Russian Mobster’s Blackmailed Bride by Bella Rose Page A

in his head.
    “Go on then,” she urged. “Just spit it out. All the dancing around your point is making me dizzy.”
    He laughed. “I can’t slip anything past you, can I?”
    “At this point? No.”
    “There is a hot spring a mile or so from this house. It’s still on private land. I don’t allow guests up there without special permission.”
    Trisha tried to control her eagerness. He owned a hot spring in the middle of a beautiful wilderness like this one? How could such a criminal ass have such great taste? It absolutely boggled the mind.
     
    ANATOLY WATCHED HER thinking it over in her mind. He knew he had her on the hot springs. She was not only curious, but also excited. He could read that much in her body language.
    Finally she stood up. “Let’s go see this magical place you speak of.”
    “You say that,” he mused, not moving from his seat. “Yet your tone is sarcastic.”
    Trisha heaved a giant sigh. “All right. Anatoly, will you please take me to see this hot spring? It sounds beautiful, and I would very much like to go.”
    “Much better.”
    He rose from his seat and took her cocktail from her hand. He set both of their drinks aside. Linking her fingers with his, he headed for the stairs at the far end of the deck. When she realized that they were leaving, she pulled him to a stop.
    “Wait. Don’t we need to get supplies or something?” Even her frown was adorable.
    “No. It’s not even a mile. The path is good. We will be under the protection of my men the whole time, and believe it or not there is cell service there in case we need to call for something.”
    “Oh.”
    “Are you disappointed?” He struggled to understand.
    “I was thinking a trek out into the middle of nowhere, you know?” She pursed her lips. “But I’d still like to see this wonderful sight.”
    Anatoly laughed and tucked her arm into his. “Perhaps we can go hiking up on the mountain one day. That should provide plenty of wilderness experience.”
    “Do you ever just ride the ski lifts for fun?”
    He nodded. “All the time.”
    Their path descended the hill where his cabin had been built and entered the forest just a few hundred yards away. They followed the wide, well marked path around trees and large, moss-covered rocks. It was cool but not cold in the shade of the forest. The scent of evergreen trees filled the air.
    It wasn’t far before he could see the steam of the hot springs lingering in the air. His excitement rose. Trisha would appreciate this place much the way he did. For some reason, that brought to mind the one time he had considered bringing Bianka out here. The woman was a city girl to the core. Even the mention of one of his resorts made her twitch with perceived discomfort. She pictured this place as a complete lack of all the amenities she considered necessary to sustain life.
    “What are you thinking about?” Trisha asked.
    He turned to find her gazing up at him with rapt curiosity. “Just someone that I know.”
    “A woman,” she guessed.
    This was not the topic he wanted to discuss at the moment. “I would call her a pampered and rather spoiled princess, but yes. She is indeed female.”
     
    TRISHA TRIED NOT to feel slighted by the knowledge that Anatoly was thinking about another woman while he was with her. Was she that uninteresting? For some reason, she had thought she could hold his interest. She knew she wasn’t up to his usual standards, and that there was a very good chance he would get tired of her sooner rather than later, but it was still humiliating.
    “I was drawing a contrast,” Anatoly said suddenly.
    Trisha was confused. What was he talking about? “I’m sorry?”
    “That’s why I was thinking about another woman,” he said slowly. “I was thinking that I would never bring another woman out here. I don’t know anyone else like you. You’re not afraid of a little trekking through the woods.”
    “Oh!” Now instead of feeling embarrassed, she was