All Chapters of The Mafia Boss’s Mute Bride: Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

ALEKSEI ANASTASIA'S LIPS WERE moving, but I wasn't paying attention to her. Not when I wanted to storm across this room and break Anatoly's jaw for breathing near Ariana. I expected him to make an appearance at this party. Yuri was his brother, after all, and I'd taken his life at my wedding. Anatoly was one of Igor's favored guards, and he liked to talk big game because of it. Sometimes, he felt like he could stand up to me. Never to my face, though. He cherished his life too much to pull a stunt like that. His smile was goading when he looked at me over Ariana's shoulder like he was daring me to do something to him. I cocked my head to the side, biting on the inside of my cheek to keep calm. Something was wrong around here, and I couldn't place my fingers on it. Where did this sudden burst of confidence to disrespect my wife in front of me and goad me come from? They knew better than to fuck with me. According to them, I was the 'wild card' who owed no loyalty

ARIANA Earlier... "Sorry about Anatoly," Anastasia said when we were finally by the pool. "He's an asshole." Tell me something I didn't know. Now that I was out of the suffocating party room, I felt like I could finally breathe again. "I'd avoid him if I were you. He's known to not be gentle with women. Especially ones he feels threatened by." She cleared her throat. "Let's not talk about Anatoly anymore. So, you're the one who took Aleksei away from me?" I whipped my head up, my forehead scrunched in confusion. Excuse me? She giggled, bringing her hand up to cover her mouth. "I'm just kidding. God, you looked like I told you to bathe in acid." I frowned. I did? "I'd be protective, too, if a man like Aleksei fell in love with me. I speak for everyone in that room when I say I never thought I'd see the day." They all needed to get their eyes checked, then, because there was nothing between Aleksei and me. I couldn't care less if he had other women flocking around hi

ARIANA I gently tugged my arm out of Aleksei's grasp, stalking into the closet to get some clothes on. I threw on the first pajama set I grabbed from my luggage. Whoever packed for me had done a good job of grabbing all my necessities except pajama shorts that covered my ass properly. I'd checked the bag before I got into the shower, and the two pajama sets in there were tiny shorts and a camisole. I hadn't minded because I hated wearing a lot of clothing to bed. That, and I thought I'd have the room all to myself, but that wasn't the case anymore. My dearest husband had thrown a wrench in my plans. I gritted my teeth as I shoved my arms through a bathrobe I'd tossed carelessly on the counter earlier. I secured the belt around my waist, stepping out into the room. Luckily, Aleksei wasn't in the room, and from the distant sound of flowing water, I figured he was in the bathroom. I grabbed the pillows from the bed, setting up a demarcation in the center of the bed. The inten

ARIANA "LAST NIGHT WAS A DISASTER for obvious reasons," Reina started, looking around the table at everyone who had gathered. Her eyes fell on the empty seat next to me, and she scowled. "And where's Aleksei? I didn't see him come in with you guys." "I'd be more worried about your husband if I were you." Mikhail pointed at the empty seat at the head of the table. "He's not here, is he? Why is that, aunt? Is he cheat—" "Do not." She slammed her fist down on the table, rattling the dishes around her. "I repeat, do not complete that sentence." Mikhail threw his arms in the air, a rueful smirk twisting his lips. "Still in denial, I see. You can never change." Reina's lips curved with malice. "Just like how your mother couldn't change her crack whore ways? Seems like I have more in common with my disgrace of a sister than I thought. How dreadful." Chortles sprung around the table from Reina's venomous group of friends. Each one looked more spiteful than the last, and it was cle

ALEKSEI I WASN'T A MAN easily surprised. It was a running argument between Mikhail and me whenever he planned extravagant surprises for me on my birthday and they didn't have the desired effect on me. Hell, when my cousin challenged me for the position as the Pakhan earlier today, I hadn't batted an eyelid like everyone expected me to. But, hearing Ariana speak for the first time left me stunned... speechless even. Get a life, old man. That's what she said. I had no idea if I was more surprised by the fact that she spoke or the sound of her voice. Although barely above a whisper, it was warm like the first rays of the morning sun after a cold, dreadful night, with underlying passion woven into every syllable. My lips parted. How could a voice so warm also hold a silky promise of brazen pleasure? Fuck, I knew she was going to be trouble from the moment I laid eyes on her, but I was just realizing how much. Her voice was like a shot of dopamine into my veins, sending a stream o