He looks up and meets my gaze, the intensity in his eyes is almost enough to burn my soul. “Did I tell you how gorgeous you look?” I bite my lip. “You did.” His eyes darken even more. “And did I mention that I love you?” “Yes, more than once.” He smirks, and gets back to his feet, offering me hi
“We’re waiting for you downstairs,” it’s Lena’s voice. “Is everything alright?” “Yes, just…” Ivan closes his eyes and sighs, shaking his head as if he can’t believe that we actually have to deal with this right now. “You go ahead,” he tells her. “We’ll be out in a bit.” “Are you sure everything’s
[IVAN] The dinner at the fine dining restaurant goes more smoothly than expected. The kids are behaving surprisingly well considering the situation they’re in, and Ana is trying her best not to cry and ruin her makeup again. She’s smiling and laughing with the kids, trying to enjoy the night despi
I give the bottle another spin and everyone follows its movement with their eyes. It spins for a moment before stopping on Ana. I smile and clap my hands. “Alright. So, truth or dare?” Ana rolls her eyes at me. “Truth.” “What was the last lie you told?” I ask her, narrowing my eyes a bit, already
Dimitri stands up and walks back to his seat, taking a napkin to wipe his face. “No, but you’re the first girl to leave the food on my face.” Tati giggles and grabs the bottle, putting it in the middle of the table. She closes her eyes and spins it with her whole body until it finally stops at me.
[ANASTASIA] The moment we are back home and I enter our bedroom after tucking the kids into their beds, Ivan’s hands are all over me. He tugs me close to him, kissing my neck as he peels off his own suit jacket and drops to the floor. I hold onto him when he lifts me in his arms, our lips fusing t
After a few minutes, he pulls away from me and rolls me over, climbing on top of me. “My turn now,” he growls and grabs my legs, placing them on his shoulders before he pushes himself into me without warning. I gasp, throwing my head back against the pillow when he fills me completely. His cock is
[IVAN] “Mommy, why can’t I come with you?” Tati cries her heart out, tears streaming down her little face as we all get ready to leave, to drop Junior to Kazan, for his school. “I want to come with Mommy. Mommy, please.” Ana holds our crying daughter tightly in her arms as she kisses her small fac
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