“Make up whatever the fuck you want, just make it something no one will care enough about to question. You just need to get through idle chitchat, so simple is better.”
“What about me?” Charlie asks, pushing her empty plate aside and refilling her glass.
“You’re just you, baby. He doesn’t know you’re my fiancée, and by the time he figures it out, it won’t matter because we’ll already have him by the balls.”
“Will you be armed, Yuri?” she asks.
“To the teeth,” he says with a grin.
“You have your tux?” I ask him.
“Yeah, yeah, everything is ready and perfect. Lucky for you I never got that neck tat. Nothing says professional criminal like a neck tattoo.”
“I very much doubt Death would be allowed through the front door, even if the mayor didn’t know who he was,” I say with a grin.
“You call him Death?” Charlie asks.
“Smert,” I say. “Yes, he’s earned that nickname a few times over. Most of my men were soldiers back in Russia, part ofSpetsnaz, Russia’s most elite special forces, and there will be several of them stationed around the mayor’s house while you’re inside.”
“Why in the hell is he even trying to go up against you?” she asks, her eyes wide at the stupidity of Mayor Stephens. I smile because I completely agree with her.
“He’s making a big mistake, one he will regret very soon. He chose the wrong side. He just doesn’t know it yet.”
“If I didn’t hate him so much, I’d feel sorry for him.”
I laugh because my little fiancée is already sounding so loyal to my Bratva and it warms my heart to hear it. Grabbing her, I pull her onto my lap, wrapping one arm around her waist and resting my other hand on her thigh.
“Cover your accent as much as you can, Yuri, but it shouldn’t be an issue. The plan is to blend in as much as possible. Embrace your inner wallflower.”
“That’s so hard when you were born to shine,” Yuri deadpans, making Charlie laugh.
“Try your best to stifle that bright flame for the night,” I tell him.
He shrugs, still studying the plan in front of him. “I’ll do my best. Am I allowed to touch my pretend girlfriend, or are you going to go apeshit if I put my arm around her to make it look believable?”
“I’ll do my best,” I say, throwing his own words back at him. “But no promises.” My arms tighten around Charlie at the idea of another man putting his hands on her, even if it is just pretend and he’s one of my most trusted men.
She pats my hand before interlacing her fingers with mine. “Stop worrying, Misha. It’s going to be fine. Plus, you’ll be listening in the whole time, right?”
I kiss her shoulder and point a finger at Yuri. “The whole fucking time.”
He holds up his hands, one still holding his fork with a piece of steak pierced on the end of it. “I don’t have a fucking death wish, Mikhail.” In Russian he adds, “Your fiancée is beautiful, but I value my balls too much to cross the line.”
Satisfied that we have an understanding, we go over the details a few more times until Charlie falls asleep in my lap. Her face is nestled against my neck, her soft breaths tickling my skin, and I’m in no hurry to make her move, so I just keep holding her while Yuri and I switch to Russian and keep going over the plan.
“If something goes wrong, you know what you have to do, right?”
“Save her even if it costs me my life,” he immediately answers.
“If that’s a problem, tell me now.”
“I’ll let that slide since you’re thepakhan, and I do try my best to not piss off the boss, despite what you may think. My job is to protect you with my life. She’s your fiancée, so that now extends to her. I knew what this job would entail when you asked me to do it. It’s not a problem.”
I study him for a second before giving a slight nod. “We’re good to go then. Go get some sleep. Be here tomorrow at six to pick her up.”
“I’ll be here.” He grabs the empty plates to set in the sink on his way out while I stay in the dining room, holding Charlie and wondering how I’m going to let her go tomorrow.
Eventually, I carry her to bed and then watch her sleep for several hours before finally giving in myself. The next morning she wakes me by trying to wiggle out of my grasp, but I just tighten my hold on her and let out a protesting groan.