Wine was poured into our glasses. Slavik spoke Russian to the waiter, and then we were left alone.

I stared across the table. Rather than drink the wine, I went with water.

“Why are we here?”

“We’re going to enjoy a meal.”

“We have the banquet tonight,” I said.

“Not for another six hours, and I’m not going to go that long without food. This is one of my favorite places to eat, and the Stroganoff is delicious.”

I nodded.

The restaurant was bustling with activity. I sipped at my water. I expected Slavik to go back to his cell phone.

He’d put it away. His gaze was on me.

I locked my fingers together.

“Do you know how to make small talk?” he asked.

I shook my head. “No. We’re in an open place.”

“We’re fine. My men are on guard.”

“Doesn’t that scare you?”

“I’m not afraid. What will happen, will happen. Nothing I can do to change that. I have to react. You know what it’s like. I seem to recall reading three years ago there was a shooting right outside the school you and your sister attended, correct?”

“How did you know about that?”

Slavik smiled. “Who do you think arranged it?”

My mouth fell open. This couldn’t be happening. “You’re telling me that I’m married to a man who tried to kill me?”

He shrugged. “Your father had attacked one of my ports, killed six of my men. The ports were supposed to be safe territory. We hadn’t attacked his, or anyone else’s. I had to find a way to hit back. His wife and children were very easy targets as they were … never guarded quite as well.”

“I don’t know what to think about that.”

He shrugged. “You can be pissed off with me or accept it is in the past. Neither your sister nor you were hurt in the end. If memory serves, no one was.”

“Weren’t you disappointed?” I asked.

“No. The end result wasn’t to actually kill you.”

“Then what?”

“It was to begin the talks that led us to this day.”

“Oh.” I looked down at my hands, which were clenched together. “Is that why you wanted marriage? You saw my sister.”

Slavik sighed. “They really are in your head, aren’t they?”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Yeah, you do, and I find it sad that they can so easily get under your skin.”

I hated how easily he read me. All my life, I’d been told I didn’t compare to my much prettier older sister.

“Everyone wants Isabella.”

“You’re right. She is a pretty girl, but that is where the attraction stops. You think when your father offered up you in place of Isabella I didn’t do my research?”

I didn’t want to ask, but I found myself doing so. “What kind of research?”

“To see how you and Isabella compared. Even in your secluded world, there were enough people who knew you. Everyone talked about how Isabella was a beauty. She’d make a fine wife and a trophy. Any man would be pleased to have her. No one said anything about her mean side. How she got good, loyal men killed because they wouldn’t do her bidding.”