vor’s woman. I was sold to a beast, granted, but he set me free.

  Set us both free.

  I stare down at my newborn, nursing contentedly while I cuddle her. The door to my room swings open, and the love of my life enters, clutching a huge bunch of red roses, our son's hand in his.

  "Come meet your sister," he says to Kir. "She's our little princess."

  They approach my bed and Kir's eyes widen.

  He clambers up next to me to have a better look. "Urgh," he grimaces, "she's eating your boobie."

  "Oops." I catch my husband's smirk. "I think you need to have a father and son talk, my love."

  He laughs, and bends to kiss me before planting a second kiss on our daughter's cheek. Our gaze meets, and I breathe out a sigh of pure happiness.

  Thank you so much for reading BEAST. I hope you love Gleb and Eva’s story as much as I loved writing it.

  BRASH will release early in 2019. Add it to your Goodreads TBR here.

  Would you like to read Daniel and Catrin’s story? Find out about their second chance romance by downloading it on your Kindle Unlimited Subscription or one-click BRUTE!

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d updates. I promise I won’t spam your inbox. You can also join my Facebook group, Siobhan’s Kinky Courtesans, for exclusive giveaways and sneak peeks of future books.

  Turn over the page for an excerpt from “BRUTE”!

  Excerpt From Brute

  My cottage backs onto woodland, and there’s a path leading through it. Birdsong and the scent of blackberries fills the air. I let Toby off his leash and he immediately starts foraging for anything edible… wild fruit being his favorite snack.

  I leave him to it and stride on ahead, knowing he’ll catch up in good time. Soon I come to a glade where the trees have been thinned out. Oh shit, standing in the middle of the clearing is Daniel. He’s bare-chested and dressed in running shorts, doing stretching exercises braced against a fallen tree trunk.

  I slow my footsteps, treading quietly on moldy old leaves, and rake my gaze over him. His thick almost-black hair is dripping sweat; it falls down his face and the back of his solid neck. His beard is unkept and wild-looking. But it’s his powerful body that mesmerizes me and I study the tats on his muscular arms, tempted to get closer for a better look. God, he’s beautiful, I suddenly realize. Beautiful but freaking scary at the same time.

  I release a slow breath. Stop it, Cat. You shouldn’t be looking at him that way. The man in front of you is a brute. You need to keep your distance from him.

  Slowly, my heart pounding against my ribcage, I turn around and prepare to make my way back down the path. Except, Toby comes bounding up and starts to bark.

  Dammit!

  Daniel freezes on the spot. His eyes crash into mine, and if I was scared before now I’m practically peeing myself. He straightens himself to his full height, still glaring at me, not saying a word.

  Toby keeps barking, but he’s also wagging his tail. I grab hold of his collar and fasten the lead. “Sorry to disturb you.” I bite at my lips. “We’ll get out of your way.”

  He arches an eyebrow. “So, you weren’t following me?”

  “Oh, God, no. We were just going for a walk.”

  I’m still staring at his tats, trying to decipher the intricate patterns. He catches my gaze, and I feel my face burning up.

  “Get on with your walk, then,” he says through gritted teeth. “Leave me alone.”

  My fingernails dig into the palms of my hands. “No need to be bad-mannered.”

  He crosses his arms in front of his broad chest and lets out an edgy laugh.

  “You are a prick,” I spin around, “the rudest man I’ve ever met.”

  He laughs again and keeps laughing mockingly as I stride off down the pathway, Toby at my heel.

  Want to read more? One-click BRUTE!!!

  Other Books By SC Daiko

  Two Three Four: The complete Trilogy

  Game On

  Their Virgin Nanny

  Their Virgin Brat

  Their Virgin PA

  BRUTE

  About the Author

  SC Daiko, aka Siobhan (pronounced Shivawn), is an award-winning, international bestselling contemporary romance author. Originally from the UK, she now lives in Italy with her husband and two cats. Nothing makes her happier than connecting with her readers.

  You can find Siobhan at:

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  Acknowledgments

  I was inspired to write a Mafia Romance after watching the brilliant BBC drama McMafia. I also read the book by Misha Glenny on which the TV series was based. Vory: Russia’s Super Mafia by Mark Galeotti was another source for my research. BEAST is entirely fictional however… I’ve used artistic license; any mistakes are mine and mine only.

  My married surname, Daiko, is Russian. My husband’s grandparents emigrated from the Soviet Union shortly after the Communists took over. My mother-in-law upheld many traditions, and once took me to an Orthodox Church service, an amazing experience. We would drink tea from her Samovar, and she would cook delicious food for us. Her name was Irina, like Gleb and Daniel’s mom. An inspiring lady and I loved her.

  So many people have supported and helped me with BEAST.

  I’d like to thank Victor, my hubby, for putting up with me sitting at my laptop for hours on end. He’s an absolute star.

  I’d like to thank my brilliant content editor, Trenda, for being so lovely, helpful and incredibly fast with her feedback.

  I’d like to thank Helena, my wonderful PA, for working so tirelessly for me.

  I’d like to thank my beta readers, Charley, Fiona, Helena G, Joy, Michelle, Nanette and Nico for their invaluable, kind, critique.

  I’d like to thank Letitia of RBA for her beautiful cover design, and the amazing photographer Wander Aguilar for his image of Travis, my muse for Gleb.

  I’d like to thank Lesley for managing my street team, and Debra, Kat, Helena H, Nancy and Rhiannon and for tirelessly promoting me on Facebook.

  I’d like to thank the members of my Facebook group, Siobhan’s Kinky Courtesans, for keeping me company while I write, and for joining in the takeovers and giveaways as well as spreading the word about my books.

  I’d like to thank my fellow authors and the bloggers, PAs and promotors who support me. I’m truly humbled.

  Finally, and most importantly, I’d like to thank you, dear reader. I couldn’t do this without you. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for reading BEAST. I hope you enjoyed it.

  Siobhan

  xxxoooxxx