Tatiana looks up at me with those innocent eyes of hers. “Okay, Papa. I won’t give her any reasons to worry.” I ruffle her hair affectionately. “That’s my girl. You’re a smart one, just like your mom.” Tatiana grins. “I wanna be just like Momma when I grow up.” “Well, you’re already on the right
[ANASTASIA] I know it’s a trap. It has to be. There was nothing so straightforward when it came to Ivan. For as long as I have known him, he never shied away from lying or buying his way in or out of any situation. He would buy off anyone with money, and if someone wasn’t ready to sell their loya
“He’s not the only person responsible though,” no, my father was just as accountable for how my life turned out. The father I loved so much, the father I respected and would have done anything for at his one word. But what did he do? He sold me off to save his life, to pay off the debt he was under,
I close my eyes and pray to whoever is listening: Please don’t make me regret this. Please help me this once. I reach for the door, turn the knob, and only hesitate for a tiny moment before finally pushing it open. If instant regret had a fragrance, it must feel like the one that washes over me th
[IVAN] She couldn’t resist, could she? Good for me. The moment I step out of the bathroom, I catch Ana tiptoeing around the bed, looking like a deer caught in the headlights once she notices me too. I can’t help but be amused. She looks just as embarrassed and flushed as she did years ago when we
But I already know that’s coming. My reflexes kick in, and my fingers curl around her wrist, pushing her hand down until I have it curled behind her back and her chest pressed against mine. “You can’t make the same mistake again, malysh. Did I teach you nothing?” She scoffs and rolls her eyes. “It
[ANASTASIA] One minute, I’m chasing my daughter through the snowy evening, the crisp air biting at my cheeks and making me shiver, trying to get my hands on her so I can take her back inside. Her laughter echoes in the winter night, a pure, innocent sound that warms my heart despite the cold. In t
Ivan chuckles and affectionately ruffles her hair. “Your mommy is right, darling. We’ll take a picture with all of us together. No one should be left out.” “But can I at least get a kiss for now?” She asks again, her cheeks flushed with cold. “Please. It feels so warm.” I feel Ivan’s gaze on me, b
After our fourth round of pure, wild sex, I have nothing left in me. Every ounce of energy drained, I barely manage to pull the sheets over myself before sleep claims me.When I wake hours later, the room is dim, the soft glow of my bedside lamp casting long shadows on the walls. My body feels heavy
[NADIA]“You’re here?” I say into the phone, clutching my books tightly to my chest as I glance around. “Where?”“Outside. Meet me when you’re done with your classes.”A wide grin spreads across my face, excitement bubbling inside me. “Oh, I’m done. And even if I wasn’t, I’d still run to you.”Dimit
The Ivan I know is strong. Unshakable. Even in the worst situations, he carries himself with a quiet, effortless confidence that makes you believe nothing could ever touch him.But the man lying in this hospital bed, surrounded by beeping machines and the sterile scent of antiseptic, looks nothing l
[ANASTASIA]Ever since I woke up after the incident, I have been dying to see Ivan.But now that I’m standing outside his room—where supposedly he had been admitted—, I can’t muster up the courage to push open the damn door.I’m nervous. Terrified. And most of all, unsure.I don’t know if I’m ready
Lena presses her lips together tightly, the color draining from her face until it looks almost lifeless.For a long moment, she doesn’t speak. The silence stretches between us, thick and suffocating. I can feel my heartbeat in my ears, pounding relentlessly, echoing my fear.Why the hell is she taki
[ANASTASIA]The next time I open my eyes, I’m not alone.Lena sits next to my bed, her hand in mine, her eyes closed, as if she fell asleep while watching over me.For the first time since waking up from my so-called long slumber, I look at her carefully. She looks more tired than I’ve ever seen her
[NIKOLAI]Once we finally get to his office, Konstantin takes his seat behind the desk and raises an eyebrow. He looks kind of pissed, but not enough to end me right here and now.He might have the power to do that and carry on with his day as if nothing happened, but I know in my gut he won’t. He m
[NIKOLAI]I hang up the phone and stare hard at the ground.“Fuck you, Dimitri!” I growl, clenching the phone tighter and huffing out a heavy breath.The bastard has the audacity to make me responsible for everything that happened to Ana and Ivan. But is it? Am I really the one to blame?I look away
[DIMITRI]I storm out of the building and light a cigarette, unable to think of anything else.I breathe in the smoke and then blow it out, hoping it will take away the stress pressing on my chest, making my lungs incapable of doing their job.I don’t know what to do anymore. Ana is finally awake, w