As Jane drifted around the ornate dining room, every muscle in her body denoting restlessness, she failed to notice her husband standing in the entrance way watching her. Vlad had known this would be an inevitability. Jane had been raised from birth in an atmosphere of busy work and hard labour. When she'd moved to the city she had turned her relentless drive to police work. Then to PI work.He wished that she could just devote herself to being the pampered wife of a wealthy man. Unfortunately, even Vlad couldn't picture her spending her days shopping and redecorating the mansion. Jane would never be happy playing it safe and living under constant guard where his enemies couldn't reach her. Which was too bad, because he could not allow her to put herself in danger. At least she had settled down a little more, since their dining room battle several days earlier, and stopped fighting him at every turn. At least physically."Lovely as always," he said, stepping into the room and drawing
"Vlad, no!" she gasped, a delightful shade of pink flushing across her delicate features. "Do you really think they saw us the other day?""I have no doubt," he said cheerfully, kicking the bedroom door open and tossing her on the bed, enjoying the abandoned sprawl she ended up in. "There is an open archway, in which anyone can wander through and back out discreetly.""Fuck, Vlad!" she gasped, giggling as he pulled off her flat shoes and tossed them over his shoulder. Next, he unzipped her jeans and began tugging them over her legs. "I'll never be able to look at those people again, let alone discuss meals with them.""Do you wish me to replace the staff?" he asked, yanking her shirt over her head."No!" she said quickly. "Don't you dare!""It is better than having them killed, do you not think so, love?" he asked seriously, pulling her legs wide and kneeling between her spread thighs."Vlad! That's horrible, don't say things like that!"He chuckled. "Then I will leave their fat
"This is where you grew up?" Mack asked, his tone skeptical.Jane had him stop the car on the outskirts of her parent's farm. They'd entered Amish land several miles ago. Mack had sworn at his first sight of a horse and buggy causing Jane to erupt in laughter. He'd nearly swerved into the ditch, cranking his head around to stare in disbelief."Yes," Jane said smiling, "This is where I was born and raised until I left when I was sixteen."Jane brought her hand up to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear, but the bright light sparkling off her new diamond ring caught her attention. She hadn't expected Vlad to gift her with such a traditional symbol of marriage. The tough Russian was an unpredictable mix of old fashioned and not giving a fuck about societal conventions. The ring was three gold bands intertwined in a knot with a gorgeous blue diamond nestled in the centre surrounded by smaller white diamonds. Before Jane could climb up into the cab of Mack's truck, Vlad had taken hold o
When Jane entered the shadows of the barn, the familiar smell of hay and warm livestock hit her, sending her back sixteen years. She closed her eyes and stood still, simply enjoying the nostalgia. She hadn't thought it was possible for her to miss any part of this life. She knew when she left on her Rumspringa that she wouldn't be back. Her parents had known it too. Her father had hugged her for a long time, while her mother had taken Lucy by the hand and firmly walked away from the daughter she'd never understood. Jane had left and moved to the city. She changed her surname in an effort to distance herself with anything Amish to one of her favourite characters, a woman detective named McKinley, in a novel series she had smuggled into the house as a teenager.Jane had never felt like she belonged in the community. She was small and dark-haired while most of the others had light hair. Jane had been an inquisitive, nosy child and was never content to be left behind while there was an adv
He didn't know why he followed the girl. Maybe it was her resemblance to Jane though she was taller and curvier with lighter hair, the resemblance was undeniable. She also shared an aura of innocence and vulnerability with her older sister. Where they differed was in Jane's toughness and ability to take care of herself. Lucy was softer, an easier target. Mack hadn't liked the way she had glanced furtively around after the boy, Matthew, had left seconds earlier, and then excused herself from her family to hurry after him.Jane had been deep in discussion with some women she had formerly associated with. They had been fascinated by her dark, gothic looks and the massive rock her husband had placed on her finger. It'd been amusing to watch the vacillation between disapproval and envy on their faces. Jane's parents had sat in discomfort as the community stiffly acknowledged one of their fallen sheep. He was beginning to understand the difference between shunning and disconnection from t
Jane rolled over in her bed and tried to get comfortable underneath the layers of homemade quilts. Where once she would have hated the thought of everything in the room and house, now she found the familiarity comforting. Even the creak of bedsprings took her back to her childhood spent in that same room. Oddly, visiting her family seemed to ease the worries she had struggled with all of her life. She had resented her family and the lifestyle they led. Now, coming home, she saw everything in a different light. It wasn't for her, but she didn't hate everything Amish anymore. Especially now that they seem to be in favour of indoor plumbing.She missed Vlad. More than she thought possible. More than she had ever missed anything, ever. This was her third night away from him. And she was done. She wouldn't spend one more night out of the arms of her husband. Their marriage may have been forced on her, but she found now that she badly wanted it. She couldn't imagine not having Vlad in her li
Vlad was leading Jane from the restaurant with a hand under her arm when the blond man he'd been talking to stepped in front of them, blocking their path. They stopped walking. Vlad didn't give any outward impression of annoyance, but Jane felt the subtle shift in his body as he moved her slightly back, away from the other man whose sharp eyes were taking the pair in."It seems that I must congratulate you on the recent occasion of your marriage, Mrs Sitnikov," the man drawled, his cold blue eyes sliding from Vlad to Jane. "I was sorry to have missed the invitation."Jane didn't like his tone of voice. He seemed insolent, something she hadn't experienced in any of Vlad's men thus far. "If you know my husband at all," she replied, her brown eyes just as cold, "then you know he acts quickly when he wants something and doesn't require the approval of others."The emphasis she put on the word others left no doubt that she meant 'subordinates'. The man stepped toward Jane, but Vlad stopp
Vlad bent down and swept her off her feet. Jane laughed crazily and grabbed hold of his neck as her feet left the ground. He had one arm around her back and the other tucked under her jean clad legs. Her booted feet stuck out in front of them as he strode up the steps, into the mansion and past Boris, who calmly closed the door and disappeared into the shadows."Here I thought all those muscles you like to hide under your suits were for show," she smirked.Vlad ascended the stairs swiftly with his wife held tightly in his arms. "I will smack that beautiful ass for suggesting such a thing.""Bring it on, Russian!"Vlad let her legs slide to the floor once they were in their bedroom. Now that they were alone, he allowed his eyes to roam over her with unconcealed lust. He took his jacket off and began unbuttoning his shirt. Nodding toward her, he said, "Clothes off. Now, Jane."She didn't need to be asked twice. She unbuckled her skull-studded belt and shoved her skinny jeans down he