Consumed by Deception (Deception Trilogy #3) by Rina Kent

“Hold on.” Yan stands up. “Let me get some real drinks.”

I frown, not understanding the meaning behind his words as he disappears in the direction of the kitchen. A minute later, he reappears with a bottle of vodka and glasses.

Boris and Kolya grunt in approval. Right. Of course, beer isn’t a real drink for them.

The three of them definitely fit the stereotype of how much Russians love their vodka. Adrian usually prefers cognac, but he does push the beer out of the way when vodka is in sight.

At first, I’m too much of a wimp to try straight vodka. They don’t even mix it in a cocktail or drink it diluted. However, after Boris delivers a knockout in the first round, I chug down an entire glass to cool off my wounded pride. It burns my throat and I cough a few times, hitting my chest to make it go away.

“Take it easy,” Adrian whispers in my ear, his fingers drawing circles on my shoulder.

“I’m fine.” I point at Boris. “You’re going down. You, too, Yan.”

My friend lifts his chin. “I’m sorry to say this, but you’ll be collateral damage, because Kolya’s destruction is my mission tonight.”

“It’s the other way around.” Kolya’s usual calm falters as he assembles his tiles in front of him.

Once again, Boris and Yan take the lead. I swear, Boris is like an encyclopedia that keeps coming up with the right words.

I take another sip of my vodka, mouthing at Kolya to give me a six-letter word that starts with R, but he comes up empty.

“Royal,” I exclaim.

Boris stares at me with an unusual smugness. “That’s five letters.”

“Royalty.”

“That’s seven.” Yan chugs down his drink. “Give up, already, and pass.”

I don’t have the correct letters to spell any form of royal, anyway. With my two blank tiles and a load of vowels, I’m just punching in the dark for ideas.

Adrian drapes my scarf up over my shoulders and whispers in my ear, discreetly enough that no one notices him, “Regius.”

I don’t want to cheat, I really don’t, but with my blanks, I can make it work, and the way Boris is smirking and Yan keeps taunting us is getting on my nerves. So I stoop low and align the tiles in place after the R.

“That’s cheating, Mrs. Volkov,” Boris fixes me with a stare.

“Are you accusing me of being a cheater?” There’s a slight slur at the end of my words.

“Boss told you that word.”

“No, he didn’t.”

“He didn’t,” Kolya says at the same time.

“Wait a minute!” Yan slams his glass on the table. “You’re supposed to be impartial, Boss.”

“I have been,” Adrian says ever so casually with a perfect poker face that betrays nothing.

“You obviously haven’t.” Yan motions between the two of us.

My husband remains as collected as always. “You have proof?”

“Well…no.”

“Do you, Boris?” When the other guard shakes his head, Adrian continues, “Then your accusations are null and void. Proceed.”

They both grumble but pick up their pieces as Kolya smirks. I grin up at Adrian, murmuring, “I didn’t know you were a cheater.”

“I’m not, usually,” he whispers back against my cheek.

“You just did.”

“Only for you, Lenochka.”

We win that round, but Boris and Yan end up crushing us in the next one so hard, my pride is wounded.

As a result, I end up drinking more vodka than should be allowed and telling Yan he and I aren’t friends anymore while acting like a sore loser toward Boris.

At some point, Adrian pulls the glass of vodka from my hand. “That’s enough drinking for one night.”

“Nooo, I’m okaaay. Oops. Fiiiine. I mean, I’m totally fine. I know, I know. That word shouuuld be out of my vocabulary by now. You haaate it.” I slap my hand against his cheek, staring up at the peaceful look in his gray eyes. “Did you know, you’re sooo beautiful?”

“That’s our cue to go.” Boris’s legs are unsteady as he stands. “It was lovely to win against you, Kolya. Mrs. Volkov.”

I point a finger at him. “I’ll get a rematch and beat you.”

“Wait. What?” Yan shakes his head, eyes half-drooping. The two of us drank the most tonight. “It’s over? I was just getting started on kicking Kolya’s grumpy ass.”

“Get up.” Kolya grabs him by his good arm and he sways. “And it’ll be a lifetime before you kick my ass.”

Yan punches him in the chest, and though it doesn’t seem hard, Kolya staggers a little. “I’ll break through that ice one day, you have my fucking word.”

Kolya pushes him in front of himself, nods at us, then singlehandedly hauls Yan out, refusing Boris’s aid.

“They left.” I motion at the door after it closes behind them. “But I’m not done playing.”

“I am more than done.” Adrian lifts my chin, his long fingers creating delicious friction against my skin. “No one gets to see you drunk but me.”

“I’m not drunk.” I hiccup and giggle, hiding the sound with the back of my hand. “Oops. Maybe a little.”