Welcome to My World

ALEKSANDR

I was captivated by the transformation of Kaia’s demeanor from panic to confidence as we reentered the room.

The crowd’s whispers followed us, some respectful nods in my direction, others blatant stares at Kaia. My pep talk seemed to have worked, as Kaia now appeared to be a woman without a shred of insecurity.

I, myself, had never been a man to harbor insecurities, not even when I received the scar that now marked my cheek. Her expressions, her defiance, it all intrigued me. I was eager to discover all her hidden layers.

Was this what attracted me to her?

With her head held high and her hand gripping my arm, Kaia moved through the room as if she was born for this. A strange fluttering sensation filled my chest as I glanced down at her, attempting to conceal my smile from the onlookers.

“Aleksandr.”

The familiar voice made me turn. Don Marco Costa and Santiago Cabral, now a Don himself after replacing Cristo, approached me, each holding a glass of scotch.

Don Cristo and Santiago were brothers, separated in their childhood after a car accident that killed their parents and left their sister, Isadora, alone. They recently reunited when Cristo was revealed as the abuser of Santi’s girlfriend, Lia.

Lia killed Cristo with Kaia’s help, allowing Santi to take his place as Don. Currently, I was collaborating with him and other Dons to combat human trafficking in the cartels, just as Kaia had deduced.

“We were just discussing you,” Santi said, his face still bruised from his capture by Cristo. His gaze shifted to Kaia, and he did a double take.

“Kaia.”

Kaia responded with a small, emotionless nod, but I felt her grip on my arm tighten slightly.

Santi’s gaze returned to me, almost accusatory.

Fortunately, we were interrupted by a couple of stunning women who I knew would divert the attention from me, at least temporarily.

“Pakhan,” Anya Costa greeted me, her voice filled with warmth as she extended her hand.

I took it, enjoying her husband’s scowl. I respected him more for not wanting another man to touch his wife, even if we were somewhat friends.

“Anya, it’s a pleasure to see you,” I replied, mirroring her smile.

“How is my Anika?”

“My daughter is doing well,” Marco retorted sarcastically, earning a chuckle from his wife.

“Thanks for asking.”

My attention shifted to the woman standing next to Anya. The woman who had sparked one of the largest cartel wars in Mexico. The woman who had made Santiago Cabral a Don.

The woman who was staring at Kaia as if she’d seen a ghost. She hadn’t seen her since that night.

“Hello, Lia.”

I wrapped my arm around Kaia’s waist, offering her my support.

“I believe you all know Kaia.”

Lia was the first to react, stepping forward to embrace Kaia.

Feeling Kaia relax into Lia’s hug was a relief.

“Why don’t you lovely ladies grab some champagne at the bar,” I suggested.

“I need to discuss some business with your men, and then they’re all yours.”

Kaia’s sharp intake of breath told me she was panicking again. But she couldn’t be in better company than with Anya and Lia.

“Go on, ~kotik,~ I won’t be long,” I whispered in her ear, gently prying her fingers from my arm.

Anya gave her a warm smile, and Kaia took her arm, casting one last glance at me before the trio walked away.

As soon as they were out of earshot, Santi cursed.

“What the fuck, Aleksandr? Why is Kaia with you?” His tone wiped the smile off my face.

“Watch your tone, Santi.”

Santi was about to retort. Marco interrupted him.

“I think what he’s trying to say is, this girl lived with Cristo. Can you really trust her?”

Don Marco had a knack for diplomacy. It was one of the things that made him a breeze to work with, especially compared to Santiago’s fiery temper.

I turned my attention to Santi.

“Kaia was the one who saved your life that night, right?” I asked, my tone sharp.

“She saved both you ~and~ Lia, if I remember correctly.”

Santi’s face twisted into a scowl.

“And then she vanished,” he grumbled.

I shook my head.

“No, I took her,” I clarified. “I had some questions for her.”

“If you wanted information about Cristo, you could have just asked me—”

“Not about Cristo,” I interrupted Santi. “I have footage of her breaking into one of my warehouses. I wanted to know why.”

Marco’s face lit up with intrigue, and perhaps a hint of amusement.

“And did you find out?”

I shook my head.

“Not yet. But I will.”

Santi sighed. We all turned our heads at the sound of Anya’s melodious laughter from the bar. Lia was animatedly telling a story, her hands moving wildly. I watched Kaia’s smile and found myself mirroring it.

“So,” Marco drawled, taking a sip of his scotch, “what you’re saying is Kaia is your captive?”

Santi scoffed. My smile faded, because even I wasn’t sure what she was to me anymore.

“She’s my guest.”

“Mm…hmm…,” Marco responded, his voice laced with amusement that was starting to grate on my nerves.

“Leave the psychoanalysis to your lovely wife, Don Marco,” I retorted. “We have business to discuss.”

Marco raised his hands in surrender.

Our conversation then shifted to business and Santiago’s new role as Don.

KAIA

I accepted the champagne flute from the bartender, eyeing the sparkling golden liquid with skepticism. I wasn’t a drinker, but watching Anya and Lia savor their drinks made me curious.

I took a cautious sip, delighting in the bubbly sensation as it slid down my throat, then took another.

“I love your dress,” Lia gushed, leaning in closer. “I almost didn’t recognize you.”

A horrified expression crossed her face as she realized how that might have sounded.

“I didn’t mean you looked bad before or anything!” she blurted, her cheeks flushing. “It’s just that you were wearing a hoodie when I met you and—”

Anya patted my arm, drawing my attention to her.

“She’s had two glasses of champagne already,” Anya interjected. “Don’t mind her rambling.”

Lia nodded quickly.

“Sometimes I just can’t control what comes out of my mouth,” she admitted sheepishly. Her social awkwardness made her even more endearing to me.

“Lia told me you saved them at Don Cristo’s house,” Anya whispered, leaning in so we wouldn’t be overheard. “That must have taken a lot of courage.”

I set my glass down. The champagne suddenly churned in my stomach at the memory of why I was there in the first place.

“She doesn’t want to talk about it, Anya,” Lia nudged her with an elbow.

I shrugged slightly.

“I did what I had to do,” I replied nonchalantly. “I’m sure you would have done the same in my place.”

Anya frowned.

“So, did Aleksandr rescue you from the house?”

I hid behind my champagne glass, taking another sip.

“Actually, he took me prisoner and kept me in a cell for days.”

Lia nearly choked on her champagne, earning us disapproving glances from the older couples nearby.

“He did what?” she squeaked.

“He certainly doesn’t look at you like a prisoner,” Anya observed.

We all turned to see the men watching us from across the room. She was right. Aleksandr’s gaze was fixed on me, intense and unwavering, even as Don Marco spoke to him.

I quickly turned back to face the bar, hoping he wouldn’t see how much he rattled me.

“You know, I’ve never seen Aleksandr with a date before,” Anya mused, catching me off guard.

“Never?”

Anya shook her head and moved even closer, as if we were sharing secrets.

“Ever since his wife died, he’s always come to these events alone,” she clarified.

“Can you believe it?” Lia gestured toward the men with her drink. “Look at him.”

Anya gave her a proud smile. “You’re definitely feeling that champagne. A year ago, you wouldn’t be this open about men.”

Lia blushed a little at that.

“I bet women are always throwing themselves at him,” I said, trying to sound casual.

Anya made a dismissive gesture with her free hand.

“Sure, they do,” she agreed. “But he never gives them a second glance.” She turned to me. “I’ve never seen him look at a woman the way he’s looking at you.”

“I’m not going to sleep with him,” I blurted out.

Anya burst into laughter, drawing attention from the crowd. Lia joined in, grinning widely.

I wasn’t sure why I felt the need to clarify my relationship with Aleksandr to my new friends.

“How long have you been his ‘prisoner’?” Lia asked.

I paused, doing some quick calculations. “A few days?”

Anya and Lia exchanged a knowing look.

“It’s still early. You have time.”

“I’m not—”

“Don’t even try to say you’re not attracted to him,” Anya cut me off.

“Anya’s a psychologist. She can sniff out a lie,” Lia chimed in, nodding in agreement.

“There’s not a single woman in this room who wouldn’t be thrilled to find the pakhan in their bed,” Anya continued, gesturing to various women around the room.

Lia raised her glass in agreement. “She’s not wrong.”

“Speaking of attractive men.” Lia’s voice took on a teasing tone. “Hello, Mr. Ricci.”

We all turned as a man approached the bar, causing a stir among the women nearby.

He was tall, well over six feet, with olive-toned skin and features that would make Michelangelo weep. His dark brown hair was slightly longer in the front and shorter on the sides, and he had a habit of pushing it back from his eyes. Unlike most of the men in the room, he wasn’t wearing a tuxedo. His black suit fit him perfectly, and his fitted white shirt was open at the collar, revealing a hint of dark ink beneath. He exuded confidence without even trying.

“Lia, I’ve told you to call me Gio,” he said, flashing a perfect white smile as he took her hand and kissed it like a true gentleman. “I’m lucky to have found the most beautiful women in the room all alone.” His gaze drifted to Anya and me. “Won’t you introduce me to your friends?”

Lia was more than happy to oblige.

“Gio, this is Anya Costa, the wife of Don Marco—who you know,” she said, then turned to me. “And this is Kaia…” She trailed off. “I’m sorry, I didn’t catch your last name.”

I quickly extended my hand to avoid any awkwardness.

“Just Kaia. Nice to meet you, Gio.”

Gio turned his dazzling smile on me, but something about it felt insincere. It was as if he was putting on a show. He seemed very good at hiding his true feelings. Much like the man I could feel watching me from across the room.

“So, Kaia, which of these men do you belong to?” Gio asked, lifting his lips from the back of my hand.

“None of them,” I replied quickly, watching his eyebrows shoot up in surprise.

“She’s here with the pakhan,” Anya added, watching Gio closely.

“Aleksandr?” Gio looked across the room and smirked when Aleksandr’s glare met his gaze. “But you don’t belong to him?”

He was still looking at Aleksandr when he asked, but I shook my head anyway.

“Fantastic,” Gio said, taking my champagne flute and setting it on the bar before taking my hand. He pulled me toward him, leaving me no choice but to follow. “Let’s dance.”

I looked back at Anya and Lia for help, but they were both watching with excitement.

Gio swept me into his arms on the dance floor, where a few couples were swaying to the soft strains of a piano. He pulled me so close that I could smell his scent—clean, crisp, like a spring breeze over the sea.

As I dared to glance over his shoulder, Aleksandr’s piercing gaze met mine. I swallowed hard.