He nodded and turned, putting the book gently on the table near the window. “I thought about what you said.”I frowned in confusion. “I don’t think I follow?”He turned back to me and crossed his hands behind his back. “Your brother wanted you to continue your studies.”I couldn’t help but narrow my
[DIMITRI]“Boss, we’ve got a hit!” Alexei exclaimed as soon as I answered the call.I narrowed my eyes at the road ahead. “What?”He nodded, breathing heavily. “Yeah. They found them. Tatiana and Lena. You should get back fast.”I gripped the steering wheel tightly and pressed the pedal, acceleratin
[NADIA]Hours go by, and I do nothing but sit in his car and glower at the roof. This is so unfair, uncomfortable, and unnecessary. Why do I have to stay with this mean man? I was barely able to stay sane when they forced me to live in that apartment until they made sure it was safe for me to be on
Dimitri motions for me to step out of the car while he does the same. As I grab my bags from the trunk, he returns with the sleepy head in his arms. For some reason, I’m mesmerized by the sight of the little girl. She’s really cute, with short dark hair braided in a fishtail. Her light pink dress is
But now, with him gone, I’m left in this mess, tangled in a world I never wanted to be a part of. Watching Dimitri go about his tasks, I can’t help but think of how different things might have been if Anatoly were still here. Maybe I wouldn’t be sitting in a stranger’s dining room, feeling out of pl
[DIMITRI]She’s a firecracker.I should hate it, should find her annoying as fuck, should hate her guts for thinking she’s smarter than me, should kick her out of my home instead of imagining her on my bed, in all kinds of positions, with my hard-as-rock cock shoved deep into her ass, but I do none
[NADIA]When I wake up the next time, it’s not to the early morning sun but to someone wailing at the top of their lungs.I toss and turn to the other side, trying to find a spot or a position where I don’t have to hear it, where I can slip back into the peaceful slumber that’s so hard to come by th
Her eyes become watery again. “I want mommy.”Shit.I sigh and cup her cheek, wiping away a stray tear with my thumb. “I know, sweetheart. I know. But your mommy and daddy aren’t here right now, but I’m sure they’ll come back soon.”“Where’s mommy now? She said she would be back soon.”My heart brea
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