Free Russian Mafia Boss's Heir by Bella Rose Page A

Tori wasn’t sure if she should be relieved or insulted that nobody seemed to recognize her. Had she been utterly unnoticed in her stepfather’s home? Surely some of these men had been enforcers or guards that had been by the house once or twice. Or wouldn’t they just know because it was part of their job as Vasilievs?
    Tori shoved that thought out of her head. She had married Mikhail in front of a church full of her father’s men. If that hadn’t brought her to their attention, nothing ever would. She focused instead on the spinning wheel and the little tiny ball as it bounced its way to red or black.
    “I won!” Mara screamed excitedly. “I won, I won!”
    Jamie and Tori were laughing, hanging onto each other and pointing at their straight laced friend who apparently could be completely won over by success at the roulette wheel. All of the stress and worry was forgotten, at least for the moment. Life was good.
     “Ms. Ivanov?”
    It actually took Tori a moment to realize that she was Mrs. Ivanov. She turned and found herself staring into the face of a man perhaps ten years her senior. His face had what some people might call character. His nose had obviously been broken a few times, and his hair was long and a little ragged. But his blue eyes were sharp, and something of his face actually looked a bit familiar, though she could not imagine why.
    “I’m sorry, do I know you?”
    “I am Antonin Orlov,” he said quietly. “You are my cousin.”
    Crap. So his face was familiar because he looked like her . Or she looked like him, or something to that effect.
    “Okay,” Tori said slowly. “What is it you want to talk to me about?”
    “Your mother,” Antonin said tersely. “Or rather, I want to talk about what happened to her.”
    “She died.” Tori said it simply, hoping the guy would just take the hint. She didn’t want to dig into her mother’s past. Did she?
    ***
     
    MIKHAIL STRODE THROUGH the casino, looking for both Tori and any Orlov stragglers and praying to whatever deity might be listening that the two had not found each other. When he saw Antonin Orlov talking to Tori right next to the roulette table, Mikhail cursed his luck. It wasn’t going to matter what happened now. He would wind up pissing someone off.
    “Dimitri!” Mikhail raised his hand, ushering his friend over. “Could you please escort Mara and Jamie out of the casino?”
    “Mara,” Dimitri murmured. “What in the hell is Mara doing here?” He cursed in Russian. “She knows I would never allow such a thing!”
    Mikhail raised his brows. “And why would you have any affect on what Mara would or would not do?”
    Dimitri’s mouth snapped closed. Obviously he hadn’t been prepared to answer that question when he had reacted reflexively.
    Finally, he cleared his throat. “Mara and I have been seeing each other. It’s not serious.”
    “That’s too bad,” Mikhail said mildly. “She’s a nice woman.”
    “Stanislas would not allow it.”
    Mikhail gave a disgusted grunt. “I’m beginning to realize that Stanislas has some very unusual ideas about more than one topic. The dating choices of his men is apparently something I need to add to the list.”
    “Why are they here?”
    “I have no idea, but I can almost certainly assume that Tori is somehow wishing to rub my nose in her activities.” Mikhail glowered at his wife.
    “What are you going to do about her little chat with Antonin Orlov?” Dimitri pursed his lips. “The two look as though they have plenty to discuss.”
    “I’m not quite certain yet.” Mikhail mulled this problem over in his head. “I do know that I need to hurry before Orlov tells her something that can’t be taken back.”
    “You think Stanislas had her mother killed, don’t you.” It wasn’t a question. Dimitri was stating fact.
    “I’m not sure what to think, and the old man won’t divulge anything. Antonin or his father might be the only ones who know the truth,” Mikhail said