Weeks went by since Salina got the news, Don Ivanov grew more notorious with each passing day.

Dominik Ivanov- the new Don of the Russian mafia. The Russian mafia that had absorbed the Italian mafia, the Spanish mafia, and just recently the Irish mafia.

He was insane.

Or at least that's what she heard, for being so bold as to take on so many moving parts. Let alone be successful at it.

Three days after the conversation with her father, she'd been called into his office again.

"Salina," he looked at her warily. She had been avoiding him, isolating herself and being stubborn with the guards.

Had he come to talk to her about it though... no of course not.

His daughter stared back at him.

"I need you to wear this," Laurent slid over a velvet box.

Her brows furrowed, her father was not one to give gifts such as jewelry or anything really.

Slowly and silently, she lifted the box up and opened it.

Her head tilted, it looked to be an antique necklace. Or at least the pendant was, it was a silver dagger pointed down. Small crests were imprinted into the metal and small details were carved into it. The chain it was on was new however, custom it looks like. It was a short chain, more of a choker so it would rest right at the center of her upper chest. Directly above her cleavage.

Salina put it on without much question, looking at her father expectantly however.

"It's the Ivanov family crest- the sword is their symbol," her father rubbed his mouth.

Salina's mouth fell open in surprise. Laurent was a possessive man- often looking at Salina as a perfect trophy he could parade around. To have her wear another family's symbol without so much as a backwards comment was surprising.

"So this is happening?" her voice was quiet as she held the pendant.

"I'm still waiting for feedback. That's the only thing I've received in reference to it, it had your name on it. For the sake of business and our treaties, I want you to follow the request of keeping it on."

Salina nodded once, turning to leave promptly.

She sat at a small round table, twirling the small straw in her Shirley temple. She thought about the man she was 'promised' to.

After the necklace she'd been sent earrings, an expensive summer dress for the weather, and lastly a bouquet of wildflowers. Her favorite ones to be exact. They were pink lilies.

So, it seemed Mr. Ivanov was watching her.

And in some contorted, messed up way Salina found herself flattered. If he was buying her affection it might be working, Ivanov was at least paying attention to her before even properly meeting her.

It was more of an effort than her father had ever put forth.

When in doubt, she can always blame him for all of her problems.

The small restaurant had been cleared out, only the employees inside as well as her guards.

A chocolate croissant sat in front of her, steaming temptingly.

"Alejandro?" she asked softly. The man was assigned as her personal set of guards, she couldn't avoid him too much. If Salina couldn't avoid him she would make damn sure to use him to her benefit.

For now, that would include extorting him for information.

"Miss," he acknowledged her stiffly. Tension crackled between the two, he was constantly walking on eggshells around her now. Since he'd found out she knew.

"Will you sit?" she hummed sweetly while crossing her legs. Her lips were pursed in a seemingly sweet smile.

"I don't think that would be best while on the job," he cleared his throat.

"I think it would," Salina insisted gently. "You wouldn't want to hurt my feelings, hm?"

Alejandro had his hand crossed over to grip his wrist, that hand squeezed frustratedly.

He moved to sit across from her.

Here is where Salina had to be smart. The guards didn't know about the treaty involving Don Ivanov. They didn't know she's involved with him indirectly.

Her father wanted to keep it like that until things are further confirmed.

"What do you know about Don Ivanov?" She rested her chin on her palm.

Alejandro looked surprised at the question. She watched the familiar look of jealousy on his face. His eyes narrowed a bit in suspicion.

An amused smile tugged at her plush lips, she had to bend to suck on her straw to hide it. Salina hadn't realized how much of a crush Alejandro had on her. It was cute that he felt entitled to her. Cute in a gross way at least.

"Why would you need to know anything about that, miss?"

"If you have to know," she sighed dramatically. "His transition of power has my dad working more. I'm just curious if you could give me information about him."

Leaning her arms against the table, she pouted softly at the young man. His hooded eyes fell to her cleavage in front of him. "I figured you would be able to dumb it down for me, ya know? I just feel so useless, sometimes." Her voice had softened with vulnerability. But if he had been paying attention, he would see the sharp look in her eyes from under her lashes.

Alejandro seemed mesmerized as she grazed her perfectly manicured nail along the rim of her glass.

Her dark eyes stared up at him, with a simple blink that look in her eyes was gone. And the doe eyes he was smitten with returned, her head tilted cutely.

"You're not useless, Selly," Alejandro murmured quietly to her. Discreetly, he reached his fingers to graze one of her own. While he was distracted her brow twitched at the use of her nickname. Smoothly, she rested the hand under her chin.

Nibbling on her lip, Salina resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Of course, she isn't useless.

"But you'll tell me?" she sucked on her now swollen bottom lip while leaning even closer to him.

With a sigh, he nodded. He only knew the basics, it couldn't hurt to tell her.

Besides that it's not like Alejandro could say no, not if he wanted to keep his life. Upsetting Salina was not an option at the moment, not while she has leverage.

He grunted, leaning back in his seat. "He's twenty six, his age adding to the rumors around his reach of power. His grandfather is first generation, immigrated from Russia. But the family stays there on and off. Especially since his father was head of the Bratva before him. Uh... he's very private from what I understand. It will probably be like that until he feels more comfortable with the empires he's indoctrinated with. They can't kill him if they don't know his routines."

Alejandro trailed off as he thought about their new boss.

"Word has it that he's making a big move soon. It's pretty underwraps. That might be what is bothering Laurent, there's not much you can do about it I'm afraid, miss. Besides the original members in the bratva, he has no known family members. He's a big problem for everyone who doesn't have something useful to offer to the Ivanov's."

Salina nodded slowly, this was not much information at all.

Her head tilted, "Does anyone know what he looks like?" He was younger than she thought he would be, it made him all the more impressive.

Alejandro once again narrowed his eyes, wondering what his appearance has to do with her helping her father. "No one that doesn't work for him has seen him and lived to speak of it."

"Bummer," her mouth twisted in thought. Once she'd gotten her answers, Salina didn't look back up at Alejandro. Instead she sipped her drink and looked at her phone, clearly dismissing him.

The guard's heart twinged at her cold shoulder before standing up and returning to his post.

Little did she know, two different guards added to her detail were listening in on the conversation. They were added to the Beaumont family weeks prior to the Ivanov's transition of power. And underneath their shirts they both wore the same symbol tattooed on their forearms.

They listened to the young woman's words. Silently taking note of what to report back to the Don later in the night.

They'd been watching her for some time, Dominik getting weekly reports and now that they'd been added to her personal detail they would be able to give him more intel.

The Don had already been notified she's been wearing the necklace every day since it'd been gifted.

Finishing her pastry, Salina sighed to herself. Tapping her nails in thought as all of these theories piled on top of one another in her mind, she finally stood up. Salina felt all of the guards staring at her.

"Fine," she pursed her lips. "I'm ready to leave then."

~

Dominik leaned back in his chair, looking at the two men who worked as generals directly under his cousins.

"These are the only images we could get, Don."

He examined them.

Salina Carmen Beaumont.

The photo was her walking towards her car with a few guards around her, it seemed. One of them opened the door for her.

Her small tennis skirt hugged her lower half, grazing her upper thighs. Her sunglasses were perched on her nose, her coily hair tied up as she brushed some strands behind her ear.

She was small, but curvy and plump with wide hips. Her upper body was covered by a crew neck in this picture but he could see her plush legs as she was mid stride in this picture. He could see her brown thighs in the picture, not even the photograph could diminish how smooth her skin looked.

Dominik's eyes flickered over her figure repeatedly.

The next picture was from what looked like pilates. She smiled, mid laugh at something a woman beside her said. She was lying on her back, her spine arched as she held small weights in either arm. He could see her build better here. She was womanly in the sense that her body looked plush and soft to the touch.

Her face was oval shaped, shapely cheek bones structuring her petite face. Her nose curved into a button end cutely, her dark doe eyes framed with equally dark lashes.

And her lips, Dominik exhaled, they were a round shape and almost too pink to be natural.

"What have you seen in the Beaumont sector?"

Both the men looked at each other, Dominik didn't know either's name.

"She's rather quiet- sir," the blonde of the two scratched his chin. "Keeps to herself, obedient for the most part."

The brunette frowned at the others' statement.

"You disagree?" Dominik grunted.

"Obedient might not be the word, all the time at least," the brunette stuttered a bit. "Uh, I don't know, sometimes I just see her... watching. But she's sweet, nice to almost all of the guards I suppose. Except when her father and her disagree."

Dominik looked at the other for him to continue.

"They get into spats but nothing terrible from what I've gathered. But for the time that we've been there I can't figure out why everyone gets so tense when she's upset."

Dominik nodded at the information.

"She has a cat," the blonde added as if just remembering. "It's like the only thing she talks to consistently."

Dominik once again nodded, dismissing them with a wave of his hand.

He stared at the two photos before picking up his phone.

"Aleksei," he grumbled into the line. "Get Laurent Beaumont on the phone."

"You don't get it, Don."

Dominik rolled his eyes as he listened to Laurent.

"She is not Donna material. She's not your average woman."

Dominik spun a knife in his hand. "No Donna is, don't you think?"

Laurent winced, "Yes you may be right but my daughter- she might not be what you're looking for. She is... tricky you might say. Not always one to listen."

"That doesn't quite add up. Considering Salina is what I want."

"Just... I'd like to speak about this more if you'd allow it. Maybe over a formal meeting before you make a decision."

This made Dominik's brows fall, his teeth gritted.

Slamming the knife deep into the desk, next to another dent left from the last time he did this, Laurent flinched from the noise even on the other end of the phone. His brow beaded with nervous sweat.

"You think I'm so indecisive that whatever you have to say could change my mind? Your opinion means nothing to me," Dominik hissed.

"Yes Don."

"My mind is made up."

Laurent nodded, "Yes Don," his voice became shaky.

"I'll be coming to collect her in a week. Seven days on the dot."

"Yes Don. I'd like to speak about compensation and possible connections I'd benefit from with this union-"

Dominik scoffed, hanging up the phone.

Hissing in annoyance, he yanked the knife out of the wood. "Сука. Fucking ingrates," he growled before calling men that worked for him in to discuss their next plans of action.

Bitch