“I’ll send it along with the wedding invite.” A knock at the doorway halted our conversation.
Nina stood there and waited for me to wave my hand for her to speak. “Mr. Kazakov, dinner is ready.”
“Thank you, Nina. We will be right there.” I led my guests to the dining room. “Please sit and enjoy the antipastos. I’ll be right back.” I went to check on dinner and to steal another glance at my future wife.
I thrust the door open a little rougher than I should have, but as I approached, I could smell my favorite. “Hello, Maria.”
She jumped back, bumping her ass on the sink. “Oh my goodness. Do you really enjoy startling me?” she asked, holding her hand to her chest. Something in me demanded I stake my claim right now. I stepped around the kitchen island, moving closer and closer to her.
“Why are you so jumpy, cara?” I asked, stepping into her personal space and focusing on the rapid pulse in her neck and the rise and fall of her chest.
Her ample chest begged to be touched and yet, I had to respect the mother of my children when all I wanted to do was pin her to the nearest surface and fuck her like a damn animal.
“Excuse me.” I didn’t give her the space she tried to create with her shoulder.
Instead, I cupped her face with my hand, skimming it down and to that rapidly beating vein. “You are so beautiful, Maria. I bet you taste as delicious as your food.”
She glared up at me, but lust poured from her gaze. Her quick breathing forced her to stumble over her words. “Do you always accost your fellow coworkers?”
“No, I don’t, but the look in your eyes tells me that you want me to accost you. You want me to taste those lips of yours before spreading you wide and tasting your pussy. Bet it’s as sweet as your dessert, cara mia. Tell me I’m lying. Tell me you don’t feel it, too,” I whispered against her ear. “Soon.”
I used all the strength and self-control I possessed to turn on my heel. I winked as I exited the room, hearing Nina’s footsteps coming back into the kitchen just as I walked out the way I came. I enjoyed my little secret a little too much. Tomorrow I’d reveal it all, breeding her as she screamed my name out.
I adjusted my throbbing cock, hiding it better under my suit before rejoining my guests. Alessandro would gladly chop my balls off if I showed his wife what other steel I was packing even though it wasn’t for anyone but Maria.
“Maxim, I was just telling Isabella that this bruschetta is excellent.” The smile that graced his face brought one to my own, thinking with pride that my future wife made it.
“Yes, my new chef has a talent that is hard to even explain.”
“I bet,” Isabella said, smiling at me and then raising her brow at Alessandro. “I wonder if it’s just the delicious food that is hard to explain.”
“My wife is right, no?”
“You are way too perceptive,” I informed Isabella, which only made her giggle.
“That’s why he married me. It was either that or kill me,” she purred, causing him to growl at her.
He brought her hand to his lips and gently kissed the back of it. “She is such a pain in my ass, but she’s mine.” He played with her ring finger, rubbing the diamond band and refusing to let go of her hand.
“Good for you. Let us toast to your life.” I stood up and raised my glassed vodka. They lifted theirs as well. “To Alessandro and Isabella, I pray that you are blessed with all the joy and happiness you seek. May you be fortunate to have a large brood to give you heaven and a little bit of hell.” We clinked glasses and I took my seat.
Nina entered on that note with the trays. They looked at her with wide eyes and then pretended to focus on the food. I smirked.
“Thank you, Nina. Can you tell Maria to have the desserts prepared in one hour?”
“Yes, sir.”
As soon as she left the room, Isabella blew out a breath. “I was about to have your head checked. That woman looks bitter and old enough to be your mother.”
“Nina is my housekeeper, and I think she’s only in her forties,” I told her. I’d never had an interest in her, but life hadn’t been kind to Nina, so I took her in to get her on her feet. Until recently I thought she was good. Isabella was right; there was a bitterness about her.
Isabella interrupted my thoughts and said, “And the lovely Maria is your chef. How long has she been working for you?”
“Maria started today.”
“Wow, that’s fast,” Isabella said, raising her glass to her lips to hid her smile.
“Amore, when you know, you don’t waste time for someone else to take your place.” He kissed her softly while he began to fill her plate. She smiled at him, not at all upset that he did that for her. At one point, she shook her head and covered her nose.
“Are you okay?”
“Sorry. We haven’t said anything, but I’m pregnant.”
“Wow, congratulations.”
“I’m sure the food is incredible. It certainly smells wonderful to me, but it’s making Isabella unwell.” I summoned Nina to take it back and bring out another option. Luckily Maria had been prepared for a picky boss and made extra entrees. The next one had Isabella’s mouth watering. We laughed and dug into the eggplant parmesan.
Dinner conversation focused on other things besides Maria. Still, they always went back to her, although my friends thought it wise not to mention her name since I hadn’t even claimed her yet.
My cell phone rang just as the dessert arrived. I switched to Russian as I spoke to Yuri, my second in command. There was a problem that couldn’t wait to be dealt with. Grumbling, I turned to my guests.
“So, will you stay the evening? I’ll be heading out in a couple of hours, but I plan on returning soon.” Andretti had been attacked and was in the hospital. His wife was lucky to have made it out of their house alive as it had been blown to pieces.
“Of course. My men can stay wherever you need. Unless you need their assistance.”
“No, I have enough staff for that. I prepared a room for you already.”
After learning a few other things, I knew exactly who I was looking for, and he’d pay with his life when I was done.
Chapter Five
Maria
I couldn’t believe he came back into the kitchen and told me what he wanted to do to me. My pussy tingled with every word out of his mouth. It surprised me that he used an Italian endearment with me, but then again, perhaps he was Italian. I didn’t even know his name and had been too embarrassed to ask.
He rushed out of the room so as not to be seen by the other staff members, and I couldn’t blame him. It wasn’t as if Mr. Kazakov approved of his staff getting freaky in the middle of the kitchen.
Timed perfectly, I plated the food just as Nina walked in to get the food. “This looks amazing, and it smells even better. Mr. Kazakov might just want to keep you here on a permanent basis.”
“I hope not. I have plans that don’t include living in someone else’s house without a life of my own.” My mind went back to the man who came into the room earlier. I didn’t get his name, but he had to be one of Mr. Kazakov’s hired muscle because he’d been so ripped that I could make out the shape of his biceps through his white dress shirt.