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My breath hitches. “My God. Are you serious?”

“Yes. So gross. Half the scandals involve him. He’s always getting their maids pregnant and has so many mistresses they have a number.”

“That’s crazy. And Tiffany is beautiful. You’d think that would be enough.” I glance across at Tiffany, who cuts me a hard glare because her husband is now gawking at me.

“Beauty won’t keep a man in our world. Cheating is as common as buying groceries. Besides, Tiffany is George’s third wife. She was, surprise, surprise, one of his mistresses. No one knows why they got married, but it’s going to have something to do with money. Most women stay because of that.”

“Yeah, they do.” Sadly, I think of Mama.

My father and his friends cheat on their wives constantly. I grew up around it. Mama and I even caught my father in bed once with one of the maids.

“These people are a whole other species of entitled. Which brings me to the next person you need to know about. Look to your right and pretend you just stepped in dog shit.”

I laugh. “What?”

“Trust me. Just do it.”

I turn to look, but I leave out the mental image of stepping in dog shit. No need to when Anushka is throwing enough filthy looks for the both of us.

A blonde girl our age is glaring at me, giving me such a scathing look I’d be dust in the wind if looks could kill.

I look away. “Who the hell is that? And what did I do to her?”

“You married the man she was supposed to marry.” Anushka’s eyes brighten with mischief. “That’s Camilla Bureiko. There was a contract in place for her to marry Lev, but he cancelled it when he decided to marry you.”

A shiver of awareness runs through me. “I… see. I can understand why she’s not happy with me.”

“Nope, not happy at all. You married one of the most powerful and wealthy men in New York and Russia. Of course, she’s not happy with you. Neither are the other host of admiring women who wished they could have been chosen.”

Anushka looks excited by the drama. I, on the other hand, am not overly thrilled to hear about the number of women interested in my husband.

I can’t say I blame them. He’s God-tier gorgeous. Add in the money and power and he’s every woman’s dream.

“And, um—” Anushka’s voice cuts and she rolls her eyes. “Oh, darn it. Here comes Lev.” She gazes over my shoulder with disdain, but a bubble of excitement rises inside me.

I feel him before I see him. The hair on the back of my neck rises and my entire body senses that he’s nearby. I turn, knowing exactly where to look, and our eyes lock.

Cerulean-blue eyes gaze back at me, pinning me to the spot.

Lev Karsavin owns the room with his dangerous presence and that swagger that makes people want to stare and avoid him at the same time.

He reaches us within a few seconds.

“Ladies,” Lev greets us, looking from me to Anushka, whom he stares down and starts speaking Russian to. I wish he wouldn’t do that. It’s so obvious he’s talking about me, saying things he knows I won’t understand.

Anushka responds with one of her classic eyerolls and a huff. “Next time, I’ll take your wife to the fugly shop and get her a lovely garbage bag. We can dress it up with grandmother’s pearls.”

I bite back a laugh, but a little escapes. Anushka is one of those people who can pull the humor out of any situation and you can’t help yourself.

My guess is he said something about my dress.

“Anushka, don’t push your luck,” Lev warns, eyes narrowed and sharp.

She responds with a carefree grin, presses her fingers to her lips, and blows him a kiss, then she looks back at me. “See you later.”

“See you.” I smile.

She saunters away, and I face Lev again. He’s already looking at me.