Albert POVHer gaze held a flicker of something I hadn't anticipated – disgust and a furious distance. It was like she was seeing someone else through me. And for some reason, I didn't want to see that kind of disdain in her eyes."Do you wish I had connections with them?""No," she said, her voice
Mia POVA beat of silence hung in the air, and then Albert cleared his throat, the stiffness in his posture momentarily forgotten."I had some… visa issues in the past. Overstayed my welcome, shall we say. Makes it difficult to get the proper channels to help me again. Marriage seemed like a faster,
Mia POVHeat flooded my cheeks, a traitorous blush creeping up my neck. The playful banter had taken an unexpected turn, a sensual electricity crackling between us. Albert's voice, a low murmur between us, sent shivers down my spine. His hand, warm and surprisingly gentle, brushed a stray strand of
Albert POVThe truth was Mia's constant reminders of our agreement grated on me more than I cared to admit. It felt… sterile, devoid of any genuine connection.Perhaps this was the way to nudge her out of that mindset, a playful reminder that the line between acting and reality could sometimes blur.
Mia's POVThe word "wife" hung heavy in the air, and for a fleeting moment, I felt a prickle of something… unexpected. Was it satisfaction?“Oh, I'll grab a few things that will look lovely on her!”She bustled around the store, fetching dresses with a sense of urgency. When she attempted to enlist
Albert's POVThe rhythmic thrum of bass pulsed through the air as I pushed open the heavy oak doors of The Rusty Nail. The familiar smoky haze hung low, swirling around the patrons who crowded the dimly lit bar.A group of women on the dance floor swayed to the music. Ignoring the suggestive glances
Feeling the need to keep him updated, I sent a quick text: "Early dinner with Katie after work. Anything you need me home for before the ceremony?"His reply was curt, a single "OK" that arrived well after dinner with Katie was done. I frowned at the single-word reply."What's wrong, Mia?" she prodd
Albert's POVIvan and I raced through the city streets to get to the hospital. The image of Mia, vulnerable and injured, filled my mind. By the time we reached the hospital, a sense of urgency had morphed into a cold, steely resolve.Pushing through the automatic doors of the hospital, I found Katie
She leaned against the bar.“Thank you for the flowers,” she said quietly. “What did you want to talk about?”I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. I didn't expect it to be easy, but I had hoped for a slightly warmer reception.“There’s a lot we need to discuss. About us, about what happened, and
MiaNearly a month had passed since the raid, and life had settled into a new routine. I was working as a nurse, and the steady rhythm of the hospital shifts was both grounding and exhausting. Mom was at the penthouse on bedrest, recovering from her surgery, but her spirits were high. She had a job
"Everybody on the ground now!"Agents burst into the room, guns drawn. The attendees opened fire on them but they were overwhelmed.In the midst of the chaos, I spotted Dimitri, clutching his shoulder. Glaring at me, his face twisted in a mix of anger and fear. He tried to get toward the backdoors a
AlbertPolina was mingling with various guests, a smile plastered on her face that took over her whole face. I couldn’t help but feel a pang of frustration when I thought of her. She really thought this was going to go a certain way.I moved through the crowd avoiding her. I noticed several of Dimit
It was bittersweet and lonely and not the mood I needed to be in the day before all my plans would come to fruition.Ivan came into the study nearly an hour later, already dressed for bed. He poured himself a cup of whiskey and sat across the table from me.“I’ve been looking for places for Katie an
AlbertThat night, I found myself sitting across from a few government operatives in a discreet, dimly lit office. The atmosphere was tense as we went over the final elements of the plan, including the layout of the Kulak Estate.The operatives were efficient and to the point. Things were going well
I shook my head. "I don't have to explain myself to you."She set her jaw. "Because you can't.""Because it's none of your business. My relationship with Mia, whatever it is or was, has nothing to do with you. Leave her alone, Polina. I mean it."Polina’s face twisted with a mixture of hurt and disb
AlbertI set my jaw at the sound of the knock. It might be the whiskey, but I really wanted to kiss her. I was almost sure that she'd let me. I turned to answer the door. It was one of my subordinates with a report from Ivan.Definitely more important than almost kissing my soon-to-be ex-wife.Mia s
“How did you get here?” I asked. "I didn't think you had a casino in the city."He glanced around briefly before responding. His tone clipped but informative. “It was Elio’s. I'm doing my rounds.”I winced at that. I wanted to know what that meant and I didn't want to know. Had Elio just paid Albert