Timur “You’ve been all smiles since we left the hospital.” I shut the door behind us while she moved towards the bed. Sighing, she dropped to the edge, bouncing lightly on the mattress and regarding me with an intent gaze. I wasn’t sure when it happened, but between the episode in the kitchen, the visit to the hospital, and now in the bedroom, she was glowing, looking even more beautiful. Her golden blonde hair cascaded down her shoulders like a river of sunset hues, framing her heart-shaped face. Her piercing blue eyes sparkled like sapphires in the morning light, shining bright with a gentle warmth that tugged on my chest. As she sat there, her profile presented itself to me like a work of art. The gentle nose and high cheekbones combined to form a masterpiece of elegance. I not only shamelessly lusted after this woman but fucking admired her, too. “You might not know this, but it’s normal for human beings to smile.” “And I’m not a human being?” “Your words, not mine.”
Fuck, where is all this coming from?I didn’t know, but I didn’t want to get rid of it. I didn’t want to get rid of her.And I didn’t know what to do, either, but I wanted to make her feel better.“I fucking hate it when it rains.”Stunned and completely caught off-guard, she stuttered, “W-What?”“The rain?” I repeated. “I fucking hate it.”Serena blinked. After a heartbeat of silence, she asked, “Why?”Why?Because it made me remember all of it. The artistic red splash on the wall, bloodied brown hair, and lifeless blue eyes. It was one of the many deathsmyfather had caused that I couldn’t forget, no matter how hard I tried. That very one followed me,hauntedme even in my fucking dreams, accusing me of being part of her killers.Serena was still waiting for a response, and I realized I had already said too much. I wasn’t sure I was ready to deal with her prying or picking at my own fucked up past.Now,thatwas laughable.If only she knew the horrors of my own family, the turmoil that ca
SerenaHer name was Maria. Doctor Maria. And I knew this because, for the past five weeks after the announcement of my pregnancy, I’d been visiting her hospital for routine checkups.The smell of antiseptic lingered in the air as I sat in the small, brightly lit waiting room. The muted sound of a news anchor’s voice played from the TV mounted in the corner. I rested my hands on my lap, admiring the new bracelet Timur had gotten me two nights ago. I smoothed out invisible wrinkles in my dress, pretending I wasn’t completely out of place here.The yellow on my dress made me smile.Pchelka.Timur would have been here if he could. I told myself that over and over, trying to drown out the ache of his absence. An important meeting, he said. A necessity. Still, I couldn’t help but wish he’d been able to push it aside, even just for an hour. On all those days, my husband accompanied me. All those days except today.Apart from this exception, I’d had unlimited access to Timur Yezhov’s supporti
At first, I wasn’t sure. He was standing near the edge of the parking lot, leaning slightly against a lamppost as if he needed it for support. But then the tilt of his head, the shape of his stance—it all clicked.Jay.My breath caught in my throat. I hadn’t seen him in almost two months, not since Timur laid down his unshakable rule: no contact. I tried to move on, to bury my memories of the life we’d lived, the way his presence had always made me feel…lighter. But here he was, looking anything but light.A Band-Aid stretched across his temple, a stark contrast against his fair skin. Another wrapped around his forearm, and even from this distance, I could see how stiffly he held himself. He was hurt. Badly, by the looks of it.I didn’t think. My feet moved on their own, stepping off the curb as I closed the distance between us. A hundred thoughts raced through my mind: What happened to him? How did he get hurt?Most importantly, did Timur know?“Jay,” I called out softly, almost afra
Timur“What we need is stability and steady projection. Expansion can come later. We are already big enough as it is, and we’re doing fine. We don’t need to impress anyone.”Petrov Ludovico slid his briefcase across the desk, a smug look plastered on his chubby face, and with his vintage slicked-back silver hair, navy blue suit, and heirloom rings lined on his fingers, he was the pictorial representation of a bloody arrogant ass.I didn’t like him, and he didn’t like me, but he did good business. That was why, despite the urge to whack his face with the back of that leather briefcase, I opened the lid and frowned at the neatly arranged rows of mint green bills.“You think you can fucking buy me, Ludovico?”“Buy you?” He laughed, and the sound of his hoarse cackle grated my nerves. “Anyone who thinks they can buy the great and mighty Timur Yezhov surely takes delight in wasting his or her time. I’m not an idiot, Timur. Take that as an increase in my investment.”Shutting the lid, I pus
SerenaWhen I opened my eyes, Jayden and Matteo were not the only ones I saw, and we were no longer in an empty parking lot. Wherever we were, it was cold and partially dark, with buzzing fluorescent lights on the ceiling, shining over the center of the room, where I sat, loosely tied to a chair. I didn’t even want to know where it was; I just wanted to go home.Weeks ago, when thoughts of that same word came to mind, I only wished I was close to Jayden and back to our former life. But now, when I wished for home, it meant Timur. I yearned to see him again.Standing before me was the girl from the night of the escape, Leonara Colombo, Matteo’s sister, and an older man. They all dressed expensive and dangerous, except my brother. The older man and Matteo shared more striking similarities than I’d ever seen between two people, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out what their relationship was.“You’re finally awake. I was beginning to think we’d given you an overdose.”It was the gir
“Pregnant,” I repeated with more conviction.“I can’t believe that—”“That what?”“You slept with him, Serena.”Raising my chin, I glowered at him. “He’s my husband, Jay, and that’s beside the point right now. I have to protect my child. I need to get out of here. You have to stop them from getting to Timur.” Scanning the area to make sure we were really alone, I whispered, “These people—the Italians, you know they hate the Russians. If Enzo finds out I’m carrying Timur’s child, can you guess what would happen? He’d want to cause him as much pain as he felt when he captured Leonara. Jay, I don’t think I’d survive if anything happens to my baby.”Only then did the gravity of our situation sink into my brother. His eyes widened for a fraction before he cupped my cheeks and stroked reassuringly. “The only way that’ll ever happen is if they go through me first, and I swear on everythingwe hold dear, I’d die first before I let anything happen to you. I promise, Serena.”****The air in the
TimurI got to the house just as the last sliver of sunlight disappeared behind the horizon, casting long shadows across the cracked driveway. When our last search at the abandoned warehouse proved abortive, it was my best guess that Enzo had stuffed her in another one of his filthy hideouts. The bastard wasn’t going to risk shelving her in his house. That would have been too easy. And my guess was right.The place smelled damp and reeked of desperation.My fists clenched at the thought of Serena in there—alone, scared, in his hands. It made my blood boil. I gave a sharp nod to my men, and we moved in, guns drawn, every step deliberate and quiet.When Arlo told me the locals around said she’d followed after someone, my first suspect was her brother. Serena cared about him more than her own life; it made sense that he would be the only reason she’d have been that reckless, even with child.But I knew he wasn’t smart enough to pull off such a plan alone. He’d have needed the resources t
I was grateful.Andrei’s face creased with worry. “Are you okay?”I drifted back to the presence and nodded. “I just thought of Dad. I mean, isn’t it funny how I was able to meet you because of the shipment he hid?”“Tell me about it. You think Peter had this all mapped out before he died?” Andrei asked with a playful grin. “That he wanted me to meet you?”I shrugged. “He was a genius. It’s not completely out of the box. He worked with you, so he must’ve known how great of a person you are.”Andrei chuckled. “Your father watched me murder men in cold blood a few times. There is no way he would have wanted a man like me for his daughter.”I looked him straight in the eyes and corrected him. “Every father wants a man who would love and protect their daughter. You’re all of those things, and I’m sure he would have approved.”Even if Mom hadn’t been a fan of it at first, she’d adjusted pretty well.Andrei took my hands and kissed the back of my palm. “And I promise to always love and prot
GiselleSeven Months Later“It’s your birthday in less than an hour,” Mom said over the phone.For the first time since Dad died, she sounded happier, as if she’d finally gotten to that final stage of grief.Acceptance.The stage where even though the pain was still there, it just became easier to live with.I believed I’d also gotten to that stage.There were days when I missed Dad so much and wished he was still here, but those days were fleeting, and I found myself cherishing the memories we had when he was here.I’d shifted my focus to finding my own path in life and living in the moment. Andrei was the moment; because of him, I could live happily and smile freely again, something I never thought I would experience after Dad died.I stared blankly at the wall above me and sighed. “Yes, Mom. It’s my twenty-third birthday in an hour, and the only company I have is an empty house.”It was the first time I’d ever been home alone for a while now. Andrei made it a duty to always come ho
“I think we need to celebrate.” She leaned in and whispered. “Let’s sneak away from here.”I took her hand in mine. “Come with me.”She squinted. “Where are we going?”“You’ll see.”I led her to the rooftop of the building, closing the door behind us to avoid any interruptions and burying the noise of the chaos below.The rooftop was quiet, and the city stretched out before us, a glittering expanse of lights and movement. The night breeze was cool, carrying with it the distant sounds of cars racing down the street.Giselle stood beside me, her hands covered in mine as she admired the full moon and the bed of stars in the sky.Our fingers grazed, and it felt like the entire world had been set ablaze, the heat licking through my veins and the air cracking with a jolt of tension.The weird feeling in my chest intensified, and my pulse raced. It was a reminder of what she meant to me—what I’d just discovered she meant to me.I watched her, something in my chest fluttering as I admired how
AndreiThe air was thick with the aroma of burning cigars, the low murmur of laughter and conversation blending with the shuffle of cards and the clinking of crystal glasses.My fingers drummed idly against the felt-covered table, my gaze sweeping across my opponents.They were all seasoned members of the Bratva with hands that were scarred from bloodshed and dark eyes that threatened death.Antonio Morozov and Victor Volkov.We were all cut from the same cloak—all three of us—bred with cruelty, brutality, and bloodshed. Different in many ways yet similar in more than one.And at this table, every card we tossed was a matter of our pride. The joy that came with victory surpassed winning a war with a rival family.I’d always been a good player, only lost a game a couple of times. My skills were unbeatable, and everyone here knew it.But it was different tonight. Giselle’s presence made it different.She sat on the edge of a leather chair across the room, her back straight and hands fol
I wrapped my arms around his neck, reveling in the heat seeping from his body and into mine as he carried me to our room.His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, his body pressing against mine and enveloping me with warmth.We barely made it past the bedroom door when I shifted from the position in one fluid motion, wrapping my legs around his hips and tracing his lips with mine.His arm snaked around me, and one of his hands slid under my swimsuit, finding my bare breast and cupping it.I raked my fingers through his hair and kissed him. It was a hot, searing, primal kiss that evoked something deeper than lust from both of us. It was need, mixed with deep yearning.He deepened the kiss, dragging his thumb across my nipple and twisting it lightly.I moaned into his mouth, bucking when I felt his erection poke against my sex, and ground against him, desperate to ease the throbbing between my thighs.He slid a hand through my thong and cupped my sex, and then, fisting the thong, he ripp
I swam toward him, resting my elbow on the edge just by his feet and tilting my head to look at him. “It’s called a two-piece swimsuit.”“Ah, I see.” He whipped his head around and glared at his guards, a silent signal for them to look away.I laughed. He hadn’t just grown more protective; he’d become even more possessive and jealous as well. It was cute to see. “You know they’ve been watching me swim every day for weeks now, right?”“Well, they’re not allowed to watch you swim anymore. No man is allowed to watch you swim beside me.”I huffed. He’d just saved me from having to discuss the bodyguard situation. “How was work today, husband?”“I had a couple of meetings with thePakhanand a couple of members of the Bratva. All I could think of while I was there was coming back home to you.” He placed a finger beneath my chin and leaned in. “I missed you.”“Me, too.” I squinted and grinned. “I think I missed you more.”He pretended to think for a moment. “I doubt it.”Something about the w
GiselleIt’d been two months since the whole fiasco with the FBI and Tyfun-1. Luckily, the cops hadn’t found anything to implicate me with the drugs, and the news about it had become irrelevant.A lot of things had changed—like my relationship with Andrei.I’d started to truly enjoy his presence, with no fear or doubts attached, and I missed him in his absence—like a part of me had been torn away.He’d changed a lot, too, over the months.Although he was still that dominant, fearful, and brutal man others feared, he’d become softer with me. He smiled more now and didn’t have to pretend to be cold whenever we were together.To be honest, I didn’t think I could’ve pulled a better man than him on my own, even if I tried.It was the middle of summer, and the weather outside was scorching. Andrei wouldn’t be home until evening, and I’d grown tired of watching TV.I went to the pool outside, sliding off my robe and slipping into the water. I groaned as a blissful chill cascaded over me, was
And there was no way in hell I was going home tonight without the damn camellias.***When I got home, Giselle was standing in the living room, arms crossed, waiting. Her hair was loose, falling in dark waves over her shoulders. Her lips parted slightly as her gaze dropped to the box in my hands.She held her chest and exhaled. She ran to me, pressing up on her toes to hug me.I snaked one arm around her waist, hugging her back. She smelled jasmine and vanilla tonight—delicious and sweet.“I was so worried, Andrei,” she whispered, hugging me tightly, as if I would vanish into thin air if she pulled away. “You told me you were coming home hours ago.”I pulled back first and pressed a kiss on the top of her head. “I was coming home until I saw something that looked just as beautiful as you.”She peered at the box again but completely ignored it. “Did you get into trouble? Was thePakhanmad at you?”I looked at her long and hard—the way her brows creased with worry and her emerald eyes da
“I’ve seen how you men live. I’ll be damned before I let myself become that kind of a mess.”I nodded. I’d thought the same thing months ago, and here I was, risking it all for a woman I never thought I’d meet.She’d been freaking worried this morning, afraid of how this would turn out. I needed to go back home to her. I needed to see her face and watch her give that delightful smile when I broke the news to her.Rising to my feet, I smoothed out my suit and nodded to thePakhan. “I’ll be leaving now. I’ll give you an update if there’s any soon.”He nodded back. “Khorosho.”Dobryn was leaning on the white S.U.V. when I reached the parking lot. His face wrinkled with concern when he saw me. “How did it go, sir?”“Luckily, he wasn’t angry.” I climbed into the back seat, pulling out my phone to text Giselle that I was on my way home.The car roared beneath me, and soon, Dobryn reeled it out of the parking lot. “Where are we going now?” he asked, peering at me through the rearview mirror.