Ruthless Mafia Daddy

A Secret Baby Enemies to Lovers Age Gap Dark

Mafia Romance
(Mafia Daddy Series)
Alexis Lee

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Copyright © 2024 by Alexis Lee
All rights reserved.
No portion of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from the
publisher or author, except as permitted by U.S. copyright law.

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 Contents
CHAPTER 1
CHAPTER 2
CHAPTER 3
CHAPTER 4
CHAPTER 5
CHAPTER 6
CHAPTER 7
CHAPTER 8
CHAPTER 9
CHAPTER 10
CHAPTER 11
CHAPTER 12
CHAPTER 13
CHAPTER 14
CHAPTER 15
CHAPTER 16
CHAPTER 17
CHAPTER 18
CHAPTER 19
CHAPTER 20
CHAPTER 21
CHAPTER 22
CHAPTER 23
CHAPTER 24
CHAPTER 25
CHAPTER 26
CHAPTER 27
CHAPTER 28
CHAPTER 29
CHAPTER 30
CHAPTER 31
CHAPTER 32
CHAPTER 33
CHAPTER 34
CHAPTER 35
CHAPTER 36
CHAPTER 37
Epilogue.

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 CHAPTER 1

Arielle

“A toast to the soon-to-be couple. May their happiness be as endless as the

supply of liquor tonight!” the redhead sitting next to Julia exclaimed,
raising her glass to what would be the hundredth toast of the night.

“Cheers!” The rest of us chorused, clinking our glasses and downing the
contents. The waiter arrived just in time for a refill. The supply was really
endless.

“Oh! I have a special request!” Julia suddenly exclaimed, drawing my

attention from the waiter to her.

“As the bride, I’d love to make a little pre-wedding request.” She said
beaming.

“Oh, come on. He’s already perfect. One more quality added to him, and
there’ll be nothing left in the universe's stash for the rest of us.” The
redhead groaned, and I couldn’t help but laugh. She was fast becoming my
favorite person for the night.

“This one is not about me. This is for Arielle.” Julia continued, her hazel
eyes seeking me out in the low-lit lounge as all eyes turned to me.

The laughter was immediately wiped from my face. Nothing good ever
comes out of making me the center of attention.

“To my dear friend Ari, that she finally lets go of the rod perpetually stuck
up her ass, loosens up a bit, and lets herself be swept off her feet by a nice
gentleman.” She announced, lifting her glass.
“You’ll have better luck with a flying pig or a unicorn than this one.” Raven
snickered, earning her a smack in the head from me.

“What? In our five years in college, I never saw you speak to a man longer
than five minutes.” She protested, clutching her head.

My reply was cut short by the buzzing sound in my purse. My phone only
vibrates that way when a particular person is on the line.

“Sorry girls, I have to take this one.” I excused myself from the gathering,
making my way to the powder room.

Once I made sure the locks were secured and the stalls were empty, I
clicked on the receiver. “Good evening, Father.”

“Good evening, Cara. Fun night?” His eternally stoic voice filtered through
the speaker, and I felt my back straighten.

Father had that effect on all of us. When we were kids, the sound of his
walking stick on the floorboards had us tucked in our beds at nighttime, and
his voice was all the persuasion you needed to eat your vegetables.

“It’s going fine,” I replied, waiting for him to get to the point. He wasn’t the
type to call for chitchats and catch-up.

“I need you home. Do you think you can make it in the next forty-five
minutes or less?”

“Is everything alright?”

“Everything is fine, Cara. Just be home in forty minutes, and we’ll be fine.”
With that, the line went dead, and I stood in the bathroom staring at my
phone, beads of sweat coating my forehead.

One thing I was very certain of, a summon home was never one of
celebration. Either something was incredibly wrong, or you were about to
be given a new shiny identity.

I thought of ways to break the news to Julia. We were roommates the whole
of college and the duration of her relationship with Hayden. She made me
promise to be present for the whole weekend, and now, I couldn’t even stay
for the shower.

A tired sigh escaped my lips as I made my way back to the lounge. The
sooner I ripped off the band-aid, the sooner I’d be on my way home.

“Hey, can I speak to you for a bit?” I whispered to Julia, who followed me
without questions. “So, I’ve got to run. I just got a call from my father.
There’s an emergency at home, and he really needs me there.”

Her face fell at my words, and I could feel a twinge in my heart. “You said
you’d stay the weekend.”

“I know Julia. I planned to, but I can’t turn down a family emergency,” I
replied, giving her my best puppy look.

I was almost bouncing on my feet. I wished I could stay, but Father is very
particular about time, and as it was, I was already moving on borrowed
time.

“Yeah, I understand, but if you sort this emergency before tomorrow, show
up for the wedding okay?” she said, pulling me into a tight hug.

“I promise.” I lied through my teeth, returning her hug before bolting from
the lounge.

If I filmed my ride home for an audition for the Fast and Furious. I’m
positive I would’ve landed myself a role as a stunt double.

I rushed past the entrance, sending a quick hello to the butler, and made for
the imperial staircase. It was my favorite part of the house growing up, and
I always got into trouble from sliding down the rails.

“Good evening, Father.” I greeted him as I stepped into his study.

He was sitting behind his desk in his pajamas, his reading glasses perched
on his crooked nose as he observed the files spread out in front of him with
a scowl.
“Sit.” He ordered, not taking his eyes off the files. I gently lowered myself
into the chair in front of him, my heart picking up an unstable rhythm.

“I have a job for you.” He divulged, finally tearing his eyes from the files.
“This is a very important project, Cara. The subject is the most dangerous
you’ll ever work on, but the threat he poses is far greater than the risk,” he
added, pushing the files to me.

“The files contain all you need to know about him.” He paused for a while
before finally adding, “If you do a great job, Cara, this might just be your
last.”

My eyes doubled in surprise, and I pulled the files closer to get a proper
look at the subject. “Mikhail Ivanov. He’s a Russian Don?” I asked, my
surprise slowly changing to fear.

“Yes.”

“This is a job for the feds. How am I supposed to take down a Russian
Don? He’s not some mobster but a Don. How could I possibly…?”

“Cara!” His voice killed off every protest in me. He was the only one who
still called me by my birth name and not my work name. It was a very small
gesture, but it always made me feel good, like he still held on to my original
identity and didn’t want me to forget.

“You know how this works. We work with the feds from the sidelines, and
they only give us these jobs when the criminal has infiltrated the system.
This is very important, and a lot is at stake.” His eyes were blazing in a way
I had never seen before. This must be a huge deal. “What do you need me to
do?”

“We’re obviously no match for him in combat, so we’ll be relying on your

expertise. Get close to him, get him to warm up to you, and report all you
find. I’ve instructed Vivian and James to provide you with every assistance
you’ll need.”

“Is there something I should be looking out for?” I queried, glancing

through his file.
“Nothing in particular, just enough evidence to bring him in.”

“Alright,” I said, getting on my feet. “I’ll do my best. Goodnight, Father.”

“Cara.” He called out as my fingers wrapped around the door handle.

“Don’t mess this up.”

“When have I ever failed you?”

“I know. That’s why I gave this to you. Goodnight, kid.” A small smile
appeared on his lips, and he almost looked like the man who adopted me
from the orphanage twenty years ago, save for the grey hair and tired eyes.

“Get some rest. I’ll take care of it,” I assured and headed out of the house.

***
“Deep breaths, Cara. We’ll find a way around this, I promise,” Vivian said,
gently rubbing my shoulders.

I came straight to her house after my brief meeting with our father. Vivian
was the only kid I was able to form a close relationship with in the house,
and we’ve been like sisters since then.

“How am I supposed to do this? Have you even looked at his file?” I asked,
throwing Mikhail’s file at her.

“How am I supposed to get close to him? He’s barely at social gatherings,

and no one knows where he is or where he will be till he appears there. And
did I mention he has no social media? Just some news about him on gossip
tabloids, and they’re all about the woman practically throwing themselves
at his feet and all the businesses he has overtaken.”

“He’s quite handsome,” Vivian commented, holding up a picture attached to

the file.

I snatched it from her and threw it across the room. “Focus Viv. He’s also a
hardened criminal and a Russian Don. Seriously, have you even looked at
the whole thing?”
“Woah. Ammunition, drug trafficking, underground illegal business—is
that? Is that child trafficking?” her eyes practically bulged out of their
sockets as she took in everything on the file.

“Do you see my point?”

“Woah. This fucker has to go down.” She said, taking me by surprise.

Vivian rarely swore.

“I agree. The question is how?”

“I know someone who can get entry into any club in New York. We just
have to confirm which one he’s in.” Vivian said, grabbing her phone from
the nightstand.

“It says on the file that he’s barely out in social gatherings.” I pointed out.

“He didn’t become the ruthless Mafia Don he is by staying indoors. He’s
probably very private,” she replied, tapping away at her phone.

I could see the wheels in her head practically smoking. While she was the
most introverted person I knew and hated social interactions, Vivian had
always been very intuitive and good with picking patterns and details others
would ignore.

It’s why Father had her become a certified psychologist and away from the
limelight, unlike the rest of us. It’s also why she was the first person I called
on whenever I needed help to put together a flawless plan.

“So, I just got a reply from my source,” she said, putting her phone away.
“Mikhail is currently at The Rave, a club of his here in Manhattan. The
problem is, it’s extremely exclusive with a narrow client list.”

“We better get dressed then. We have a party to attend,” I said, making my
way to her wardrobe.

“Did you skip on the part where I said the club was strictly exclusive?”

“Father made sure there’s very little limit to where I can enter; perks of
being a spy,” I shrugged, grabbing a short dress from the wardrobe.
“And you say you’re not his favorite,” she sighed, dragging herself to her
vanity.

“If by favorite you mean the most dispensable, then you’re right.”

Vivian picked a short black dress and the tallest Louboutin heels I had ever
seen, and we were dressed and ready to go.

The ride to the club was fast and consisted of me taking deep breaths and
considering my best options and all the ways things could go wrong.

It was an exercise I loved to perform so I could be prepared for the worst-

case scenario. In my line of work, surprises were the worst and could cost
you your life. The car finally came to a stop after twenty minutes, and I
took a deep breath before opening the door and getting transported to New
York’s exciting nightlife.

The club was a sleek blend of modern architecture and marble walls with
glass panels reflecting the light from the street. Two bouncers flanked the
entrance, their imposing frames keeping imposters away and determining
who gained entrance into the building.

We were able to cut through the little queue in front using my membership
card and were quickly ushered into the bustling interior filled with patrons
and entertainers alike.
“Remind me again,” Vivian said, grabbing my elbow as we walked into the
club. “How do you intend to pull this off? I don’t see him here.”

“Don’t be obvious, but you see those glass walls up there?” I replied,
leaning into her. “That’s the VIP section, and I bet you a million bucks
Mikhail is in there.”

“That’s a bold claim,” she said, scrunching up her nose.

“That’s why I’m the one with the spy job. You see, when the glass get
double-tinted, it means something very important is happening behind
them, but they still want to have access to the entertainment down here.
Pick a man.”
“Huh?” Her eyes snapped at me.

“I said pick a man. I can’t cause a scene by myself. He has to look

dangerous but stupid, like a rockstar who peaked in high school.”

“That one,” she gestured with her eyes. “With the skinny jeans and leather
jacket with tattoos peeking through his shirt.
“Perfect. You enjoy yourself and wish me luck.” I blew her a kiss and
shooed her away.

I tossed my hair around a bit, lowering the neckline of my red dress and
puckering my lips. I was ready for action.

“Hey, handsome.” My voice dropped to a low, sultry tone.

He turned to me, his eyes widening as they landed on me. I’ve always heard
I had the best cat eyes and a body to go with it. I was pretty used to men
acting like dogs around me.
“Hey, gorgeous.” His eyes touched every part of me, and if I hadn’t been on
duty, I would’ve punched the lights out of him.

I traced my hand gently around the outline of his leather jacket. “So, here’s
the deal. I’ll go up there.” I said, pointing at the stage, “And I’ll dance for a
bit, then you’ll come join me. We’ll dance a little, and I’m going to pull
away, but you’ll try to drag me out of the club with you. And when you’re
done, you’ll walk away with five thousand. How does that sound to you?”

“Got a boyfriend? you want to make jealous?” he asked, his eyes not
leaving my boobs.

“Do we have a deal?”

“I’ll be right behind you.”

A sultry smile stretched my red-painted lips. “Perfect.”

I climbed to the stage, feeling all eyes burning into me as I moved my body
to the rhythm of the music. If I didn’t already have a job, I was certain I’d
be in Julliard or somewhere, making the most of my time. I danced for a bit,
letting my hands roam around my body as I moved to every beat. Soon, I
felt a warm body press into me, and I leaned into him, grinding slowly
against him.

Leather jacket knew how to dance, and he hit every beat with me. I counted
to fifty to make our chemistry a bit convincing before trying to pull away,
and he yanked me back into him with so much force I almost lost my
footing.

“Let go of me.” I seethe, my eyes burning with all the hatred I could muster.

“Think you can wind up on me like that and leave without giving me a little
something, huh?” His voice was loud and angry, and I was certain he’d
leave a bruise with the way he gripped my wrist.

We were gathering a little crowd at this point, and I knew all we needed was
a little more angst to push me in the right direction. So, I raised my voice, “I
don’t owe you anything, you piece of shit!”

Leather jacket’s grip on me tightened, and he tried to pull me off the stage
with him.

“Let me go!” I screamed, scratching at his arms.

Security arrived soon, and they tried to pry his arms off me while he
gripped me tightly, accusing me of being a tease.

He was doing a fine job. He had me convinced for a moment he was

actually trying to drag me out of the club for himself.

“What is going on here?” A cold voice reached my ears before I could see
the owner, sending goosebumps through me.

“Good evening, Don.” One of the security men said, and I bit back the
smug smile forming on my lips before turning.

My stomach did the flippy thing. Before me stood Mikhail Ivanov, all 6’3”
of him poured into a perfectly tailored suit. He looked nothing like the
picture I was given. Sure, he was handsome in the picture, but it did little
justice to his chiseled features and dark eyes.

“Let go of her,” he ordered in a calm but menacing voice, and leather jacket
dropped my hand like it was on fire.

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 CHAPTER 2
Mikhail

I am a very simple man. What I love, I deeply indulge, and what I hate, I
completely abhor. At the top of the list of things I greatly abhor is
witnessing a woman manhandled in public.

My meeting with Viktor was stretching a lot longer than I planned, and I
was almost bored out of my mind till I looked down and saw her. Dressed
in a red dress that clung to her curves like a desperate lover, she was the
most mesmerizing woman I’d ever seen. She was the only one on the dance
floor, and she had the audience by the neck, commanding their attention
with the sway of her hips.

The voices of the men negotiating in the VIP room faded into a dull hum. I
could only see her.

I watched with complete fascination until some rough-looking guy appeared

behind her, grabbing her hips in an all-too-familiar manner.

She chuckled and leaned into him and my fascination was watered down. I
forced my attention from her and returned it to Adam, who was still droning
about how his company was worth more than we were offering.

Just as we were about to seal the deal, a loud commotion erupted in the
dancehall, tearing our attention from the negotiations. And the sight playing
out on the dancehall sent my blood a good ten degrees hotter. I pride my
clubs as exclusive establishments that only provide membership cards to
carefully selected clients. Watching a man harass a woman in my club in the
presence of my new partners was a huge embarrassment to me, and I
stormed out of the VIP room, ready to wreak havoc on the bastard.

She was practically fighting her way out of his arms, but the bastard
wouldn’t let her go. Not even my security personnel could tear him away
from her.

Rage bubbled inside, sending my blood a few degrees hotter. I could only
see red, and it wasn’t the red dress on the lady. “Let go of her,” I ordered,
my blood simmering in my veins. I had expected a bit of resistance from
him, but his hands dropped at the sight of me. He wasn’t so stupid after all.

“Take him away,” I ordered, disgust etched on my face.

I turned to the woman to find her clutching her reddened wrist. She looked
like she was about to cry. “I’m sorry about that, I don’t know how the son
of a bitch got in here, but I promise it won’t happen again,” I said, walking
towards her. She lifted a brow in a questioning manner, and I figured she
had no idea who I was. “Mikhail Ivanov, club owner,” I said, stretching out
my arm.

“I’ll make sure he’s taken care of, and an event like that never repeats
itself.” At a closer range, she was a lot more breathtaking than I thought.
She had the bluest eyes, perfectly slanted and giving her a feline look. Her
painted red lips looked like they took a dip in blood, and I wanted to taste
them so badly.

She chuckled slightly, slipping her slender hands into mine. “Arielle. You
don’t have to do that. Creeps like him are almost unavoidable in places like
this.”

“Places like this?” I said, arching my brows. “I don’t know what you’re
used to, Arielle, but I promise you this was an anomaly, and you won’t hear
of a similar occurrence.”

“So, it’s me then. I’m the problem,” she muttered, her face falling slightly.

Her little confession caught me off guard, and I was about to counter her
claim, but the slight tremble in her lower lips gave her away.

I narrowed my eyes at her, and the laughter brewing inside her finally
pushed to the surface.
I couldn’t help the smile tugging at my lips as I watched her. Usually, I
preferred the head of anyone who attempted to make fun of me on a pole,
but I guess if they wore a red dress, had the brightest baby blue eyes and
long blonde hair, I’d let it slide.

“So, tell me, Arielle,” I started, steering us to the bar. We were sticking out
like a sore thumb, standing on the dance floor while everyone around us
had turned away from the scene and resumed dancing.

“Do you come here often?”

She scrunched her nose a bit, “Is that the best you’ve got?”

“Are you going to attack me at every corner?” I playfully shot back, a smirk
tugging at the corner of my lips.

She had a fighting spirit, but she was cute about it, almost like a kitten.

“No, I don’t come here often. I’m only here because my friend forgot to
confirm our invitation to a gallery opening, and I couldn’t dress up and go
nowhere.” She answered, hopping on the barstool.

I clutched my chest. “So, my club was an afterthought then? I’m hurt.”

“It’s not bad. I think I’ll visit again,” she replied, holding my gaze.

“So,” I cleared my throat, gathering my thoughts. “You said you originally

planned to go to an art gallery?”

Her entire face lit up at the mention of the art gallery. “Yes. There’s this
underground artist I’ve been keeping tabs on. His name is Xavier, and he
was having his first exhibit. Now, I’ll have to see the collection after the
exhibition like every regular person.” Her voice fell slightly at the end.

I loved how animated she was and how every emotion flowed through her
effortlessly. You could tell how innocent she was. She was very different
from the women in my world. She was missing the practiced smile and
overly high-pitched voice. Everything about her seemed genuine and easy.
The right thing to do would’ve been to leave her alone. It’s what every self-
respecting man would do. But thank God, I’ve never claimed to be one.
So, I continued my quest. “So, you’re an art lover, huh?”

“Yes. I love to see stories and emotions immortalized on a canvas,” she

replied with a wistful voice, and I saw my opening.

“I love art, too. Not really in the way you love it, but in a way that makes
you want to be surrounded by it.”

“You’re a collector?” The excited look returned to her face. “Do you have a
gallery or something?” she questioned, practically bouncing on her chair.

“Easy tiger,” I chuckled. “I won’t call it a gallery, but I do have a space in

my house dedicated to artworks. I’m sure if you look around, you can find
something from your Xavier guy.”

She regarded me for a while, a curious look in her eyes. My invitation was
loud and shameless, and I counted down till she was done with her
assessment and made up her mind.

“Your night was almost ruined at my club. It’s only right I return it to its
original course,” I added, hoping to sway her decision in my favor.

“Let me text my friend,” she said, plucking out her phone from a purse I
never noticed. “What’s your name?” she blinked at me, mid-typing.

“Mikhail, Mikhail Ivanov,” I replied, a small smile playing on my lips. I

was going to have the best night.

“Alright Mikhail, take me to your museum, and God help you if there’s no
art there, I’ll have you arrested.”

I let out a small laugh, helping her off the stool. “There will be enough art
for you to explore.”

***
“Woah,” she exclaimed as she walked into my Manhattan penthouse.
The space doubled as an entertainment area for whenever I was hosting an
event for the Bratva, hence the elaborate design and extravagant display of
art in every corner. I sent a quiet thank you to my interior decorator,
following Arielle as she walked from one canvas to another.

“They’re so beautiful. Is this really your house? It looks more like an

extravagant gallery.”

“In my defense, I gave you a heads-up. You just didn’t believe me,” I
replied, standing behind her.

My eyes traced the slope of her neck down to the curve of her ass. She
looked better than any artwork on these walls, and I couldn’t wait to see
what was hidden beneath the dress.

I followed her closely, watching as she took in every painting in front her.
She went on to give a lesson about some of the paintings. I already knew
about them, but she looked so excited talking about it, I let her shine for a
while.

“Care for a bottle of wine?” I offered, pulling her attention from the
painting in front of her.

“Are you trying to get me drunk, Mr. Ivanov?” She drawled out in a sultry
voice that shot straight to my dick.

“I don’t like my women drunk,” I replied, stalking closer to her.

“Mmmmh… how do you like them then?”

The playful, giggling woman before had disappeared, and in her place was
a siren with a smoky voice and eyes to match.

“Tall, blonde, blue-eyed, and sane,” I said, softly gripping her hips and
pulling her into me, and she slowly rolled her hips into mine.

“Aren’t you a fine bundle of trouble?” I groaned, tightening my grip on her

hips. My nose was invaded by the fruity smell of her shampoo, and she
peered at me with heavy lids.
“And what do you do with bundles?” Her voice was raw and breathy.

“I unwrap them.” I crashed my lips into hers, tasting the redness I’d been
dreaming of all night. She tasted like strawberries and martini. A fine
combination. Raw desire consumed my senses, and all I could feel was her.
My hand went from her hip, sinking into her hair and angling her head to
give me better access to her mouth. Her hands came around my neck,
tugging at my hair and pulling me closer.

She moaned, and I seized the opportunity to sweep my tongue into her
mouth, getting a deeper taste of her. I could kiss her all day and still want
more.

I kissed her like I’d been stuck in a desert, and she was the first drink of
water I was getting. I couldn’t get enough of her. It didn’t matter how deep I
thrust my tongue down her throat; it just wasn’t enough.

I moved her hair to the side, trailing my lips to the spot on her neck, and I
sucked roughly. “Fuck Arielle. I’ve been dying to do this all night.”

She moaned in response, her hands tugging at my tie. I got rid of it, and my
shirt followed shortly. Her dress was the next to go, and she stood in just
her panties and heels, looking like sex on legs. I let out a groan, feeling the
urgent need to claim her immediately. I hoisted her up and carried her to my
bedroom, leaving a trail of clothes scattered in our wake.

“You’re so fucking beautiful,” I muttered, admiring her spread out on my

bed.

“You don’t look bad yourself.” Her gaze lingered on the bulge in my pants,
and I chuckled, lightly recapturing her lips in mine. I kissed my way down
her throat, capturing a peaked bud in my lips while squeezing the other
between my thumb and forefinger, and her back almost flew off the bed.

“Mikhail!” Her moan came out breathy, and I almost creamed my pants at
the sound of my name coming from her lips.

I made my way down her stomach, taking my time to savor every dip and
curve of her body till I got to the pussy. I stared in awe as it glistened in the
low light of the room, practically begging to be taken, and my cock
tightened in anticipation.

“Please,” she drew out, looking at me through heavy lids. She didn’t need to
ask me twice. I spread her legs wide apart and lapped at her folds like a
starving man.

I focused on the swollen bud, stroking and sucking till she was a writhing
mess on my bed, and even then, I did not stop. I curled my finger inside her,
sucking harder at her clit till I felt her legs shaking, and she let out a loud
cry.

I didn’t have the patience to wait for her to ride out her orgasm before I
pulled myself up and slammed into her, pulling a louder cry from her.

“You like that baby. You like being fucked till you can barely remember
your name?” I asked, pulling myself all the way out before slamming back
into her.

“Yes. Oh God, yes.” She moaned, and I watched in fascination as her boobs
bounced with every thrust.

“That’s it, take this cock like a good girl.” I groaned, feeling my balls
tighten. If I didn’t cum from the sight of her spread out on my bed, her soft
whimpers were definitely enough to tip me over the edge.
“You take me so well,” I muttered, the sight of her pussy swallowing my
cock making me dizzy. I swear, everything about this girl tilted my world a
bit.

“I’m cl…..I’m close, Mikhail,” she choked out, and I could feel her walls
tighten around me. I increased my pace, rubbing her clit till I felt her stiffen
for the second time, and her hips picked up an erratic rhythm.

I gritted my teeth, letting her ride off her waves before I pulled out my dick
and watched as beads of cum covered her stomach.

I fisted myself harder till there was nothing left in my balls.

“Damn,” I exclaimed, collapsing into the spot next to her on the bed, and
she met my expression with a lazy smile.

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 CHAPTER 3

Arielle

Soft vibrations seeped through my fog of unconsciousness, pulling a tired

yawn from me as I felt around my bedstand to put an end to it, not ready to
leave the warm embrace of my bed.

Where is my phone? I wondered as the vibrations persisted.

I should really get out of bed. I had a long day ahead, but it was so warm
and hard I found myself sinking into its—.

Warm…hard?
My eyes snapped open, and I almost jumped out of my skin when I saw a
muscular, veiny arm wrapped around me.

The fog in my head immediately faded as my environment came into focus,

and the events of last night came flooding in.

Mikhail and I in the club; Mikhail and I in his house; Mikhail’s lips on
mine; Mikhail’s tongue on my clit; Mikhail’s cock buried in my pussy.

I felt my pussy walls clench involuntarily as my consciousness was

assaulted by very vivid flashbacks of our night. I traced my lips with my
fingertips, feeling the tender, swollen skin tingle. My whole body hummed
with pleasure that intensified when he pulled me closer, his warm breath
causing goosebumps to form on my neck.

I wish I could stay like this for a while, revel in this feeling, and probably
let him send me to cloud nine one last time. It’s been so long since a man
touched me like I was a work of art and devoured me like a wild animal, but
he just had to be a wanted criminal. As if on cue, the reminder watered
down the fire that was slowly licking at my lady parts, bringing me face to
face with reality.

With my lust-induced haze out of the way, his arms around me had the same
effect as having a snake wrapped around me—cold, unpleasant, and
downright disgusting. I couldn’t wait to put a reasonable distance between
us.

I was in bed with a criminal. Not just any criminal, a dangerous one, and I
was supposed to bring him to justice, not enjoy the feel of his body pressed
against mine. I immediately got to work, my heart picking up a dangerous
pace as I carefully unwrapped myself from Mikhail’s grip.

His rhythmic snores were a perfect contrast to my erratic heart as I slowly

untangled myself from his grasp, replacing myself with a pillow. I pulled on
my panties, the only piece of my clothing I could find in his room, and tip-
toed to the bathroom, needing to speak with Vivian without one of
Mikhail’s cameras getting in our way.

I had counted up to four of them from the moment we stepped into the
house. One at the general entrance, another disguised as an artwork in his
living room, and one on the corridor leading to his room.

“Is everything okay?” Vivian’s groggy morning voice spilled from the
speaker after the second ring.

“It’s all good. I need you to do something for me,” I whispered, making
myself comfortable in the water closet.

“Where are you?” I could feel her eyebrows scrunching in concern from
here.

“Mikhail’s bathroom, but that’s not important. I need you to contact James
for me. Tell him I’ll be needing him to override the CCTVs in my current
location, every one of them,” I said, checking out the products in his
bathroom. Every little piece of information was important. Something as
little as a brand a person frequents can turn out to be a significant giveaway.
“On it,” Vivian replied, and the line went dead.

I peeped from the bathroom, making sure Mikhail was still asleep. He
looked so peaceful in his sleep it would be difficult to believe the level of
destruction he was capable of. We had gone an extra round after the first
one, and while he was admittedly the best lay I’ve had in my life, watching
as he slept, pathetically clutching the pillow I placed in his hold, I couldn’t
help the feeling of disgust that crawled over me.

While I obviously hated criminals, I had an extra burning hatred for those
who were into trafficking. Why would anyone want to hurt children? And
he has built his empire and lavish lifestyle on the blood of those children
and the deaths he has aided by unlawfully distributing ammunition. I could
almost taste the sweet victory that would come after he was dealt with and
tucked away. The world would be safer if the likes of him weren’t free and
powerful.
It’s one of the reasons I pushed forward despite how dangerous my job was.
Knowing I was providing a safer environment for people, especially kids, to
thrive in kept me going, especially in tough situations like this one. I
thought about the kid somewhere whose life would be spared by my simple
act, and the job didn’t seem so daunting.

My phone buzzed with a message from Vivian saying the cameras had been
overridden and it was safe for me to come out. I looked ridiculous, sneaking
out of his room in nothing but my panties, moving from one corner of the
house to another till I completely assembled my clothes, held my shoes by
the strap, and got down to business. Mikhail did not strike me as the type to
stay in bed till 8 a.m., so the faster I worked and hurled my ass out of his
apartment before he woke up, the better for me.

My search started in the living room. I didn’t expect to find much there.
People rarely kept anything of importance in their living room, but I’ve
been in this work long enough to know most art collectors loved to hide
clues in their art. The abstract painting above the elaborate fireplace was the
first to catch my eye. It looked like it held lots of secrets with its black and
red swirls.
Standing on my tippy toes, I moved the canvas around, straining my ear for
movements or clicks. I also pulled it from its hanging position, inspecting
the wall behind it, running my fingers around it for buttons and hollow
areas.

I repeated the action with nearly all the artwork I could find in the living
room and corridor. Rehearsing the perfect explanation I had planned should
Mikhail find me in an implicating position. He already knew I was an art
lover, making it easy for me to escape suspicions. I could easily say I was
observing them, and in the worst-case scenario, he thinks I’m an art thief
and has one of his men hurl me out in the same manner they treated the guy
from the club.

Whichever way it went, the most important thing was that the situation did
not lead him to find out the truth about me. When I had no luck with the
artwork and the living room, I slowly progressed to the rooms in the
hallway. The first three were what I suspect to be guest rooms with white
walls, well-made beds, and empty nightstands and shelves.

The next was an almost empty room, save for a huge table in the middle. I
also passed an indoor cinema and gymnasium, and neither held useful
information. I was almost giving up when I stumbled into a room that
looked like it was both a library and home office, with tall floor-to-ceiling
shelves covering the walls and a large mahogany table neatly tucked into
the side of the room.

I quietly made my way in, scanning the roof and seams for cameras. The
table had a few files scattered on it, like he had been working on them
before coming to the club. I hurriedly took pictures of everything I could
find. I was slowly running out of time, and I’d figure out what was
important when I got home. Making sure everything was returned to the
state I found it, I called James to restore the cameras, and I made my way
out.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I’d been holding when I was safely out of
the building and on my way back to Vivian’s. Snooping around Mikhail’s
house had me tense and unnaturally alert. He had this air of chill and
darkness that seemed to have soaked into everything he owned, making you
feel like he was physically there watching you. Vivian was already waiting
on her front porch with a mug of coffee by the time the taxi got to her
house.

“How did it go?” she asked, handing me the mug. I took a large gulp, letting
out a moan of appreciation when the warm burst of caffeine hit my
tastebuds.

“A bit too well. I’m half expecting him to turn up here with a team of
security and drag me away.” I followed her into the house, settling into the
couch and kicking off my shoes.

Vivian rolled her eyes, getting onto the couch with me. “He won’t. He’s a
typical male in his masculine ego. They only see women as weak breeding
machines not capable of any harm even though history is littered with
hundreds of men meeting their downfall at a woman’s hands.”

“I found these,” I said, showing her the files on my phone. “I took the
pictures in a hurry, and I’ve not had the time to go over them. Most of them
are corporate jargon. I hope there’s something useful in them. The whole
house was practically empty.”

“A man like him probably has a house he takes his one nightstands and
associates to and another where he actually runs his business. He has a
public image to maintain.” She replied, taking the phone from me and going
over the files.

I leaned into my chair as the events of last night washed over me. I could
still feel his fingers digging into my hips, and my lips were partially bruised
by his harsh kisses. I was certain he left bruises and hickeys all over me,
and I needed to hop into the shower and scrub every evidence of his touch
from me.

Men were funny creatures, and it was almost laughable how much you
could get from them if sex was on the table. I learned very early to
weaponize my looks. It made things extremely easy. No one expects a
beautiful girl to be smart. The general misconception gives me a headstart
while they underestimate me.
“Did you find anything yet?” I pulled myself from my head and focused on
Vivian, whose brows furrowed in deep thoughts.

“They’re mostly work stuff, but this one stands out.” She handed the phone
back to me.

“It says something about needing signed approval for a cargo arriving at a
port in Russia in a few weeks,” she said, looking at me.

This is good. My efforts would’ve gone to total waste if I returned with

nothing but a sore pussy to show for my night.

“This might be from his illegal shipping, maybe the ammunition or children
from the trafficking. Get me your laptop. We need to report back to Father
immediately.” I nudged Vivian and swiftly fixed myself for a video call.

“Cara.” His monotonous response poured from the speaker. No good

morning, or how are you? Just straight to business.

“Good morning, Father. I have reports from the subject,” I said, sending the
images to him. His brows raised in surprise as he picked up his phone and
perused the contents of the file I sent him. “That was quick. This is why I
gave this to you. You’re very competent.” He praised, earning him an eye
roll from Vivian.
“I trust you had your tracks covered while you acquired these? Mikhail is
not a man we want to mess with, and if he sniffs out the slightest fish, he’ll
be onto us before we know it.”

“I was careful.”

“Good. What is the plan moving forward?” he asked, and that was Vivian’s
cue to join the conversation.

“Good morning, Father,” Vivian greeted, not meeting his eyes.

She always said he scared her—not in a bad way, though. he was never
mean to any of us or abusive, just very strict, and tough love was not
Vivian’s style.
His eyes crinkled at the sides as he watched her through the screen. “Viv,
glad to know you still remember your old man.”

“I was hoping she stays away from his radar for a while.” She went straight
to business, earning her a curious look from Father, who had indicated from
the beginning that this was time-sensitive and needed to be executed as fast
as possible.

“And why would this be?” he asked, leaning into his chair.

“Mikhail is a man of power and affluence, and he has women trooping in

and out of his bed every day. The only way Ari is going to get his attention,
let alone keep it, is by acting in a way other women won’t.”

“Go on,” he urged while I sat there listening as they drafted the next phase
of my life.

“She already set a tone by leaving before he wakes. Men like him are used
to the women wanting to linger a bit longer. A woman vanishing before he
wakes might be new to him. So, I propose she stays away from his radar for
a while and let him seek her out.”

“What makes you so sure he will?” he asked.

“It’s a thing of ego. He’d feel dispensable with how she left, and if she’s to
gain his trust, we have to make it look like it was all his doing, like he was
in charge from the beginning.”

I found myself slowly nodding in agreement with her proposal. I’ve dealt
with a couple of high-profile men, and I can testify they all had one thing in
common—a stomach that cannot digest any form of rejection. If you want
them hot on your heels, all you have to do is say no or act in a way that is
contrary to the affirmative response they’re used to and watch them hunt
you down like a sport. It’s something Viv called the natural masculine
instinct to conquer and dominate, and it’s seen whenever a challenge
presents itself.

Father leaned back into his chair, his brows furrowed as he slowly tapped
his lips with his index finger. “I was hoping she turned up in his office with
a job application or something. It would keep them in the same space and
speed things up.”

“That’ll be too predictable, and he’ll think she’s there because of him, and
he’ll throw her in with every desperate girl in Manhattan throwing
themselves at him. That won’t be good for us in the long run. Also, if we
intend to break him down, this is not a project you want to rush. A man like
Mikhail is not one to hand out his heart or trust like a Frisbee,” Vivian
countered, maintaining her stand.

“You decide the process, but I want results, and I want them as soon as
possible.” And with that, the screen went blank, and Vivian let out a heavy
exhale.
“He’s honestly not that bad,” I chuckled, watching as she dramatically
clutched her heart, earning me a glare from her.

“I never said he was. I remain eternally grateful to him, but that doesn’t
mean he does not scare me shitless.”

“This plan of yours, I’m not faulting it, but what if he doesn’t come looking
for me or he doesn’t find me? What do we do?”

“Sometimes I wonder how you’re both the smartest and dumbest person I
know. That man was totally into you at the club. He’ll be back. Men are not
as complicated as they pose themselves to be.” She replied with a sly smile
playing on her lips, totally enjoying this.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 4

Mikhail

“$500 million. That’s the most I can offer for your business,” I said,
watching as Levi Goldberg, the once high and mighty CEO of Goldberg
Inc., glared at me. He looked nothing like the blonde-haired, 42-year-old
that graced the cover of Forbes and several magazines with a blinding
smile. He had bags the size of heavy-duty moving bags beneath his eyes
with crow marks to match. Even his eye color looked slightly different.
“My business is far worth more than that, Mikhail, you know this,” He said
through gritted teeth, his glare intensifying.

“Yet here we are. Let me make this easier for you,” I replied, supporting my
jaw on my clasped hands on the table. “Your business is on the brink of
collapse. You do not have enough funds to pay off your investors, nor do
you have the funds to revive it. From where I stand, it looks like you’re
headed for the biggest lawsuit New York has ever seen in a long time.
You're not in the position to negotiate, Levi.”

Anger is a very curious emotion, one I find most interesting among all
others. It could be born from love, hate, jealousy, wounded pride, or
anything at all. I’ve come to know that all emotions can give rise to anger.
In the case of Levi, it was wounded pride.

Two years ago, I had taken a sudden interest in real estate and aimed to
expand my clubs into resorts and Airbnbs. Coincidentally, Levi was
expanding on his Trust and real estate business, and I contacted him for
collaboration, and his reply was a short and heavy “No,” stating he
preferred to keep his businesses clean.
It took a long time and a great deal of money, but I am a very patient man.

I infiltrated his clean business with more dirt than he could’ve ever
imagined, tearing it apart brick by brick until there was nothing left of it but
a looming structure haunting the streets of Manhattan and accumulating
lease.

He fought a good fight in the beginning. He hired private investigators and

internal auditors to take a look into his affairs, but he was no match for what
I planned for him. And now we were back where we started. He and I in a
meeting, a deal on the table, and this time, I wasn’t the one who needed
him. No one would buy a company with so many task issues and violation
suits. I was pretty much his only hope.

He glared at me for a while before his eyes lowered, anger giving way to
desperation. “Please.”

“It’s the best I can do for you, Levi. You’ll see my secretary on your way
out. She’ll hand you the documents. Once you sign, the money will be
made available to you immediately.” I said, dismissing him with a smile.

He will be an example to anyone who feels confident enough to talk shit

about me or my business.

“Was that Levi Goldberg leaving your secretary’s desk looking like a child
who was denied dessert,” Enzo asked, walking into my office like he owned
the place.

“And where was this secretary when you whisked your unwelcome self into
my office?”

“Right behind her desk, making googly eyes at me.” He smirked, making
himself comfortable in the chair Levi occupied.

Enzo was the only person who crossed my boundaries with no care in the
world. He was also the only person I would attribute the word “friend” to.
We got into a fight on our first day in college, and we’ve been closer than
brothers ever since.

He had no issues telling me off, the same way he found none of my requests
odd or questioned any of my demands. As a Don with no consigliere, I
never took his loyalty for granted despite how brass he was.

“I saw his business on the news,” He said, giving me a pointed look.

“Remind me not to mess with you.”

“Would that change anything?”

“No.”

“Then get to it.”

He heaved a sigh, shaking his head in what I hoped, for his safety, was not
disappointment.

“We’ve cleared the container at the Porte of Triste. It remained untouched

and sealed as you requested, and it should be in Russia in a month.” He
said, handing me a file containing extensive details of the shipment and a
picture of its current state as it left the port.

Enzo had majored in software and cybersecurity in college while I took up

business. In the course of our friendship, he had come to be the head of my
security team, and it was safe to say I trusted him with my life.

“This is the last security check it’ll be going through before it arrives at the
port?” I queried, going over the file.

“Yes. I’ve also alerted the team in Russia to keep an eye out for it to prevent
it from getting into the wrong hands.”

“Good,” I muttered, not taking my eyes off the files.

There was no such thing as wrong hands once the cargo got to Russia. The
port was a family business, and no one would touch a thing unless I gave
the order, not even the government officials.
“That settles it then,” He said, getting on his feet.“Will you be showing up
on Friday?”

“What is happening on Friday?”

He gave me a ridiculous look before answering, “A fundraiser in your

name, where some of your accumulated artworks would be auctioned off
for charity. You signed the agreement months ago.”

The mention of the word “art” brought my thoughts to a screeching halt,

and only one name echoed in my head—Arielle.

It’s been a week since my night with her, and there was no night I hadn’t
gone to bed without the image of her writhing on my sheets, replaying in
my head. That was the longest a woman had stayed in my head. I tend to
forget these experiences once they are over, and if I needed a repeat for any
reason, I made sure not to involve the same girl.

Simply put, I didn’t fuck the same girl twice, but here I was, wanting the
same girl again.

My time with Arielle was the only time I’ve felt inclined to go for a second
round in one night. She had me totally knocked out like a teenage boy after
his first time. It was honestly the best sleep I’ve had in a long time—long,
rejuvenating, and peaceful. I found myself oddly anticipating one last round
before she left at dawn. Imagine my shock when I woke up to a pillow
clutched in my arms and an empty house. She vanished like she was never
there, taking every bit of her and leaving me with memories.

It was the most unexpected turn of events. I was used to women finding
every excuse in the book to stick around, but Arielle was different. She left.
She didn’t try to stay, didn’t even wait for me to wake up, for breakfast, or
for any form of compensation for her time. And while I was very confident
in my sexual prowess, I found myself wondering if she didn’t have a great
time. One night with this woman, and I am left with so many questions and
an insatiable hunger for more.

I even tried searching for her. I asked my doorman and the bouncers at the
club, but she was like a ghost only I had seen, and that infuriated me the
most. And now, the door of opportunity finally opened right in front of me.

“Get me my secretary on your way out,” I called to Enzo who raised his
middle finger to me on his way out.

My door opened shortly after Enzo left, and Cynthia, my secretary, walked
in, arms clasped behind her. “You sent for me, Sir,” she said, standing in
front of me like a statue.

“Yes, Cynthia. Call the charity in charge of the art exhibit, ask them to
contact an artist, Xavier. Buy out his collection, old and new for the
fundraiser and get him to make a public statement about it before Friday.” I
said, scrolling through the artist’s page. He was surprisingly good.

“Yes, Sir,” She answered and left the office.

I couldn’t remember the last time I put effort into a woman. I have always
considered them a tasking investment with very low returns and only
indulged when necessary.

Arielle had sparked a curiosity in me, and I intend to see it to the end.

***

Friday rolled by in no time, and I found myself bathed in the reflections

bouncing off New York’s glass house. The structure was effortlessly one of
the few modern structures I appreciated in the city. I especially loved how
the floors and ceilings vanished at night, becoming replaced by the
reflections of the world around them. The perfect mirror, giving back to the
world whatever it threw at it while revealing nothing of what was inside.

The auction was already in full swing when I walked in with Xavier giving
a brief history on the piece that was currently up for bidding.

“Ivanov!” a burly-looking man sporting a low bun made his way towards
me as soon as I stepped into the bidding area.

“I saw the news. Congratulations on your latest acquisition.” He beamed,

holding out his arm for a shake.
“Thank you, Carter,” I replied dryly, not attempting to take his hand.

This was my worst part of societal events, the socializing. Why couldn’t
people attend an event and mind their business the whole time? Carter
eventually got the message and was out of my sight soon enough. Our little
exchange did a marvelous job keeping more people away from me.

“I’ve never seen a sponsor look so uninterested in his own event.” Enzo’s
voice reached my ears before he materialized before me, a glass of whiskey
in hand.

“If I hear Mr. Ivanov one more time, I’ll set this building and everything in
it on fire.” I hissed.

“You shouldn’t have come then. You’ve done a great job ignoring these
events.”

My reply died in my throat when a lock of blonde hair and a very familiar
laughter caught my attention. I followed the sound to find her eagerly
shaking hands with Xavier and posing for a picture.

She looked even more beautiful than she did two weeks ago, with her hair
neatly pinned to the side, enhancing her facial features.

“New mark for tonight?” Enzo chuckled, following my gaze.

“Something like that,” I replied, making my way towards her.

“Isn’t it breathtaking?” She asked as my footsteps slowed to a stop behind

her. She was currently standing in front of a giant canvas, holding a
champagne flute and staring at the piece like it held the key to eternal life.

“The artist called it the blank canvas because it is perceived differently by

all who come across it. Our interpretation of it is flawed by the realities of
our lives, but I like to call it the mirror. Whatever you make of it is a
reflection of your life.”

I looked at the swirl of color before me, appreciating the strokes and swirls
of the brush. It was also the first piece to capture my attention when I
walked into the room. It took no particular shape, but it did have a harmony
to it. It could be beautiful if you were happy at the same time. I could also
see the swirls forming a string of daunting, depressing loops.

“I think it portrays the artist’s struggles to balance the different emotions in

life. You only see that which resonates with you, but it doesn’t mean the
others are absent.” I could see her shoulders stiffen beneath the silky drapes
of her black dress before she turned to face me.

“Mikhail? Didn’t expect to see you here.” She said, a look of surprise
briefly crossing her eyes before being replaced by something I couldn’t
place.

“That makes the two of us,” I replied, taking my position beside her.

I watched as she took a sip from her glass, my eyes following her lips
wrapped around the rim of the glass to the soft bop of her neck as she
swallowed. She was absolutely mesmerizing.

“You think this is more about the artist than it is about the viewer?” She
questioned, returning her attention to the piece.

“There’s a bit of an artist in every work of his. You can’t have the art
without the artist,” I replied, observing how she did nothing to give out the
fact that just a few nights ago, we had our tongues deep down each other’s
throats.
No blushing or stuttering, she stood perfectly poised, appreciating the work
before her.

“So, you’re saying when we purchase art, we purchase a piece of the

artist?”

“I’m saying art is a form of expression, and what you pay attention to is
what resonates. It’s like those quotes you find on the internet. Some of them
feel like they were tailor-made for you, and you might find yourself saving
them, but they weren’t. The writer was merely expressing what they were
feeling at the time, but you found it years later, and it resonated with you, so
you saved it. It’s the same with art.” I replied, holding her gaze.
“Mr. Ivanov, I’m glad you could make it. They’re some people who would
love to thank you for your generosity,” Nora, the event host, appeared out
of thin air, wearing a ridiculously wide smile. “Not interested, Nora,” I
replied, my eyes not leaving Arielle, whose eyes bounced between Nora and
me like she was trying to fit the last piece of a jigsaw.

“This is your event?” She finally asked with furrowed brows as the clink of
Nora’s heels receded.

“Is there a problem?”

“Oh, not at all,” she replied, swirling the drink in her glass. “I do have a
question, though.” She seemed to have a lot of those tonight. She was a lot
different from the woman I met in the club. In place of the playful and
teasing siren I met at the club was a poised woman who seemed to be in
control of all around her.

It felt like we were involved in a dance of some sort. I pushed, and she
pulled back. I wanted to peel back every layer she had until she was
completely bare before me, not just her body but her mind, too. I wanted to
pick her apart till I found what made her stand out among every other
woman in the fundraiser.

“Go on.”

“Why children? There’s a lot of charities to support, so why pick children,”

She asked, peering at me intently.
Her question took me off guard. It was a question I never saw coming. No
one asked the reason behind these events. Some of them barely knew what
the fundraiser was for. All they saw was an opportunity to showcase the
extent of their wealth, and they seized it.

“Kids are the only innocent members of society, and I don’t think they
deserve to suffer because someone decided to bring them into the world
without preparing for them.”

It was the only answer I could come up with. Old people already lived their
lives and were going to die regardless of what they did. The same can be
said for terminally ill folks. But kids, they just got here.

Sometimes, I wondered what would’ve become of my life if my grandfather

hadn’t taken me up when my parents abandoned me for a life of pleasure,
hopping from country to country while I stayed home patiently waiting for
their short annual visits.

Grandfather eventually got tired of their antics and asked them not to return
unless they planned to stay. That was the last time I saw them till we
received a call about their demise years later. It was a part of my life I hated
confronting, staying in a monstrous house with housekeepers, no parents, or
siblings. I sometimes, in those moments, found myself wishing I had never
been born. I guess it’s where my empathy for kids came from. They were
the only charity I cared enough to donate to.

“That’s touching,” She said, holding my gaze. “I’m sure they’re grateful.”

“I don’t need them to be,” I replied, hating the uncomfortable knot forming
in my stomach. It’s been over twenty years, and still, a narrow brush with
the subject had a mood-altering effect on me. I cleared my throat, steering
the conversation in a different direction. “So, does this make up for the
exhibition you missed?”

“Not quite.” she chuckled, her gaze sweeping through the audience. “An
exhibition would’ve had art enthusiasts critically analyzing every piece.
You’re the only person here who appears to have the slightest idea about the
symbolism of art.”

“It appears I keep coming to your rescue in this situation.” I teased,

watching as that flirty smile I had become accustomed to stretched out her
lips.

“What can I say? You’re my knight in shining tuxedo.” Her eyes sparkled
beneath the fluorescence of the room.

There she was—the woman who had taken up a permanent residence in my

head for the past two weeks.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 5

Arielle

“The nerve of that bastard.” I seethe, pacing back and forth while Vivian sat
on the bed, watching me with a mix of concern and amusement.

“Do you know what he said?” I whirled around, mimicking Mikhail’s poise
and voice. “Kids are the only innocent members of the society, and I don’t
think they deserve to suffer because someone decided to bring them into the
world without preparing for them.”

I remembered it word for word. Every detail of his dishonest claim was
burned into my memory. It took every restraint in me to maintain a calm
facade while he spewed about his love and concern for kids.
“You didn’t expect him to magically tell you about his dealings after one
night, did you?” Viv laughed, giving me an incredulous look.

“I obviously did not. I just wished I could’ve forced him to eat his words
and tell everyone the charity was fake and he was only using it to cover for
his true nature.”

“That’s a smart move when you think about it,” Vivian mused. “Abduct and
traffic children behind the scenes while publicly sponsoring and donating to
their welfare. No one would suspect a child philanthropist to be a child
trafficker.”

“I just wish I could’ve done something at the moment.”

When I walked into the fundraiser, I originally thought it was merely an

auction, and my only aim was to get an autographed work of Xavier’s. As a
kid who grew up in an orphanage, seeing the digital banner about child
welfare really warmed my heart, and I ended up donating to the cause. The
orphanage and social service was a shitty place, and the only time we had a
moderately nice week was after donations and fundraisers.

Even though a huge chunk of the money obviously went into the pockets of
the management, for that period, we were fed better, treated better, and got
a few clothes until the eyes of the sponsors were turned from us and
everything returned to normal. Regardless of how short lived our joy
might’ve been, we always looked forward to these donations and
fundraisers.

It made me develop a deep feeling of gratitude to philanthropists. Knowing

that someone who knew nothing about me would shell out their hard-earned
money to support me while my parents did the great job of birthing me and
dumping me on the roadside when I was a whopping two months old
always brought me to tears. I spent some of the nights after these donations
wondering why strangers could help me, but my own parents couldn’t love
me enough to keep me.

Other nights, after some of the kids were adopted and I returned to my
lumpy bed alone, I wondered why no one wanted to keep me. Was I
unlovable? Then, one day, a grey-haired man with a crooked nose arrived at
the orphanage, and he insisted on leaving with me from the moment his
eyes met mine. Father saved me, and I promised to give all I could to the
system that raised me, knowing how difficult life was there. It’s where most
of my earnings went to date.

Watching Mikhail stand there as the model figure of a child philanthropist

triggered an emotion I didn’t know I possessed. A cocktail of hate, anger,
and helplessness burned down my throat, leaving a bitter feeling in my
mouth. After my shock wore off from the host coming to tell him people
wanted to thank him, it took all I had to not run after her and tell her he
should be jailed and kept very far from children and not thanked.

Fucking hypocrite.
“You’ll get him, Ari. You’re very good at your job. Besides, there’s nothing
you could’ve done at the event. We both know how obnoxious rich folks
can be, and he won’t be the only guilty person there. They’d call you mad.”
Vivian reasoned, pulling me into a warm hug.

“I finally understand why Father hates him so much and wants to bring him
down as soon as possible. Every day he spends outside, a child is at risk.” I
mused as Vivian held me.

I had often wondered why Father was very particular about bringing
Mikhail down in record time, and now I understand. Mikhail stood against
everything Father believed. While father adopted and sheltered kids,
Mikhail abducted and sold them to fatten his pocket.

“Have you reported the event to him?” Vivian asked, releasing me from her
hold.

“Yes. He maintained that the progress was slow and wouldn’t listen to
reason. Mikhail is very smart and strategic. One mistake, and we’re done
for. I’m ready to give all it takes to make sure this goes well, but Father has
other plans.”

“What did he say?”

“He’ll get me a job in the same building as Mikhail’s to increase our

chances of running into each other. After last night, this has become very
personal to me, and I need it to work seamlessly.” I said, collapsing into my
bed.

“It’s not a very bad idea. It’s different from what we had in mind, but it’s
not bad. You can be around him without seeming like you’re there for him.
When will you start work?” Vivian asked.

“Fucking Monday,” I groaned, pressing my face into my pillow.

She gasped, “Woah. Father works fast.”

“Yup, and he expects results immediately.”

“You’ll get it done. You’ve never failed at a project,” She said with a small
smile.

*****

“Good morning. I’m here for Mr. Vanderbilt,” I said to the receptionist
while she tapped furiously at her keyboard.

“Is he expecting you?” She asked, not taking her eyes off her monitor.

“Yes.”

I stood there for a solid minute before her fingers slowed to a stop on the
keyboard, and she turned her attention to me, her false lashes fluttering as
she looked me up and down. I was sure beneath all that makeup and
enhancement, she was my age, maybe even younger, but the way she
looked at me, you’d think she was my aunt.

“What did you say the purpose of your meeting was?”

“I didn’t say,” I replied, holding her gaze. I knew her type, and I knew just
how to deal with them. “Please tell Mr. Vanderbilt Arielle is here. He’ll be
very upset if he finds out you kept me waiting.”

She held my gaze for a beat before reluctantly tearing her eyes from me and
reaching for the telephone on her desk.

My chest hammered as I waited for her to alert Mr. Vanderbilt, my new

boss, of my arrival.

I halfway thought Father was bluffing when he said he’d get me a job in
Mikhail’s building on Monday, but he wasn’t.

My phone rang at five a.m., and he gave me the details of my new work and
asked me to report to the office by nine a.m. I threw on a pair of white dress
pants, a navy shirt, and my favorite pair of Kate’s and made my way to
Ivanov Corp., a towering glass structure at the heart of Midtown.

“The elevator to your right, fifteenth floor,” She hissed.

“Thank you,” I chimed, adding extra sway to my hips as I made my way to
the elevator. The elevator door opened to a wide, long corridor with
multiple doors on each side. Stupid bitch didn’t tell me which one was his.

“Arielle?” A sweet-looking redhead approached me, giving me a warm

smile. Definitely an improvement from sour-faced Sylvia downstairs.

“Yes, I am. I’m here for—”

“Mr. Vanderbilt. He’s expecting you. This way.” She ordered softly, leading
me to the door at the end of the hallway.

We walked into what looked like a conference room with a long table in the
middle and multiple chairs flanking each side. At the head of the table, two
men appeared to be engaged in a heated conversation.

“Arielle!” The older-looking member of the duo called out, waving me over
to him.

“Good morning, Sir,” I greeted as I approached him.

“Do away with the formalities, will you? Your father is a very good friend
of mine.” He smiled, taking my outstretched hand.

“Chloe here will show you to your office. If you have any questions, do not
hesitate to ask me,” He said, and I blinked at him in surprise.

That was it? No interview, no questions, he didn’t even tell me what my job
was.

“Is there something you’d like to add?”

“Not at all.” I smiled, bidding my farewell and following Chloe to a

spacious white room with a desk, refrigerator, and TV.

“This is yours. Any job the boss has for you will pop up on your computer,”
she said, moving aside for me to get a better look at the room.

“It’s a great space,” I said, looking through the wide window overlooking
the busy streets of New York. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She smiled, shutting the door behind her.

Two hours had passed, and I rebooted my desktop for the hundredth time,
and still no message. Was the plan for me to spend all day cooped up in here
doing nothing? My phone buzzed, and I practically rushed to the device,
releasing a sigh of relief when I saw it was a message from James, our
cyber guy. Father had instructed him to find Mikhail’s daily schedule for
me.
“His lunch starts at 2 pm and ends by 4 pm. Also, he uses the private elevator at the far left of the
building. His plate number is ABC-435, Good luck.”

I glanced at my watch, and it was exactly 1:55 p.m. Duty calls. I pulled out
the pocket mirror I always kept in my bag and fixed my look, adding an
extra touch of gloss and mascara, and proceeded to the reception. It was a
lot more crowded than it was when I came in. I held my head high and
walked to the exit, only stopping to send a sickeningly sweet smile to the
receptionist who glared at me. I had no idea where I was going. If I didn’t
see him in the lobby, I might check out every restaurant on the street till I
found the one he was in. Tasking but worth it.

“Arielle?” A cold baritone reached my ears before the owner stepped into
my line of vision. I had to force back the residual wave of anger that
coursed through me the moment I saw him, flashing him a polite smile in its
place.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, surprise evident in his tone.

“Good afternoon to you too, Mikhail. I do this thing called work, and it
requires me present from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Ever heard of that?”

He released a light chuckle, and it was the smoothest sound I’ve ever heard.
“I walked into that one, didn’t I?”

“Totally,” I replied with a small smile, finally taking him in.

A charcoal black suit that framed his shoulders so well, emphasizing the cut
of his deltoid and upper body. I blinked back the image of his shoulders
hovering over me that fateful night and focused on the task at hand. How
was it possible to be disgusted by a person and not their dick?

“Join me for lunch.” His tone was flat and direct, he wasn’t asking, he was
telling me to join him for lunch.

I could slowly understand how he rose to a great height of power. He didn’t

ask. He said what he wanted, took what he wanted, and didn’t leave room
for opinions and disagreements.

“Why?” I blurted out, causing that annoying smirk to appear on his face
again.

“Because it’s lunchtime, and we’re both going for lunch.” It was a logical
reason, and I was about to agree with him before he added, “And because I
asked you to.”

We were caught in a momentary stare-down with him still wearing his

signature smirk. I wish I could smack it off his face, but I was a girl with a
mission. “Lead the way,” I chirped cheerily.

With how fake and sweet I’ve been acting all morning, I won’t be surprised
if I develop diabetes on the spot. A Lincoln town car pulled up in front of
us, bearing the plate numbers James sent to me. Mikhail held the door open
for me and climbed in after me.
“Will you tell me where you work?” Mikhail asked as the car joined
Manhattan’s traffic.

“Why? You want to start sending me lunch,” I teased with a playful smile.

One of these days, when all of this is over, I’ll go and demand my Oscar
awards. I deserve one for my remarkable acting skills.

“Making long-term commitments?” He teased. It was almost unnatural how

fast he switched from ice cold to flirty.

Seems you’re not the only good actor, then, the voice in my head chimed.
“I don’t mix business with pleasure, and I think I’m loving the suspense of
not knowing where I’d run into you,” I replied with a playful wink, and he
let out that chuckle that had my stomach flipping. We arrived at a cozy
restaurant about twenty minutes away from the office and settled into our
seats.

I had expected Mikhail to take me somewhere high-end, luxurious, and

shiny, but this was different. This was better and incredibly comfy. As if he
read my mind, he said, “They have the best pot pie and chocolate milkshake
in the whole of New York,” and laughter spilled from my lips.

“Seriously, milkshakes and pot pie?” I asked in disbelief. Whatever

happened to steak and caviar? Those were the food for the rich.
“Don’t mock it till you’ve had it,” he said, waving the waiter over.

“I’ll have coffee, straight black, and the lady will have your chicken pot pie
and chocolate milkshake with extra chocolate fudge.” He ordered without
glancing at the menu.

“Do you always make orders for the women you go out with?”

“Only when they question my expertise. You can always get something else
if you don’t like it, but I doubt that’ll be necessary,” he answered.
“I agree. I don’t give anything the chance to disappoint me twice.”

“Was that why you left my house at the crack of dawn?” he asked, the
stupid smirk returning to his lips.

“What can I say? The thought of fake moans and orgasms was not
appealing to me,” I replied, faking a yawn and playing along.

We both fell into a laughing fit, a knowing look passing between us. We
both knew nothing about that night was fake.

“I’m a grown woman, Mikhail, and I understand the nuances of a one-night

stand. I wasn’t going to stick around and wait for you to show me out,” I
said when our laughter finally subsided.
His only reply was a raised brow. Our orders arrived, and we spent the rest
of our time talking about everything from the weather to the upcoming
election. The pie turned out to be surprisingly wonderful. It had the perfect
dough-to-filling ratio and the right amount of crust. I had totally forgotten
about my initial stance and moaned into my first bite, earning me a
smoldering look from Mikhail.

The milkshake was equally heavenly. I found myself discreetly saving their
contact info for next time. Mikhail’s ego didn’t need any more inflating.

“On a scale of 0-10, how would you rate the combination?” Mikhail asked
as we made our way to his car.

“Definitely a 4. And I’m only giving that because I’m very empathetic.” I
answered with a straight face.

“Was that why you stole their contact information?” Another wave of
laughter rolled off me. Of course, he saw me. The man didn’t look like
anything passed him by. I made a mental note to never text Vivian or Father
whenever I was with him.

“You can’t deny you had a great time,” he said, an evil smile playing on his
lips.

“I wouldn’t go that far if I were you, but it was better than our first
meeting.”
He stopped in his tracks, watching me intently. “Friday night, eight p.m. Be
at The Rave. I’ll have the security direct you to my private wing.”

“Why?”

“I won’t have you walking around with the wrong impression about my
club.”

“Are you trying to sway my mind, Mr. Ivanov?” I asked with a teasing
smile.

His answer was brief and straight to the point. “Yes.”

Something about the way he said it didn’t feel like we were still talking
about the club, so I slammed my mouth shut and got in the car.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 6

Mikhail

“Canaan called me,” Enzo said, stepping into my private lounge.

I stared at the bottle of Domaine de la Romanée-Conti 1945 in front of me,

thinking of all the processes it had to undergo before becoming the
expensive, well-sought-out drink it has become.

It started as a sweet grape. Then, it was fermented, aged, and sealed to

become what is highly sought-after and seen as a symbol of wealth.
Granted, it had lost its sweetness in the process, but it came out stronger,
better, and more valuable. If it had stayed a grape, it would’ve been sold in
the market like any other grape, sweet but without value. I liked to liken my
rise to power to that of the wine. It took long periods of fermentation and
even longer years of aging for me to get where I was.

I was put through fire and iron under the watchful eyes of my grandfather
while he forged me to become the perfect successor and nothing like my
father. And when he died, I had to prove to the Bratva that I was worthy of
the power that rested on me, that they could put their trust in me, and I
would crush their enemies. I spent years crafting the perfect reputation for
myself, making sure the sound of my name sent shivers down the spine of
men.

It was a long, daring journey, but I pulled through. And just like wine, I
became stronger, better, more valuable, and definitely lost every atom of
sweetness. Yet some people still felt the need to test the extent of my
ruthlessness. Good for them. I was always in the mood to show them how
bad it can get.

“What are you going to do to him?” he questioned, carefully observing me.

“I’ll know when I see him,” I replied, my eyes not leaving the bottle in front
of me.

I could feel my blood like hot lava coursing through me, setting every part
of me aflame.

“I’ll question him. He didn’t pull this off on his own. He had help, not just
on the outside but on the inside,” Enzo said, settling into the sofa across
from me.

My vision was clouded with red, and I honestly didn’t give a shit whatever
he said. I just needed to get my hands on the rat. Shortly, my men dragged
in a scrawny-looking man, tossing him at my feet.

“That’ll be all.” I dismissed them, my attention on the man who suddenly

got on his knees.

“I swear I didn’t know it was you, man. They didn’t give me details. If I’d
known it was you, I wouldn’t have taken the offer, I swear!” he rambled off
as I stalked towards him.

“What is your name?”

“Adam,” he replied, his eyes frantically searching mine.

With every step I took forward, he crawled back on his knees until his back
hit the wall.

“And who didn’t give you details, Adam?”

“I don’t know, they didn’t tell—”

I slammed my fist into his face, loving the feeling of his nose crunching
beneath my hand. His screams of anguish were like beautiful crescendo
notes on a keyboard. I’ve missed this feeling. The downside of having
everyone scared of you and out of your way is you miss out on all the fun.
Not today, though. If someone had the guts to try planting a bomb in my
hotel, then I must’ve become a bit soft.
“Here’s what we’re going to do. For every lie you tell, I break a part of you,
and when I’m done breaking you, I’ll keep you alive till I find who sent
you. Then I’ll send the both of you to hell. But if you tell me now, I’ll make
sure your death is swift and painless.”

“I told you!” He cried, clutching his bloody nose. “I don’t know them. They
delivered the package to my front door with instructions on what to do and
a burner phone to authorize a transaction if I accepted the job!”

“And where is this burner?” Enzo asked, casually leaning on the wall
behind me.

Sometimes, I wondered if there were stories of his childhood he never told

me. His parents were both award-winning scholars, and he had no tie to
crime, but he never flinched whenever I tortured someone. He sat in the
corner and watched with a bored expression, butting in to ask a few
questions were necessary, and if the blood got on him, he simply pulled out
a handkerchief and wiped it off. The first time he saw me covered in
someone’s blood, he asked no questions. He simply observed the scene in
front of him and drafted a plan to find the accomplices and bring them in.
Ever since then, he’s become my accomplice.

“I don’t know, man. I threw it away when it went dead.” Adam continued to
cry, gripping his nose. “I swear if I knew who they were, I would’ve told
you. Why would I want to protect them?”

I observed him closely as he cried. Something about him was off. He

looked scrawny from a distance, but a closer look at him revealed lean,
toned muscles. His cries also seemed a bit exaggerated. He was lying. Fury
shot through me, and I pulled him by the collar, slamming him into the
wall.

“Listen here, you piece of shit,” I seethed, “If there’s something I hate more
than rats, it’s lying rats. So, I’m going to ask one more time, and if you lie
to me, I’ll start with your family. I’ll have you watch as I disembowel them
in front of you, one after the other, until you’re the only thing left of your
sorry lineage. Then, I’d feed you their remains until you burst from
digesting them.”
“Good thing I already killed everyone before me and got a vasectomy.” The
pleading look on his face melted away, giving room to cold eyes and a
sinister smile.

Perfect.

Something I learned about torturing people from my grandfather was that

until they revealed their true selves to you, you were barely started, and this
one right here had someone precious to him, or else he wouldn’t have risked
his cover to tell me he has no family.

“We’ll see about that, Adam,” I smiled, holding his eyes. I could see his
newfound confidence falter. He knew he should’ve kept his mouth shut.

“You know it doesn’t matter what you do to me. He’ll come for you. He’ll
find you, and he’ll destroy you piece by piece, and when you kill me,
several others will rise in my place. It’s over Ivanov.” He spat.

This wasn’t the first time I had heard those words, nor was it the second. If I
got a dollar every time I’ve been threatened with those words, the Swiss
bank would have nothing on me.

“You’ll end up just like your pathetic father with nothing to your name, and
you’ll be forgotten faster than I can snap my f—”

I whirled around so fast I almost lost my footing, delivering a second blow

to his face. The sound of his bones bone crunching and agonizing screams
filled the air as I continued to pound his face with my hands.

Blood covered my shirt and face, and I was certain by the time I was done,
my knuckles would be badly burst, but I wasn’t stopping. My father being a
failed Don was a shame I carried like a chip on my shoulder, and I hated to
be reminded of it. A failed Don was an embarrassment to all who were
related to him, and it was one of the reasons I had to fight so hard to cement
my place in the Bratva, and this bastard dared to bring it up.

“Mikhail, we still have to get information about the burner from him.” Enzo
reminded me carefully, but I couldn’t care less about his burner. Every bit
of me was shaking with rage, and the only thing that would calm me was
taking the last breath from this rat. I needed to be the last face he saw on his
way to the other side, so I’d haunt him even in hell.

When his face was sufficiently battered, and his breaths came out in
shallow pants, I forced his eyes open, wrapping my hands around his neck,
squeezing tightly. I stared deep into his soul till I saw the life leave his eyes.
A soft gasp interrupted my moment, and I turned to see Arielle staring
wide-eyed at me, her face contorted with horror.

Shit!

In my rage, I had totally forgotten I instructed the security to give her a free
pass when she arrived. Fuck! I must look like the devil covered in another
man’s blood with my hands wrapped around his neck.

“Arielle,” I started, getting off Adam’s limp body on the floor. I had no idea
what I was going to say to her. I only knew I didn’t like the way she was
looking at me, and I didn’t want this to be the last image of me in her head.
She merely shook her head, taking a few steps back, and bolted from the
door. She looked at me like I was a monster.

“Should I get the men to stop her?” Enzo’s voice called from behind me.

I had totally forgotten he was in the room with me.

“No. Let her go.” Anything I do now would be against me, and having the
guards hold her against her will would only scare her more.

“And who is she?” He asked, not moving from his spot on the wall.

“Arielle.” That was the only answer I could give.

Sensing my unwillingness to talk about her, he redirected his attention to

the body on the floor. “What do we do with him?”

“Find his address, gather everything information about him, and see if you
can find the burner he spoke about,” I ordered, making my way to the
bathroom.
“And Enzo,” I paused midway. “If he has any surviving family, old, young,
infant, dying, close, or distant, I want them dead. I want anything that
shares DNA with him wiped off this earth.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 7

Arielle

A cold feeling settled in the pit of my stomach as I watched as the steam

from my coffee mug slowly disappeared into the thin air till there was none
left. I used to imagine myself as a magician when I was younger, muttering
gibberish at the steam from my teacup and smoke from the chimney, hoping
it would take the shape of whatever I willed it to. Some days, it was a
chocolate bar. Other days, it was a rabbit. There were times I tried to
convince myself I saw a distinct shape form and even tried to convince the
other kids to see it with me.

Sometimes, they complied. Other times, they told me I wasn’t Harry Potter,
and the steam was not changing. This time, I didn’t need my imagination,
and I didn’t need to convince someone to tell me they could see the steam
from my mug taking shape. It had an angular jawline, cheekbones sharp
enough to slice through paper, and dark onyx eyes. The image of Mikhail
squeezing the life out of that man’s neck still haunted me. I wasn’t shocked
by any means. I’ve witnessed my fair share of murders and partaken in
some, but this was something else.

It wasn’t the way he battered the man’s face that horrified me, nor was it his
blood-covered face and suit. It was the way he forced the man’s eyes on
him, staring deep into his soul till his movements finally slowed to a stop,
and his body lay limp. Even then, he did not stop. He squeezed and
squeezed till an audible crack echoed throughout the room, and my gasp
was both planned and instantaneous.

If I quietly left without a word, his men would inform him I came around,
and he’d figure out what happened. I had to make myself known somehow
and leave before he could get to me. It was the only way I could use the
situation to my advantage. Anything else might’ve raised his brows in the
wrong direction.

Letting out a soft sigh, I picked up my mug and made my way to the
kitchen, emptying its contents in the sink, and fixed myself a new cup. I
hate the taste of cold coffee more than anything. I don’t know how people
were able to stomach iced coffee. Beverages should be warm or hot, in my
opinion.

The digital clock above my cooker read 11:11 a.m. I had five hours till it
was time for my dinner date with Julia, and I wasn’t going to miss it for
shit. My new project had taken up most of my time, and I ended up missing
her wedding. I felt incredibly bad when she sent me a voice recording
saying she would’ve loved for me to give a little speech at the reception
since I was there from the start of her relationship to the proposal and,
finally, the wedding. I proposed a dinner date when she got back from her
honeymoon to properly apologize and explain why I couldn’t be there.

My excuse wasn’t going to be any different from the one I’ve been giving
our whole time in college. I was only going to decorate this with a wedding
gift and hope it eases her pain. While there were certain liberties and
privacy that came with living a double life, the constant secrecy begins to
weigh on you, and you start struggling to maintain the balance. There were
so many events I had missed in college, alongside important moments I had
missed in the lives of my friends because I had a different life that
sometimes required a little too much effort.

Father also made sure we all went to different universities, with me being
the only one in New York. He said it would help us socialize and form
better connections with the outside world instead of just holding on to each
other, but what difference did it make if you were barely around? All they
knew was the sob story I fed them about how my mother left when I was
young, and my father was terminally ill and required a lot of care. So,
whenever I said I had to go see my father, I could see the look of pity and
concern forming in their eyes.

It pained me to lie to them, but I understood how important my job was.

Father said to think of it as my little way of protecting them and being their
guardian angel because the criminal I fail to put away today might be the
cause of a loved one's death tomorrow. It was a fair point, but sometimes I
just wished I was a regular girl without the responsibility of protecting
others. I grabbed my mug, making a mental note to not let it cool while I
opened my laptop and went over my next line of action with Vivian.

I opted to speak over the phone so I could get the time to see Julia. It was
honestly the least I could do considering the situation. Her suggestions were
the same as what I had in mind: avoid Mikhail at all costs and fall off his
radar. Basically, everything a regular girl would do after witnessing such a
scene and let him come to me. It could be to threaten me to silence me. It
could be to talk things through.

My money was on the first option, and that was the scenario I prepared for.
It was very unlikely for a man like Mikhail to be interested in talking things
through. He did try to come after me after he saw me watching, and he
could’ve sent his guards after me when I tried to leave if he needed to
silence me. Father didn’t feel the same about our new plan and was still on
my neck again about progress, and my patience was wearing thin with
every new demand.

He has been extremely anxious since he saw the details of the cargo
Mikhail was expecting, and now he wants me to do everything within my
power to find out every detail about it. I was slowly getting a headache
from rehearsing the situation. I slammed my laptop shut and decided to
occupy myself with preparing for my dinner with Julia.

Spending some time with someone who was neither a target nor a member
of my family was exactly what I needed and would go a long way to
refreshing my mind and readying me for the next hurdle. It’s why I
bothered making friends in college—to have regular folks who reminded
me how to live and not lose my humanity with all the evil I saw in my
work.

*****

“Marital glow sure looks great on you,” I said as Julia walked towards me. I
had picked out a cozy, high-end restaurant in Hudson. I wanted to treat Julia
while at the same time making sure I kept my distance from Manhattan. A
blush the shade of her crimson bodycon crept to her face, and a sheepish
grin appeared on mine. I couldn’t wait to hear about her travels and her time
with her husband.

I’ve always thought marriages to be beautiful and would love to start a

family of my own after I’ve retired from my job. But till then, I’ll love
voraciously through my many friends.

“You would’ve known all about this marital glow if you maintained
contact.”

And there we go. She didn’t even wait to settle into her seat before berating
me.

“Don’t I get a hug?” I pouted as I watched her slip into her chair. With a
heavy sigh, she got up and pulled me into a bone-crushing. “You’re lucky I
love you so much.”

Her little admission tugged at my heart. I cleared my throat, dissolving the

tight ball of feelings that had formed. “I love you too, babe.”

“Good.” She released me and settled into her seat. “My apology, let me hear
it. And,” she lifted a finger, silencing my next words, “It better be worth it,
else I’ll hop on this table and tell the world about how you abandoned me.”

I had no doubt in her ability to do that. Julia was like a bright ball of sun
and wore her bubbly, crazy personality like a badge of honor.

“First,” I lifted the wrapped gift I kept under the table and handed it to her.
“Happy married life.”

She took and peeped into the back, nodding at the content. “That’s a good
start. Go on.” She placed the bag next to her.

A soft smile tugged at my lips as I watched her little display. I knew she
would forgive me. She wouldn’t be here if she wasn’t going to, and I didn’t
take her benevolence for granted.
“I’m sorry, Julia.” I started, holding her hand on the table. I knew how
much she wanted me to be at her wedding. We had spent the last weeks of
our final semester fantasizing about when Hayden would propose and how
she’d respond. And when he did propose, she texted me immediately, and
we began planning what the wedding would be like.

“I wanted to be there. I wanted to be present in every chapter of your story,

but you know, my father’s condition is getting worse. I think I might lose
him soon.” I said, forcing a tremble into my voice.

“Oh dear,” she clasped my hand in hers, rubbing softly. “You should’ve
called or left a message. I would’ve helped in any way I could. You don’t
have to always do everything yourself.” She said, worry etched on her
pretty face, and I felt the strongest wave of self-loathing consume me.

There was barely any difference between Mikhail and I at this moment.
Living double lives and lying to people about our true identity. Except
Mikhail did not lie, he was exactly who they said he was, and he didn’t
even have a second name. I shook the thought away from my head. There
was no way I was going to compare myself to that monster. What I did, I
did for good.

“I couldn’t have burdened you with my problems on your happiest day. It

was enough for me to watch you be a beautiful bride from the sidelines. My
presence would have dampened the aura.” I let out a sad smile, guilt forcing
my hands to slowly fall from hers.

“How is he now, your father?”

“Alive. I don’t think he’ll be for long, but he is today.” I drew in a deep
breath, growing increasingly uncomfortable with the topic.

“Enough about me and my old man. Tell me everything, from the places
you’ve been to your experiences being a wife. I want to know every detail.”
The brightest smile took over her face, and I felt my heat spread through my
heart. She was happy, and I so loved that for her.

“Well, first we went to—.” She stopped abruptly, her brows knitted as her
gaze swept across the restaurant. “Won’t you feed me before drawing all the
juicy details from me?”

“Don’t worry, babe, I ordered a meal fitting for a bride. It’ll be here in no
time.” I chuckled, and her initial excitement reappeared.

“First, we went to Barcelona. You know I’ve always wanted to see the
structures from Dan Brown’s books,” she rambled off, talking about all that
had happened in the past few months, from her travels to the things she
bought and information on all the craziest places she and Hayden had sex as
they traveled. I listened with rapt attention, soaking up her words like a
sponge.

“What about you? What’s up with you these days?” she asked, her mouth
filled with the “marry me chicken” on her plate.

“Well, I got this job at—”

“Nope! Not that. I’m asking about you, Ari. You’ve devoted your whole life
to work and your father. You deserve to find love and some happiness, too.”

“There may be someone,” I lied through my teeth, and she squealed at the
revelation.

I whipped up a sappy story about how I bumped into him at a restaurant,

and we’d been on two dates, and it looked promising. It was my only way
out of the conversation; else, she’d spend the next couple of minutes
educating me on the importance of love and companionship. We were on
our third bottle of wine, and my tummy ached from all the food and
laughter, but I wouldn’t have any other way. We jumped from story to story,
taking multiple trips down memory lane and sharing pictures and videos
where necessary. I felt lighter than I’d felt in the past months, and my heart
was filled.

“You keep me posted on that cute guy and make sure you don’t chase him
away with your bad communication skills.” She teased as she made her way
out of the booth and got ready to go.

“I will try.” I laughed, getting on my feet to hug her.

“You must. Don’t be a stranger, Ari.” She whispered into our hug, and I
could only muster a nod in return.

I decided to stay back in the restaurant for a little while, nursing my last
glass and reveling in the peace till it was time to return to reality.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 8

Mikhail

“What do you mean you couldn’t find anything on him?” I barked at the
men standing in front of me. “You’re standing here, telling me you couldn’t
find anything on one man for the past three days?”

“We’re sorry, Don,” Alonzo, the leader of the group, said, his head hanging
low.

Enzo was able to do a clean sweep on Adam and managed to find who sent
him. All these idiots had to do was to fucking bring him to me, and they
couldn’t do that. They stood there, hands tucked behind them and their
heads hanging down to tell me one man eluded all three of them.

“I don’t need your sorry, Alonzo! I gave you a task, now you get out and
don’t come back till you’ve found that rat and bring him back to me,
ublyudki!” I cursed, and they practically scrambled out of my office.

I pulled at the knot of my tie, tugging it loose as I leaned back into my

chair. Frustration coursed through me like oxygen circulating around my
system. I’ve not had one night of complete peace since that bastard decided
it would be a good day to plant a bomb in my hotel, and incompetence was
the last thing I needed on my team right now.

Enzo and I did not employ every method in the book to find Adams’
contractor for these idiots to stand before me and tell me they couldn’t find
one man after three days. I heard my door open, followed by the familiar
click of Cynthia’s heels. “Mr. Ivanov, you have—”

“Not now, Cynthia.”

“But your meeting—”

“Cancel it.” I gave her a pointed look, and she left without another word of
protest. At the center of my frustration was a blonde with blue eyes and
feline features. I finally gave up on leaving my chances to fate and had
Cynthia find out which office she worked in, and they said she had not been
at work in four days. I realized that in all the times I’ve spent with this
woman, I’ve been so immersed in the moment I forgot to take her number.

And even if I did get it somehow, I doubt she’d be willing to talk to me. She
clearly wanted to avoid me, and she wanted it bad enough to put her job in
jeopardy to put ample distance between us. I could hardly fault her. I
wondered what she must’ve felt when she saw me covered in blood and
strangling a man to death. She already looked at me like I was a monster.
That much was pretty evident in the way her eyes widened, and she took a
few steps backward before bolting.

I shook my head in an attempt to dissolve the look in her eyes that’s been
burned to my brain and failed woefully. Haunted blue eyes have followed
me wherever I went. We were almost making progress. I invited her to the
club to change her mind about my establishment, and I just had to make
things much worse. The man who groped her weeks ago probably appeared
like a saint with a glowing halo in comparison to me.

Growing suddenly tired of waiting around for people to bring me half-assed

results, I decided to take matters into my own hands. I grabbed my jacket
and texted Enzo to prepare for me. He was the only one who could help
with the situation.

“Cancel everything in my schedule for today and tomorrow,” I said to

Cynthia on my way out of my office. I had more pressing issues to attend,
and the others could wait.

“At this rate, I should probably demand to be added to your payroll,” Enzo
said as I walked into his house.

I never quite understood the use of a home that was practically glass. Sure,
it worked with clubs and boutiques, but who wanted to be watched 24/7? In
his defense, the walls were very high, and the glass was bulletproof and
could be dimmed, but even that did not sell me. I swear, sometimes, I’m
convinced the idiot had a mental disorder.

“When you’re ready, you can send your CV to Cynthia. Be sure to sneak in
your position as my bitch to widen your chances,” I replied as I sank into
his sofa, the only good thing about his showcase of a house.

“What was so urgent you had to leave your office?” He handed me a glass
of whiskey, watching me like a hawk.

I found myself unnaturally reluctant to divulge the details of my

relationship—if it could be called that— with Arielle to him. I was yet to
understand what I felt for her. I just knew it was a feeling that made me
want to absorb her into my veins.

“Those idiots are yet to find him,” I replied, stalling. I’ll come around it, I
just needed to ease into it.

He chuckled, crossing one leg over the other, “Would you want me to look
into it myself?”

“No. You have more important things to attend to.” I waved him off. “And I
don’t pay them to sit on their asses. They’ll find him.”

We fell into a comfortable silence with Enzo on his phone and my head
thrown over the backrest of the sofa.

“There’s someone I want you to find.” I finally broke the silence, my voice
calm and steady, not lifting my head from the sofa.

I could feel Enzo’s attention on me as he let out a slow “Who is he?”

“She.” I corrected, lifting my head off the backrest.

A knowing look crossed his eyes before he stood to grab his laptop from the
corner of the living room. I gave up figuring out how many laptops he had
and how he managed to always materialize one immediately a long time
ago. You could be in the wilderness starving and thirsty, and Enzo would
still manage to pull out a laptop from the thin air if the need arose.
“And does this mystery woman have a name?” he locked eyes with me.

“Arielle. Arielle Hemsworth.” I rasped out. Even her name made me

breathless.

“Does Arielle Hemsworth happen to be the gasping blonde bombshell at the

club the other night?” He asked, his hands working the keyboard at a speed
my eyes struggled to keep up with.

I nodded wordlessly, and his lips curled in amusement. “You have

something to say, Moretti?”

“Not at all. I just never thought I’d see the day almighty Mikhail Ivanov
would be tracking a woman down. Whatever happened to women being the
dispensable and unnecessary investment?” his eyebrow raised in question.

“It’s not the same. She is—” I took a deep breath, trying to find the right
words.

“Different, special, rode you into a fourth dimension, and now you don’t
want her to hop off?” His amusement deepened.

“Interesting. She’s interesting.” That was the perfect word to describe her.
While she did set my loins ablaze and turn my blood molten, she was the
most slightly intriguing woman I’ve ever met, and that’s what stood out
about her.

“Well. Here we go, your interesting Arielle.” His amusement slowly faded
and was replaced with knitted brows as he took in the information on his
screen.

“Everything okay?” I asked, shifting to the tip of the sofa.

“It’s weird,” he said. “She has very little media presence and an almost
nonexistent digital footprint.” He said, handing me the laptop.

I carefully perused the information on the screen. It had a passport photo of

Arielle with her security number, date of birth, contact, and home address
displayed beneath it. What it lacked, however, was an actual presence. Save
for a few photos here and there, there was almost nothing to her.
I handed the laptop back to Enzo. “See if you can find anything else.” It
was an era of social media and technology. No one could maintain that little
internet image. After what felt like hours but was probably thirty minutes
went by, Enzo pulled together a few pictures from all her social media
handles. There were not collectively up to ten.

It wasn’t a lot. Even I had more pictures, and I barely used social media.
Coming to think of it, she has practically been under my nose all these years
without me spotting her, and I’ve never seen her pull out a device or take a
picture of anything like other women who had a compulsive need to
document everything.

She only had a few vacation pictures with friends, some vacation pictures
alone, college graduation pictures, and finally, the only one that brought
both smile and relief to me, the artwork we argued about at the fundraiser.
Admittedly, when Enzo pulled her up with very little information, I felt
myself stiffen a bit, but this eased my tension some.

“She’s a really private person,” I said, handing the laptop back to him.

“I see,” was his only reply as his fingers continued tapping.

“Find anything else?” Curiosity had my fingertips tingling, and I would

gladly devour anything.

“Attended NYU, graduated with honors, was a straight-A student from the
start, and was her set Valedictorian.” Enzo read off the screen. “Basically,
she’s a social media shy woman in an era of social media who barely made
any posts about food or places she’s been. There’s no record of exes and
previous relationships, just her.”

I paid attention as Enzo read, not knowing if I found her lack of in-depth
information unsettling or comforting, but in retrospect, people were allowed
their privacy. The lack of previous or current love interests did warm my
heart a bit.

“Was there something particular you needed to find?” He asked.

“Just the contact information and home address, and we’ll be good,” I
replied, and my phone pinged immediately with the information.

“You sure you don’t need me to keep digging around?” Enzo asked with
raised brows.

Arielle wasn’t a suspect. She’s done nothing to be suspected of, but my

compulsive need to know everything about a person won.

“Not exactly, but keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary,” I
replied, getting on my feet.

“Well, if you’ll be paying Cinderella a visit, I’ll have you know she has a
certain preference for art. Since she didn’t leave a shoe behind, you can
start from there.” Enzo teased and I sent him a death glare.

“And Mikhail,” he called out on my way out, pausing my hand on the

doorknob. “Our suspect is currently hiding out in a motel in Brooklyn. I’ll
send you the information.”

I’ve known the idiot for over ten years, and he has never ceased to surprise
me with his skills and efficiency.

I sent a nod of gratitude his way and made my way out of his house.

I stared at Arielle’s contact information for the duration of my drive back,

and I finally made up my mind. She already saw all there was to be seen,
and it honestly saved me the future stress of ever having to explain myself
to her. No cops were knocking on my door, so she was either scared shitless
or really smart. Either way, the cat was out of the bag, and I’ve decided I
am not ready to let her go just yet. I might be after I’ve fucked her a second
time or a third, but till then, I’ll see where this gnawing feeling in my loins
leads me.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 9

Arielle

“I really think he’s my husband, Ari, I swear!”

“You think every man that’s above six feet and talks to you nicely is your
husband, Viv.” I smiled, carefully whisking my pancake mix.
“I mean it this time, he was so different and nice, and he smelt really
heavenly. I almost took a bite off him.” She sighed dreamily.

“Mmmh.” I turned on my phone speaker and placed it on the holder.

I’ve been seeing this new pancake recipe that makes ordinary pancakes look
and taste like the Japanese soufflé, and I was all for experimenting. I was a
creature of habit and laid down rules, and naturally, I found baking relaxing.
Measuring out the ingredients, watching the dough rise, deflating it, and
shaping it into whatever you want has the same effect as therapy on me.
These few days without work have been the most relaxing, and I’ve been
trying out every new recipe in the book.

“I just wish I would run into him one more time and maybe we’d talk and
get to know each other.”

“Hold on.” I paused my whisking. “You didn’t even get to talk to him?”
I honestly don’t know why I bother with her anymore. Vivian falls in love
faster than a paper man on a windy day. I would’ve been concerned if she
didn’t get over them at the same speed she fell for them, but fawning over a
man you never spoke to is a whole new level of crazy.
“Well,” she drawled out, “I was going to speak to him, get him to notice me
and stuff, but I remembered you said never to make the first move at men,
so I stayed out.”

“You don’t get to use me as an excuse this time. Whatever happened to the
mega mind behind my success?”

“She takes a break once in a while. But damn, his shoulders, I swear I could
sit on them. So wide and strong and gorgeous.” She was practically
moaning into my phone.

“When was the last time you got laid, Viv?”

“My vibrator broke down, and I’ve been too lazy to go get another one.”

“Too lazy or too shy?” I asked, recalling the last time she got one. She hid
in the car the whole time while I went into the store and got everything for
her.

Satisfied with the texture of my batter, I oiled my pan and poured the first
scoop of my mix into it, sprinkling a handful of chocolate chips on it.

“And Viv, when I asked about getting laid, I was talking about being
touched by another human and not a vibrating silicone device,” I added,
flipping my pancake to the other side.

“You don’t get to lecture me about men and human connections, Arielle.
When was the last time touching someone ever meant a thing to you?”

Her accusation was followed by a vivid image of Mikhail’s head between

my thighs. I guess we were all ruined in our unique ways, with Vivian
scared of physical intimacy and me using intimacy as a weapon. As much
as I craved human connections, letting people in has always been a bit of a
challenge to me. I always felt once the thrill was over and they settled to get
to know me, they’d find nothing interesting and leave just like my parents
had. So, I settled into using it as a weapon. That way, I wasn’t exposed to
the vulnerabilities that came with intimacy.
“I have an excuse, Viv. My job is a bit too dangerous for love. What is your
excuse? You work from home. You have the least threatening career, and
not to mention, all the time in the world.” I shot back and was met with
complete silence on the other side of the phone.

“That’s what I thought.”

“Have you heard from Mikhail?” she asked, changing the topic.

“Nope, but someone in my office told me his secretary came asking for
me,” I replied, pouring in a second batch of my pancakes.

I could hear the nod in her response, “That’s good.”

“Yeah, I just need Father to—”

My sentence was cut short by the aggressive alarm of my doorbell filling

the space.

“Expecting someone?” Vivian asked.

My eyebrows furrowed suspiciously as I turned off the gas and made my

way to the window. “Nope. I’ve got to go, Viv. Talk later.” I clicked the end
button without waiting for a response.

I discreetly pulled the curtains to the side, stretching my neck to catch a

glimpse of who was outside. Save for Vivian and the occasional delivery
guys, I never get any visitors at all, not even Father, and last I checked, I
was not due for any deliveries.

The doorbell rang again, almost startling me this time. I rushed into my
room, pulled out my tab, quickly connected to the CCTV at my doorpost,
and was met with the Saturday surprise of the year. Mikhail stood at my
door in all his three-piece glory with a bouquet of flowers the size of my
smallest couch in his hands. I watched as he struggled to ring the bell a
third time with the flowers blocking his hands. The bastard must’ve told his
driver to park where I couldn’t see. Jokes on him. I was always prepared. I
made my way back to the door, feigning complete surprise at the sight.
“What are you doing here? Who gave you my address?”
Standing there with the flowers, he looked very different from the powerful
man I was used to seeing. You could easily mistake him for a regular dude
coming to woo a woman. Even the air around him was slightly different.
I’m tempted to say he looked humble, but that doesn’t strike me like the
right word to describe Mikhail Ivanov, even when he was making an effort
to look that way. The subtle air of authority always simmered beneath
whatever he was exuding.

His reply was careful and polite, as though he was scared of saying the
wrong thing. “I came to see you, and I was hoping you’d join me for
lunch.”

I moved my gaze from him to the flowers and back to him, observing how
he seemed to be balancing his weight on one leg. It was obvious how out of
his element he was. This was his first time doing this, and while the
knowledge of that did something for my self-esteem, I maintained a blank
face.

“You didn’t answer the second question.”

“I have my means,” he added, holding my gaze.

Since the cat was already out of the bag, he probably figured it was no use
making excuses or lying.

“Thank you for your thoughtfulness, Mikhail, but I’ll pass on lunch,” I said,
injecting a bit of caution into my voice. I made a show of glancing around
my neighborhood and waving at random passers-by to show him I was
scared of being alone with him.

“How about you show me where to put these then?” He requested, holding
up the flowers with a lopsided smile.

The smooth bastard probably thought he could talk his way into any place. I
opened my mouth to tell him I could carry the flowers in myself, but he
beat me to it.

“Arielle, we need to talk, and I’m sure you know that. While I respect your
refusal to join me for lunch, I’m certain you can at least let me in.”
“In what world does it make sense to let a person you don’t trust enough to
grab lunch with into your house?” I fired back.

“But you can let them in your body,” he shot back, and I felt my skin bristle
at his crude remark. “Look, Arielle, you can let me in now, or we can do
this all day, and let me warn you, I’m a very patient man. You can station
cops in front of your door if that’ll make you feel safer,” he added, holding
my gaze.

An exasperated sigh left my lips, and I had no doubt he would make good
on his words. Mikhail didn’t bluff. I moved from the doorway, making
room for him to come in. He looked very out of place in my house. His size
crowded the space, making it appear smaller than it was.

“Where can I keep these?” He pushed the flowers forward, and I pointed
him to my kitchen counter.

“You cook?” He said, a funny look playing in his eyes as he stared at the
stack of pancakes next to the cooker.

Was he really going to keep smiling like I didn’t just watch him snuff the
life of an innocent man?

“You said you had something to say to me.” I pointed out with a careful
tone, making sure to maintain as much distance as possible between us.

“Are you going to keep acting like I have a communicable disease and
making sure that neighbors you don’t even speak to see me with you?”

“Yes, Mikhail.”

A sigh escaped his lips, and he finally settled into the sofa. “First, I would
like to say how sorry I am you witnessed what happened at the club. I’m
not usually that careless with my affairs.”

That’s it? He is sorry I walked in on him killing someone and not handling
his affairs better?

The look of disbelief must’ve been vividly painted on my face following his
half-arsed explanation as another sigh left him.
“Arielle, I’m not a good man, and I won’t pretend to be anything I’m not,”
he admitted.

The weight of his confession clung tightly to the air in the room, and I
found myself almost searching for clean, pure air that wasn’t tainted with
his sandalwood scent. I was ready for Mikhail to warn me not to speak a
word of what I saw to anyone. I was ready for him to give some stupid
excuse and explanation. I was even ready for him to have me kidnapped
and threatened. What I didn’t expect was total honesty from him.

In the absence of a response from me, he continued. “I’m Russian. I’m sure
you must’ve figured that one out on your own.” A small smile played on his
lips.

“But I’m also an Ivanov, the current Don of the Russian Bratva.” He
watched me closely, waiting for the weight of his words to sink in,

“You do know what the mafia is, don’t you?”

“I watch movies, Mikhail.”

“Good because it’ll suck to give you a history lesson. Anyways, I have
certain responsibilities accorded to me as the Don, and these responsibilities
have nothing to do with morality, law, and order.”
“Why are you telling me this?” I asked, searching his eyes.

“Because for the first time in my life, I found myself caring about the way
someone looked at me.”

A brief period of silence passed between us before he continued. “I’m not

going to make promises I can’t keep, nor will I try to sway you with
dishonest words and colored lenses. This is who I am, Arielle. I hate that
you had to find out the way you did, but what I hated more was the way you
looked at me.”

“I don’t know what I’m supposed to do with this information, Mikhail. I

saw you kill an innocent man with your fist. You forced his eyes on you
when you strangled him!” My voice raised slightly at the end.
While his confession came as a shock to me, I was determined to play my
part perfectly. He opened his mouth to explain, but I cut him short.

“Besides, what we had was only a one-night stand. You owe me no

explanation. If you’re bothered about me saying anything to the cops, you
don’t have to worry about it. I’ll pretend I never saw a thing, and I won’t
speak a word of it to anyone.”

A dry, humorless laughter left his throat following my little admission. “The
cops are the least of my problems, Arielle, and I couldn’t care less about
you running your mouth.”

“So, what then is your problem?”

“For fucks sake Arielle, you’re my problem. I’ve not slept a wink without
the image of you writhing on sheets replaying in my head. Sometimes I can
almost taste your pussy on the tip of my tongue, and other times I could
hear your soft whimpers in my ears,” he cursed, his eyes livid with
emotions.

His words shot straight to my pussy, drawing rhythmic pulsations from my

clit. I crossed my legs in a discreet attempt to dull the ache and ended up
intensifying it. There was nothing I hated more than the way my body
responded to this man, the way he could set my skin on fire with his eyes,
and the way his presence seemed to suck the air out of a room.

“It was just a one-night stand, Mikhail. It wasn’t that deep,” I replied,
hating the unwelcome huskiness in my voice.
“But I want it to happen again. Heck, I’ve found myself wanting it to
happen again since I ran into you at the gallery. I staged the whole thing
with Xavier to get your attention, Arielle, and I’m not a man that cares for
female attention.”

I felt my heart skip a beat, and my palms grew sweaty at his sudden
outburst. I wasn’t prepared for this, not by a wide breath. I tore my gaze
from him, scared he would see how much his words affected me. Get it
together, Ari. He’s a fucking child trafficker, I mentally scolded myself.
I’ve heard people talk about how they were betrayed by their own bodies
wanting things that weren’t good for them. I never paid heed to such claims
and attributed it to lack of discipline, but here I was, nipples taut, pussy
practically weeping for a man I should hate with every fiber in me.

“Mikhail, I don’t know—” I drawled, honestly not knowing. If I couldn’t

fix whatever reaction my body was having to this man, then I’d throw my
whole concentration into drawing as much as I could from him. I’ll figure
out the chemistry when he’s gone, and my mind is no longer polluted by his
presence.

“I want you, Arielle. It’s simple as that, and I know you feel it too. You
want me.”
“What about your work? I might not know much about your world but I
know you’d have a lot of enemies. What if they find out about me? What if
they hurt me?” I rambled off, looking at him with the best puppy eyes I
could muster.

“Nothing will happen to you, Arielle, not on my watch. We can keep it quiet
and private, away from the public and anyone till you’re comfortable,” he
reassured.

Till I was comfortable? What did he mean by that?

“Mikhail—”
“Three weeks, Arielle. If I don’t convince you to stick around after three
weeks, then I’ll never bother you again.” His eyes were determined, and his
words held a tone of finality.

Three weeks should be enough for me to figure out whatever was

happening with the cargo and possibly more information. Three weeks was
perfect. I can do three weeks.

“Three weeks?” I asked, my heart pounding in my ears.

“Three weeks.” His confirmation came out more as a promise than an

agreement, and I couldn’t help but feel that I had just signed a deal with the
devil and would pay with my blood.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 10

Mikhail

“You know you can admit my choice was better and openly enjoy the
meal,” Arielle teased with a smile.

“It’s not better. It’s edible at best.”

She scoffed, “You’re currently on your second serving, and the way I see it,
you’re heading for a third.”

“That’s only because you ordered enough food to feed a small football
team, and I hate waste,” I countered, shoveling a spoonful of white rice and
chicken soup into my mouth.

Yes, you heard right. Arielle had somehow figured out that if you prepared
white rice and drizzled some spicy chicken soup on it, it would make an
absolutely delicious meal with a side of salad. I have no idea what sort of
trials and tribulations she was going through at the time to come up with
such a combination, but here I was, enjoying it against my better judgment.
Not that I would ever admit it.

I was only glad I rented out the entire VIP floor of the restaurant for us.
How else would I explain the abomination that was currently on my table?

“Whatever helps you sleep at night,” she rolled her eyes, flooding her rice
with soup.

“You help me sleep at night,” I replied, and I could see a small dust of pink
tinting her cheeks.
She was the most beautiful woman I’ve ever known, and the past two
weeks with her have opened me to a side of life I never thought was
possible for men like me. It might’ve taken a little while, with her
constantly glancing over her shoulders whenever we were out, but once she
was settled, it was almost unbelievable how things fell into place between
us. She complimented every part of my being as if she had been put in this
world for me to find her.

It suddenly made sense why I had no prior interest in women and why no
woman could hold my attention longer than a night. They simply weren’t
her. I watched in amusement as she doused what was left of her rice in more
soup. She was practically sniffing and her nose was red from consuming too
much spicy food but she wouldn’t stop.

“What would your mafia people say if they find their all-powerful Don
staring at a girl like that?” she asked, shooting me a playful look of disgust.

Another thing I’ve learned about Arielle was how much she loved playful
banter. She never backs away from the opportunity to get into a witty
exchange at any given time.

It was a quality of hers I didn’t think I’d be able to deal with. I was a man of
few words and didn’t enjoy verbal exchanges, but I made adjustments for
her, and now, I have a few comebacks up my sleeves.

“If you’re really interested in what they have to say, I have a few things we
can try out to get them talking.”

The pink on her cheeks deepened. “Eat your food.”

“Or I could eat you,” I replied, my eyes looking her up and down.

I’ve been dying to get her out of that dress from the moment I picked her up
from her house. It was a short silk dress that hugged her waist and flared
out at the hips, stopping about an inch below her ass. The material stretched
over her body, drawing attention to every move she made. Not that she
wouldn’t have my attention if she was dressed in a sac. This just made it
slightly more difficult to look away from her. It’s why I emptied out the
entire floor. I couldn’t have anyone else stealing glances at her.
And she’s been teasing me the whole night with her low neckline and long
legs on display while trying to distract me with food. Didn’t work. My dick
has been at half-mast since I saw her.

“Chicken soup didn’t do it for you?” she fired back, that playful glint
returning to her eyes.

“Not even close,” I let out a low growl, my eyes devouring her.

The way her red-stained lips wrapped around her spoon, they should be
wrapped around my cock instead, and her legs, they shouldn’t be tucked
beneath her; they should be wrapped around my waist while her fingers
draw irregular patterns on my back.

A little tent was beginning to form in my pants, and I tried to discreetly fix
it, but her eyes had already found it, and she drew in a shaky breath, her
tongue darting out to wet her lips. Her eyes darkened with lust, and I could
see her squeezing her thighs under the table. The temperature in the room
must’ve gone up by a few degrees because I was suddenly overcome by a
strong urge to loosen my tie and take off my jacket. And if my phone hadn’t
chosen that moment to go off, with the way Arielle was looking at me, God
knows there’d be no telling what my next action would’ve been.

I cleared my throat, clicking on the receiver. “This better be important,

Lorenzo.”

“We found him.”

I felt my shoulders relax, and the tense muscles I’ve been carrying around
for the past few weeks relaxed alongside.

“Where did you find him?” I reached across the table, softly squeezing
Arielle’s hand in a silent apology as I listened to Enzo run me the details.

“Overall, we should have him in New York tomorrow.”

“Thank you. I’ll make arrangements for his movement tomorrow,” I said
promptly, clicking the red button.
“Sorry about that,” I turned to Arielle, who was pushing her last piece of
chicken around her plate.

“Work?”

“Work,” I concurred, not offering any more explanations.

While transparency and honesty were a big part of our agreement moving
forward, there were still details of the Bratva she couldn’t deal with.

Her insistence on calling my affairs work and using generalized terms for
my conduct was proof she wasn’t adapting to this life any time soon, and
frankly, I didn’t want her to. She was the only part of my life that was pure
and untainted by the Bratva, and I intended to keep her that way for as long
as I could.

“You have it under control?” She tried to look concerned about me, but the
slight quiver in her lips gave her away.

“I made you a promise, Arielle. Nothing will happen to you, not while
you’re with me,” I reassured, and she nodded slowly, not taking her eyes off
her plate.
I could tell this was a big change for her, getting whisked out of her perfect
world and into a world of crime and grey lines. And I appreciate her trusting
me enough to venture into this with me. I was almost halfway certain she’d
decline my offer when I appeared at her house, but I saw the way she
looked at me, and I knew the feeling was mutual. It took a little convincing,
but now she was here, I’d die first before I let any harm come to her.

*****

“We’re here,” I murmured, gently stroking Arielle’s head on my shoulders,

a smile tugging at my lips as she stirred awake. She had fallen asleep the
moment the car left the restaurant parking lot, and her hair was sticking out
in every direction. Her makeup appeared smudged on one side, and I was
sure if I looked over my shoulder, I’d find a makeup map the size of her
cheeks on my suit.
“Woah, that was fast.” She yawned.

“It was forty-five minutes.”

“Okay, And?” She glared at me, daring me to make the comment we both
knew was simmering beneath my tongue.

She looked so cute with her hair all over the place and her eyes narrowed to
slits. I know she was trying to be intimidating, but I couldn’t help the
chuckle that slipped past my lips.

“What is funny?” Her glare deepened.

“Nothing, princess,” I replied, laughter lurking behind my voice. “Why

don’t you head in first, and I’ll be with you in a minute.”

She gave me a questioning look to which I replied with a smile before she
picked up her purse and headed inside.

I waited till she was inside, the smile on my face fading into a cold,
murderous look. I pressed the intercom on the side of the backseat,
lowering the tinted partition. “Tomorrow, you and Cannan take the chopper
to Enzo’s and fetch me that rat. Lock him in the warehouse. Make sure he
stays conscious. I want to be the last thing he sees when life leaves him.

“Yes, Don.”

I’ve had the news in my mind since Enzo’s call came in, and I didn’t want
to deal with it in Arielle’s presence. She had a slight idea what this was
about, and I didn’t want her having flashbacks from the last time. I followed
the sound of running water to my bathroom, finding a very naked and soapy
Arielle standing under the shower. I leaned by the doorway, my cock
hardening as I watched the water run down her curves in a manner only my
fingers should. I would never get used to seeing her naked.

The sharp curve of her spine, the deep dimples on her lower back, and the
soft swell of her ass. She was twice as beautiful as the artworks she
admired. Deciding I’d seen enough, I tugged at my tie, roughly discarding
the piece of cloth on the bathroom floor. My jacket followed shortly, and
then my shirt till I was naked. I pulled her into me from behind, loving the
way she melted right into me. “Hey.” I trailed kisses from the back of her
neck to her jawline, pressing my erection into her ass.

“Hello, big guy.” She chuckled, pressing her ass deeper into me, drawing a
low growl from me.

“You’ve been teasing me all night with that little dress of yours, princess,” I
murmured into her ears, nibbling the soft skin.

My hands sank into the soft flesh of her boobs, and she threw her head on
my shoulders, letting out a low moan as I rolled her taut nipples between
my fingers. So responsive, all mine.

“I know. I wore it for you.” She drawled out, and I spun her around,
capturing her lips in a hot, searing kiss.

Pleasure clouded my senses as I devoured the sweet taste of her. I would

never get enough of her. She was worse than any addiction a man could
ever think of—the kind you never want to be freed from. My hands dug into
the soft, round mold of flesh on her back, pulling her impossibly closer to
me. The only thing that could fit between us was the water pouring down
from the shower.

She took charge of the kiss, her lips leaving a trail of kisses from my neck
to my shoulder. Red hot waves shot through my spine when I felt her teeth
sink deep into my deltoid, and my hold on her tightened. She didn’t stop
there. She followed the map of my body till she sank onto her knees, soft
blue eyes peering at me beneath her lashes.

“Don’t worry,” she said, picking on the question lurking behind my eyes. “I
brushed my teeth.”

I felt myself relax. As much as I wanted her lips wrapped around me, she
also swallowed two plates of spicy chicken soup minutes ago. Her fingers
wrapped tightly around my cock, her thumb spreading the precum that
collected at my tip.
“So big—so beautiful,” she murmured, watching as the skin pulled forward
and back with every stroke of her hands.

My balls tightened with anticipation, and I almost lost my footing when her
lips finally wrapped around me, taking me deep into her throat in one go.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 11

Arielle

This was not the first time I was giving Mikhail a blowjob, but I could
never get over how big he was. My eyes burned as I struggled to completely
fit him into my mouth. I could feel his head stretching my throat, preventing
any form of air from going in. But it was the way he groaned and pulled at
my hair that kept me going. The knowledge of the fact that I was giving him
pleasure dulled every discomfort.

He looked like a god from my view, the water from the shower pouring on
his skin and dripping on me, and I was certain I looked like a devoted
servant on my knees.
“That’s it, baby. Keep going. Suck this dick like a good girl.” He moaned,
gripping my hair tighter and thrusting into my mouth. I lived for his subtle
words of praise and how he didn’t treat me like a porcelain doll. How he
awakened suppressed primal needs in me and how he completely satisfied
them.

“Urrgggh—mmhgh,” unintelligible sounds left my throat as he kept

thrusting into my mouth, clouding my taste buds with his salty, musky taste.
I have never been so turned on from blowing a guy. My nipples were taut,
and so much moisture had built up between my thighs that I could feel it
dripping from me.

My hands sneaked between my thighs, frantically stroking my clit in an

attempt to release the pressure building in my pelvis.

“You don’t touch yourself unless I say so, princess,” Mikhail warned,
glaring at my hand. “Only I get to make you cum. Only I get to taste you.”
I whimpered in protest but withdrew my hand, reaching up to cup his balls
and squeeze lightly as I took him deeper into my mouth.

“Fuck!” His response was followed by irregular thrusts and vibrations, and
my taste buds exploded with the salty taste of his cum filling my mouth. I
struggled to swallow every drop, but some escaped following his irregular
thrusts and rolled down my chin. His movements finally came to a stop, and
I looked up to find him watching me through heavy lids.

“Get up.” He ordered, and I was on my feet before my head could register
the command.

“Pace your hands on the wall. Don’t look at me.”

Anticipation and suspense coiled up in my stomach as I held the wall,

turning my back to him. The feeling of not knowing what he was doing
behind me heightened my senses as I strained my ears for a sound.

“So beautiful,” his voice came out low and husky. “Arc your hips for me
baby. Let me see your pussy.”

My body moved on its own accord, gripping the walls tightly as I arched
my back flashing him an eye full of my pussy. He didn’t touch me. He
didn’t have to. I could feel his eyes on me, and my skin burned everywhere
his eyes touched. The heat moved from my back and finally settled on my
pussy, sending jolts of pleasure through me.
I’ve never let a man watch me before. We were either fucking or not, no in
between. Something about bearing yourself that way made me
uncomfortable, but here I was, against my better judgment, legs spread out
and my pussy in the open for Mikhail, and I was loving every bit of it.

I didn’t hear him walk up to me. All I heard was his soft hum as his finger
gently ran through my drenched folds, gathering the moisture on my clit
and tracing slow circles. The sensation had my toes curling, and I held on
tighter to the walls to steady myself. “Mikhail,” I moaned, thrusting myself
further into his fingers. I wanted more. Pleasure seeped into my veins,
spreading through every part of my body, and his fingers did very little to
ease the pressure that was building in me.
“Please,” I drawled, grinding myself into his fingers. Caution and common
sense were out the window, and in their place was the burning need for him
to fill me up.

“Please, what?” He murmured, peppering my back with light kisses and soft
bites. “Go on, tell me what you want.” His finger pressed into my clit, the
pressure almost causing my knees to buckle. I opened my mouth to tell him,
but my brain could barely string a sentence together with his hands on me.
My head was blank and devoid of thoughts. I was a bundle of nerves
responding to whatever he gave me.

I felt his tongue on my neck, nibbling and licking his way to my ears. “You
want me to shove my cock into you and fuck your cute little pussy till you
can’t feel anything but me moving in and out of you? You want me to fuck
you so hard till your throat is raw from screaming my name?”

Fuck! My walls clenched with every promise he made, and I didn’t know if
it was possible for my pussy to get wetter than it was at the moment.

“You want that?” he asked, biting deep into my neck. I could only muster a
nod, not trusting my voice to do a good job.

“Words, princess. If you want me to fuck you, you’re going to have to say
it.”

“I want you to fuck me, Mikhail.” I practically screamed in one breath, and
he chuckled darkly against my ears.
“As you wish.”

That was the only warning I got before he shoved his cock into me, almost
pushing me into the wall. I was so wet he met no resistance, but I could feel
the slight burning as he moved in and out of me.

“Oh my god!” I screamed, gripping the walls tighter as he thrust into me.
His hands gripped my hips, angling me so he was hitting that spot that sent
me into a frenzy. My vision was blurry, and my throat was raw from
screaming. Every thrust of his hips sent raw jolts of electricity through me,
drawing an even louder moan from me.
“You feel so good.” He groaned, intensifying the force of his thrust. “And
you fit so fucking tight like you were made to be fucked by me.”

“You.”

Thrust
“Are.”

Thrust

Mine.

And with a final earth-shattering thrust, he drew my orgasm from me. A

loud cry escaped my lips as my walls clenched and my hips gyrated
erratically with the force of my orgasm. Mikhail didn’t stop fucking me. He
kept thrusting into me till I felt him stiffen, and my walls were coated with
his cum, some of it leaking into my thighs.

My legs suddenly felt jelly, and he was fast to catch me before I fell to the
ground. This was hands down the best sex of my life.

*****

I woke from the longest sleep of my life to the sweet aroma of bacon and
pancakes. I have vague memories of Mikhail picking me from the bathroom
floor and washing me off before laying me on the bed. After that, the rest
was oblivion. I moved to swing my feet off the bed and was stopped by the
dull pain in my pussy. The downside of great sex was how sore you got the
morning after.

“Morning Sunshine.” Mikhail appeared at the door, a tray of breakfast and

orange juice in hand. I didn’t know how sore my throat was until I opened
my mouth to return his greeting and croaked like the closest relative of a
frog. The idiot chuckled lightly and handed me a bottle of water, and I shot
him a glare, to which he replied with a wide smile. He wrecked my pussy
and throat and had the guts to smile? Jerk.

“I’m not the best chef, but I was told I make mean pancakes.” He said,
setting the tray of food on the nightstand.
“How are you feeling?” He picked up my hands and started to trail kisses
from my fingers to my upper arms. I felt the familiar tingle run down my
spine but shoved him away, not sure my body can handle anything at this
point.

“I’m fine, thank you. Now let me eat. I need to replenish my strength.” I
grumbled, picking the food from the tray and taking a bite of the pancake.

My eyes widened in pleasant surprise, and Mikhail’s lips curled up in a

manner that said “told you so. ”

The pancakes were surprisingly tasty. They tasted a lot better than what
most breakfast cafès sold. “This is really good,” I said through a mouth full
of food.

“Eat up and get dressed. We have a long day,” he said, placing a kiss on my
head and making his way to the bathroom.
My nose scrunched up, and I sent him a suspicious look. “Long day?
Why?”

He turned to give me an incredulous look, which I responded to with an

equally confused look. “Happy Birthday Sweetheart.”

Happy birthday!
I blinked twice and quickly grabbed my phone from the bed stand,
powering it. On my screen, bold and bright, was the 18th of July. And
beneath the date were a gazillion notifications from Vivian, a few from
Julia, and a single Happy Birthday text from Father.

Shit! Shit! I was so lost in this web I had completely lost track of time. And
Vivian—I opened her most recent text and was assaulted by multiple
stickers and questions about my whereabouts. A second glance at my
taskbar revealed the time to be eleven a.m.

“Is everything alright?” Mikhail asked, watching as I dropped the food tray
and started putting on my clothes.
“Everything is not fine, babe. My friends requested to host me a birthday
brunch, and I totally lost track of time,” I lied through my teeth, turning my
back to him to do up my zipper. It amazed me how good I’ve become at
lying. I can cook up the most convincing lie on the spot, no matter what the
situation is, without blinking or stuttering.

“Woah. You could just text and tell them you’ll make it up to them. I made
plans for us.” He murmured, kissing my neck, and I practically squirmed
from him.

“That would be cruel. They made plans to make me feel special, and the
least I can do is show up. I can always see you later in the day,” I smiled
softly at him.

Sometimes, I found it hard to reconcile the Mikhail I was seeing with the
Mikhail I knew. If I hadn’t seen his file before the meeting, I wouldn’t have
pegged him to be the cold-hearted killer he was. Granted, he did possess
this air of dominance that clung to him like a second skin, setting him apart
from most men, but it was nothing compared to the sinister being that
lurked beneath.

“Peter will drop you off, and I’ll pick you up at seven,” he said, placing a
soft kiss on my lips. I could only muster a nod, the familiar cold feeling of
disgust crawling over me as the reminder of his true identity reclaimed my
memory.

****

“Where in the name of God have you been, Ari? I sent a surprise gift to you
at dawn, only for the delivery guy to call and say you weren’t home,” Viv
exclaimed the moment I stepped into her house.

“I’m sorry, Viv. I spent the night at Mikhail’s,” I said, sinking into the sofa.

“Oh,” Her body visibly relaxed. “You should’ve texted. I was worried, and
your phone was off. I sent you a million texts.”
“More like a billion,” I smiled. “But you’re right, I should’ve texted. Sorry
about that.”

When she didn’t reply, I turned my head to find her staring at me, a look of
worry etched on her face. “Let it out, Vivian.”

“Does he scare you? Has he tried anything inappropriate with you? I know
you have to get him to trust you and all, but Ari we know how dangerous
this man is and if he’s making you do—?”

“Hey, hey. Breath.” I said, grabbing her shoulders and forcing her eyes on
me. “There’s nothing to worry about. He has not done anything mildly
inappropriate or scary. At least for now,” I added.

“Are you sure? I know how passionate you can get with these things,
especially when children are involved. Promise me you’ll tell Father or me
if things ever get out of hand,” she said, holding my hands.

I would be the biggest liar if I said I didn’t understand her fears. Mikhail
was a dangerous man, and anyone threading with him should do so with
caution.

“I will,” I promised. “But for now, I need to get rested. Mikhail said he
would be picking me up at seven. I think he has something planned.”

“He’s making plans for your birthday?” The look of worry on her face was
replaced with that of disbelief.

“I’m as shocked as you are, girlfriend. This is progress. He should be all

trusting and let me in on his deepest secrets in no time,” I smirked and
stalked off to the bedroom.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 12

Mikhail

The last time I made plans for an event was my grandfather’s burial. Even
then, I hired people to do most of the planning. I only gave the important
details, told them what I expected, and abandoned the rest. Even with the
Bratva, I delegate all of the planning and organizing to Enzo. I preferred the
hands-on duty and the numbers, not mundane things like color themes and
guest lists. But tonight was different. Everything had to be perfect to a ‘T,’
and the only way I could ensure that was by taking most of the planning
into my hands.
Arielle had a very particular taste and a lot of irks. Even her hobbies were
particular. She could love a part of a project and want nothing to do with the
other side of it. Details as intricate as those were not what you can leave up
to a total stranger who claims to know what they’re doing. They’re details
that could only be executed by a person who had a deep understanding of
who she was. So, here I was at the gallery at six p.m., making sure
everything was set and ready for her arrival at seven.

When she mentioned her birthday was on the 18th during one of our
question and answer nights, a weekly routine she liked to organize that
consisted of questions about each other that should help us get to know
ourselves better, I knew I had a very short time to come up with something.

I could’ve easily sent her flowers, taken her on a shopping spree, and even
sent her some money, but she wasn’t just any girl, and I was aiming for
something different. Our three-week agreement was slowly coming to an
end, and I found myself thinking of something more stable, something more
permanent.
She has made me happy in a way no woman has, and in loving her, I’ve
come to discover new versions of myself I was loving. There was no way I
was going to let her slip from my hands. So, I got to work immediately, and
how better to go than through the one thing she loved the most, Art?

I had Enzo find me the most beautiful art gallery, and I paid double of every
piece in the gallery to have it shut down for the day. I observed the decor,
checking the lighting and the food on the dinner table to make sure
everything was perfect. Satisfied with the outcome of things, it was finally
time to go get her.

****
“Hey,” she greeted, walking up to me with a smile.

My eyes raked through her body, taking her all in. It didn’t matter that I had
already seen her naked, buried myself balls deep into her, or that I woke up
next to her and had been with her since yesterday, this woman would
always knock the air out of my lungs.

“Is this the dress you wore at the club?” I asked, my eyes glued to her.

“You said it was a special night, and I thought how better to make a night
special than to recreate the moment I met you.” She stood before me, her
eyes twinkling with excitement.

I trailed my fingers through the thin strap of the dress, feeling her breath
hitch as I moved my fingers to the deep cut of the dress in her neck. I felt
like I had traveled back in time and was reliving the night I spotted her
dancing in my club. I could remember our first conversation, the sound of
her laughter, our first kiss, everything.

“I’ve never been happier to have been at the club at the time,” I said, and
she smiled in return.

I dropped my hands from her body, putting a safe distance between us

before I forgot what the purpose of the night was. There’ll be time for other
things, a lot of time. But now, there was something more important.
I held the car open for her. “After you.”

The drive to the gallery was swift and consisted of Arielle asking me where
we were going and what I had planned for the short duration.

We finally arrived at the gallery, and I found my heart picking a ridiculous

pace. I felt like a teenager taking his crush on a first date and hoping she’d
like what he planned. That was stupid. Arielle would like this. No, Arielle
would love this. It was very deep in her element. There was no need for
panic.

Panic. Even the word had a weird taste to it. I would so much love to deny
it, but even I couldn’t disagree with the fact that I was panicking a little bit.

“Ready?” I asked, gripping the door handle.

“Ready for an art gallery? I’d be ready on my deathbed.”

A light chuckle left me, and I felt lighter. It was another thing I loved about
her, how she made everything easier.

I mentally counted to three before pulling the door open and stepping aside
to usher her in. I stood still as she walked in, watching her face for any form
of reaction. She appeared confused at first before realization dawned on her,
and she spun to face me.

“You set this up?” she asked, taking in the decor. I had asked for most of the
artwork to be taken in, except a few I found interesting, and the rest of the
space was replaced with reflections of Van Gogh’s starry night. I wanted her
to feel like she had been transported onto the canvas.

“You like it?” I asked, watching her face. She looked surprised, shocked at
her marrows, and I found the jealous side of me, hoping no other guy had
done this for her in the past. I wanted everything about this night to be new,
pure, and untainted.

“Do I like it? I love it! I love it, Mikhail. This is the best thing anyone has
ever done for me,” she exclaimed, throwing herself into my arms.
I hugged her tightly, a fluffy feeling growing in my chest. “I’m glad you
love it. Happy Birthday, princess.” I captured her lips in a quick kiss.

“This way,” I said, leading her to the little dining setup.

“I know this might be considered rude by many, but I’m really asking this
from a place of awe and pleasant surprise. How did you do this?” she asked,
looking around the gallery as she settled into her chair.

“I rented the gallery out for the night,” I supplied, not giving out further
information.

“And the starry night? How did you do it? I feel like I’m inside Van Gogh’s
art.” She rambled off, her voice heavy with excitement.

I chuckled, pulling out a plate and dishing out her dinner since she was too
excited to do that for herself. “Why don’t we focus on the night for now? I
could give you every detail you need to know about later.”

“I’m sorry, I’m just really—it’s just too. Everything is so beautiful.” She
rambled, and a smile stretched out my lips.

“So, how was brunch with the girls?” I asked, placing the plate of pasta and
grilled salmon in front of her.

“It was fun.” She smiled, closing her eyes like she was conjuring up the
moment. “We had tea, and we talked about everything and anything. We
played a couple of games, and they presented me with gifts.”

She had the goofiest smile, and I could feel the fluffy feeling from earlier
return to my chest. “I’m glad you had a great day.”

“I’m having a better night.” Her voice softened, and she smiled softly at
me, and in that moment, I knew I would do anything to keep the smile on
her face.

“What about you? How was your day?”

“It was okay. Bland, tasteless, and full of work calls.”

“Work calls? Did something happen?”

“Not at all. I had to work from home today, hence the calls,” I replied. I had
forsaken going to see my prisoner today in favor of her birthday. Going to
see the bastard would ruin my day and leave me with a bitter aftertaste, and
that wasn’t a feeling I wanted to tap into today.

“Arielle,” I started, taking her hands in mine. I had no speech planned, but I
know how she makes me feel, and that’s all that matters. “The past weeks
have been the brightest my life has ever been, and it’s all thanks to you.
You’ve touched parts of my soul I thought were nonexistent, and you’ve
brought warmth to my cold world. Our deal is coming to an end, and I’d
like to renegotiate terms.”

I paused, giving her time to take in what I was saying.

“I want this to become real, I want you in my life, I want you everywhere,
and I want the world to know you’re mine. Be my woman, Arielle,” I said,
and if my ears weren’t so sharp, I would her missed her sharp intake of air.

“Are you sure about this?” she asked, looking at me with questioning eyes.

What did she mean by Are you sure about this?

“I’ve never been more sure in my life,” I replied, and a shy smile overtook
her face. How she managed to be the same girl that choked on my dick and
begged me to fuck her senseless and still be able to blush at the little things
will always have me weak in the knees.

“Yes, Mikhail, there’s nothing I’d want more,” she said, her smile widening
and her eyes twinkling more.

I found myself smiling in return and placing kisses on her fingers. I

suddenly felt very whole and fulfilled.

“Now that’s settled, for the most important question of the night,” I added,
feeling the knot in my stomach tighten.

“There’s more?” Her eyes doubled in size.

“Arielle, I’d like for you to move in with me.” There, I finally dropped the
bomb.

Her brows knit together in confusion as the weight of my words settled.

“You want me to move in with you? Isn’t that too soon? You just asked me
to be your girlfriend minutes ago.”

I expected these questions: Isn’t that too soon? Aren’t we moving too fast
and whatnot? The difference between men in the Bratva and regular men
was how we didn’t let stupid rules define us. When you find a girl you’d
love to marry for whatever reason you’d love to marry her, you go straight
to the point. There was no need to move from girlfriend to fiancé and from
fiancé to wife. If she agrees, you can even wed her on the spot.

“Arielle, like I already said, the past weeks with you have been the happiest
weeks of my life, and I’m not willing to let go of that. There’s nothing to
think about. I made up my mind about you a long time ago.”

“You’ve made up your mind a long time ago about me?” I could tell she
was freaking out, and I needed to tone it down a bit.

“Hey, I’m not asking you to marry me or anything. I’m just saying that I’d
love to have you around more. We can figure out everything else from
there.”

She paused for a while, digesting all I’d said while I watched in the hope
she’d say yes.

When she left this morning, a sudden emptiness and chill set into my house,
and I knew I didn’t want her coming and going. Even more than anything, I
despised the feeling of emptiness that settled in after she left.

“Babe,” she said, gently stroking my hand. “I’d love to spend every
moment with you, but I think we might be moving too fast. What if this is
just a rush of excitement? I don’t want us to make decisions that’ll cause us
to crash and burn. How about we take our time to enjoy every stage of our
relationship? Build enough memories and resilience for the next phase?”
She was scared I was making rushed decisions out of excitement. That was
one thing I never did. When I make up my mind about something, it’s never
out of immediate gratification. It’s because I want to.

“I’m not making rushed decisions or impulsive proposals. I’m sure of what
I want and—”

“I know, baby. I know, but let’s give it time. It’ll happen organically. You
won’t even need to ask me. You’d just wake up and slowly find my things
in your house till you’ll be forced to give me my own side of the
wardrobe.” She grinned, and even though I wasn’t exactly thrilled by her
answer, I found myself returning her smile with a slight nod.

“Alright. Let’s get into how you were able to pull this out. I’m literally
dying from the excitement inside me, and I’ll be telling my friends all about
it.” Her grin widened and she was almost bouncing like a child on her seat.

If time was what she needed, then she had all the time she needed. I don’t
think I’ll be going anywhere anytime soon.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 13
Arielle

“Did you forget the part where he has like a million CCTVs in his house?
There’s absolutely no way I can take any of your calls without being caught
on camera, and if I go out to make calls, that’ll be much worse.” An
exasperated sigh left me.

We were over an hour into this meeting, and for some reason, Father was
being particularly unreasonable today. I understand how sensitive Mikhail’s
case is, but if we don’t exercise caution, we’ll be shooting ourselves in the
foot. Between the time I first met him and this moment, I’ve seen him
covered in blood, I’ve watched him take a life, and I’ve heard him order for
lives to be taken without batting an eye. Mikhail wasn’t someone to be
impulsive about.

“How about we all calm down a little? I’m sure if we take a moment and
circle back to the issue, we can find a way or arrive at a common ground,”
Viv said, looking between Father and me.

“I could build you software that helps you override the camera anytime you
need to,” James offered with a shrug.
It was very easy to forget he was in the room or to forget he existed entirely.
He was the last kid Father took in, and he took antisocial to a whole new
level. Whatever activity he was feeling like, he made sure it left no room for
anyone to join.

“That would’ve been a great idea if the person we were currently dealing
with was an idiot. Do you really think Mikhail won’t notice his cameras
glitching? Even if he doesn’t, Enzo will pick it up.” I was slowly running
short on my very limited store of patience every time someone said
something.
I had met Enzo once. He was a sharp contrast to Mikhail with dirty blonde
hair, the classic beach boy looks with the charisma to go with it, but even
that did not fool me. I could see how he observed the world around him. He
had the ears of the greater wax moth and the eyes of an eagle. No detail
seemed to escape him. The combination of him and Mikhail was lethal.

“There’s always the option of texting, and if it is absolutely important, I will

schedule a meeting. You’re moving in with Mikhail,” Father said with a
tone of finality.

I opened my mouth to protest, but Vivian beat me to it. I was glad she did
because I would’ve said some very inappropriate things.
“How about we create some sort of code?” she announced, causing Father
to raise a brow in her direction. “It’s almost impossible to continually hide
your phone from your boyfriend, who you happen to be living with, without
raising suspicion. So, I propose we come up with something that enables
Ari to talk freely without the next person knowing what the conversation is
about.”

That was a smart idea, and if I weren’t so angry about how adamant Father
was being, I would’ve brought it up a long time ago.

“And what would these codes be?” Father asked.

I butt in before Vivian had the chance to say anything. “I’m currently
working with the finance team of the Vanderbilts. I will come up with some
finance terms that can convey our messages without giving out anything.
That way, it looks like a regular work call.”

I was the one at the forefront of this project, and whatever was happening
should be things I didn’t find heavily inconveniencing. I would be the one
to get affected the most if this goes wrong.

“Alright then,” Father said, getting on his feet. “I’ll give you some time to
come up with terms, and while you’re at it, be sure to inform Ivanov of your
change of heart.” With that, he left the house with James hot on his heels.
“I swear he’s getting more difficult with the years. I held my breath the
whole time he was here.” Viv heaved a sigh of relief, adopting a more
comfortable position on the sofa.

She was right. Father was growing more difficult, less flexible, and heavily
fixated on things. I attributed it to him wanting to achieve every deadline he
set for himself before old age sets in.

“He needs to chill with it unless he wants to take over the project,” I hissed.

She scrunched her nose, looking to be deep in thought. “I’m certain Mikhail
is not keen on gray, old men. I’m having a hard time conjuring an image of
him cozying up to Father and revealing his secrets.”

I almost choked on my saliva with the wave of laughter that hit me

following her comment.

“Where did that come from?” I asked between fits, and Viv only chuckled.
My stomach was hurting by the time I calmed down.

“Feeling better?”

“Yeah,” I smiled softly. My work can get very difficult, and it was in
moments like this that I appreciated Vivian’s company the most. I would’ve
lost my mind if I had to do this on my own.

“I’ll have to go see Mikhail and make up a suitable excuse for my sudden
change of heart,” I sighed, making my way into my room.

“Will you be okay?” Vivian asked, her voice heavy with concern.

“Would it matter?” I fired back and was met with no reply.

That’s what I thought.

******

“How do you have this much stuff?” Vivian stared wide-eyed at the moving
truck in front of my house. Even I was shocked. I didn’t expect everything
to be that much.
“I didn’t even pack anything from my kitchen,” I added, staring at the
heaped truck.

My talk with Mikhail went very smoothly. He was excited to find out I
changed my mind. We ran into a hiccup when I said I would be keeping my
old house, but he dropped it when I figured out I wouldn’t change my mind
on that.

I would eventually have to do away with the house sometime in the future.
Something tells me I might have to disappear for a bit after putting Mikhail
away, but till then, I was holding on to the little bungalow.

“Is that everything, miss?” the truck driver asked.

“That’ll be all, thank you.” I smiled back, rubbing my arms as an odd

feeling of chill settled into me.

This was the first time a project was going as far as me moving in with the
suspect. Most of the men from before were usually horny deadbeats, had
zero interest in a relationship, and only wanted to get their dick wet and
blow their trumpets. The most I’ve had were a couple of trips around the
world, never an arrangement this serious. Things with Mikhail had gone
differently, and I’d be lying if I said it didn’t scare me a bit.

“He’s asking if you’re ready.” Vivian nudged me gently, pulling me from

my head and returning my attention to the truck driver, who was staring
awkwardly at me. An embarrassed blush climbed to my cheeks. “Yeah, I’m
ready. Sorry about that.”

The drive to Mikhail’s house was a quiet one, with my head resting on the
window and eyes shut for the duration of the ride.

Vivian didn’t say a thing, and I appreciated her leaving me to my thoughts. I

knew how important my job was and how it had helped a lot of people in
the past, but that didn’t make it easier. It could get very tasking and draining
at times.

“We’re here,” Peter announced, and I cracked my eyes open to be met with
a completely different structure from the penthouse I was used to.
“Where’s this, Peter?” I asked, my voice heavy with confusion.

His perpetually monotonous voice flooded the car with his response. “Don
asked us to bring you here. This is his home.”

Home. The sound echoed in my head. I had suspected the penthouse was
not his permanent house with how empty it always looked, but when he
never mentioned anything about a second house. I had concluded it must be
in Russia.

I stepped out of the car, taking in the marble monstrosity in front of me. It
looked like it was straight out of an old money movie, with two giant pillars
in the front and a porch that wrapped around the whole house. From the
stone fountain in front of the house to the line of trees that flagged the
driveway and the display of exotic cars in the outdoor garage, everything
looked sophisticated and well taken care of. Even the marble structure on
the fountain looked like it was polished daily and water replaced every
week. The familiar chill snuck up on me again, and I fought the urge to
wrap my hands around my body. This was it. I was finally in Mikhail’s
world.

“This way,” Peter called out, gesturing towards the entrance, and I
followed, looking back to make sure Vivian was behind me.

I had years of training to thank for the poker face I maintained when we
stepped into the house. I know I thought the outside of the house looked
sophisticated, but it was nothing compared to the inside. I had expected
modern furnishings with lots of glassware and a soft aesthetic, but this was
breathtaking. The whole place was furnished with expensive wood,
polished to the extent I could use one of the surfaces as a mirror. The central
fireplace had a large TV hanging above it and a huge grandfather seat on
the side with blankets carefully folded on top of it. To the side was the most
beautiful staircase I’ve ever seen, with intricate carvings and decorations. I
heard Vivian take in a soft gasp behind me, slowly taking in the house.

My awe was short-lived, and in its place was a growing feeling of disgust. I
mentally scolded myself for being moderately impressed by the wealth that
was amassed from the blood of children. I turned to ask Peter to take me to
my room when a high-pitched gasp from the left stopped me. A gray-haired
woman who looked to be in her late fifties stepped out of the kitchen with
an apron wrapped around her, wearing the warmest smile I’ve ever seen.

“Hello, ребенок . Can I give you a hug?” she beamed at me with a

heavy Russian accent, and I couldn’t find the will to refuse her. She exudes
so much maternal love and softness. “When the Молодой мастер
told me he was bringing home a woman, I honestly didn’t believe him, but
here you are, and you’re absolutely beautiful.” She must have noticed the
confusion on my face and took a small step back.

“Pardon my over-excited self,” she continued, “I’m Maya, the

housekeeper.”

My lips formed a small ‘o’ in realization. Mikhail never mentioned anything

about a housekeeper, but then again, I didn’t know about this house till
about ten minutes ago. The man really had a lot of layers. I mirrored the
smile on her face. It was hard not to smile back at her as I introduced
myself, “Hello Maya, I’m—”

“Arielle. I could tell when I saw your eyes,” she interrupted. “Mikhail has
told me all about you.”

“And who might you be, honey?” She smiled at Viv like she just noticed
her presence while I struggled to picture Mikhail sitting at a table and
telling Maya all about me.

“Vivian, Ma’am,” she replied, looking lost.

“Nonsense,” Maya scoffed, giving Vivian a small smile. “Just call me

Maya.”

I swear this woman was the human version of a diabetic cookie. So sweet
and warm, I wondered how she got to work for Mikhail.
“Take the stairs. I prepared the room to the right for you. I know we women
always want our little sanctuary, but Mikhail’s room is the last door to the
left if you’d prefer his. Go freshen up. Dinner will be ready at six, and
Mikhail will be home by five,” she rambled off, giving us another smile
before making her way back to the kitchen.

“That was—” Vivian trailed off, lost for words.

“Interesting,” I finished off, still staring in the direction Maya went.

“On the bright side, you’d have a female company with you,” she smiled.

“I wouldn’t so be sure about that. For all we know she could be their posè
for luring little kids in,” I replied, making my way up the stairs.

“That’s a fair point,” she agreed, catching up with me on the stairs.

I got to the end of the stairs and turned right. Living under the same roof
with Mikhail was enough pressure on me, spending every night with him
would make me lose my head.

****

“She never mentioned a sister in any of our conversations,” Mikhail said to

Vivian, casting me a look of accusation.

“You didn’t mention you had a world-class chef in your secret home either,”
I shot back, nibbling on my chicken wings. Maya was definitely the best
cook I’ve ever met.

A light chuckle left his throat as he watched me. “In my defense, we didn’t
get into a relationship until a few weeks ago.”

“That’s my defense, too.” I retorted with a playful wink.

He looked so different at home. His jacket was casually draped over his
seat. His tie was absent, and his sleeves were rolled above his elbows. He
looked less cautious and more peaceful.
“Hopefully, there’ll be no more surprises or secret families in the way,” he
said, and I rolled my eyes at him.

“That’s rich coming from the one who has a whole life in Russia,” I
commented as he let out a hearty laugh. I always forget how beautiful his
laughter was.

“Shit,” Vivian suddenly exclaimed, looking at her watch. “It’s getting late. I
should get going.”
“I’ll walk you,” I said, getting out of my chair.

“I guess this is goodbye.” I turned to Vivian when we got to the front door,
and she pulled me into a bone-crushing bear hug.

“Take care of yourself, Arielle, and don’t forget, once you sense the
slightest bit of danger, get out immediately. Don’t try to play detective or
anything.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I snorted. She finally released me, and I stood there,
watching till she disappeared into the driveway.
I was welcomed back into the house by a freshly showered Mikhail casually
surfing through the channels on the TV. Even the dining table was squeaky
clean and held no evidence of the feast that was devoured on it moments
ago. I must’ve spent a longer time than I thought outside.

“Done saying your goodbyes?” Mikhail asked, stretching out his arm for
me.

“This is the first time we’re really separated,” I sighed, resting on his
shoulder.

“That’s okay. She can always visit,” he replied, tracing soft circles on my
arm. “I’m glad you’re here.”

“Me too.” My pants should be flaming hot with all the lies I’ve spewed
today, but oh well.
“Do you want to tell me why I couldn’t find any of your belongings in my
room?” he asked, not taking his eyes off the TV.

“I’m here, aren’t I? And I think it’s healthy for couples to maintain some
form of healthy boundaries between them.” I replied, watching his face for
any reaction.

“I don’t believe that, but I liked the sound of your voice when you said
couples, so I’ll let you take your time. You’re just down the hall,” he said,
and I snickered.

His arm tightened around me when I tried to leave, so I found myself

watching the evening news with him like any normal couple would after
dinner.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 14

Arielle

“Good morning, ребенок .” Maya’s voice startled me, and I almost fell
from the tall kitchen stool I was currently standing on.

“We should really put a bell on you,” I muttered, catching my breath. The
lady made no sound.

“Was there something you needed?” she asked as I climbed down from the
stool, and my stomach rumbled in response.

Mikhail and I got in late from our movie date last night, and I skipped
dinner for a generous serving of ice cream. Now, I was up at six a.m.,
turning the kitchen upside down like a starved rodent.

“Come sit,” she said, patting on the chair next to the kitchen counter. “I’ll
fix you something real quick.”

“Thank you, Maya.” I sighed in relief, hopping on the stool.

Over the past few days, Maya and I have developed a form of friendship
over dinner. Most times, she cooked while I watched, and other times, I
joined if she was making something I was interested in.

“What about Mikhail?” she asked, chopping some spring onions. Her
cutting speed always had me on edge and scared for her fingers.

“He was still sleeping when I got out of bed,” I replied, my eyes not leaving
her fingers.
A smile touched her lips. “You know he always had trouble sleeping till you
moved in. I’d find him working on the table as early as six a.m., and he’d
still be making work calls when I left at ten. You’re good for him.”

I felt a twinge of guilt at her words. I could sense how much she cared for
him. I had asked Mikhail about her, but he didn’t say much. He just said
that she followed him from Russia.

“Maya,” I started, clearing my throat. “How long have you been with
Mikhail?”

Her face transformed following my question, and a look of gratitude bled

into her eyes. “I’ve been with him since he was five.”

My antennas were instantly up and alert. This was the perfect opportunity
for me to dig around Mikhail’s past.

“Woah, that’s a very long time,” I commented, adjusting myself on the

stool. “He told me you followed him from Russia. Was your family not
worried about you?” I needed to know if she was working for him of her
free will or if Mikhail had something on her.

“Yes, ребенок . After his grandfather died, the young master took over
the family business at a very young age. My husband—” she cleared her
throat before continuing, “My husband, he was not a good man, and he got
into trouble with some bad men. They killed my husband, took everything
we owned, and threatened to kill me if I didn’t provide what was left of my
husband’s debt. I was a poor widow with nowhere to go. When Mikhail
found out about what happened, he took care of the men and returned all
they had taken from me.”

It took a while for me to completely digest the information she had just
dumped on me. When I asked about her life with Mikhail, I didn’t expect to
hear about him going out of his way to take care of his grandfather’s
housekeeper.
“So, when he told me he was leaving for the States, I packed up my life in
Russia and followed him. He is the only family I have. He has been so good
to me. He even got me my own house after we settled in.” She wiped a
stray tear from her eyes, and her unwavering love and loyalty to Mikhail
began to all make sense.

“Woah. He didn’t tell me this part of the story.” I said, my chest suddenly
feeling tight.

“That’s the young master for you. He’s not one to blow his own trumpet,”
she sighed, putting off the fire in the cooker.

I had been so lost in my thoughts I hadn’t noticed her rounding up with her
cooking.

“Arielle,” she said, her warm gaze resting on me. “I know he can be
difficult at times. He had a rough childhood, and the mistakes of his father
rested on him for a very long time, but I can see how much he cares for you.
Be patient with him. He might not be the most affectionate, but he’s fiercely
loyal and will protect you with his last blood. He did the same for me.”

I could only nod. The tightness in my chest spread to my throat, and I

couldn’t produce a sound even if I tried.

“Alright. Breakfast is ready. Go get him,” she clapped, clearing her throat
and shooing me away. I’ve never been more relieved to leave a room.

I leaned my back on the nearest wall after I left the kitchen, taking deep
breaths to steady myself. The conversation took a completely different turn
from what I expected, and I found myself battling with an alien feeling of
guilt and not the triumph I thought I’d have after prying information from
Maya.

Beneath the feeling of guilt that gnawed at me was a simmering feeling of

pity for Maya. She’ll be so heartbroken when she discovers Mikhail’s true
nature. It’ll completely crush her.

“I don’t care what it takes, Enzo. I want the whole perimeter secured. No
one leaves, and no one gets in until someone gives me a reasonable
answer.” Mikhail’s harsh words reached my ears as I got close to his door,
and I slowed my pace and strained my ears to hear more.

“No, Lorenzo, no! Just do as I instructed.” He barked with a tone of finality,

and the sound of something crashing on the floor followed his outburst. I
immediately rushed into the room to find a wide crack in the mirror and
blood dripping from Mikhail’s hand as he paced his bedroom.

I took a slow, cautious step towards him, not knowing what to expect. I’ve
never seen him like this. “Is everything okay? I heard some commotion in
the room.”

His eyes found mine, and he drew in a deep breath, looking at his hand and
the mirror. “I’m sorry about the mess, darling. I just received very bad
news,” he said, sitting on the bed and supporting his head with his hands.

“What happened?” I asked, standing between his legs and cradling his face
in my hands.

“It’s nothing to worry about. I’ll go to Russia tomorrow and have it fixed,”
he replied, forcing a small smile on his face.

“You can’t ask me not to worry after seeing you like this,” I said, lowering
my voice. “Remember, we said no more secrets.”

I couldn’t tell if I was still acting or if I was genuinely concerned for him.
“Talk to me, baby,” I coaxed gently.

He sighed, leaning into my hands. “My shipment got bombed the moment it
got to the port.”

Shipment? The alarms in my head went off. Could it be the same shipments
Father has been on my neck about?

I tucked my questions away, bringing myself to eye level with him. “Did
you find who was responsible?”

“Not yet, but once I get to Russia, I’ll find them, and I’ll make sure—”
“Hey, hey. Look at me.” I said, forcing his gaze on me. “I’m sure you’ll find
them, and you’ll take care of it. Hopefully, the goods didn’t sustain
permanent damage.”

I found myself earnestly praying for the content of the shipments to be safe.
It could be anything between kids and atomic bombs, and it was our key to
exposing him.

“Thank you,” he sighed, placing kisses all over my hands. He looked at me

like he wanted to say more but decided against it.

“Maya said to get you downstairs for breakfast. But first, we have to get
your wrist cleaned up, or she’ll have a coronary if she sees you coming
downstairs with burst knuckles so early in the morning.” He chuckled as I
pulled him to his feet and led him to the bathroom.

*******

“Did he say anything about the condition of the shipment?” Father asked
hastily before I could finish my report.

“He only said that the port suffered an explosion immediately after the
shipment was offloaded. He didn’t mention anything about the state, and I
couldn’t ask more without seeming suspicious,” I replied, glancing over my
back.

I told Maya I was going to take a quick post-breakfast stroll around the
neighborhood after Mikhail left, and I seized the opportunity to update
Father on recent events.

“Good job, Cara. See how much progress you’ve made in a very short time
with you in the same house with him,” he commended, and I rolled my
eyes. Of course, he would give himself credit for my progress.

“One more thing, though. You said he would be leaving for Russia
tomorrow, right?”

“Yes, Father,” I answered, silently praying he wouldn’t ask me to raid the

house in Mikhail’s absence.
“I need you to go with him.”

“What?” I spluttered, taking a minute to register his words.

“When he returns from work, you’ll tell him you would love to visit Russia.
Make up a story about how you would love to know his roots. Whatever
you do, make sure you’re on that plane with him,” he said, and the line
went off before I got the chance to refuse.

Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!

I doubt Mikhail would be keen on letting me tag along. This was a work
trip.

I let out a frustrated sigh and made my way back to the house, feeling a
sense of regret over reporting to Father, but at the same time, I held on to
the hope that this shipment would be the key. It was the cause of
everything.

*****

“That was…woah,” Mikhail panted as I crawled up to him on the bed,

wiping the remnants of his cum off my chin.

“I just missed you a little, and you looked so tense when you left earlier.”

He pulled me flush against him, placing a kiss on my head. “Thank you.”

I counted to ten in my head, waiting for the right moment to start the
conversation with him without seeming like it was the reason I gave him an
unexpected blowjob.

“Something on your mind?” he asked, and I lifted my head to get a good

look at him.

“What gave it away?”

“You do this thing with your fingers when there’s something bothering you.
Come on, what’s the problem?”
I took a moment to let his words sink in, making a mental note to be more
careful around him. “I want to follow you to Russia.”

His body suddenly stiffened beneath my touch, and he said a hard “No.”

“Why?” I said, slipping out of his arms and getting into a seated position.
“Why can’t I come with you?”

He flashed me an incredulous look, pulling himself into a seated position.

“Because it’s dangerous, Arielle, and you know this. I won’t be taking you
with me, and that’s the end of it.”

“I’m not saying I want to work with you. I’m just saying I’d love to see the
place where you grew up. I barely know anything about you beyond New
York. Even Maya knows more about you than I do,” I said, my voice
softening at the end.

He drew in a heavy breath, holding out his arm to me, and I crawled back
into him. He always felt so warm and comfortable. “I understand,
sweetheart, but it’s hardly ideal. You can get hurt.”

“I don’t care. I just want to be with you,” I whined, placing my head on his
shoulder. “I just want to be a part of your world.”

He went silent for a moment before finally speaking. “We’ll have to set up
some ground rules, baby.”

“So, you’ll let me tag along?” I squealed in excitement.

“Easy, don’t get ahead of yourself.” He tried to sound stern, but I could see
the smile tugging at the corner of his lips. He finally gave in to my puppy
look, and his face was completely transformed by a wide smile.

“You’re lucky I can’t say no to you,” he sighed, placing another kiss on my

forehead.

“You said something about rules,” I beamed at him, and he chuckled.

“No going out without supervision. You’ll only go to places I deem safe,
and you’ll have your location on at all times.”
“Is that it?”

“Yes.” He let out another chuckle, and I rolled off the bed, heading to my
room to pack my stuff.

I found myself uncommonly excited to be traveling with Mikhail. This

house would’ve felt so empty without him.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 15
Mikhail

“It’s a manor?” Arielle gasped, staring at the view in front of us.

It was a high stone structure that seemed to stretch into the sky. Its walls
were adorned by ivy spines wrapped around the length of it with equally
tall, arched windows reflecting the soft gleam of the sun. I often likened the
house to the castle of Camelot when I was younger. It was big, looming and
it held its own secrets, lots of secrets.
“Yes, it is. Try not to get lost,” I replied, equally staring at the structure for
entirely different reasons. I’ve not been here since my grandfather died, but
his aura still clung heavily to the air. I half expected to hear him barking out
orders from his wheelchair the moment I stepped through the huge oak
doors.

“Bozhe moy!” Maya exclaimed, dropping her bag on the floor and rushing
off to the orchard to the right. “They let my trees and vegetables die!”

I rolled my eyes at her antics. The woman loved her vegetables more than
anything and would readily exchange a few humans for them. I returned my
attention to Arielle, whose eyes were still bouncing from one part of the
building to the other. “Ready?” I tilted my head to the entrance.

She blinked at me before registering my request. “Yes!” She wrapped her

arm around my elbow. “There’s just so much to take in.”

“You’ll have all the time to get familiar with everything. You’ll be seeing a
lot of it.” I smiled at her. I wish we had visited under different
circumstances so I would’ve had the time to give her a proper tour. This trip
was impromptu and strictly business.
The double oaks doors were pulled open as we approached, and we were
welcomed by the staff flagging the imperial staircase. I could feel Arielle’s
arm tighten around mine, and her steps slowly falter.

“This is Arielle, and you’ll be taking orders directly from her,” I announced,
and her grip around me grew tighter.

“Hello,” she greeted softly, sending a shy wave their way. She was adorable
when she was shy.

I dismissed the staff and headed for the stairs, feeling the judgmental eyes
of all the Dons before me resting on my shoulders from their portraits. The
absence of my father’s picture always hit me whenever I climbed the stairs.
Grandfather had ordered it to be disposed of and replaced with mine the
moment I turned eighteen, stating that my father had not earned his place in
the family’s hall of fame.

“Won’t you introduce me to your ancestors?” Arielle asked, taking in the

faces on each frame. “Hold on, is that—” She trailed off, staring at the year
inscribed on the first portrait before whirling around to face me.

“How old is this building?”

Here comes the long-awaited history lesson. “It was built in the early 1900s
by my great-grandfather,” I replied, taking in the expression on her face.
“Yes. He was the first Don of the Ivanov family.” I added, sensing the
question pooling in her eyes.

“Woah. That’s a long time ago. Did every member of your family have to
live here? How many rooms are there?” She fired question after question at
me, drawing a soft chuckle from me. She looked so cute with her brows
tightly knit together.

“Only the first sons and future Don have ownership claims and are expected
to remain in the house. The rest were free to do whatever they wanted and
live wherever they wanted.” I supplied, wondering what my life would’ve
looked like if I wasn’t the firstborn son and was free to do whatever I
wanted.
I honestly couldn’t picture it. This was all I’ve known my whole life, and I
can’t imagine a life away from it.

“That’s a great way to maintain the family legacy,” she mused, her eyes
bouncing from one picture to the other.

“Come on, love, you’ll have all the time to acquaint yourself with dead men
if that’s what you want.” I smiled, pulling her the rest of the way up.

“Woah,” Arielle exclaimed, untangling her arms from mine and taking in
the master bedroom. “My whole house could fit in here, and there’d still be
room for a mini kitchen.”

She pushed open the double doors leading to the balcony, causing the wind
to sweep in, her blonde hair flying all over the place like streams of sunlight
as she stood there, staring at the wide expanse of land. I tore my attention
from her, my gaze sweeping through the entire bedroom. It felt odd to be
occupying the same bedroom my grandfather died in. And despite the fact
that I had everything in it changed, it still felt like it belonged to him.

“You have a pond?” Arielle shirked from the balcony. “Is that a fish? Can I
go fishing?”

She was bouncing on her feet like a child when I joined her on the balcony
and that fluffy feeling I was yet to place engulfed my chest.

She turned to me with a look of disbelief “Why did you move to New York?
If I had a home like this, I’d never leave.”

“Maybe that’s why I had to come find you in New York. To bring you here
so you can stay and never leave.” I replied, placing feather kisses on her
shoulders. “I’m glad you like the house.”

“Like it? Don’t be silly, Mikhail. I fucking love it. You have a beautiful
home.” She said, her voice falling slightly at the end of her statement.

Beautiful is hardly the word I would use to describe the house. Granted, it
had its share of greenery and well-carved-out features, but that was all there
was to it. It was an empty museum unless you count all the souls who were
still trapped in the hallway. A memory I had successfully tucked away for
the longest time came rushing back. Flashes of eight-year-old me running to
my grandfather because I felt a presence in the hallway and him making me
walk through all the hallways in the dark that night.

He repeated the process every night till he was satisfied. During this time,
Maya would sometimes slip me a candle for when I got to the very dark
corners and was too scared to continue. In his defense, an Ivanov should be
feared by both humans and otherworldly beings, not the other way round.
The sound of the clock striking two p.m. brought me back to the present. I
had more pressing issues, like the current state of my family business, to
deal with than the preferred upbringing methods my grandfather employed.

“Why don’t you get settled in, and I’ll join you early tomorrow morning.
Enzo and I need to make a quick run to the port. It’s a four-hour flight from
here, and I won’t be able to make it home on time.”

The attack at the port has barely left my mind since the news got to me last
night. We left New York at four a.m, to get here as soon as possible.

“We barely got here, and you’re already abandoning me,” she pouted, her
voice dripping with accusations.

I placed a kiss on her head “I won’t be too long, I’ll be home before
sundown, I promise. You can explore the house while I’m out.”

“What about my fishing?”

“We will talk about your activities when I get back, and I’ll update Canaan.
He’ll be your guard for the duration of our stay.”

“Alright. Stay safe.” She smiled.

Casting one last glance at the bed, I made my way out of the room. It was
going to be a long day, and I’d prefer to get a head start.

*******

“Fuck me,” Enzo muttered the moment we stepped down from the chopper.
My fingers curled into a fist, and I could feel my nails digging into my
palms as I took in the sight in front of me.

About ten of the storage containers were completely blown up. A few
looked like they had suffered from the vibrations from the explosion, and
only a very small fraction appeared untouched.

“Good afternoon, Don.” Alexei, a distant cousin I kept in charge of the port,
greeted, handing me the file that was clutched to his fist

I eyed his outstretched arm, and he quickly tucked it in. Enzo took the files
from him.

“What happened?” I demanded. A file containing statistics on damaged

goods and the cost of repairs was the least of my problems. I had more than
enough money to acquire an extra port if I saw it fit.

“It happened shortly after the container was brought down from the ship
and moved into storage. My men traced the source to be the restroom next
to one of the storages,” Alexei explained.

“And my shipment?”

“We were in luck. The men were slow in offloading the ship, following my
instructions to apply extra caution, and it was saved for the last. It suffered
little to no damage.”

I raised an eyebrow at him. “What do you mean by little to no damage?”

“It was an explosion, and the container was rattled. We couldn’t ascertain
the extent of the damage. Enzo requested it be kept sealed until you
arrived.” His answers were quick and efficient. It’s why I picked him out of
every other relative.

“We sustained casualties,” he added softly.

“Send the condolence package to their families and have someone be

present for their funeral,” I replied, dismissing the conversation.
Everyone who worked for me signed an NDA and understood the risks
involved before they were employed. “Take me to the storage.”

When the three of us were safely locked in the storage, I unlocked the
container and let out an audible sigh of relief. The tension in my muscles
disappeared when I found the content untouched.

“Told you if they were affected, the whole of Russia would’ve gone up in
flames,” Enzo muttered behind me.

While he was right, computers were more his thing and not ammunition.
These were far too delicate and everything had to arrive in optimum state
without as little as a scratch for a sale to be made.

“Get them ready for distribution. I’ll be leaving with them. What do you
have on the hit? Do you have a suspect yet?” I questioned, making my way
out of the storage with Enzo and Alexei hot on my track.

“It was a suicide,” Alexei replied, stopping me in my tracks.

“Whoever this is, he’s particularly keen on not getting caught,” Enzo
whistled behind me.

“You’re telling me a man bypassed all the cameras, got into the bathroom,
and blew my port up without a trace?”

“We’re still working on finding him. Most of the cameras were damaged as
a result of the explosion.”

“Alexei,” I seethed, taking a step towards him. “I didn’t place you here for
explanations. I don’t give a flying fuck if you have to tap into every camera
in the whole of Russia. Find him.”

The last time an attack of this magnitude happened, I was fifteen years old,
still a kid, but old enough to know that anyone who was brave enough to
blow up my family business was no small enemy, and I’ll be damned if I let
this slip through my fingers.

“And Alexei, I’ll be needing the core members of the family in my house at
dinner time tomorrow. I don’t care if they’re halfway across the world. I
need everyone here,” I bit out, making my way to the chopper.

If I don’t get a drink in the next ten minutes, I might just murder someone.

*****

I heard her before I saw her. Her contagious laughter spilled from the
kitchen, bouncing off the walls of the house and filling the space with joy. A
small smile played on my lips, and I could feel a gentle squeeze in my heart
as I made my way to the kitchen, the anger and exhaustion from the night
before slowly melting away. Not once in my thirty-two years of life did I
ever see the manor this alive or its staff smiling cheerily, and it was all
thanks to her. Even the men seemed to have taken a liking to her.

She had the touch of mide and brought everything she touched to life. Even
the coldest of hearts would feel warmth in her presence. I would know, she
did the same to mine.

“Dobryy vecher dorogaya,” Arielle greeted when her eyes found me leaning
on the kitchen door frame. My brows lifted in surprise at her cute attempt at
Russian. Her accent would need a little bit of work, but her pronunciation
was good enough.

“I leave you for one night, and you wake up a full-fledged Russian
woman,” I replied, pushing off the door frame.
She flashed me a wide smile. “What can I say? You don’t find me where
you leave me.”

“Dobryy vecher, lyubimaya.” I returned her greeting, wrapping my arms

around her. “YA skuchal po tebe.”

“Uhhh, Maya didn’t tell me about that one,” she replied, and I chuckled
lightly. From the corner of my eyes, I could see the staff slowly emptying
out of the kitchen till we were left with Maya and her vegetables, of course.

“What’s for dinner?” I nibbled softly on her ears, causing her to giggle and
swat my arms.
“Certainly not her,” I heard Maya murmur over her chopping board, and
Arielle burst out laughing.

“Maya is teaching me how to make some pelmeni and borscht soup.”

“Sounds delicious but we might have to increase the quantity. We’ll be

having some guests joining us for dinner,” I said, shifting my gaze to Maya.

“ Семейное собрание ?” she asked, her blade paused mid-air.

“ Да ,” I replied, holding her gaze. Moments like these made me
appreciate Maya more. I didn’t have the patience to ease a new person into
my lifestyle and teach them the ropes.

“Alright,” Arielle said, pulling out of my embrace. “I know I might’ve used

one Russian sentence, but that doesn’t make a native. Someone give me an
explanation.”

“We’ll be having dinner with some of my family members,” I replied,

observing her for a reaction.

“I get to meet someone from your family?” Her eyes sparkled with interest.

“Not in that context, sweetheart, but yes, you’ll be meeting some of them.”

“I better go get ready then. Maya, we’ll continue the cooking later.” She
called out on her way out of the kitchen.

“Are you sure it’s time for her to join the meetings? You know how those
can get,” Maya asked once Arielle was out of earshot.

“She’ll be with me,” I replied, my voice cold and hard, leaving no room for
more talk.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 16

Arielle

Maya ended up tossing everything we were making into the refrigerator and
proceeded to cook up a storm between the period I went upstairs to freshen
up and my return to the dining room.

“Is all of this necessary for a family dinner?” I asked, taking in the elaborate
spread of food and wine.

“Why don’t you go find Mikhail. You shouldn’t arrive at dinner without
your significant other,” Maya said, not taking her eyes off the napkins she
was currently folding into swan shapes.

I still find it hard to believe the woman did not attend any culinary school.
Everything she did in the kitchen always came out so perfect.

“He’s on a call, but he’ll be back soon. I can help out.” I reached for the
napkins and was met with a scolding from Maya.

“You have a white dress on devochka. Go wait for him or walk around the
house.”

I gave her a tight smile and returned to the balcony upstairs, not knowing
what to do with myself. Maybe from here, I can catch a glimpse of some of
the guests before I’m required to be downstairs for dinner, and I’d have
something for Father.

After Mikhail practically left the house to me yesterday, I took my time to

explore every nook and crevice of the building, and all I got were history
books, old ledgers, wine, and bookkeeping records. I even trailed my
fingers around the wooden panels of the library as Father instructed, feeling
for a secret button to a hidden room or something, and was still met with
nothing. I couldn’t find anything remotely useful that had to do with the
family business. The house was littered with family history, though. They
seem to hold tightly to their roots, tight enough to show everything and give
away nothing.

I quit trying to pry words from Maya a while ago. While she might be a
sweet motherly figure, she was also fiercely loyal to the family and would
always smile and ask me to inquire from Mikhail or to let it be. According
to her, it was not required of the women in the Bratva to know much about
the details. All they had to concern themselves with was looking good,
bearing children, and maintaining a peaceful home for their men.

I stared at the endless green expanse of land that stretched through the
horizon. Mikhail said the property stretches till you meet stone walls. I was
currently on the balcony of the tallest part of the building, and still, I
couldn’t see the walls. Dusk slowly descended on the horizon, covering the
oak trees lining the driveway in a blanket of darkness and casting eerie dark
shadows on the road.

I watched the driveway, slowly expecting a paranormal apparition or wild

animal to jump out of it. My expectations were halfway met when I saw
two yellow gleaming eyes approaching the fountain. I was ready to run into
the house when the soft purr of a car reached my ears. Gleaming eyes
turned to headlamps, and the sleek body of a matte black Mercedes
materialized from the darkness.

Shortly after that, a long line of exotic cars followed, and before I could
blink, the entire garage was filled with the most expensive cars I’ve ever
seen, with more exotic-looking guests coming out of them.

“There you are,” Mikhail’s velvety voice wrapped around me as he stepped

onto the balcony. “You look beautiful.” He placed a soft kiss on my hand.

“You don’t look bad yourself,” I replied, my eyes glued to the way his
charcoal black suit wrapped around his body. I will never get over how
handsome he was.
“Sorry, I’ve been so absent. A lot is going on, and I need to take care of it
all before it’s too late,” he sighed, massaging his temple with the pad of his
fingers.

A closer look at him revealed how tired he was. The area below his eyes
looked slightly darker. His eyes looked dull, and the tightness on his
shoulders seemed to have returned. I almost felt sorry for him. He had not
had a decent night’s sleep or rest since the news of the explosion got to him.
“It’s okay. You said it was going to be this way before we left. Did your
visit to the port go smoothly?” I added, carefully observing him.

“Not really, but I’ll take care of it. Don’t bother your pretty head with it,” he
replied with a soft smile. “We better head to dinner, or I’ll make good on
Maya’s words and have you instead,” he said, his voice dark and low.

“I can be desert,” I suggested.

“No, sweetheart. You’re a feast. Now let’s leave, or I can’t be blamed for
what happens.”

A chuckle spilled from me, and I wrapped my arm around his. “Lead the
way then.”

I wanted to ask more questions about his visit to the port, but I knew he
wouldn’t be very receptive towards it in this state. I’ll just have to circle
back when he’s less tense.

*****

My view from the balcony didn’t do justice to the people I walked in on.
The dining room looked like something straight out of a movie, and
everyone looked so expensive, especially the women. Their make-up was
flawless, their hair styled to perfection, their jewelry catching the light from
the chandelier, and their dresses tailored to perfection.

The men didn’t need much. You could tell from their suits and
wristwatches. Some had tobacco pipes lodged between their lips. This did
not look like a gathering of criminals.
Silence descended on the dining following the steady click of my heels on
the floor, and I could feel their eyes burning into me. Sensing my
discomfort, Mikhail’s hold on me tightened reassuringly as he led me to the
table, pulling out a chair for me.

“Never thought I’d see the day Mikhail pulls out a seat for a woman,” the
man seated at the far end of the table with a scar running from his eyebrow
to his cheek whistled, and the men laughed.

“You should’ve given us a head start. I would’ve loved to impress the

beautiful lady,” another man added, and the laughter intensified.

“Pardon my brothers, I’m Ivan, and I think you ended up with the wrong
brother,” a dashing young man seated next to me said, flashing me a bright
smile.

“You know, if you flirt with your wife that way, maybe she won’t look like
she hasn’t had an orgasm in a decade,” the man with the scar shot back, and
the laughter couldn’t get any louder.

In all of this, I couldn’t help but notice the silence of the women. They
didn’t even laugh at the jokes. Not that the jokes were appropriate or
anything, but there was almost no difference between them and beautiful
statues.

“Hello darling,” a beautiful blonde seated across from me smiled, “I’m

Natalya. Mikhail didn’t tell us he was bringing a gorgeous girl.”

“When does Mikhail tell anyone anything?” The bald man seated next to
her interjected, puffing out a ball of smoke.

I sought help from Mikhail, but he was engaged in a hushed conversation

with Enzo and another man I learned to be Alexei. He paid no attention to
the commotion going on at the table. Guess I would have to figure this one
out myself. “I’m Arielle,” I smiled, returning her greeting.

“Arielle, now that’s a beautiful name,” Ivan said, wrapping a few strands of
my hair around his finger.
Before I could process his action, a knife wheezed past me, missing my
cheeks by a hair’s breath and lodging into Ivan’s palm, tearing a sharp,
agonizing cry from him. My eyes widened at the sight of blood dripping
from his palms, my heart thudding so hard in my chest it felt like it would
burst out of my rib cage anytime soon.

Silence settled over the table, and I looked to find Mikhail’s fingers curled
on the table, his eyes shooting lasers at Ivan while Enzo watched with a
smirk.

“That’s what happens when you lay your hands on someone’s woman,”
Scarface whistled, amusement simmering in his eyes.
I pinned my gaze on Mikhail, but he wouldn’t look my way. He went back
to his conversation with Enzo as if nothing had happened. I glanced around
the table to find everyone else back to their affairs as if someone didn’t
have a knife lodged in his palm.

Ivan ripped the knife from his palm, hissing in pain as the steel sliced
through him, and it took everything in me not to puke. I glanced at the
women and found them occupied with their meals and phones. None of
them paid attention to Ivan except Scarface, who looked to be very
entertained, and Natalya, who watched me in amusement before raising her
champagne flute to me. “Welcome to the family.”

I could only manage a tight smile in response to her greeting, noticing a

platinum blonde at the far end of the table staring at me with murderous
eyes. Maya appeared shortly with a bandage for Ivan, sending me a look I
couldn’t decipher before returning to the kitchen. These people acted
nothing like the way they were dressed. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of the
drinks on the table turned out to be blood. My appetite completely faded,
and I ended up playing with my food for most of the time. Mikhail still
wouldn’t look at me, and Ivan acted like I was never in the room to begin
with.

Dinner ended with the men involved in a heated argument in Russian.

Mikhail had passed a file through them while we ate, causing an uproar
from every eye that looked into it. My fingers itched with curiosity, and I
longed to catch a glimpse of what the file held. I knew that wasn’t going to
be possible, so I settled for recording the conversation by phone. I’d send it
to Father, and he’d have someone translate it for him.

I was still straining my ears for familiar words when I noticed the women
rise to their feet while the men maintained their positions on the table. My
eyes narrowed in confusion, not knowing what I was supposed to do at the
moment.

“Come on,” Natalya beckoned, “It’s time to leave the men to business.”

Of course, the women were sent away when it was time for serious
business. I could only hope the recording provided enough details for
Father, or I’d have to bank on guilt-tripping Mikhail into giving up a few
details. I didn’t see myself particularly successful with that, but I’d still give
it a shot.

I got up, briefly catching Mikhail’s eyes as I left for the drawing room with
Natalya. The women I met there were completely different from the ones in
the dining room. Snorty noses were crinkled in laughter, and the whole
place sounded like a saloon. Some of them still looked miserable, and the
platinum blonde wouldn’t stop shooting daggers at me.

“That’s Caroline, Ivan’s wife,” Natalya muttered, and her resentment

suddenly made sense.

“Don’t let her get to you. It could’ve happened with anyone. Ivan is a well-
known dog. You should be grateful Mikhail stopped him,” she said, and my
footstep faltered.

“He threw a knife at him,” I said, and she only smiled, steering us to a
coffee table at the far end of the drawing room.

“That’s the most effective way to mark your territory around here. Ivan was
only testing the waters, and If Mikhail had done nothing when he touched
you, he would be indirectly signaling to the men that you were fair game
and open for the taking. Benjamin almost chopped off Alexei’s fingers
when he tried to kiss my hands.” She explained, and I swallowed to hold
down the wave of nausea building in me.
If I couldn’t get anything from the men, I’d settle for the women. Everyone
knows women love to talk, and Natalya looked very willing to indulge me.
“So does this happen every time?”

“Yes. It’s their way of marking their territory.”

Animals. Brutally sadistic animals. I swallowed my disgust, plastering a

smile on my face. “I think I already figured that out. I was asking about the
part where we get sent out from dinner. Is that a regular thing?”

“Oh. It depends on the occasion. Women are not supposed to be present

when sensitive issues are being discussed,” she replied, and I furrowed my
brows in confusion.

“Benjamin said the explosion was a suicide attempt, so it’s indicative of a

bigger threat,” she explained.

“That’s not what Igor said,” a stunning brunette interjected from the table
next to us. “He said the attack was not on the port but on the new
ammunition.”

Soon, the room was filled with the voices of women offering what they had
drawn from their brothers and significant others about the state of the
current events.

“He said it was a failed suicide, and the culprit was caught.”

“That’s totally wrong. My husband said the culprit was blown apart and left
no evidence.”

“That’s wrong. Mine said the culprit has been found.”

“You all have it wrong. My husband said the culprit was blown up, but the
shipments were found intact.”

My ears perked at the last statement from a redhead puffing out a ball of
smoke from her pipe. She was the only one who looked like her husband
would actually give her honest details about what was going on.
“That’s a good thing then. Everyone’s safe,” I said, careful not to let my
true intentions show.

“That’s barely the case,” she scoffed. “The events only point to the presence
of a mole. Only someone on the inside would’ve known about the
shipment. Everyone is a suspect for now.”

“Didn’t Amber say it was a suicide from one of the workers? That’s the
mole right there.” Natalya replied with a tone of conviction.
“Maybe, maybe not,” the redhead replied, turning to me. “So, tell me,
Arielle, how did you meet Mikhail, and most importantly, how did you get
him to claim you? I’ll have you know he has never shown interest in a
woman past the bedroom, and a good number of the women here have
thrown themselves at him in the past, including Natalya.” She shot Natalya
a look to which she replied with an eye roll. This woman wasn’t scared of
stepping on toes. “I’m sure we’re all curious to know how you bagged
him.”

Something about her sent chills down my spine. She didn’t seem docile like
the other women, and her brown eyes looked like she could see right into
your soul and sniff out the fake in you. I let out a nervous laugh when I
noticed the silence in the room. Every woman had suddenly drawn closer to
my table, their eyes filled with questions, including Ivan’s wife.

“Honestly, I had no intentions of bagging him when we met. I only came to

the club to have a good time, and I fell into a hiccup with some dufus, and
Mikhail came to my rescue. We fucked that night, and well, as the
storytellers would say, the rest was history.”

“I always knew he was going to end up with someone who had no idea who
he was and didn’t cower at his sight. I saw the way you looked at him when
he threw the knife at Ivan. You’re not scared of him. That’s good,” she
asserted, puffing out another cloud of smoke.
Slowly, the conversation shifted from Mikhail and I to who would be
throwing the next party and who was the least dressed to the last party.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 17

Mikhail

Between Arielle’s anger at me, recruiting all my resources to find the

suicide bomber, and the growing tension from being around my family for
an extended period, I didn’t know what was currently responsible for the
tension and restlessness I carried around, but my money was on the first
one.
Threats to my business, no matter how bad, were not uncommon. My
family tearing down each other’s throats was equally not a cause for alarm.
What was new was Arielle’s attitude and the knowledge of the fact that the
rest would be remarkably easier to beat if I didn’t have to come home to her
cold demeanor and single-word replies.

Over the course of our relationship, I’ve scared her, I’ve rushed her, I’ve
been imposing on her, but not once had I met the angry side of her, and I
was currently running short of ideas. From elaborate flower arrangements to
unlimited shopping sprees, I had no idea what to do anymore. Even Maya
wasn’t making it easier. She moved around the house, sending me narrowed
glances whenever our eyes met.

“If this was a targeted hit at the port, we’re going to need something to draw
them out, but if the shipments are the target, then we’ll need to set a trap.
It’ll be useless sitting around and waiting for him to magically fall into our
arms. What say you, Mikhail?” Benjamin’s gruff voice pulled me out of my
thoughts.

“I don’t think the shipments are the target. Anyone who seeks to control the
port must control the business that happens in the port, and disruption is
exactly how this person intends to harm the business so they can swoop in
and play savior,” I replied, gently massaging the scruff that had built
overnight.

Arielle would’ve pointed it out or made comments about how the roughness
was irritating her skin and making me look like a Neanderthal. I shook the
thoughts of her away, forcing my attention on the present conversation.

“So, we lure them out with the shipments?” Enzo questioned.

“I’ll be traveling with the shipments, and I intend to distribute it at the

charity gala. All the clients will be there, and it’ll be disguised as auction
materials. While that will guarantee a seamless transaction, it’s sure to draw
out the rat. You can’t control a business without knowing the clients,” I
replied, turning to Igor.

“I need you to secure the hosting of the gala. I want microphones and
cameras stationed in every part of the building. I want to hear everything
that’s being said and catch the slightest movement.”

With the plans laid out and everyone had a clear-cut duty for them, I
excused myself from the gathering and made my way upstairs. I was barely
contributing a lot with my mind constantly wandering. I was surprised to
find Arielle curled up in bed with a book when I entered our room. I had
selected a few activities she would love and instructed Canaan to make sure
she had a fun day.

“You were supposed to go horse riding with Canaan today,” I said, closing
the door behind me.

“I figured there’d be no way for me to get on a horse without his help, and I
happen to appreciate his fingers complete and his palms without a hole in
them,” she replied, not taking her eyes off her book.

I tried my best to explain to her the significance of what happened during

dinner, including the fact that Ivan would’ve done the same if it was me
messing with his woman, but she maintained it was barbaric.

I sat on the foot of the bed, watching as her eyes darted from one page to
another, pretending to be reading. “Arielle.” I tried to get her attention and
was met with a flat “mmh.”

“Arielle, look at me.” This time, she slammed her book shut and turned to
me, her eyes still holding the same stormy look they had that night.

It was better than no reply.

“Things are very different in my world, and while I don’t expect you to
agree with all of them, I expect you to trust me. I would never do anything
to put you in danger, and if I have to end a life to keep you safe, that’s
exactly what I’ll do, and I won’t be sorry about it.” She held my gaze for a
while before releasing a deep breath and lowering her gaze.

“The knife barely missed my face, and before I could make sense of what
was happening, there was blood. One mistake, and that could’ve been my
face.”

“I’ll never make a mistake like that, sweetheart. I just need you to trust me,”
I said, scooting up the bed and taking her hands in mine. This time, she
didn’t pull away.

“I’m going to need some time to get used to all of this,” she muttered.

“You can take all the time you need, and for the record, I don’t expect you
to get used to it.”

Silence hung over us for what seemed like hours, but I was sure it was only
minutes. I waited for her to say something. This was the most we’ve spoken
without anyone flaring up since the event.

“I don’t like to see the blood,” she finally said, resting her head on my
shoulders, and I visibly relaxed.

While I might be a lot of things, a liar wasn’t one of them, and one thing I
never did was make empty promises and build castles in the air. Bloodshed
was inevitable in my family, and I wasn’t going to promise otherwise.

“I can’t promise they won’t be there, but I can try to limit the events you
witness,” I replied, softly threading my fingers through her hair.
“While we’re on the topic, there’s somewhere I’ve been meaning to take
you,” I said, and her head lifted from my shoulder in a flash.

“Where’s that?”

“Just somewhere that played a big role in my upbringing, and since you
won’t go anywhere with anyone, I was thinking I could get you started on
that.”

“Alright. I’ll just freshen up and be with you shortly,” she replied, swinging
her feet off the bed.

“We don’t have to go today.”

“Nonsense,” she called out from the bathroom. “I’ve been in here for ages. I
need some fresh air.”

A smile tugged at my lips following her little outburst. My girl was back.

*****

“You were brought up in a military boot camp hidden in the middle of

nowhere?” Arielle asked, staring at the facility in horror.

“This is where the male children in the family are trained. We were brought
here at the age of thirteen and taught everything we need to know about the
family business and trained on how to use weapons.” I said, leading her to
the main entrance. “We stayed here till we turned eighteen and are only
allowed to return home after we’ve passed the tests. Training is more
vigorous for first sons.”

I pricked my thumb and placed it on the little screen on the door. The sensor
worked with both fingerprint and DNA from fresh blood to make sure
access wasn’t gained from severed thumbs.

The door opened, and we were ushered into the dome-shaped interior of the
facility. Since neither my cousins nor I had deemed it fit to start bearing
children, and available kids were still underage, it was mostly empty now
with just the caretakers, who I had instructed to make themselves invisible
during the duration of my visit.
“Woah,” Arielle exclaimed with wide eyes. “Is this soundproof?”

“Yes, it is. Come on now, you wanted to know about my life, didn’t you?” I
replied, holding out my arm for her.

She slipped her slender fingers into my hands, her eyes not leaving the
robots at the entrance. “I do. There’s just a lot to take in. Some of us only
went to school and got a job after college. Nothing exciting.”

“You think my life is exciting now, huh? A few hours ago, you were barely
speaking to me,” I teased, and she shot me a glare.

“I wouldn’t get too comfortable if I were you, Mr. Ivanov. The issue of your
forgiveness is still very much under probation.”

I snorted out a laugh, and she playfully swatted my shoulder, causing me to

laugh harder. This was what I missed, the ease that came with being around
her. It wasn’t something one could find in my world.

Our tour started from the reception to the dormitories, the game rooms, the
refractories, the classrooms, and finally, to the spot I was aiming for—the
defense area. Ever since the explosion happened and we had to come to
Russia, I’ve found myself growing increasingly worried about Arielle’s
safety. While I could assign bodyguards to her, she needed to know how to
hold her own if it ever came to that.

“There are more guns here than I’ve seen in military movies. You guys are
way scarier than the president.” Her eyes bounced from one corner of the
wall to the other, taking in the weapons displayed on them.

“Did you learn to use all of these?” she asked, eyes gleaming with curiosity.

“Part of the test was hitting a steady and moving target with every weapon
you can see here,” I replied, coming to stand behind her.

The direction our visit takes would heavily depend on my ability to

convince her to use a weapon. I had to bring her here to gauge her reaction
to weapons before suggesting the idea. And while she appeared curious and
full of questions, I noticed her hesitance to move closer to walls or inspect
the guns.

“There’s a growing threat on my family, and I’m yet to figure out who is
responsible,” I admitted, keeping my eyes glued to her.

Her eyes widened briefly, and the glint of curiosity was replaced with a soft
look of concern. “Is this about the explosion?”

“Not just that. Remember the guy from the club?” I asked, the incident
leaving a bitter taste in my mouth.

She nodded wordlessly, gesturing for me to continue.

“I don’t know how, but I think it’s all linked.”

“I thought you already took care of that?”

“Not quite. I have this strong feeling that they’re linked somehow, and if
they’re coming for my business and family, it’s only a matter of time till
they figure out what I care for the most. A weakness, as some would call it.”

Her lips took an ‘o’ shape, and her brows slightly lifted. “If this is about
protecting your family legacy, I’m sure you can do that,” she said, cupping
my face in her palms and slightly wincing when she felt the stubbles.

Her clueless statement brought a small smile to my face.

“I’m talking about you, princess. I’ve always had to only look out for
myself. My family can handle themselves, but you—” I trailed off, leaving
the statement hanging between us. “I won’t forgive myself if anything
happens to you, and Ivan’s little trick opened my eyes to that.”

She went silent for a moment, her fingers still caressing my jaw.

“I’ll be fine, Mikhail. I don’t think anyone sees me as a threat.” She finally
said, and I felt my heart clench. She was right. She was harmless, sweet,
and really caring. I dragged her into this, and like the selfish fuck I was, I
have refused to let her go.
“That would’ve made perfect sense a few months ago, but you’re with me
now, and I have lots of enemies, sweetheart, and you could easily become a
target.”

She let out a soft gasp, and a look of panic flashed through her eyes so fast I
would’ve missed it if I wasn’t paying attention. “Are you trying to break up
with me?”

I couldn’t contain the laughter that rippled through me, and if looks could
kill, I’d be lying lifeless with the look she was currently shooting my way.
Did she really think there exists a world where I’d let go of her? I’d haunt
her down if I were a ghost.

“I’m not breaking up with you, princess, nor would I let you break up with
me,” I said when my laughter finally calmed.

“Then, what are you saying? You’re making me anxious.”

“I want you to start self-defense training. I was hoping we could start with
the guns,” I finally said, and a look of horror engulfed her face.

“I’m not shooting anyone, Mikhail,” she said, taking a few steps back, and I
wrapped my arms around her to keep her from moving further.

“I’m not asking you to shoot people. I just need you to know how to defend
yourself. I’ll always protect you, but it’ll make me feel better if you could
hold one down if things ever got bad,” I said, and I could feel my heart
thudding as I watched the conflict in her eyes.

This was a huge change for her, going from being a regular girl to taking
self-defense classes because your boyfriend is a mafia Don, hence your life
might be in danger by association is not exactly how I imagine a girl like
her pictured her future. I could imagine her dreaming of picket fences, a
family cookout, and a cooperate 9 to 5 husband who worked for a credible
firm. Ending up with a guy like me was certainly not in the cards when she
made lifelong plans for herself.

“I’ve never touched one of those,” she muttered softly, casting an unsure
glance at the weapons.
“I know, baby. That’s why I’ve taken it upon myself to be the one to teach
you.”

“Alright.” Her voice was barely audible, and I could feel her heart thudding
against my chest.

“So, pick a gun,” I said after giving her a moment to collect herself.
“The slender one by the extreme left, second row,” she said, pointing at the
Taurus GX4. Somehow, I knew it was going to be her pick. It was the least
intimidating.

“Alright.” I walked to the showcase, unlocking the glass with my thumb. I

pulled out the gun along with the bullet.

“First, you’re going to learn the parts of a gun,” I said, holding out the gun
to her. She was hesitant at first, but after I assured her it was not loaded, she
took it and proceeded to inspect it like an object under the microscope.

“It’s really cold and light,” she observed, balancing the metal on her hand.
“Here’s your trigger. You click it to shoot,” I said, pointing at the trigger.
“The button above is your safety and should always be turned off, and
finally, the part below your grip is the magazine. The bullet goes in there.”

She nodded as I pointed out the parts, her eyes rapidly moving from one
point to another as I explained the function of each part.

“Now, I’m going to show you how to load a bullet, then, we can finally
work on your grip and aim. Is that okay?”

Her reply came out almost squeaky. “Yes.”

I proceeded to give her a step-by-step tutorial on how to load a gun and fire
the first shot. She flinched at the sound, and I stifled a laughter at the act.

After three two tries, she was able to correctly load the load, and it was
finally time for her to fire her first shot.
I positioned her body, squaring her shoulders and keeping her legs shoulder-
width apart. She’ll try out more relaxing positions as she gets better.

“Now, you grip the gun tightly and brace yourself. It’s not like the movies.
There’s a recoil force, and every time you fire, the force of the explosion
pushes back at you. I could see beads of sweat coating her forehead as she
squinted her eyes to get a better view of the target. “Ready?”

She nodded, maintaining a strong stance. I walked around her, taking a

stance behind her and making sure her posture was correct before I gave the
final order. “Fire.” Just as I predicted, she almost lost her footing and fell
backward and straight into my arms as soon as she released the trigger.

“Woah!” she panted, “That was…that was something.”

“You did fine, princess,” I praised, letting her calm for a while before trying
again.

It took about five tries for her to finally get used to the whole thing and fire
a steady shot. None of them hit the target, obviously, but at least she could
shoot, and I found some relief in that.

We spent the rest of the day driving around and going to some places I felt
she needed to know. I had every intention of keeping her in my life long-
term, and it was only natural she got acquainted with some of these things.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 18

Arielle

“Why is there a human hulk standing in front of my car?” I stormed into the
house, charging at Mikhail, who insisted on taking a long sip from his
coffee mug.

“Mikhail?” I called, impatiently glancing at my watch. It was my first time

stepping out since we returned from Russia two days ago, and I was already
running late for my meeting with Father.

“That’s Angelo. He’ll be your bodyguard starting today,” he replied in the

same tone you would use to inform someone you just did grocery shopping.

“I don’t need a bodyguard, Mikhail. I can take care of myself. This is

overkill.”

His eyes softened, and he got off his chair, making his way towards me.
“I’m sure you can, princess, but it doesn’t hurt to employ extra measures.”

“You don’t even move with bodyguards. Why do I need one?”

“I have Peter and sometimes Canaan,” he replied in a matter-of-fact tone.

“And you don’t think my walking about with security would bring extra
attention to me?” I queried, wishing I could smack the calm look off his
face.

My head was practically splitting with a migraine as I struggled to figure

out how I would be able to report to Father and Vivian with security, who
reported directly to Mikhail, following me.

“You can just think of him as your driver. It’ll help you relax into it.”
“I understand you’re worried, Mikhail, but I can’t live like this. A
bodyguard feels like a decorated cage,” I argued, trying to make him see my
point.

“It’s not a cage, baby. It’s protection. I promise things will return to normal
as soon as I sort this out. And if you don’t want him driving you, I can have
him discreetly follow you around. You won’t even notice his presence.”

My shoulders slumped in defeat, there was no reasonable explanation I

could come up with to refuse his offer. The man had an answer for
everything, and it infuriated me.

“Please. It’s just for a little while. I need to know you’re okay,” he added
softly, and I couldn’t bring myself to argue.

“Till all of this is over?”

“Till all of this is over,” he agreed, pulling me into a warm hug. “Just let me
take care of you.”

Being enclosed in his arms felt like I was being suffocated, and I had to
force down the panic rising in me. Everything had taken a new direction,
and I needed to find a way to adjust to the changes.
“I’ve got to go now. I promised Viv we’d have lunch at hers,” I said, pulling
out of the hug. If I was going to be monitored, I might as well start giving
him bits and parts of information.

“Alright, send her my greetings.”

By the time I got downstairs, Angelo was nowhere to be seen, but I could
feel the skin on the nape of my neck prickling with awareness. He was
close, and he was watching. I just couldn’t see him. Finally, inside my car, I
let out a frustrated groan, sending a quick text to Father to update him on
the latest developments.

His reply came in almost instantaneously, stating that he’d been expecting
Mikhail to do that and would be waiting at Vivian’s house. I decided to grab
some food before heading to Vivian’s, buying him enough time to arrive
there so there was no chance of him being seen by Angelo.

******

“I told you moving into his house was a terrible idea.” I exploded the
moment I walked through Vivian’s door. “Just in the space of two months, I
have self-defense classes scheduled three times a week, and now, I have a
fucking bodyguard watching me from the shadows.”

I slumped onto the sofa, burying my face in my palms and letting the
frustration rippling through my body subside. I felt like I was being pulled
from a lot of angles, and I had no idea what direction to go. With the rate at
which Mikhail was rearranging my life, it was only a matter of time before
he closed in on me. He was like a bloodhound who just got a whiff and was
determined to hunt it down. Nothing was going to sway or change his mind
about any decision he made at this point until he was sure the threat had
been taken care of.

He might be currently distracted by the recent happenings in his business,

but once that was sorted out, it wouldn’t be long before he sniffs me out.

“If you hadn’t moved in with him yet, he would’ve demanded for you to do
so following the threats, so you relax and sit through it,” Father said, a
faraway thought looming behind his eyes.

“So, what is the next line of action?” Vivian butt in, dissipating the growing
tension between Father and I.

“You said the shipments were here in New York?”

“Yes, but I have no idea where they’re being kept or what he intends to do
with them,” I replied in a flat tone.

“Don’t worry about that. For now, you focus on keeping your head low and
your ears on the ground. You can pass information to me through Vivian.
Only text me if it’s absolutely necessary,” Father said, and I almost snapped
my neck turning to look at him.
This had to be the most compliant he had been since I started working on
Mikhail, and I couldn’t help the deep sigh of relief that left me. I halfway
expected him to dismiss the situation as not threatening enough and give me
a lecture on how I could evade all of Mikhail’s antics while remaining
focused on the task at hand.

“That will be all girls. And Cara, don’t let down your guard,” he said,
getting to his feet and leaving the house through the back exit.

“Now tell me everything about Russia,” Vivian jumped into the same sofa
with me, staring at me with wide eyes.

“There’s really not much to tell Viv. I spent the whole time attending family
dinners and mafia-related stuff. Turns out Mikhail’s family is the longest-
standing Russian mafia.”

“Woah. His power and influence suddenly makes sense.”

“Yes. He also threw a knife at his cousin for touching my hair,” I added,
watching as her face morphed into a look of horror.

That’s exactly what I thought. There was no way a reasonable human being
would hear or see something like that and not be scared out of their senses.

“He did what?” She gaped.

“Apparently, it’s a way of marking your territory in the mafia, and if

Mikhail had done nothing about it, the men would think I’m fair game for
all.”

“Woah. That’s crazy.”

“Yup,” I agreed. “What’s even crazier is the way women are treated. They
get sent out when there’s a topic to be discussed. They cannot question their
husband’s infidelity, and they have no say in the lives of their sons.”

“But they get to raise their daughters themselves?” Vivian asked.

“The girls are raised to make the perfect wives for their men. Maya once
told me to tone down on my independence and openness and that mafia
women are meant to be seen and not heard.”

“I wish I could run a study on them. I’m sure I would discover a new side to
socio-cultural relationships,” Vivian mused, and I shook my head at the
direction of her thoughts. Always the psychologist.

Against my better judgment, I somehow found myself wondering what a

future with Mikhail would look like under different circumstances. He was
more forward than his brothers and didn’t seem like the type to cheat and
cage a woman. Either that, or he is a very good manipulator and waited till
you were completely at his mercy before showing his true colors. I blinked
the thoughts away. It was no use troubling myself with scenarios that would
never become reality.

“And the bodyguard? How do you plan on dealing with him?” Vivian’s
questions dissipated the thoughts forming in my head.

“I have no plans for him. He’ll probably get bored when he figures out I
only go to work, visit you, and sometimes grab occasional lunch with
Julia.”

“You still work for Vanderbilt?”

“More like I go there and sit behind a desk watching YouTube videos all
day, but yeah. It’ll be suspicious if I suddenly stopped going to work,” I
replied, and she nodded in agreement.

“I can’t wait to be done with this Viv. It has taken so much from me,” I
sighed, and she pulled me into a hug.

“It’ll be over before you know it,” she assured, and I hoped with everything
in me that she was right. I’ve been noticing some of my lines blurring for
Mikhail, and I didn’t like what that would mean for me.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 19

Mikhail

Mikhail

“Where is he?” I asked Benjamin as soon as I entered the warehouse. I

asked Peter to take Arielle home after the gala, and I rushed here
immediately.

True to my suspicions, the idiot responsible for the attack on my port was
foolish enough to show his face at my gala. We would’ve missed him if one
of Enzo’s sensors hadn’t caught the minute camera embedded in his glasses.
He must’ve thought himself brilliant enough to sneak into an exclusive
gala, make videos of our transactions, and sneak out without being noticed.

“The basement,” Benjamin replied, leading the way. “He’s a tough nut and
has refused to say a word since we brought him in.”

“He will talk. I just need a minute with him, and he’ll be singing like a
fucking canary,” I seethe, increasing my strides.
When Enzo beeped me with the alert that they’ve got him, I was hit with
both relief and anger, and I had to force myself not to leave the gala
midway and smash the bastard’s head into a brick. We finally got to the
basement after what felt like forever. The thick, musky air of the abandoned
underground room was nothing compared to the fog of red clouding my
vision. I could taste the metallic tang of blood on my tongue as we drew
closer, and I couldn’t wait to draw it out of him.

“This is him,” Benjamin announced, and the whitest looking being I’ve ever
seen lifted his gaze from his position on the floor to meet mine. He looked
almost transparent and ghostly with pale white skin, bright green eyes, and
hollow cheeks. Despite his haunted looks, I couldn’t shake off the feeling
that I’d seen him somewhere or I’d encountered someone who looked like
him. A haughty look of arrogance appeared on his face, and he spat at my
foot, earning him a punch in the jaw from Enzo, who stood guard next to
him.

He smiled. No scream, not even a little whimper. He bared his teeth like a
fucking psychopath and graced us with a megawatt smile.

I watched his little display with interest, taking off my suit jacket and
cufflinks and rolling my sleeves above my elbow. He was just my type of
crazy, and I was going to have a lot of fun breaking him.

“Knife.” I stretched out my hand to Enzo, who already had my tools spread
out next to him. He knew me so well.

I turned to Benjamin. “Take off his clothes, tie his hands and feet, and hang
him upside down on the hook.”

A sinister feeling settled in me as I watched his pale face slowly acquire a

beautiful crimson hue as blood ran to his head.

“I think we got off the wrong foot,” I said, settling on a chair in front of
him. “I’m Mikhail Ivanov, how about you?”

He attempted to spit on me again, but his current position was not

complying, and he ended up with his sputum on his forehead.

“You’re quite a snake, aren’t you?” I said, observing as the red on his face
darkened with anger. “Since I was raised a gentleman, I’ll go over
introductions one last time.”

“I know who you are, bastard,” he cursed.

“Of course you do. It would be very weird for you to attack the business of
someone you know nothing about, wouldn’t it?”

“Just chop him into bits already,” Benjamin sneered, disgust etched on his
face as he watched our prisoner.
“Don’t be rude to our guest, Benjamin. We’re not cavemen.”

Unlike him, I wasn’t a brute, and I preferred to play with my food and draw
out as much as I could before delivering the last blow. I found a certain
feeling of ecstasy in breaking the toughest of characters.

“I don’t like to be kept waiting Мой друг .” I returned my attention to

him. I liked to treat his type like I was performing an exorcism. I force their
names from them before anything else.

“You bastards don’t even know the people you’ve destroyed. You just go
about life with no clue how many lives you’ve stolen,” he yelled, and his
face adopted a deeper shade of red.

“So, this is a crime of passion, and here I was thinking you had a higher
purpose or sought something more important, like power,” I asked.

“Your grandfather destroyed my family,” he spat, his voice dripping with

hate.

“And the sins of the father rests on the son,” I replied, suddenly growing
bored of our little tèt-a-tèt.

I don’t know what I was expecting from the person who tried to burn down
my business, but a whiny little bitch was not one. So much for being tough.
I rose up to my feet, walking around him in close circles.

“You could’ve gone off quietly and taken care of your family, but you
decided to show your face to me. I guess you love a good sequel then,” I
said, slashing through his Achilles. His cry of agony echoed through the
room, reminding me why I chose to torture people in this room. The
reverberating echoes from their screams sounded so much like the most
chaotic classical music, and it had the same effect on me as a stimulant.
“I’m like a fucking hydra,” he screamed. “If you cut me off, my brothers
will rise in my name.”

“Then, I’d be more than happy to cut them, too,” I replied, slashing off his
second tendon.

I let out a curse as some of his blood sprouted from the cut, soaking my
white shirt. “I see your blood moves the same your saliva does.”

I pulled out a handkerchief and wiped some of it off my neck.

Knowing he was some vengeful rat from a dingy apartment the sun never
got into and probably spent his whole life hunched over a computer
planning the ultimate takedown of the Ivanov family brought me a form of
relief.

While crimes of passion were the most dangerous and tended to span
through generations, they were also the messiest and ill-planned.

“Now, I know why you looked so familiar. Are you Adam’s brother?” I
queried, peering at him.

He didn’t answer, but the burning look of hate in his eyes was enough.

“I thought I ordered every member of that colony to be wiped off the

surface of the earth?” I turned to Enzo, who gave me a blank stare.

“I’ll take care of it,” Benjamin said. He never missed out on the opportunity
to unleash mayhem.

“You’ll never get rid of us all—”

“Oh, shut up.” Enzo groaned, kicking his head.

A look of pity stretched across my face as I watched him splutter and fight
for air. When I arrived here, I expected a worthy opponent. Finding the
brother of the man I killed months ago was a slight rain on my parade, and
my blood lust suddenly went cold.
“Here.” I handed the knife over to Benjamin. “Take care of him, and I don’t
want any more of his hydra heads rising and causing more trouble.

A satisfied look crossed his face as he took the knife from me, turning to
Adams’s brother with a look of glee. I checked my watch as I left the
warehouse wondering if I should make a quick stop at the mall for a fresh
shirt before proceeding home. The glowing hands of the watch revealed the
time to be past midnight. I had spent more time in the warehouse than I
intended to. But on the other hand, it was way past Arielle’s bedtime.

I opted to drive myself home for the night, wanting to relish the feeling of
the wind in my hair as I sped through the fairly empty streets of New York.
I made sure to take the longest route home, wanting to spend as much time
as possible in the open air. It’s been a long couple of weeks, and late-night
drives have always had a calming effect on me. I needed to be relaxed
before I returned home to Arielle. I don’t like it when she sees this side of
me. By the time I pulled into my driveway, another hour had passed, and an
eerie silence descended on the world, just how I liked it. I’ve always
thought the world would be a better place without humans. No noise, no
pollution, just silence.

I undid my buttons as I stepped into the house, making a beeline for the
kitchen. All that driving in the open left me very dehydrated. A clicking
sound echoed behind me, followed by an explosion of bright light. A soft
feminine gasp accompanied the light, and I shielded my eyes from the
blinding effects of the light while desperately hoping for the gasp to
somehow be from Maya.

I brought down my hands to find Arielle watching me from the door. I stood
guilty with a bottle of water in hand, waiting for a reaction. I should’ve
changed the stupid shirt.

A moment passed before she finally cleared her throat. “Is it yours? The
blood.”

“No.” My reply came out gruff and a bit sharper than I intended.

“Was it him?”
“Yes.”

She didn’t need to explain for me to know who she was asking about.
There’s only been one pain in my ass for a while.

She nodded, slowly taking in my answer. “And you took care of it?”

It was my turn to nod this time, not knowing the right words to say.

“So, it’s over.”

“Yes, baby, it is,” I replied, and I could see her visibly relax.

“Go clean up, you look like an executioner,” she ordered softly and turned
on her heels, disappearing from the kitchen.

Though the conversation was insanely awkward, it took a much better turn
than I had expected, and I didn’t know if I was relieved by that or
uncomfortable with the fact that she was slowly tipping over to the dark
side.

*****

I was in the office at the crack of dawn. I had told myself it was because I
had a tall stack of paperwork waiting for me, but deep down, I knew it was
because I had opted to sleep in my room, giving Arielle some time to take
in the events of the night. I only slept well when I was with her.

A tired yawn escaped me as I flipped through the files in front of me,

separating the time-sensitive projects from the ones I could let my COO
take care of. Running a family business behind the scenes and a corporate
enterprise publicly was not the easiest job, but I had promised that I would
make a name for myself outside of my family business, and I was so close
to my Eureka moment.

“Good morning, Mikky!” Enzo yelled, throwing my door wide open and
sending my head throbbing.

“If you call me that one more time, I swear—”

“You swear what?” He challenged, carelessly dumping himself on the chair
across from me. “I have great news for you. I’ve had it for a while, but I
was waiting till the time was right.”

He pulled out a manila envelope from God knows where and handed it to
me. “Did you sleep last night? You look like shit.”

I sent him a warning glare as I roughly snatched the envelope from him and
smiled in return, busying himself with the files on my desk.

“What is this about?” I asked as I perused the document in the envelope.

“Turns out buying dear Levi’s business paid off. A luxury construction and
architectural company in Paris would love to propose a partnership with
you for your hotels,” he said, and I reassessed the document.

When I bought Levi’s company, it was purely out of spite, and I had no
intentions of using it. I was going to slowly dismantle it and sell it out in
parts while he watched, but Enzo suggested I rebrand it for my new
expansion. Turns out he was onto something.

“When is this meeting scheduled?” I queried, folding the paper back into
the envelope.

“I told the CEO you would contact him and fix a date if you’re interested.
They’re very keen on working with you and are willing to offer any price.
Also, they have a complete monopoly over the European and Asian
markets; that’s an added bonus. They’re not the first to send mail, but
they’re the best, and with them, you won’t have to worry about visibility,”
Enzo explained.

“I see you’ve done your homework.”

“Isn’t that why you hired me?” He shot back, and I couldn’t stop my eyes
from rolling back. One day, I was going to put a bullet through his head, I
swear it.

“So, what’s it gonna be? You’re taking them?”

I shrugged, yawning for the hundredth time, “I’ll look them up, then I’ll
decide, and for the date, I’ll have to discuss it with Arielle before I can fix
one.”

“Ah, yes! Arielle. I never thought I’d see the day you’d be so smitten by a
woman. Whatever happened to romance being unnecessary and love being
a nuisance?” He taunted, and I didn’t bother to dignify his madness with a
response.

“I do fancy the thing you did with the knife during dinner. Do you know
Ivan’s palm still has a hole in it? I think it might be permanent. Remind me
to use the tech—”
I did not allow him to finish spewing his rubbish before I interrupted. “If
you’re quite finished with your business here, the door is to your right.”

He shook his head in disappointment but still got off the chair. “Tsk, tsk,
relax, I’m just saying I’m a fan of the new you. No need to get your
knickers in a twist.”

I watched as he sauntered out of my office with no care in the world,

picking up the envelope to go over the proposal again. I ran a few
background checks on the company and decided I was taking it. It was a
great deal and exactly what I needed after spending weeks chasing after a
stupid hydra-claiming nuthead.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 20

Arielle

I jumped past the pothole in front of me, feeling my chest expand and
contract as I drew in shallow, controlled breaths. The force of the solid
ground pushing back at me every time my feet struck the floor had my
ankles hurting. My lungs burned increasingly, and I could feel the fatigue
building in my muscles. A glance at my smart watch revealed I still had
about a kilometer before I could think of stopping.

When I was told I needed to pick a daily activity to keep me fit while I
continued my self-defense training, running seemed like the best option. It
provided me with a good reason to leave the bed at the crack of dawn,
escaping the pillow talk that always came in the morning while giving me
time to clear my head and get in character for my day.

A bonus point was Mikhail being gone to work by the time I returned, but
now, I found myself loving the activity. The feeling of the wind against my
skin and my hair flowing behind me as I ran constituted an odd feeling of
freedom, a feeling I hadn’t felt in a long time since I moved in with
Mikhail. Slowly, running went from being an excuse to an outlet. Even the
burning in my chest and the ache in my joints began to feel like a well-
earned trophy.
The buzzing sound of my phone dragged me out of my head, halting my
steps in the process. I pulled out my phone to find Mikhail’s name flashing
on the screen.

“Morning Princess.” His velvety voice poured from the speaker, sending a
shiver that had nothing to do with the cold morning down my spine.
“Hey, good morning. How’s your day going?” My voice came out in
shallow pants as I rested my body against a giant oak tree by the side of the
track.

“Going fine. We’re coming to close on the deal, and I should be back in two
days. Isn’t it a bit too early for your run?” he queried.

“Couldn’t sleep,”

“You should’ve called,” his tone was firm and clipped.

“You had a long negotiation meeting the whole day, and I didn’t want to
disturb you with something as little as insomnia.” I took a long sip from my
water bottle, welcoming the feeling of the cool water on my parched throat
and circulating through my body.

“I’d take your call in the middle of a war, princess,” he said, and I had not a
single doubt in me that he would do that. “I wanted to check in on you
before continuing my day.”

The statement had my eyes rolling. It wasn’t as if he didn’t have someone

watching and reporting my every movement to him at this very moment.

“I’m fine. Have a wonderful day,” I replied, and the line went dead after
goodbyes were exchanged.

Too exhausted to move, I leaned back into the tree, the unwelcome feelings
associated with the events of the past days slowly replaying in my head.
When Mikhail told me he was going on a business trip, I was both relieved
and happy to hear about it. What I didn’t see coming was the effect his
absence had on me.

It’s been three days, and I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I was beginning
to miss him. The house felt cold and empty without his presence, and in a
funny twist of events, I suddenly became unable to get a proper night’s
sleep without him and had resorted to calling him every night to talk me to
sleep. It didn’t do a lot, but it helped.
Regardless, I would still consider his absence a blessing. I had more alone
time to think without his presence clouding my senses and didn’t need to
tip-toe around the house to make a call or have discussions with Vivian.
Overall, his absence was both a blessing and a curse.

Communication with Father also got better. When Mikhail told me he had
taken care of the threat, I went cold with fear, thinking he had somehow
closed in on us. But Father told me it was he who planted a culprit to relax
Mikhail, throwing him off our scent and giving me a better environment to
conduct my affairs. Against my better judgment, I found a pang of guilt
tugging at my chest as I watched Mikhail celebrate the demise of a fake
threat, not knowing the only threat slept next to him.

Glancing at my watch, I decided to cut my running at the spot. I’d just

spend extra time in the boxing ring to make up. I returned to the house and
prepared for work, hating how colorless and boring my life seemed when I
wasn’t working on a target or tailing someone.

*****

The sun had just begun its descent, casting a golden hue over the city as I
made my way out of the office building, settling into the passenger seat of
Mikhail’s G-wagon. Today, I practically forced Mr. Vanderbilt to give me
actual work to do. He was hesitant at first, but when he figured I wasn’t
going to leave until he gave me something, he caved and asked me to
shadow his COO for the day.

It turned out to be a very exciting experience, and I ended up staying past

my work hours. It was exactly what I needed—a distraction to occupy me
for the day and keep me from returning to the empty house waiting for me.
While I appreciated Maya’s efforts to keep me company, she simply wasn’t
Mikhail.

“We’ll make a brief stop at Ben & Jerry’s,” I said to Angelo as we pulled
out of the driveway, feeling the need to treat myself after a long workday.
I’d probably have to run an extra kilometer or two to shed off the calories,
but it’ll be worth it. Ice cream was my ultimate guilty pleasure.

“Yes, ma’am.” My skin bristled at the cold and formal tone of his voice. I’d
given up on trying to create a less tense relationship between us long ago
and allowed him to continue with his formalities. He was probably
following strict orders from his boss, but that didn’t make being called
‘ma’am’ bearable.

As we approached the ice cream truck, my phone buzzed with a message

from Julia reminding me of our monthly catch-up dinner tomorrow. Finally,
something to look forward to. A smile curled my lips as I typed my reply.
Our monthly dinners were the only sign of normalcy in my life, and I held
tightly to them.

Before I could hit the send button, a sudden jolt threw me forward, and
searing pain exploded on my shoulder from the seat belt holding me in
place. The deafening sound of screeching tires and shattering glass filled the
air as the car was sent spiraling out of the road.

“Angelo!” I screamed, my heart going into overdrive as I struggled to

process what the hell just happened. I could see him struggling to control
the car, his knuckles white as he gripped the steering wheel. Panic surged
through my veins as I realized we were spinning out of control. I closed my
eyes tightly, praying to every God I've ever heard of and offering my fealty
to any one of them who managed to bring me out of this situation alive.
This can't be how I die.

Time slowed down as the car skidded across the pavement, and I cracked an
eye open to see Angelo slowly regaining control of the steering. The relief
was wiped off my face as a bigger force slammed into us, the force of the
impact sending shockwaves through me. My vision burned as my head
slammed against the window, a sharp pain radiating from the side of my
skull. I could taste the metallic tinge of blood in my mouth, mingling with
the smell of smoke and burning rubber.

For a moment, everything went silent. The world seemed to hold its breath
as I struggled to stay conscious. I could hear the pounding of my heart
against the pain in my head, and my breath was coming out in a ragged
manner. Survival instinct kicked in as the blanket of smoke around me
thickened, almost crowding my vision and filling my lungs with so much
carbon monoxide that they started to burn. I tried to move, but my body
seemed to weigh a ton. I could only manage to lift my fingers. Panic tugged
at my chest as I realized I was trapped.

“Angelo,” I whispered, my voice weak and trembling. I couldn’t see him. I

couldn’t see anything. Tears streamed down my eyes as I came to the slow
realization that this was how I was going to die—in a burning car, scared
and alone.

Suddenly, a hand grasped my shoulder, shaking me violently. "Arielle!

Please Arielle, open your eyes. Don’t die on me, please, stay with me."
Angelo’s voice sounded like a muffled noise at the back of my head, but it
was a lifeline in the darkness, and I focused on it, clinging to it like my life
depended on it because it probably did.

“Can you move?”

I tried to nod, but the pain in my head was overwhelming. I forced myself
to take a deep breath, filling my lungs with more smoke as I pushed through
the fog of pain and fear. Slowly, I managed to unbuckle my seatbelt, and
Angelo pulled me out of the car, his movement careful and deliberate. The
world outside was a mix of chaos and anarchy. Mikhail’s car was crumpled
and smoking, the front end smashed beyond recognition. Another vehicle, a
pickup truck, was lodged against the driver’s side, its front bumper twisted.
There was no sign of the driver.

My legs wobbled as I stood, my body protesting every movement. I leaned

on Angelo for support, my mind still reeling from the shock. “What
happened?” I managed to ask, my voice barely more than a whisper.

“Someone rammed us,” he replied, his eyes scanning the area. “We need to
get to safety.”

As we stumbled away from the wreckage, I couldn’t stop my thoughts from

racing. Who would do this? Was it a random accident or something more
sinister? The questions swirled in my mind, each one more terrifying than
the last.

We made our way to the sidewalk, where a small crowd had gathered.
People were shouting, their voices adding to the growing pain in my head. I
felt a wave of dizziness wash over me, my vision darkening at the
periphery.

“Stay with me, Arielle. Please,” Angelo pleaded, supporting my weight with
his body.

Just as we reached the relative safety of the sidewalk, a loud explosion

rocked the air. I turned just in time to see the car engulfed in flames, the
heat and light searing through my senses. The force of the blast knocked me
off my feet, sending me crashing to the ground. Pain exploded in my head
as I hit the pavement, my vision going black. The last thing I heard before
losing consciousness was Angelo’s frantic voice calling my name.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 21

Mikhail

“This better be a state-of-emergency-worthy situation Lorenzo.” I held my

phone to my ears as I made my way out of the conference hall.

It was my third day in Paris, and I've barely slept a wink since I landed. It
was either a negotiation meeting, a business lunch, a press conference, a
meeting with the lawyers, or some stupid nonsense. I was cranky as hell and
couldn't wait to be done with it all and be back home.

“There’s been an accident,” Enzo said, his voice lacking its characteristic
arrogance.

I paused for a bit, waiting for him to explain further, and was met with
silence. “You called me four times to inform me of the road traffic situation
on the streets of New York?” I queried, growing increasingly uncomfortable
with his silence.

“Uhh, Arielle was involved,” he finally said, and I felt my blood run cold.
“She’s been admitted to the hospital, the doctor said it wasn’t very serious,
but she is still unconscious at the moment. We tried to—”

His voice dulled into an inaudible echo in the background as I stood in the
middle of the office hallway, my heart thudding in my ears as a thousand
scenarios flashed past my head in less than five seconds.

“Mikhail?” Enzo’s voice brought me back to the moment, and I

immediately snapped into action.
“Don’t step an inch from her hospital bed. Make sure she’s well taken care
of, and I want every detail about this accident. I’ll be home at dawn,” I
instructed, making my way back to the conference room.

“Gentlemen, my woman was involved in an accident, and I need to be home

as soon as possible.” A bald man with the face of a crow tried to object, but
I silenced him with a look. “We’ve been on this for three days, and if you’re
not convinced to work with me after seventy-two hours, there’s nothing
more hours of talking can do. I’ll await your decision.” I pulled my suit
jacket from the chair I was sitting on and made my way out of the office.

In my little moment with the board, I’ve figured them to be a snobbish

bunch of Ivy League alumni whose only source of income was catering to
businesses with a certain market cap to maintain their position and
relevance in the world of the elite. I indulged them for a bit, but I know they
need this deal far more than I do.

I sent a quick text to Peter to get the jet ready as I raced down the stairs.
The energy I was putting into jogging downstairs gave me somewhere to
push the adrenaline building in me. I didn’t trust myself to stand still in an
elevator without punching holes into the metallic box. Peter was already
waiting by the time I got to the revolving door at the exit. I stared at the
slowly rotating structure in fury, wondering whose genius idea it was to put
a stupid revolving door at the entrance of an office.

“Is everything ready?” I inquired as I settled into the passenger seat.

“Yes, Sir,” Peter affirmed, his eyes briefly meeting mine in the rare mirror.

“Give me your best speed, Peter,” I ordered, carelessly throwing my jacket

and tie on the seat.

A frustrated groan left me as I dragged my fingers through my hair, tugging

harshly at the roots and willing the pain to distract me from the images that
were taking shape at the back of my head. I know Enzo said she wasn’t
badly bruised or in critical condition, but I couldn’t shake out the image of
Arielle covered in blood and unconscious on the cold streets of New York.
Was she scared? Did she feel alone? Did she call out for me in the last
moments? How long did it take before help got to her? Question after
question invaded my thoughts, worsening the current state of my mind.

So, this is fear? The reckless behaviors people often exhibited, ones I had
always described as stupid and weak, suddenly made sense to me as I found
myself cursing at drivers who took their time turning and pedestrians who
didn’t run at the zebra crossing.

I was one curse away from dragging the wheels off Peter’s hands and taking
matters into mine, but I sat still, knowing the extra time I’d spend with the
police wouldn’t be worth it. I glanced at my watch, counting the hours till
I’d be with her. Eight hours has never seemed so long.

******

“Where is she?” I demanded as soon as Enzo stepped into the hospital

reception to meet me. I could see Angelo pretending to be one with the
hospital walls from the corner of my eyes, but he was a problem I’d deal
with later.

“This way,” Enzo said, walking off in the direction he came. “The doctor
ran a full body scan on her. Besides a concussion, he couldn’t find anything
worthy of alarm, but more tests will be conducted as soon as she wakes up,
which should be anytime now.”

My stomach twisted as he continued to list all the things the doctor said,
which were practically things he had already mentioned when he called. I
found myself wishing she had passed out on impact and didn’t have to deal
with any pain.

“Generally, he said she’ll be fine after a few weeks of bed rest and
medication. She was lucky she kept her seatbelt on,” Enzo concluded his
report as we came to a stop in front of a white door. “You might want to fix
yourself a bit and take a calm breath before walking in, you look like shit.”

“Thanks for the observation,” I pushed Enzo aside and opened the door,
preparing myself for the worst.
The sight I walked into was one I was sure would be buried in my head for
a while. There she was, lying unconscious on a hospital bed, a bandage
wrapped around her head, tubes sticking out from almost every part of her.
The glow that seemed perpetually attached to her was gone. Her face was
pale and her lips were split in the middle. Tiny bruises were covering her
arms and legs, and there was the annoying monitor and its incessant
beeping.

I wasn’t sure I’d ever felt more powerless in my life than I did at this
moment. There was nothing I could do to ease her pain. There was no way
for me to help her. She wasn’t even awake for me to ask where it hurt. All I
could do was stand and watch until she woke, and I was very terrible at
waiting.

“How did this happen?” I asked, my eyes not leaving her. If I couldn’t do
anything to ease her pain, I could at least make sure the person responsible
was getting a taste of what she was going through.

“A drunken driver,” Enzo replied, and blood roared in my ears. A fucking

drunken driver. When I’m done with him, he will never touch a bottle of
liquor for the rest of his life. As if he could sense the thoughts going
through my head, Enzo promptly added. “He’s dead. His body was found
close to the scene, probably falling off his car on impact.”

And I was back to square one. No way to help and nowhere to channel my
frustration.

“She’ll be fine, man. The doctors assured me.” Enzo clapped a hand on my
shoulder and squeezed lightly.

Despite Enzo’s reassurance and the words of the doctor, I couldn’t shake off
the gnawing feeling that I was somehow responsible for the situation. It
didn’t make sense, but I somehow blamed myself for the accident. Maybe if
I hadn’t traveled to Paris and we had gone to work in the same car as we
always did, things would’ve been different.

“It’s also not your fault, Mikhail. There’s nothing you could’ve done to
change the situation of things,” Enzo added after a pause, but he was
wrong. There’s a lot I could’ve done.
I would’ve shielded her with my body, making sure no harm came to her. I
would’ve fallen first to keep her head from striking against the pavement. I
would’ve bled out before I let a slice of glass cut her. But what use was I to
her standing here?

“I’ll be outside if you need me,” Enzo finally said, walking out the door.

Finally, alone with her, I sat on the chair next to her, clasping her slender
hands in mine and peppering soft kisses on them. “You have to wake up,
princess. It’s killing me to see you like this,” I muttered, watching her face
for the smallest movement. A flicker of her lashes or a twitch of muscle
would equal a miracle to me right now.
When nothing happened, I settled for telling her about my day, my trip to
Paris, and all the things I thought she’d love. I read somewhere that when
people are unconscious or in a coma, they can sometimes hear what’s being
discussed, and speaking to them encourages them to come back. I was not a
superstitious man by any means, but I was willing to cling to anything that
offered some form of hope at the moment.

“Mikhail?” Her voice came out croaked and barely audible. I would’ve
missed it if not for the feeling of her hand squeezing mine.

My head snapped up, both my hands clutching hers. “Baby? You’re

awake?” I asked, squinting my eyes to readjust to the bright lights of the
hospital room. I must’ve fallen asleep somewhere in between my tales. She
tried to speak but could only produce a croaking sound, followed by a
coughing fit that sounded like iron grating against concrete.

“Enzo! Lorenzo!” I called out as I rushed towards the dispenser in the

room. “Get the doctor. She’s awake,” I ordered as soon as he opened the
door.

“Here, baby, take a sip.” I held the water to her as she struggled to sit up.
There were tubes everywhere, and I didn’t know how to help her up.

“Everything hurts,” she groaned, relaxing her back on the bed rest after
taking a few gulps.
“I’m sorry, baby. The doctor will be here soon, and he’ll take care of you,” I
replied, tracing small circles on her palm.

Enzo arrived with the doctor soon, and she was wheeled to the examination
room while we waited for their return. My knees wouldn’t stop bouncing no
matter how hard I tried to remain calm, and despite the air conditioning in
the room, I could feel beads of perspiration forming on my forehead and
palms.

“You must really love her,” Enzo commented, his eyes observing me like I
was a specimen under a microscope.

Love? I honestly hadn’t thought that far. I’d never been in love before. Not
even my parents loved me. I wouldn’t know what love felt like if it slapped
me in the face. All I’ve known my whole life was duty and loyalty. If I’ve
ever heard of love, it was spoken of as a weakness and an act of foolery.

Was this what love felt like? Feeling like your life would stop if someone
ceased to exist? Feeling an unimaginable ache in your heart at the thought
of never seeing them again? Sharing in their pain and wishing you could
offer yourself up to ease whatever they were feeling?

Arielle is my woman, and I’d ascribed whatever I felt for her to a sign of
my responsibility to her as my woman and my willingness to go to the ends
of the Earth for her as the loyalty I owed her, almost the same as the one I
owed my family. Nothing more, nothing else. The look of realization
must’ve been bare naked on my face as Enzo stared at me in disbelief.
“Please tell me you’ve at least told her that. Hold on. Did you even know
you were in love with her?”

I gritted my teeth as a new wave of anger washed through me. Anger at

Lorenzo for confronting my emotions without my permission, anger at the
situation of things, and, most importantly, anger at myself for not being able
to see what was right in front of me. I could’ve lost her without letting her
know how much she meant to me.

Sensing I wasn’t about to engage in a deep heart-to-heart with him, Enzo

dropped the topic and focused his attention somewhere else. If I was in love
with Arielle, she’d be the first person I’d admit it to. Not Enzo, not God, not
anyone, just her.

The doctor returned after a while and briefed us on the situation. He said
Arielle was lucky to have been away from the site of direct impact, and her
seatbelt helped hold her in place, but she slammed her head on something,
resulting in her concussion, and hitting her head on the pavement only
worsened it. He also noted a few cuts and sprains and said she’ll be in a lot
of pain for a while and should be restricted to bed rest with very little to no
physical and visual engagement while she recovers.

“When will she be discharged?” I asked, taking in all he had said.

“While she can be retained here and monitored closely, it’s not necessary
for her to stay. She can recover well at home with close care from a nurse.”
He replied.

“Can you assign a nurse to us?” I didn’t think I’d be able to totally take care
of her here. I needed us to be home where I could give her all my care and
attention. If a nurse is what we need for that to happen, then I’ll take the
nurse—a nurse and Maya.

“Sure. You’ll fill out a form at reception along with the discharge form, and
one of our home care nurses will be assigned to you. You can work out the
schedule with her.” The doctor said, beeping the receptionist to prepare the
necessary documents.

“Thank you. Thank you for saving her,” I said, holding the doctor’s eyes
before returning to Arielle’s side.
“The doctor said you could come home today. How do you feel about that?”
I asked, holding her hand.

“I’d love to. The hospital smells like disease and death. It makes me sick,”
she said, and a small smile played on my lips. Even in her state, she still had
it in her to make jokes.

A look of worry crossed her face, and her brows crinkled in the manner I’ve
come to associate with her being scared or worried. “Can you call Vivian? I
think I lost my phone during the accident. She must be worried.”

I nodded, pulling my phone out of my pocket and shooting Vivian a quick

text. She didn’t ask how I got Vivian’s number, and I did not bother
explaining myself.

The doctor returned with her prescriptions and a pamphlet containing

detailed instructions on how to care for concussed patients. I signed every
document that needed attention, and by the time we were due to leave, it
was a little past eight p.m.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 22

Arielle

The weeks following my recovery were the most emotional of my life. I’d
never had so many people caring and fussing over me. I sometimes found
myself shedding tears at the amount of love I was receiving. I couldn’t help
feeling like I didn’t deserve it. The house constantly smelled of soup with
Maya trying all the healing and rejuvenation recipes in the book to make me
feel better.

Vivian was almost always in the house. She slept over the few nights
following my discharge, stating she couldn’t return to her house and sleep
peacefully, knowing I was in pain. Father sent his love and a few get-well
notes accompanied by peonies, my favorite flower.

Even Enzo came through with a bunch of white roses and chocolates to
cheer me up. Angelo still moved around, wearing a look of guilt every time
he came to see me like he couldn’t stop blaming himself for the accident. I
tried to convince him it wasn’t his fault, but he wouldn’t budge. He
mentioned how he failed his boss and how it was supposed to be him in bed
and not me. I didn’t bother convincing him more after that.

Mikhail, on the other hand, completely surprised me. He took a break from
work and duty, sharing his responsibilities between Enzo and Benjamin,
making room for the absolute necessities. He was home every minute and
availed himself to my every need. I tried a few times to get him to go to
work, telling him Maya, Vivian, and the nurse were enough to take care of
me, but he wouldn’t budge. He spoon-fed me every meal and cleaned me up
morning and night.
He carried me to every part of the house I needed to get to. He even learned
how I wash and style my hair so he could do it for me. I’ve never been that
prioritized in my life, and just when I thought he couldn’t surprise me
anymore, I vaguely made mention of how much I missed being outdoors,
and I woke up to a cookout in our backyard on a Saturday morning.

Almost everyone I had some form of friendship with was present. Even
Chloe from the office was present and Mikhail’s secretary, Cynthia. It
turned out to be the most beautiful day. Everyone came through with gifts,
homemade comfort meals, and get-well-soon wishes.

It all felt surreal to the orphanage kid in me to be the center of so much love
and affection. I couldn’t help feeling like an imposter every time someone
sent a kind word my way or Mikhail sent one of those toe-curling smiles
my way. Guilt burned down my throat like raw, undiluted acid. I ended the
night sobbing like a baby and saying thank you till my throat was too dry
from sobbing to utter another word. We were on our way back from my last
check-up at the hospital when I noticed Mikhail taking a route different
from the one that leads home.

“I think you missed our turn,” I said, calling his attention to the road in case
it was a mistake.

“I didn’t miss it. I’m taking you somewhere,” he said, squeezing my hand
softly. “I’ve been meaning to take you for a long time, but I wanted to wait
until you were fully recovered.”

“Where are we going?” I asked, excitement building inside me. Every time
Mikhail has surprised me in the past, it always ended up being the most
beautiful experience, and I had no doubt this would be any different. He let
out a light chuckle at my excitement. “It’s nothing fancy, just something
you wouldn’t stop talking about, and it reminded me of my early days in
New York.”

Something I wouldn’t stop talking about that reminded him of his early
days in New York? I racked through my head, searching for clues. I’ve been
talking nonstop about a lot of things since I was confined to my bed.
Everything suddenly seemed unnaturally interesting, and I wanted to do
everything.

I recall making a case about how I wanted to be a wildlife photographer and

get to capture nature in its raw form. Since we were at the heart of New
York, I figured my short-lived photography dreams weren’t coming true any
time soon. “I can’t think of anything.” I groaned, pulling my best puppy
look at him. “My head is empty and filled at the same time. Just give me a
clue already.”

“I told you it was nothing exciting. You’ll see, we’re almost there.” He
replied, steering the car right, and my insides flipped. Watching Mikhail
drive would always equal a thirst trap, and it did things to my lady parts. We
finally came to a stop in front of a tall, black building with red and gold
accents. It had intricate carvings on the wooden panels lining the door and
window frames.
“Is this a Chinese restaurant?” I shrieked in excitement, my eyes darting
between Mikhail and the structure. “Is it?” I repeated, practically bouncing
on my seat.

“What do you think?” he smiled, unbuckling his seatbelt. He had become

increasingly conscious of them since my accident and made sure they were
always fastened before he started the car.

I recalled telling him during one of our movie nights that I had a Chinese
phase when I was ten and had seen Mulan for the first time. I was shocked
to discover he had never seen Mulan, so I made him watch the animation.
He grumbled about how he was a bit too old to be watching an animation
the whole time but spent the days after the movie talking about how dumb
Li Shang and the rest of the men were to not have noticed Mulan was a girl.

“Do I get to wear the traditional outfit too?” I queried as we made our way
into the restaurant. I could feel the ten-year-old in me pushing to the
surface.

“Unfortunately, this is not one of those restaurants, but the experience is

pretty much the same. The service and the setting are quite traditional.” He
replied, holding the door open for me.
Dim ambient lighting from the lanterns on the wall gave a warm, cozy vibe
to the interior. The wooden floors and furniture added to the ambiance.
There were a few pictures of Chinese landscapes and mythical creatures
hanging on the wall.

“That’s Mushu over there,” I whispered, pointing at the picture of a red

dragon across the room.

“Isn’t that a little too big to be Mushu?” he commented, observing the

painting.

“Nonsense. Mushu grew—”

“Mr Ivanov?” A waitress appeared out of nowhere, interrupting my little

speech.

Mikhail supplied a curt nod to her question, and she led us to our
reservation.

The VIP rooms were completely different from the general eatery. There
was a rectangular depression in the middle of the room where the table and
the padded wooden chairs were arranged. In place of paintings, the walls
were adorned with intricate carvings in Chinese, porcelain vases, and
calligraphy scrolls hanging from the ceiling. We settled into the depression,
and I was more than excited to fold my legs in a comfortable position.

“You said this reminds you of your early days in New York?” I inquired,
heaping my plate with a second serving of kung pao chicken. It was my
favorite amongst the elaborate spread of food on the table.

“Yes,” Mikhail replied, carefully dishing out the chow mein onto his plate.
He was so good with the chopsticks that I found myself growing
increasingly jealous of how he handled everything with ease while I had to
request a fork.

“When I arrived in New York to make a name for myself, one different
from my family legacy, I signed my first deal in this restaurant, in this very
room,” he added casually. I listened with rapt attention as he recounted the
night he had to pull every negotiation skill known to man to seal a deal, and
what was even more impressive was that he was only twenty-four at the
time.

“Woah,” I commented when he was done. “You know, I always thought this
was a family business.”

“It will be. I’m building it with the intention of it getting passed down
through generations like my ancestors before me. I can afford the life I have
because someone thought to put things in order for those after him. It would
be incredibly selfish of me not to leave things even better for my kids,” he
replied, holding my gaze at the mention of the words kids.

I tore my gaze away, suddenly feeling claustrophobic from the weight of his
eyes on me and the implications of his statement. My chest tightened, and I
had to swallow twice to dislodge the knot in my chest. Even the chicken in
my mouth suddenly tasted like cardboard. A loud beep from my phone
came to my rescue, but my feeling of gratitude was immediately reverted
when I saw the content of the message from Vivian. Father wants to meet
with you at noon tomorrow. The universe had very impeccable timing.

“Everything good?” Mikhail asked, watching me closely.

“It’s fine,” I replied, tucking my phone into my purse. “I promised to help

Viv with something today, and I lost track of time. I’ll make it up to her
tomorrow.”

“And I thought I almost scared you off with my talk about kids and
legacies.”

“You’d have to come up with worse to scare me away,” I replied, willing

my smile to be as genuine as possible. It was becoming increasingly
difficult to lie to him with every passing day, and I’ve been using my
accident as an excuse not to supply Father with reasonable information for a
while.

“Good. Cause you’re stuck with me,” he replied, reaching over to squeeze
my hand.
Dinner continued over shared stories of childhood and experiences growing
up. I tried my best to remain present but I couldn’t silence the voice in my
head that kept calling me a liar and fraud. Not being able to stand the way
he was looking at me or the excitement in his eyes when he spoke about the
future, I made up a fake excuse about my headache slowly returning and
had our food packed into takeout boxes.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 23

Arielle

“I pleaded with him to give you some time to recover before calling you
back to duty, but he wouldn’t listen. He insisted that your accident
should’ve brought you closer, and he was disappointed you weren’t using
the situation to your advantage, knowing what is at stake.”

Vivian’s words cut through me like a sharp blade. It was an unwelcome

reminder of Mikhail’s true nature despite his sweetness to me. There was
also the slight hurt from knowing Father prioritized the mission over my
health, but even I couldn’t deny he was right. I recovered a long time ago
and was intentionally stalling the mission because a man was nice to me
while I was sick.

A cocktail of bitter emotions trickled down my throat, and my face became

heated from the shame that flashed through me. I averted my eyes from
Vivian, focusing on the picture of us on a trip to Edinburg hanging on the
wall.
“He is right, you know. I should use the situation to my advantage. We
barely have much time left,” I replied, earning me an eye roll from Vivian.

“But you were in an accident weeks ago, and even though your body seems
to have recovered, these events are equally very traumatizing and can take a
psychological toll on you. I’m the psychologist here. It’s my job to say if
you’re mentally fit for a mission or not.”

If I hadn’t had a combination of guilt and shame about the size of the
Empire State Building weighing on me, I would have whipped up a teasing
comment for Vivian’s outburst. She was always timid and avoided
confrontations at all costs. Seeing her challenging and willing to go against
Father for me warmed my heart, but I didn’t feel worthy of her protection
anymore.

I almost didn’t belong anywhere at this point. I had guilt eating me up for
lying to Mikhail. I couldn’t even stand Maya’s kindness to me anymore
without feeling like I would burst into tears. On the other hand, was the
crippling feeling of shame I felt with my family. I was slowly betraying the
man that I owed my life to for a man who took lives at the snap of his
fingers, returned home covered in blood, and had hands in child trafficking.

I was both embarrassed and disappointed in myself. The past few weeks
might’ve opened me to a side of Mikhail I didn’t know about, but that
weighed nothing in comparison to the person he truly was. But here I was,
letting stupid feelings take the reigns over logic.

When Father finally arrived, it took a combination of every training I had

received in the past to fine-tune my body language and maintain eye contact
with him. He was very quick-witted and would pick on the slightest change
and flicker of an eye.

“How are you feeling Cara?” he asked, balancing his walking stick on the
wall before settling into the sofa.

“Much better. How about you? The knee giving you more trouble?” I
inquired with a look of concern.

“Nothing I can’t handle. I’m scheduled for a replacement surgery in a few

months, so it should be a thing of the past shortly.”

“Do you want me to get you anything?” Vivian’s voice almost startled me. I
had completely forgotten that she was in the room as I focused my energy
and attention on making sure I appeared as neutral as possible in Father’s
presence.

“Not to worry, Viv. I’m old, not disabled.” He muttered, and I chuckled on
cue. “So, tell me, Cara, what have you gathered in your period of recovery?
I understand the accident shook you up. I’m sorry I couldn’t visit for
obvious reasons, but I’m certain you were smart enough to use the situation
to your advantage,” he said, going straight to the point.

One thing about Father, he was the grandmaster of disguise. Be it to

disguise his true intentions as praise and concern or to sandwich them
between compliments, he had his way with words. A way that completely
disarmed you. Even the fury simmering in Vivian’s eyes had dulled down
following his admission, but his question was passed clearly.

“I was able to take note of a few things while in recovery. It appears he has
shifted most of the family dealings to his brother Benjamin and channeled
his focus to the expansion of his business,” I replied, my heart thudding in
my ears as I prayed my pathetic excuse of observation would be enough to
placate him till I could find something bigger to occupy him while I figured
out what to do with the feelings growing inside me.

“You must’ve been really distracted by your accident,” he said in a flat tone,
and I felt my heart slam into my rib cage. He has me. Of course, he can
fucking see through me. How did I ever think I could fool the person who
trained me?

My eyes discreetly darted to the door, surveying the room for the nearest
escape before he calmly added, “There’s an exclusive party tomorrow
morning, and I need you to go with him. You can bring Vivian along if you
feel you’ll need help. All you have to do is note the people present,
memorize their names and faces if you must, and report back to me.”

I held down the sigh of relief that threatened to spill from my lips and
offered a wordless nod to his demand, not trusting my voice to produce an
answer without quivering.

“That would be all.” He said, getting on his feet. “I would’ve passed the
message through Vivian, but I wanted to see how you were doing myself,”
he said, casting me a soft gaze I hadn’t received in a while, and the knot in
my chest became impossibly tight. Why couldn’t he just remain the stern
Father we’ve grown accustomed to me? Why did he have to be kind and
sweet all of a sudden and at this time?

“I’m fine, Father. You don’t have to worry about me.”

“I’ll always worry about you. You’re still my little girls, both of you.” He
said, looking at Vivian and me before picking up his walking stick and
walking out the door.

“Your accident must’ve done a number on him,” Vivian muttered as soon as

he was out of the room, and I nodded in agreement.

“So, would you like to come with me to this exclusive party?” I asked,
sinking into the sofa.

“There’s no way I’m letting you take on a mission alone until I deem you
psychologically fit,” she replied, falling into the seat Father had just left.

“I’ll tell Mikhail about it. I’m still in recovery, and I’m certain he won’t say
no to me,” I said, sending him a quick text to be home before dinner time.

*******

Father had completely missed out on the part where the party was a
masquerade ball, making it very difficult to see the faces of some of the
guests. Although some left their faces uncovered like Mikhail, the dim
lighting of the hall made it slightly difficult to make out their facial features.
“I’ll have to leave you ladies here for a bit. There’s something that urgently
requires my attention, but Canaan will be watching,” Mikhail said, placing
a soft kiss on my forehead before disappearing into a hallway at the right.

“So where do we start from?” I asked Vivian, discreetly scanning for

Canaan. If he was watching us, we needed to be extra careful.

“The guest list,” Vivian replied, pulling out a shiny paper from her pause. “I
was able to swipe one of these while you and Mikhail exchanged
pleasantries with the couple at the entrance.

“Wow.” I stared at the list of all the people present for the party. For some
reason, the names all had an aristocratic ring to them. You didn’t need to see
the bearer; you just knew they were rich. “This should do. It’s exactly what
Father asked for,” I muttered, my breath hitching slightly when I saw
Mikhail’s name on the list. I found myself itching to scrub it off.
“Not really. Remember, he asked us to place faces to the names and observe
what they were doing at the party. What is the party even about?”

As if on cue, a stage I hadn’t noticed materialized in the middle of the

room, and an almost naked lady slid down the pole in the center in an
awkward manner. I could do much better than she did, but she was a lot
more endowed than I was and had the attention of the room. Soon, wads of
cash were raining on her from every direction as she danced.

“Woah,” Vivian exclaimed behind me, her eyes soaking up the scene
unfolding before us.

Soon, the first dancer was joined by a second woman and then a man while
the audience seemed to decide on their next line of action with their money.
The highest bidder got whatever act he wanted to enjoy. Far off to the left, I
could see a couple having sex in a dark corner, and some were engaged in
different acts. The masks suddenly made sense, and Mikhail’s initial refusal
to bring me here made even more sense.

“Hello, beautiful,” a raspy voice touched the back of my neck, causing the
hairs at my name to stand. I turned to see a man who looked to be in his
forties staring at me like I was a piece of meat.

My midnight blue asymmetrical dress was a lot more decent than what most
of the ladies here were currently wearing, so his look was a bit lost on me.

“Hello. I’m here with someone,” I politely greeted him, cutting his
advances before he got the chance to make them.

“Is this your partner?” he asked, turning to Vivian, who looked like she was
going to throw up. “I’m sure you both won’t mind accommodating an old
man for the night.”

“Thanks for the offer, but we’re not together, nor are we looking for
company for the night,” I said, making for the opposite side of the room.

Iron fists wrapped around my wrist, pulling me flush against an equally

hard chest. Before I got the chance to struggle, a fist flew past me,
connecting to his jaw, and I could hear Vivian’s sharp intake of breath
beside me. His hand immediately fell from me, and I turned to see Mikhail
and Canaan circling like him predators.

“Do you have any idea who I am?” the man roared, charging at Mikhail,
who landed another blow on his face, the crunching sound from his nose
echoed through the room.

“A core rule of this establishment is to make sure women feel safe enough
to express themselves, and this bastard tried to force his hands on a woman,
not just any woman, my woman.” Mikhail addressed the little crowd that
had gathered around us before turning to the security. “Make sure he never
sees the four walls of this building or that of any exclusive club in the
whole of New York.”

“Take me out of here,” I asked Mikhail, who immediately walked me out of

the hall. Vivian insisted on staying behind to complete the assignment under
the guise of enjoying herself. Mikhail asked Canaan to watch over her while
he drove me home.

*****

“What was that party about?” I asked, walking in on Mikhail holding his
bruised knuckles under the bathroom tap. I watched his face for the slightest
bit of pain, but it never came.

“It’s a sex party. The majority of the people who make up the top 1% are
sick fellows and like to have a space where they can let out their inhibitions
without judgment. I tried to warn you, but you wouldn’t listen,” he replied,
reaching for the washcloth, but I beat him to it.

I poured hot water into a wash bowl, added a bit of disinfectant into it, and
dumped the wash cloth in it. “This exclusive party, do you attend it often?”

“I’ve been aware of it, but today was my first time visiting. A client insisted
on meeting there. He wanted to know if I had what it takes to build a club
they’ll appreciate.”

“And do you?” I asked, helping him out of his white shirt.

He sighed, evidently displeased with my questions, but he still answered. “I
do what I have to do, baby. You already know this.”

I lifted my hands, feeling his body stiffen as I traced the outlines of his
defined muscles. My eyes caught a glimpse of blood on his hand, and I was
reminded of the washcloth. I hoisted myself on the sink, pulled him
between my thighs, and began cleaning the cuts. He stood still, watching
me wordlessly, not making a sound or an attempt to stop me. Satisfied with
my work, I pulled open the overhead cabinet and took a bottle of ointment
from it.

“I don’t like it when you fight. You should’ve let the security or Canaan
handle it,” I said as I applied ointment to Mikhail’s burst knuckles.
“I’m not going to sit around and wait for security to come while another
man puts his hands on you, Arielle,” he hissed, and I knew there was no
way I’d be winning this argument.

I clamped my lips shut and focused on making sure every shallow cut was
well-cleaned and oiled while he continued watching me. There was
something unnaturally intimate about Mikhail standing between my legs
while I perched on the bathroom sink and tended to his injuries, injuries he
sustained while fighting for me. It was almost erotic, and I didn’t like how I
was reacting to the scenario.

He hooked a finger beneath my jaw, pulling my face to him. “You don’t

want me to fight for you, princess?” he asked, holding my gaze.

I wasn’t a fan of violence or blood spills, even when it was necessary, even
when I had to do it myself, but I couldn’t find the words to tell him that. I
didn’t want to tell him that. I was ashamed to tell him the sight of him
breaking that man’s face did things to me. Heck, I was even ashamed to
admit it to myself.
I tore my gaze from him and attempted to go back to cleaning his cuts,
which were already squeaky clean, disinfected, and oiled, but he stopped
my movements.

“Arielle,” he said, taking the washcloth from my hands. “Look at me.”

I let out a soft gasp when my eyes met his. The soft look in his eyes had
suddenly disappeared, and in its place was something darker, something
feral, and it set off a fire in me. I was sure if I caught a glimpse of myself in
the mirror, my eyes would be mirroring his.

Get a fucking grip, Arielle. You’ve seen the man naked before. Heck, you’ve
had his cock buried inside you and deep down your throat. Quit acting like
a teenager. I mentally scolded myself. I tried to avert my gaze again, but his
voice froze me in place.

“Don’t look away from me, Arielle. I won’t ask nicely the third time.”
I could only bring myself to nod at his subtle command, my throat suddenly
feeling too tight to produce a sound.

Something had changed. I couldn’t tell when it did or how it did, but I knew
there was something different about us, or should I say, something different
about me.

“You haven’t given me an answer, Princess,” he said, his voice dark and
husky as he dragged his palms up my thighs, slipping beneath my T-shirt
and settling for a firm grip on my hips.

Heat pooled at my core, and I found myself growing dizzy from the feeling
of his fingers digging into my bare ass. I had no underwear, and the only
thing separating him from my pussy was a mere shift of a finger.
“I’m still waiting,” he repeated, leaning down to gently capture one of my
ears between his teeth, tugging lightly on the lobe while his tongue darted
out to lick the helix. A combination of his hot breath on my ears and his
tongue leaving a wet trail had my core clenching, and a moan slipped from
me before I could hold it in.

“Words, princess. Do you want me to stand by the side and watch like a
gentleman while someone else takes care of any asshole that lays a finger
on you, or would you prefer I beat the shit out of them, then you can tend to
my cuts while we’re home?” he asked, his mouth not leaving my ears, and I
let out an involuntary whimper.
The image of the event at the party resurfaced in my head, and this time, my
reaction was completely different. I wasn’t scared. I wasn’t horrified. I
didn’t feel the need to stop him. I was incredibly turned on, knowing he’d
get his fingers bloodied for me.

A mixture of shame and lust swirled inside me as the moral compass I’d
fought so hard to build pushed back at the new feeling growing in me. A
feeling that didn’t care about right or wrong, light or darkness, and only
craved to be totally consumed by the man in front of me. How did I miss
this? How did I let this happen? I was so busy trying to lower Mikhail’s
guard and penetrate his heart I had forgotten to keep watch over mine.

My breath hitched as one of his hands left its position on my hip and settled
between my thighs. He wasn’t touching me yet, but my pussy clenched
rhythmically in anticipation, wetness pulling between my thighs.

“Look at you, all wet and dripping for me.” He pulled out his fingers,
bringing them up for me to see. “Does the thought of me fighting for you
excite you? Does the knowledge of the fact that I’ll set the world on fire if
any harm comes to you get your pretty pussy weeping for me?” he asked,
bringing his fingers to my mouth and forcing them past my lips. I sucked on
them, loving the sour, tangy taste of my juices on my tongue.

He watched me through heavy lids, groaning as I lapped on his fingers like

a hungry dog. “There you go, princess. You like the taste of your pussy
when it’s crying for me?” he asked, and I nodded frantically.

Emotions were winning over logic, and common sense and shame were
slowly giving way to lust. This was different from every other time. I could
feel it, and judging by the way he was looking at me, I could tell he felt it,
too.

“Good girl,” he praised, sliding his finger out of my mouth. “Will you
answer my question now?” I clamped my lips tighter, fighting the urge to
give in to him.

“The hard way it is,” he said, shoving two fingers into my pussy without
warning, and I let out a loud moan as my walls clenched tightly around him,
sucking his fingers in.
“So greedy, so needy, so wet.” He muttered as he watched his fingers slide
in and out of me. “Yet, so stubborn.”

He added a third finger, stretching me out as his fingers picked a rhythmic

pace, hitting a spot that sent my eyes rolling. I clung to his shoulders as he
continued moving his fingers in and out of me, and my heart almost stopped
when I caught a glimpse of my reflection in the mirror behind him.

I looked nothing like me. My hair was sticking all over the place, my
cheeks were flushed and almost red, and my eyes scared me the most. They
were wide, dark, and filled with unimaginable lust. I looked like a wanton
whore. Shame burned down my throat like acid, and I could almost feel my
senses slowly returning, but Mikhail’s fingers curled inside, pushing me
deeper into the hole he was digging for me, and my reflection in the mirror
didn’t matter anymore.

I could feel the tempo building inside me, pressure rising in my core as my
orgasm drew near. I was riding his fingers at this point, chasing after that
high only he can give me, and just as I was about to be engulfed by the
bliss, his fingers withdrew from me, and a cry of protest left me as the
pressure growing in me died off.

His thumb settled on my clit, applying pressure on the bud but not not
moving. “Answer my question, sweetheart, and I’ll give you as many
orgasms as you want till you can’t feel your limbs,” he murmured, staring
deep into my eyes.

Lust and frustration didn’t mix well together. The battle between my morals
and my feelings intensified, and I could feel my morals fall apart brick by
brick as the pressure of his thumb on my clit intensified.

“Mikhail,” I groaned, rocking my hips into his thumb.

“Wrong answer, baby,” he replied, capturing a peaked nipple jutting from

my T-shirt between his teeth and biting down on the sensitive bud. Another
moan left me, and he hummed in response.

His tongue darted out to suck on the peaked bud, his teeth grazing over
them while his thumb intensified its pressure on my clit. The sensation was
enough to bring me to the edge but not send me over, and I felt myself
writhing in frustration.

“Say it, Arielle. Fucking say it already,” he groaned, and a weak ‘yes’
tumbled out of my mouth before I could stop it.

“Yes, what?” he asked, his teeth tightening around my nipple and sending
my hips bucking. “Dammit, Arielle, yes, what?”
Something in me snapped, and I suddenly didn’t give a fuck about what
happened from here on. “I loved watching you fight for me. I loved the
feeling of tending to your cuts after you’re done fighting for me.” I
practically screamed, the feeling becoming too much for me to bear.

I can’t recall Mikhail lifting me or him moving from the bathroom to the
room. The next thing I felt was my back hitting the soft mattress and the
weight of his body on me.

With the same swiftness he used in carrying me from the bathroom to the
room, he slammed into me. I was wet enough to take him in completely, but
he was still too big, and the slight burn from the stretch mixed with the
feeling of him buried into me sent a sharp jolt of pressure through me.

He withdrew himself from me at an almost agonizing pace till his length

was almost completely out before slamming back into me, sending the
bedrest crashing into the wall, and my moans followed.

The sound of creaking bed and skin slapping against skin echoed in the
room, my loud moans periodically joining the chaotic rhythm our bodies
created. I didn’t care how loud we were. He was all I could feel and all I
could think about. You could ask me my name, and I’d have no idea what to
say, but his was burned into my brain, and the walls of my throat were dry
from screaming it.

“Keep your eyes on me, princess,” Mikhail ordered as my eyes lulled back
into my head, refocusing them on him. “So, fucking beautiful.”

I struggled to keep my eyes open as he practically fucked me into the

mattress, every stroke drawing a new sensation, each more intense than the
previous, and stars clouded my vision.

We’ve had sex multiple times, but somehow, this felt like the first. All
guards were laid down. There were no boundaries or inhibitions. It was just
us—naked and bared to each other. This moment was raw. It was
uninhibited, and there were no lies. Just two people spelling out with their
bodies what seemed too heavy to express with words.

I could feel the familiar pressure building in the pit of my stomach,

stretching through every part of me and settling in my pelvis. My eyes
pulled to the back of my head, but Mikhail snapped them back.
“Eyes on me. I want to see you when I make you come, and I want you to
watch what you do to me.”

With a final thrust, he tore one last moan from me and sent me soaring off
the edge. I struggled to keep my eyes open as the waves of my orgasm tore
through me. I was certain I would have levitated from the bed if not for
Mikhail’s weight pressing into me.

He kept fucking me while I rode out my orgasm, and shortly, I could feel
him stiffen, his hips thrusting erratically as his orgasm hit him. He never
took his eyes off me, I watched every emotion flash through his eyes, and
before I knew what was happening, I felt my pussy clenching, and a second
wave of orgasm hit me, this one more intense than the first.

I had no idea where my body ended or where his started. I felt liquid and
boneless, and all that echoed in my head before I slipped into oblivion was
a dark voice muttering in what sounded like Russian before ending his
speech with an ‘I love you’ and a soft feminine voice that sounded so much
like mine whispering “I love you too.”

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 24

Mikhail

It was a little past one at noon, and somehow, lunch had turned into a quick,
impulsive shopping for Arielle, which eventually ended with me in Hudson
Yards, staring at the bold Cartier signboard at the entrance of the store.

It’s a very curious thing how I always thought I’d end up settling for a
respectable girl from the Russian bratva who was raised to be the perfect
mob wife, but here I was, about to put a ring on the most empathetic yet
audacious female who has no clue what life in my world entails and would
fight me at every point for the smallest blood spill.

Ah, yes. There’s also the part where I am completely and totally irrevocably
in love with her. Love. The world still tasted foreign coming out of my
mouth. After the first night, we said it to each other in the throes of passion,
the word slowly slipped into our daily routine. It became a good morning, a
goodbye, and how are you?

There were days I stared at her, waiting for her to disappear or maybe
glitch, anything to prove this was a dream and she was only a product of my
wildest fantasies, but it never happened. Instead, I found reasons to fall
deeper, reasons to want to give her the world. I wasn’t a good man by any
measure, but I must’ve done something incredibly right in a past life to be
blessed with her. That was the only logical explanation.

When you’re born into the type of world I was born into and raised the way
I was, you conclude that certain things are not meant for you. They’re
things you’d never experience and things that’ll never happen to you. I had
already accepted the reality of my life a long time ago, and quite frankly, I
never felt like I was missing out on anything. I saw people divorce and
betray their loved ones every day, and I wanted no part in that.

Then she came along in a body-con red dress, and suddenly, I wanted a part
in all of it. The laughter, the beauty, the pain, the pleasure, the joy, the tears,
I wanted all of it with her. She brought the sun to me. She showed me why
artists wrote stanzas upon stanzas for a person, why painters immortalized
their muse with the strokes of their paintbrush, and why wars have been
fought, kingdoms conquered, and civilizations destroyed in the name of
love. I would go to war in her name. Hell, I’d wreak carnage if I had to.
There’s no limit to what I’d do for her. For the first time, I had something to
lose.

So, while I might not know how shopping for shoes ended with me in front
of Cartier, I knew without a flicker of doubt what I had to do there.

“Good afternoon, sir,” a sales rep greeted me as soon as I walked through

the door. “How can we help you today?”

“I’d like to see your sales manager,” I replied, checking out the new
collection on the showcase. They were quite stunning and catchy but a good
number of them were mainstream, and I was looking for something unique.

“Mr Ivanov! To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?” Jasmine, the
bubbly sales manager, sashayed into the reception, looking pleasantly
surprised.

Usually, I’d send Cynthia or place a direct call to her whenever I needed
something from the store, but I needed to do this on my own, and Jasmine
was just the best person for the job. She caters to a lot of high-profile clients
and celebrities, so I can rely on both her expert opinion and discretion. I
wouldn’t want the tabloids carrying pictures of me buying a ring before I
got home.

“Would you love to see our vintage collection of watches? I’m sure there’s
a piece that would suit you just fine,” She beamed, making for the VIP
lounge. “And Laura!” she called out to the salesgirl at the reception, “Get
our guest a glass of champagne.”
I waited till we were alone in the lounge. “I won’t be taking the watches
today, Jasmine. I was thinking about something more intimate.”

Her eyes shut up in realization, and a small smile touched her lips.
“Congratulations! Is there something you have in mind?”

“Yes. Something gold and pretty with a giant rock. Something I wouldn’t
find on the fingers of half of Manhattan’s housewives.”

“I think I might have the perfect ring for you. Give me a moment,” she said,
walking out of the lounge.

I took a large gulp of the champagne, suddenly wishing it was something

stronger. I wondered how Arielle would react to my proposal. She loves me,
of that much I was certain. But marriage was a completely different topic.
While she has never mentioned anything about kids and the future, she
wasn’t averse when I brought them up. She even offered a few
contributions and paid attention to suggestions. That has to count for
something, but it did nothing to calm my nerves. I, Mikhail Ivanov, was
nervous. It was almost laughable.

Jasmine returned to the lounge with a few boxes, and she set them on the
table in front of me. “These are some of our original works. They all have
gold bands and a giant rock, as you requested, and you won’t be seeing
them on anyone’s finger, not even the president’s wife.”

The first was quite beautiful, but it didn’t resonate with me. The second was
a bit too much, and the third too simple. I was already certain I’d have to
check out a different store when she opened another velvet red box, and I
knew I had found the one.

It had a simple gold band molded to resemble a flower vine, with a huge
oval-shaped diamond resting on the prongs. I tilted the ring to the side,
watching as it reflected light from every corner of the room. This was it.
This is perfect.

“I’ll take it,” I said, returning the ring to Jasmine and reaching for my
vibrating phone with my other hand.
“Don’t you have the most perfect timing in the world.” I held the phone to
my ear, and on cue, Jasmine exited the room with the boxes.

“Where are you?” Lorenzo asked, his tone urgent.

“Manhattan. Why?”

“There’s something you need to see, it’s urgent.”

“On a scale of 1-10?”

“1000,” he replied, and I felt my pulse slow down.

“Did something happen? Was there an attack? Is Arielle okay?” I fired

question after question, but he wouldn’t say anything other than how I
should get to his house soonest.

I deposited a check to Jasmine with an extra tip for her help and made my
way to Enzo’s. A funny trend of something coming up whenever life was
becoming too good was slowly happening in my life, and I did not
appreciate it.

******

“Remember how all the attacks this year ended up being connected?” He
queried, pacing his library.

“Didn’t we deal with that already?” I replied, growing increasingly antsy

with his pacing and questioning.

“Something about the last guy didn’t make sense to me. I questioned him
when you left him with Benjamin and me, but he still felt off, so I went
digging.” He pulled out a remote from his drawer and turned on the large
screen behind him.

My blood went cold as a face I had long forgotten filled the screen. Grey
hair had replaced brown hair, wrinkles were carved deep into his face, and
his perfectly straight nose was now bent at a very odd angle. Henry
Kincaid, I’d recognize him if he came in a different skin.
“He’s supposed to be dead. My grandfather made sure of that.”

“Clearly, he must’ve survived somehow,” Enzo said, leaning on his table.

A lot of things were going on in my head, and the events were finally
connecting. The attack on my club and the explosion at the port. He always
wanted the port. “How did you find him?”

“I dug deep into Adam’s life, and he has no family,” Enzo said, handing me
a file. I quickly took it from him and started perusing while he continued
giving me the back story.

“He’s an orphanage kid who got into drugs a little too early and was sent to
rehab. He got out of rehab and became worse, so he was sent to a juvenile
prison. He was released when he turned eighteen. He couldn’t return to the
orphanage and had no qualifications, so he took to life on the streets. The
last guy had a similar story.”

“So, he’s using homeless people with no family to carry out his dirty
work?” I asked, lifting my eyes from the file.

“I guess it’s less messy when they have no one looking for them. They can
disappear without a trace.”

The bastard was crafty. I would give that to him. Pick up some desperate
junkie, pump them up with supplies, promise them a better life, and send
them off to their death.

“Anyways,” he continued. “Our last guy was quite the computer geek, and
he looked to be very interested in his contractor. I was able to hack into his
system and find some information on Henry. Apparently, he seems to have
taken an interest in the orphanage.”

The slimy bastard. How better for a predator to hide itself than amongst its
prey? He had always been involved with trafficking and offered my
grandfather a price to let him conduct his business through our ports, but
trafficking was one thing my family didn’t dabble in. Henry wasn’t happy
with my grandfather’s refusal and proceeded to organize a takeover, which
led to his supposed demise. And here he was, a decorated patron for an
orphanage.

“What else did you find?” I queried, running the mental gymnastics of what
it was going to take to bring Henry down. It would take a lot. He was easily
one of my grandfather’s biggest adversaries.

“I’m still on it,” he replied, pulling up another screen on the monitor that
showed a ninety-five percent downloaded file in progress. “I called as soon
as his face came up, and I confirmed he was still alive. Hopefully, this gives
us all we need or, at least, most of it.”

I got off the sofa and walked to the mini bar at the corner of the room,
pulling out a bottle of vodka and chugging directly from the bottle. I had a
feeling I’d be needing the familiar burn of alcohol to take in whatever was
coming.

“Be sure to take the bottle with you on your way out. I don’t want your
germs all over my house,” Enzo said with his back to me.

I didn’t bother dignifying his ultra-hygienic tantrums with an answer and

returned to the screen with the bottle in hand. Two things were certain:
Henry Kincaid was not dead, and he was planning a second takeover. Both
of them spelled out war in every language known to man, and going by how
tense Enzo looked, he understood what was at stake. He was already in my
life at the time Henry struck and saw it all go down. It wasn’t a pretty sight.

My mind strayed to Arielle, worrying about how I was going to ease her
into all of this without ultimately scaring her away. I’ll need to protect her.
By now, Henry should already know about her. He might be the greediest
son of bitch, but he was resourceful, an enemy you should never
underestimate.

“Isn’t there a way to hasten this?” I asked, glaring at the screen as I took
another gulp from the bottle, letting the acidic burn of the alcohol run
through my veins.

“Bingo!” Enzo exclaimed, and I looked up to find the download complete.

As expected, the file was protected, and it took an additional twenty
minutes for him to crack the code and finally let us in.

It held a lot of records about Henry’s conduct over the years and the wealth
he had amassed under the name Garry Winston, but it contained little to
nothing about his personal life or what he had been up to.

“Hold on!” I stopped Enzo’s fingers on the remote, “Zoom in on that

picture.”

I stared at a low-quality picture that looked like it was taken off a family
portrait. “He has a family?” Enzo asked, trying to amplify the quality of the
picture.

“None that I know of, but I hope he does.” There is nothing worse than an
enemy that has nothing to lose.

A better quality of the picture was out in no time and I found what was left
of my sanity completely knocked off its stand as I stared at the picture in
horror.

I’ve been confronted by a lot of things in my life—carnage, bloodbaths,

things that would break a full-grown man and send an old woman straight
to the grave. I’d witnessed my fair share of betrayal and seen the brutalities
of dishonesty, and not once had I found myself desperately praying I was
wrong and that the perpetrator was innocent, but here I was, frozen in place
and desperately praying to be wrong.
I had to be wrong. Scratch that. I need to be wrong. It’s the only way it has
to be. No other way was acceptable, and no other way would make sense.
Maybe the picture was wrong and increasing the quality somehow messed
with the faces on the screen.

“You know, I’ve seen people share a striking resemblance without being
related to each other in any way,” Enzo said in a voice that sounded more
like he was trying to convince himself than he was trying to convince me.

“Run it,” I said, my voice cold and eerily calm, giving nothing about my
internal state of turmoil.
My eyes burned and my heart picked a murderous race when Enzo pulled
up the facial recognition software and I found myself desperately praying to
be wrong. I would give an arm and leg to be wrong, I’ve never wanted
anything more in my life, but I guess I already knew the truth deep down. I
was just looking for something to plant a flicker of doubt in me, something
to sway me ever so slightly and give me a reason to believe otherwise.

But since I was no saint, and God had no business granting my wishes, the
result came out ninety-nine percent accurate: Cara Kincaid. The name was
different, but the birthday, eye color, and everything else was the same.

“Jesus Christ,” Enzo muttered, eyes as wide as saucer pans while I just
stood there numb and cold.
The pattern slowly formed before me. How the attacks started after she
came into my life, how she seemed to be strategically placed for me to
discover, how we had similar interests. Every fucking thing added up. How
was I so blind? She was a fucking ghost on the internet, and I attributed it to
introversion.

My body snapped into motion, snatching my tie and jacket from the couch,
I stormed out of the house. My chest felt uncomfortably tight and my head
was buzzing with questions Enzo had no answers to.

He caught up with me, placing himself between the door and me. “Mikhail,
wait. Let’s be strategic about this. If she’s his daughter, we can use this to
our advantage. I know you’re—”

“Get out of my way, Lorenzo,” I seethed, sending him a death glare. If the
circumstances were different, maybe I would’ve considered logic, but there
was absolutely nothing logical about this situation.
There was nothing logical about the anger growing in me, there was nothing
logical about the way my fingers were digging into my skin, there was
nothing logical about the ring sitting in my car, and there was certainly no
logic to the discomfort in my chest. And he damn well knew it.

He put up his hands in defeat, stepping out of my way. “You need me to

come with you?”
I ignored him and continued to my car, snatching the keys from Peter and
speeding to the house.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 25

Arielle

Fuck! I practically threw my phone at the wall, biting my knuckles as I

paced the transit hotel room in JFK. It was almost five p.m., and no news
from Vivian. My flight is scheduled for eight p.m., and I need to be out of
here as soon as possible.

My phone beeped, and I almost jumped out of my skin. Relief washed over
me as I read the text from Vivian asking me to open the door. I practically
threw the door off its hinges and helped her in.

“What’s the problem, Ari? You scared the heavens out of me. Why are you
here, and why do you need all of thi—”
The questions died in her throat when her eyes landed on the pregnancy test
kits scattered around the table. She looked at me, then at the tests, and back
at me. I couldn’t find the voice to explain myself. Red hot flames burned
into my face, and I averted my gaze to the floor. I couldn’t take the look of
disbelief and horror on her face.

“How did this happen?” she asked, holding up one of the tests. “You’re
supposed to be on Depo shots. What happened?”

“I don’t know, Viv,” I whispered, my eyes glued to the floor.

“Is that why you needed your passports and a disguise? I thought you were
in danger or something.”

Rage flashed through me, and I pinned her with a glare. “I have a fucking
Ivanov growing in my belly. I have the child of a mafia Don, a fucking
trafficker, and a wanted criminal I was sent to bring to justice growing in
me. How much danger can a person possibly be in?”

“Ari,” she tried to calm me, but the dams were already open, and I might
just let out the emotions I’d been bottling inside.

“Father will kill me. You know he will. He’ll force this child out of me, and
he’ll discard me like trash. And Mikhail, he’ll be ecstatic to find out we’re
having a baby together. He’s been talking about the future and a family
nonstop for the past few weeks! How am I supposed to tell him Arielle is
not even my name? How am I supposed to tell my child I was sent to
destroy his father!” A gut-wrenching cry tore through me, and I crumpled to
the floor, letting the sobs take over me.

I was so scared and confused, and I had nowhere to turn. I couldn’t go

home to Mikhail, and I certainly couldn’t go back to my father. I would be
considered a traitor to both of them. And my child, I clutched my stomach,
wailing harder—my baby would be destroyed because of my stupid
mistakes.

“It’s okay, Ari, I’m here. We’ll figure it out together. We always do.” Viv
settled into the floor with me, pulling me into a hug, and I cried harder.

When my throat became too raw from crying, and my eyes couldn’t
produce more tears, I got off the floor, taking one last look at the pregnancy
kits.

“My flight is due for eight p.m.,” I croaked out, and Vivian’s eyes widened
in shock. She opened her mouth to protest, but I already knew what she was
going to say. A sermon about how my decision was rushed, but I wasn’t in
the mood for therapy.

“I can’t tell you where I’m going. It’s not that I don’t trust you, but I
wouldn’t want to put the burden of cleaning up my mess on you.”

“Are you sure there’s no other way?” she asked, her voice breaking at the
end.
I knew what she was asking. I’d be a liar if I said I hadn’t considered
terminating the pregnancy the moment the first test came out positive, but
there was already so much blood on my hands, and I wasn’t going to add
my child’s blood to the pile.

I wrapped my arms protectively around my pelvis. “I can’t, Viv. I can’t hurt

it.”

She nodded slowly. “I understand. I don’t think I’d be able to do that,

especially given the situation we grew up in. But what are you going to do?
You’ll have two highly influential and resourceful men looking for you.
You’ll practically have to live in hiding. How will you survive? Why don’t
we try telling Father. It was obviously a mistake. I’m sure he’ll understand.”

I remained mute at her suggestion, completely avoiding her gaze.

“It was a mistake, right? Arielle?”

An exhausted sign slipped from me, and I quickly checked the time on my
phone before turning to her. There was no reason to lie. “It was…not
entirely. It’s complicated.”

“Do you love him?” she asked, and I glued my eyes to the floor.

“Damn it, Arielle! You dragged me all the way from Manhattan to Queens.
The least you can do is give me some honest explanation.”

“Yes! Okay, I do care about him. I don’t know how it happened or why I
didn’t stop it, but it’s what it is. He was the first man to actually see me and
treat me like I was human and not a sex toy or a fortified weapon. Mikhail
saw me. He loved me, and I might be the biggest hypocrite in the history of
the world to fall for the same man that made my skin crawl, but he wasn’t
so bad, and he took care of me!” I rushed out in one breath, my chest
heaving as Vivian stared wide-eyed.

“He’s not a monster, Viv,” I sobbed, my voice low and weak. “I’m not some
foolish, naive girl. He loved me.”

“Is that why you’re keeping his child? To hold on to a part of him?”
“No.” I wiped my eyes with the back of my palms. “This baby is mine, and
I’m keeping it because it’s a part of me.”

“That solves it then,” Vivian said, a sad look in her eyes. “Will I ever see
you again?”

Her question broke what was left of my heart. In my haste to run from the
mess I created, I had completely forgotten about the life I’d be leaving
behind. The people I’ll be leaving behind. Viv, Julia, and Maya. I might
never see them again.

“We’ll find a way,” I said, forcing a smile on my face. “Father will have to
die someday, and Mikhail will eventually move on with one of the girls in
the Russian bratva. It’s what is expected of a don anyway.”

A thought suddenly occurred to me, and I rushed to the emergency bag I

asked her to pack for me. “Here,” I pulled out a burner phone I kept for
emergencies. “It can only place and receive a single phone call. I’ll call you
when I’m about to give birt.”

I wiped the tears streaming down her cheeks. We were more than two kids
adopted by the same father. We were sisters. We were best friends. We were
each other’s lifeline. I didn’t know how I’d cope without her, but the
situation couldn’t be helped. The chances were too risky to be taken.

“What are we going to do about Father? If he finds out you’re missing, he’ll
come for me,” Vivian said, and an idea immediately came to me.

I glanced at my watch again, making sure we had enough time. “So, I’m
going to tie you up and abandon you for the cleaners to find.”

Her eyes almost popped out of their sockets at my words, but I continued.
“My calls to you held no details, so even if he checks your phone, he’ll
figure out you didn’t know what you were walking into. Then I’ll make an
insane withdrawal from your account and mine to convince him I tricked
you into coming here so I could rob you and disappear.”

Vivian’s brows knitted in worry. “What if he asks for your motive? What
would I say?”
“Anything. Tell him the project became too much for me. Tell him I wanted
freedom. Tell him I fell in love with some guy. Honestly, he’d believe
anything you say. He knows how much I’ve wanted out of the agency.
Mikhail was supposed to be my last mission. He already pointed out I was
already slacking in reports. Tell him it’s because I was planning my escape.
You can add that I stole from Mikhail too, and you’ll need protection
because I promise you Mikhail will come for you.”

She nodded slowly. I didn’t think a broken heart could break again, but
watching Vivian tore me apart in ways I never imagined.

“I love you, Viv, I always will, and when my baby is born, if it’s a girl, I’ll
name her Vivian, and I’ll tell her about her wonderful aunt, who is the best
human in the world.”

She let out a dry chuckle. “And if it’s a boy?”

“I’ll still tell him about Aunt Vivian.

“Alright. Chop, chop,” she said, wiping her tears and getting off the floor.
“We need to get you disguised and ready for your flight. Time is racing
towards us.

We quickly packed my bags and piled up my hair, hiding it beneath auburn

curls. I made sure all the documents I needed were with me before
proceeding to make my withdrawals. I would need enough cash to get me a
place and keep my head down till I could find something worth doing.

“This is it,” Vivian sniffed, staring at my stacked box.

I pulled her into a quick hug and held her for a moment before swiftly
ripping her shirt. She shrieked in surprise but relaxed when she realized
what I was doing.

I turned the room upside down, making sure everywhere looked like a
proper struggle happened before I pulled out a belt and tied her to the bed
frame.
I took one last look at her, tears welling up in my eyes, before giving her a
quick hug and rushing to the check-in.

*****

I could feel myself slowly relax as the plane took off. My panic slowly gave
way to fear and uncertainty as the aerial view of New York grew
increasingly smaller. Everything seemed so bleak. I rested my head on the
backrest of the seat, sucking in a deep breath as the events of the past few
days finally caught up with me.

The morning sickness I mistook for flu, the spotting I mistook for my
period, Maya commenting on how dull my skin looked at breakfast, and
finally, the notification from my health app about my missed contraception
and absent period. There was the race to the pharmacy to purchase the tests,
the speed with which I parked my essentials and fled the house.

My throat tightened, and I could feel tears burning at the corner of my eyes
as the memories washed over me. The chaotic scenarios finally merged into
dark eyes, a sharp jawline, and a playful smirk.

The pain in my heart felt so real I had to rub my chest in an attempt to

soothe it. I bit my lips hard to hold back the sob clawing at the walls of my
throat and begging to be let out. The tears finally made their way past my
shut lids, and I sat there, nursing the greatest pain of my life, while the
couple in the cubicle next to mine chatted about their vacation plans.

The last weeks with Mikhail were easily the best days of my life. As much
as I hated him for what he was, I couldn’t deny how happy he made me,
how much he loved me, or how much I loved him. And worse, I couldn’t
deny how much he would’ve loved our child. He would’ve made a
wonderful father, but I guess our story was set in stone, and happily ever
after was never in the cards for us.

There was Father. No matter how hard he became over the years, he
remained the man who saved my life. He gave me the life I had, and I had
betrayed him.
I had betrayed the only important men in my life, and I wasn’t even brave
enough to own up to my actions. I tucked my tail between my legs and ran
for my life like a coward, but if a coward is what I need to be to protect my
child, then a coward is exactly what I would be.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 26

Mikhail

Two months later

I tipped my head and bottle back, welcoming the intense burn of the liquor
down my throat. It did very little to numb the pain, but it distracted me from
the ache and helped with the memories.

I took another swing and was met with slow drops and trickles from the
bottle. An annoyed groan left me as I struggled to my feet and staggered to
the bar. I pulled out the last bottle of straight vodka, making a mental note
to order more. I resumed my position on the sofa, kicking the empty pizza
box out of my way and making myself comfortable.
Heartbreak. I always thought people exaggerated the feeling. I’ve read
works by writers describing it as staying alive while everything in you died
and constantly pleading for life to return to you. It was a good enough
description, but it didn’t come close to what the past two months had been.

Maybe I would’ve felt better if I’d had the chance to at least confront her.
Maybe I would’ve found my closure in making her grovel and suffer just
like I was, but she had vanished by the time I got home. She didn’t even
have the decency to pack every bit of herself on her way out. She left her
clothes, shoes, perfume, and lingerie. Even her moisturizer was still in my
bathroom, hard evidence of her presence and the damage she had done.
Every morning I walked into my bathroom, drunk and hungover, it mocked
me.

She wanted me to remember her. She didn’t want to disappear completely;

she wanted to guarantee that I did not gaslight myself into believing she
was not real.

And she won.

I didn’t plan to end up like this. When I searched for her and couldn’t find
her, I threw myself into my work, drowning myself in business, but it
became evident by the time I snapped at Cynthia and broke a man’s
shoulder for asking about Arielle that I was neither fit to work nor be seen
in public spaces, so I retired to my home. Enzo and Benjamin had to step in
my absence.

I got a therapist, as Enzo requested. I tried talking, but it wasn’t fixing

anything. It only reminded me of how foolish I had been, how blind I was.
What would my grandfather say if he could see me?

I uncorked my new bottle and tossed back another swig. I didn’t like the
cold feeling and emptiness that settled over me when I wasn’t drinking. It
felt a little too familiar to death.

Eventually, I was asked to pick up a sport to serve as an outlet for my anger.

Naturally, I picked boxing and was kicked out on my second day because I
punched the lights out of someone and didn’t stop. I didn’t understand my
offense, to be honest. It was supposed to be a place where people let out
their anger. Surely, no one came there hoping to be pampered.

Anyway, I finally settled for nursing a bottle or two at home while watching
the news and hoping to hear of people with lives worse than mine. It didn’t
change much, but it helped to know I wasn’t suffering alone.

Some nights I woke up in so much pain, I had to scream till I felt better. I
hated it, I hated her, and I hated myself the most. I wished it were a physical
pain, broken ribs, or a cracked skull. That would be easier to deal with, but
this, I didn’t know what to do with it. I couldn’t even tell where it hurt.

Maya tried to talk me out of the situation. She didn’t know the details of
what happened, but she knew there was no Arielle, or should I say, Cara,
and my pain was as a result of her absence.
She finally grew tired of me ignoring her and settled for coming around
twice a week to clean and stock up the house. She was honestly the reason
this house had not fallen apart.

A thought suddenly hit me. I should sell the house. Yes! Every part of it
reeked of Arielle. I had fucked her on every surface, and we’d danced on
every fucking tile. It’s the only reason I was this miserable. I wasn’t a weak
man. It was certainly the house.

Grandma always told stories of how cursed energies never really went away
and tended to linger in their previous home until an exorcism was
performed. I sure as hell didn’t have the time for an exorcism, but I did
have the money for a new house. We’d just add ‘haunted by Arielle Cara
Hemsworth Kincaid’ to the selling clause, and everything would be dandy.

I stumbled to my feet, making for the library to find the documents. This
was only heartbreak. It happened to people every day, and they got over it. I
will get over it, but first, I need to get rid of her.

But will that fix the lies? A small voice in my head whispered, and I was
back to square one. It wasn’t just about the heartbreak. I was certain if she
had broken up with me, I’d suffer, but not this much.

It was the lies, the deception, the betrayal. She lay next to me, saying she
loved me while she destroyed every part of me, brick by brick. Her words
about wanting to know my world so she could love me better were all lies!
Lies from the burning pit of hell, and that’s what hurt the most. I was
mourning a ghost, something that didn’t even exist.

I had done everything right. I changed in ways I could. I bought the flowers,
I opened the doors, I communicated, I committed, I bought the fucking ring,
and where did that end me?

A sad chuckle echoed through the house as I made my way to the library,
still determined to sell the house. I vaguely registered the sound of the front
door opening. It was obviously Enzo. He came here every two days to give
me shit about my life and try to clear out the alcohol. Too bad he couldn’t
clear out the ones in the stores.
“Mikhail!” His voice vibrated angrily across the whole house, but I didn’t
reply, continuing my journey to the library. I knocked down a glass vase
next to me, a string of curses spewing from my lips as I tried to tiptoe
around the broken glass. These people didn’t even make the glasses strong
anymore. Everything was as fake as Arielle.

“Have you lost your mind?”

“Not yet, but I’m on it,” I replied, successively making it to the other end
without stepping on the glass.

Enzo stormed after me, a Manila envelope tucked in his arms. He seemed to
carry those everywhere lately.

“The market cap of your joint company has fallen by two hundred million
dollars,” he stated, dumping the first envelope on the table once we were
inside the library. “Benjamin says the family needs a better Don, and
Kincaid is still out there, fighting your ancestor’s sweat, and you’re here
wasting away because some girl turned out to be something other than what
you wanted her to be,” he hissed, dumping the second file on top of the
first.

I stared at the documents, the weight of his words slowly settling into me. I
knew things were slowly going bad, and I kept telling myself I just needed
some time to fix myself and get over it, but hearing the numbers spelled out
to me was quite the wake-up call.

“It’d be better if you were shot dead or even kidnapped than for this to be
how you end,” Enzo continued, “at the mercy of a woman who doesn’t give
a flying fuck about you.”

His words had a bitter aftertaste, and if it were anyone else, I would’ve
made them eat their words.

“So, I’ve brought them to you. You can watch your blood and sweat and
that of your fathers go to waste for a woman,” he said and stormed out of
the library. The angry sound of his footsteps echoed through the house, and
finally, a distant bang from the front door followed. Silence settled over the
house.
I stared at the files for a while before putting down my liquor and picking
them up. Everything was either red, shifting to the left or reading in minus.
Some of the deals I had just closed across Europe were sending in queries,
and they did not want to work with anyone that wasn’t the CEO.

Enzo had underestimated the situation of things. There were also few
records of Kincaid’s way about, but he has been unnaturally silent. He must
know I’ve found him out. Overall, everything was horrible.

Arielle might’ve broken my heart and trust, but this was my doing. I was
breaking myself. I was breaking a legacy I fought through blood and sweat
to build, and all for what?

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 27

Arielle

“Mama, look! It’s Mickey!” Jason yelled, rushing to stand in front of the
TV and butchering the theme song with his babbles like he does whenever
the show comes on.

I watched him with a smile as I packed his lunch and threw in some
changes of clothes and diapers into his backpack. He was a bundle of joy
and the spitting image of his father. My eyes were the only part of him that
indicated I took part in his making.

“Come on, baby. Time to dress up.” I beckoned to him, holding out his shirt
to him.

He reluctantly left his position to stand in front of me with his arms spread
out. “Will you be gone long?”

I felt my heart squeeze. “No, baby. Mummy has a job interview, and if
everything goes well, I’ll get you that toy you like at the mall.”

His eyes instantly lit up at my promise. “Really?” I don’t think he

understood what an interview is, but the part about his toy had him hooked.

“Yes,” I replied, folding his collar. “So, you be a good boy and don’t give
Aunt Annalise any troubles.”

“I never give any troubles,” he pouted, a mischievous glint playing behind

his eyes, and his face completely morphed into Mikhail’s. I chuckled,
feeling that dull ache in my chest intensify. Sometimes, I felt Jason’s
striking resemblance to Mikhail was the universe’s curse to me, a constant
reminder of what I was running from.
The ache wasn’t as bad as it was in the beginning, and it didn’t make me
keel over in pain, but I still felt it sneak up on me every once in a while, like
a ghost haunting an abandoned house. Never threatening, but always
present.

It was worse in the cold nights of my last trimester and the first few months
following Jason’s birth when he fell sick, and I was scared shitless with no
one to talk to. It was worse when I fell into postpartum depression and had
no support system. And when the money finally started running short, and I
had to get a job, I almost made up my mind to return to New York and face
whatever was waiting for me, but a nice young lady across the street
befriended me, and things slowly became bearable.

“So, you won’t try to climb the peach tree behind?”

“Yes, mama.”

I smiled and ruffled his black hair. “Good boy. Go get your lunch pack.”

I gave myself a once over in the mirror close to our quaint dining room,
making sure my brown wig was tightly secured and my contacts sat in
place. It’s been three years, and I still found myself looking over my
shoulder and flinching whenever I heard the name Henry.

“What did we say about staying with Aunt Annalise?” I asked as we made
our way to her apartment.
“No climbing trees and troubles.”

“Good boy,” I replied, ringing Anna’s doorbell.

“If it's not my favorite boy in the whole world!” Anna grinned, lifting a
squealing Jason into a bone-crushing hug.

“Hey.”

“Feeling nervous?” she asked, putting Jason back on his feet and letting him
into the house.
“I couldn't hold down a cup of coffee,” I sighed, leaning on the door frame.
“I really need this, Anna. Jason will be starting school soon and the money
will go a long way.”

“You're amazing, Cara. You’ll crush it,” she replied, reaching out to softly
squeeze my hand.

I returned her smile, “I hope so.”

I often wondered what I’d do without her help. All the nights, picking extra
shifts at the lounge, and on the weekends, I had to work overtime to make
extra cash. She was honestly an angel, and I don’t think I could ever repay
her kindness.

I opened my mouth to say thank you, but she beat me to it with a straight
look. “Before wasting your time pouring gratitude at my feet, I'll have you
know the train will be taking off in thirty minutes.”

I shook my head, a small smile playing on my lips. “And I was worried

Jason was picking up sass from the TV, not knowing the influence is right
beneath my nose. Call me if he needs anything.”

“I won’t. Now off you go.” She practically shooed me out of her house.

A glance at my watch revealed that Anna was not bluffing, and I practically
raced down the stairs.

“Good morning, Cara,” Aldo, the security guy greeted, and I returned I
waved in return.

It felt strange hearing others call me Cara at first, but I’ve come to love the
peace that came with it. I knew if I wanted a clean slate, I had to be honest.

I owed it to my son.

*****

I made it to the station just in time and squeezed through the Monday
morning rush to secure a seat before the train took off. The ride from
Monza to Milan was approximately 30 minutes, so I made myself
comfortable, pulling out the interview questions I downloaded last night for
a final review.

I could answer the questions with my eyes closed, but I still couldn’t shake
off the nerves. This was the first real corporate interview I was attending
and my first time pulling out my resume. Every job I had taken in the past
was already prepared by Father, and I just had to show up for formalities.

A kid sitting in front of me began wailing out of nowhere, and the sound
irritated my already sensitive nerves further. I hated this life with everything
in me. I hated constantly depending on public amenities, living from
paycheck to paycheck, and not being able to give the best to Jason. I had an
account overflowing with money, but there was no way for me to make a
withdrawal without alerting someone of my presence. I couldn’t reach out
to Vivian either. The last I heard of her was when I called to inform her of
Jason’s birth, and placing a call would be too risky.

The world was really round and rotating and would bring you right back
where you started. In my case, it was back to being alone with no family.
The only difference was, this time, I was a fugitive with a child, but I was
back to being that orphanage kid with no family, and it hurts more now that
I've tasted what it feels like to have one.

I let out a frustrated sigh and pulled out my phone and googled The New
York Times. It was a practice that had become part of my morning routine,
and while I told myself it was my way of keeping up with the city, I knew
damn well what I was doing. I keyed in a name into the search bar and
relaxed as pictures of him flooded my screen. The noise from the chattering
citizens and wailing child faded into a dull echo. The pictures were mostly
of him at corporate dinners and charity galas. I noted the consistent absence
of a woman in his arms or any rumors surrounding him and one, and I felt
myself slightly relax. I don’t know why I did this every day. It was
hopeless, but somehow, it comforted me.

*****

“You have the most impressive resume I’ve seen in a while. How is it
you’ve never worked anywhere?” The interviewer asked, and my palms
instantly grew sweaty.

I would’ve been surprised if the question never came up. My resume was
practically a file containing my schools, grades, performance, and projects I
headed as a student. I had intentionally removed traces of any past work
experience in case they decided to send emails for inquiries.

I took a deep breath and supplied the answer Anna and I had prepared for
the question. “I was in an accident, and my spine was injured. It took a
while for me to fully recover.”

The interviewer slowly nodded, and a look of empathy overshadowed his

curiosity. “I’m sorry about that. Anyway,” he continued, carefully tucking
my file to the side, “is there anything we need to know about the accident?
Any way it can affect your performance?”

“Not at all,” I pulled out a medical report Anna had gotten from God knows
where. “I recovered over a year ago, and I cleared with my doctor before
working my previous job at a lounge.”

“Alright. You're hired. Work hours are from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. The
receptionist will give you a handbook containing all you need to know and
the company keycard,” he replied, not bothering to take a look at my report.

“Just,” I cleared my throat, “Just like that?”

He blinked at me. “You don't think you deserve it?”

“No, not at all,” I rushed out. “I expected—never mind, thank you. I won’t
disappoint you.”

“I need you to sign here so we can enter your name into the system for easy
access when you come in tomorrow,” he said, handing me a three-page
document. I was too excited to carefully read it and merely skimmed over it
and signed it.

“See you bright and early tomorrow, Miss Kincaid.” He dismissed me with
a kind smile, and I made my way to the elevator, grinning like an idiot. I
couldn’t wait to share the news with Anna and Jason. I might even make a
quick stop at the Chinese place to grab us a celebratory dinner.

Finally, inside the elevator, I let out the happiest squeal and leaned into the
steel walls, welcoming the cold feeling of the metal against my skin. Today
might just be the happiest day since my boy was born. The elevator came to
a stop midway, and I quickly got off the wall, relaxing my facial expression
to a neutral one before whoever was coming mistakes me for a crazy
woman.

The doors slid open and the polite greeting I had prepared immediately
vanished, my warm smile dripping with it.

My heart sank to the pits of my stomach, and I almost passed out from my
nerves going haywire. I blinked multiple times, willing the figure in front of
me to disappear, but it persisted, strong, bold, and confident.

He took a step into the elevator, and dread poured over me like rainwater,
drenching me to the bones despite the cold in the elevator. I could feel
goosebumps spreading all over my skin. I prayed to every god known to
man for him to not recognize me, but he looked me right in the eye and took
a second step further, and my prayer died in my tongue.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 28

Mikhail

Three years. Three fucking years and she struted into my establishment like
it was her runway, hiding beneath brunette curls and hazel-colored contacts.

I almost missed her if not for the characteristic sway of her hips and the
major detail that she was, in fact, putting on a red dress. A fucking red
dress, again.

Rage. Red, burning rage cursed through my veins turning my blood molten
as I stared at the CCTV camera. I was hoping to catch a glimpse of my
thieving receptionist, but I was presented with Cara fucking Kincaid.

“Sir?” The IT guy called my attention following a question I didn’t care for.

“Get me on the phone with the hiring officer in charge of the interviews and
connect the cameras in the interview room to my office. I want to see and
hear everything going on there.” I ordered, not taking my eyes off the
screen.

He turned back to me in a flash with a phone in hand. “I’ve got him.”

“A hazel-eyed brunette in a red dress will be coming for an interview any

moment from now. You will hire her. I’m going to make a minor adjustment
to the hiring clause. Make sure she signs it before she leaves your office.”

“Alright, Sir.”

The response was swift and devoid of questions. I made my way out of the
IT room, taking my private elevator to eliminate every chance of bumping
into her. Finally, in my office, I shut the blinds, pacing the room as I tried to
digest what I had just seen.

I had moved on, there was no doubt about that. I had picked myself from
the crevices of hell where she dumped me, dusted off the ashes, and
reclaimed my throne like a fucking phoenix. I had bottled up everything
about her and disposed of it in a hole so far away I wouldn’t be able to find
it if I tried. I was prepared for Henry and any of his rodents to rear their
ugly heads again. What I wasn’t prepared for was running into her after
three years. In fucking Milan.

Rage clouded my vision, and I curled my fingers into a fist to keep me from
breaking something. I should let her go. If there was one thing I’ve come to
know, it was that nothing good ever comes from the appearance of Cara
Kincaid in a red dress, but I couldn’t.

I felt the pain and unresolved anger from three years ago resurface, and the
anger burned like it was just yesterday that she betrayed me. I finally had
the chance to return the favor and get answers to questions I never asked,
and I wasn’t going to let logic or reason take that away from me.

Our first meeting was on her terms. She was the one who decided how and
where we met. She held the steering wheel and called the shots while I was
the unassuming passenger. This time around, I would hold the wheels, and
unlike her, I wouldn’t resort to deceitful tactics. She’ll know I hold the
wheels, she’ll know I call the shots, and there'll be nothing she can do about
it. I will give her a taste of her own medicine.

My screen finally came on, and the image of her settling into the seat
flooded my monitor. Getting a closer look at her, she looked very different
from the woman I used to know, and I wasn’t speaking of the hair and eye
color. Her aura was different. She didn’t possess the radiant glow that
seemed to be perpetually stuck on her. Her nails were undone, her face was
bare of makeup, and her shoulders were slightly hunched. It was probably a
disguise for the next unsuspecting victim.

I had Enzo dig up everything on her using her real name and discovered she
had been working as a spy for the longest time and had been the secret
behind the fall of some of New York’s most influential figures. She must’ve
expanded her business to Italy after disappearing, and it was smart of her to
pick a brunette. Italians seemed to prefer their women with brown curls in
place of the straight blonde hair that ruled America.

“Cara Kincaid.” She said in that breathy tone that used to send thrills of
pleasure through me. The thrills were still present, but now, they were born
from hate and not desire. At least she had the decency to be honest about
her name.

The interview continued with the boring routine questions, and I strained
my ears for anything of importance, anything that could prove useful to me
in the future.

“I was in an accident, and my spine was injured. It took a while for me to

fully recover.”

I let out a dry laugh at her answer to why her resume was devoid of job
experience. Everything about her was different as I watched from a new
perspective. How she lied with the same ease she breathed. She even had a
doctor’s report to back up her lie. No wonder she got away with so much.

I watched the interview with rapt attention, and the joy that lit up her face
when she learned she was hired was almost so genuine I would’ve been
convinced she genuinely needed the job, but I knew better. She was just a
wonderful actress, a fucking green snake in a green grass. In the same way,
I knew she had no use for the job and could retire to an island and live a life
of luxury with the amount of money she had accumulated and that brought
me back to the central question, why was she here?

The officer finally pulled out the document, and I held my breath as she
skimmed the paper. She was a smart girl, but I hoped the clause was
disguised enough to escape her eyes. Without so much attention, she picked
up a pen and signed the paper, and a sinister smile of satisfaction took over
my face. Truly, what goes around did come around. There was no difference
between her and the piece of paper I held in my palms, and I had the
intention of crushing her the same way I crushed the paper and threw it into
my waste bin.
I waited till the interview was over before making my way to the elevator. I
had no time to play cat and mouse with her. I was going to let her know
what she just walked into immediately and enjoy the look on her face when
she realized the tables had turned.

******

“That’s not quite the reunion look I was expecting, Princess,” I smirked as I
stepped into the elevator.

She looked pale and frozen in place, like she just saw a ghost, and I reveled
in the feeling of satisfaction it brought me.

“I don’t get a kiss? Not even a tiny hug?” I pouted, watching as she took a
step back with every step I took forward.

“I’m sorry, I wouldn’t have come if I knew you worked here.” She
muttered, immediately tucking her emotions away and regaining her
composure. She was struggling, and I could see a few cracks in her facade.

“Work here? With your success rate at spying, one would think you would
do your homework before stepping into an establishment,” I said, and her
eyes widened a minor fraction, realization dawning on her.

“In that case, I’ll tender my resignation first thing tomorrow morning, and
you’ll never have to see me again,” she said in a calm, robotic voice, and I
felt my anger flare.

She walked into my life and almost wrecked it, and she had the nerve to
look calm and speak to me like she had no clue what she had done.

“On the contrary, I actually like you working here,” I replied, my initial
playful tone replaced with venom.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Mikhail,” she reasoned, and I felt my skin
bristle at the sound of my name rolling off her tongue.

“You’re not exactly in the position to negotiate, Princess.”

“You can’t force me to work for you.”

“You should’ve read the employee clause before signing.”

I was seething in anger, and it took every bit of control not to walk up to her
and shake her until she lost her calm. I wanted her to cry, to beg, to fall on
at my feet and grovel, and not stand in front of me, speaking with a calm
voice and saying my name with that stupid breathy voice of hers.

She nodded slowly, “You knew I was here.”

I shrugged in response.

“What did the clause say?”

A proud smile stretched my lips, “In less corporate terms, I own you for the
next two years.”

She nodded again, pulling her lips between her teeth. “Is that what you
want?”

I hesitated.

This wasn’t what I expected when I decided to confront her. I was expecting
her to fight back. I was prepared for the strong-willed woman I knew. In
fact, I wanted her to put up a fight so I could enjoy breaking her and
snuffing the light out of her. I didn’t expect her to admit defeat so easily and
ask me questions like, ‘Is this what you want?’

I opened my mouth to tell her how she was ruining my fun and realized that
this could be a part of her scheme and how she escaped situations. So, I
smiled and replied, “I’d very much love that.” Whatever game she had in
mind, two can play it.

She swallowed thickly, her eyes finally rising to meet mine.

“For two years?” she questioned, and I pinned her with a cold glare.

“I start work at eight a.m., so I expect you to be at the office by seven a.m.
Everything about my day should be prepared and laid out before I arrive.
Also, I leave between six and seven p.m., which makes your time seven
p.m.”
She gave me an incredulous look and, finally, a bit of a fight. “I filled in for
the position of finance officer.”

“Yes, but you signed up to be my secretary. See you bright and early,
Arielle.”

I intentionally used the name, and that was all I would be calling her. I’ll
make sure she never forgets her past.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 29

Arielle

“I said to use the Montserrat font for the entire document. Why is the
heading looking different?” Mikhail barked, tossing the file back at me.
This was the fifth time he changed his mind about a font today. The worst
is, he refuses to look at them until they’ve been printed, then he just tosses
them back at me or into the shredder.

I took a deep breath, infusing my tone with every bit of professionalism I

could. “The last time you said using the same font for both header and body
made the document appear flat and boring.”

“And what did I say this time?” He shot back, and I felt my blood run a
good five degrees above the normal body temperature.

He’s been like this for the whole three weeks I’ve been working with him.
If it wasn’t the fonts, it was the style. And if the style was fine, it was the
paragraphing. Who needed that much paperwork in an era when you could
just send an email?

Then, there was the case of coffee and getting it exactly how he wanted it.
The bastard claimed he did not like it when the spoon touched the cup while
it was being stirred, but I’ve heard him practically assaulting a mug with a
spoon in the past.

Don’t even get me started on the extra work hours and how I have to
accompany him to every meeting, both professional and otherwise. Make
no mistake, he makes it point that I’m positioned outside the conference
room or out of hearing range. I wasn’t his secretary by any means. I was a
glorified slave in a black dress. Yes. He made a whole case about my
wardrobe. Red was prohibited, and anything colorful gave him a headache.
I’ve never been more frustrated in my life.

I tried to calm myself with hourly pep talks in the restroom, reminding
myself how exceptionally good the pay is, how it has elevated the living
standard for Jason and me, and most importantly, how I deserved far worse
than he was treating me. I had expected a paper bag over my head and to be
whisked off to some underground facility when I saw him, but he had a
very different plan. He probably figured killing me would give me an easy
way out and resorted to slowly making my life miserable and making me
lose my senses over time. He was winning.

He made sure I had no social life away from work, and he successfully
occupied my weekends with business dinners, which consisted of him
flirting with half-naked women the whole time and crushing me inside. The
daily updates I got about him from The New York Times and the GQ had
said nothing about him seeing other women, so I wasn’t prepared for the
level of pain I felt watching him shove his tongue down another woman’s
throat.

Ah, yes. Did I mention I signed an NDA and was thoroughly searched
before I entered or exited the building? What he was doing was illegal, but I
couldn’t afford to bring attention to myself with a legal case, and he thrived
off it.

The only thing that has kept me sane is Jason, and every day, I took a
different route home to make sure I lost anyone who followed me. If I
thought Mikhail was being cruel now, I didn’t want to know what would
happen if he found out he had a son and I hid him.

“Is there a reason you’re still here?” he asked, not taking his eyes off his
laptop.

I opened my mouth to reason with him but decided against it. What was I
supposed to say? ‘Sorry I came into your life to ruin it, but you can’t blame
me, you’re a criminal. I just didn’t expect things to turn out the way they
did, and if you let me go, I promise not to do it again?’
So instead, like any good secretary, I said “Vogue for the heading and
Montserrat for the body?”

“Yes, Arielle, do you need me to paint it across my head for you to see?” he
asked, briefly taking his eyes off his laptop to give me a look.

“No, sir,” I replied robotically, picking up the file and making my way out
of his office.

He knows the effect it has on me whenever he calls me Arielle, and he has

refused to let go of it. He made sure to use the name at least five times a
day, and he never said it like a name. He said it with the same tone an
executioner would use to pass a death sentence, like a stain they wanted to
eternally embed in your skin. I, on the other hand, decided to keep things
professional and call him sir in place of Mikhail.

I returned to my desk and proceeded to retype the document. It wasn’t like I

had a choice. Jason finally got his toy and was enrolled in a nice school, and
I could finally afford a babysitter whenever Annalise was busy. That was all
that mattered.

However, something I found increasingly suspicious was how he never

asked any questions about Father. I had expected him to try to force out
every bit of information from me, but he has not once mentioned anything.
He either knew I was on the run, or he had something far worse planned.
Either way, a part of me was longing to get the smallest details from him, a
little insight into what had been happening in New York since I left, but he
never mentioned anything about it, not even in passing.

Finally satisfied with my job and giving my knuckles a gentle massage, I

made my way back into his office with the new files. “Here it is, sir.”

He didn’t even glance at them. He merely dismissed me with a wave of his

hand and returned to whatever he was doing on his laptop.

“Arielle,” he called in a taunting voice. “For lunch, I’ll be having

sfogliatelle, and my guest will have the sliced chianina beef with chili sauce
from de Lorenzo.”
My fingers paused on the doorknob, my expression morphing into the
picture of disbelief, and I whirled around to find him clicking away at his
laptop. “De Lorenzo is in Florence.”

He glanced lazily at the wall clock. “Then, I suggest you get a head start.
My guest was very particular about her request.

Her? Of course, it’s a fucking woman. Who else would want to eat a
fucking beef in an office on a Friday afternoon?

“What about the proposal you asked me to prepare?”

“You can do that when you return. The meeting is not until six.”

“Six p.m.?”

“Have you suddenly developed some form of hearing defect?” He finally

pulled his attention from his laptop to look at me.

“That’s a bit too late for me. A meeting starting at six will be ending by
eight.”

“Why, Arielle, do you have a hot date waiting for you?” he sneered, and I
flinched from his tone.

“Get me my lunch, prepare the proposal afterward, and be present at the

meeting. I don’t care what you do with yourself afterward.”

I left his office without any objections and hurried to the restroom, feeling
tears collecting in the corner of my eyes. The biggest downside of
motherhood is how increasingly emotional I’ve become over the years, and
how tears pooled in my eyes at the slightest inconvenience. I absolutely
hated how weak it made me feel.

*****

I glanced at the watch for the hundredth time, it was past nine and Mikhail
was still engaged in whatever business deal he was trying to close. Per
usual, I was sitting at the far end of the private lounge and couldn’t hear
much of their discussion.
My knees bounced uncontrollably as I thought of Jason. I already sent Anna
a text to inform her of the situation, but I hated not being present to tuck my
baby into bed. It was a nightly ritual we performed every day where he told
me about his day and I told him about mine, and right now, Mikhail was
currently robbing me of that to chat over a glass of Hennessy.

“Sure, you don’t want a cocktail or something?” Antonio, Mikhail’s project

manager, asked a third time, and I declined a third time.

I’ve not sipped alcohol since I arrived in Italy, and I intend to keep it that
way. I had more than just myself to look after.

“How long will it be till they’re done?” I asked, watching as Mikhail threw
his head back in laughter at whatever the man said. He looked so carefree
and in his element.

“That? The deal was concluded a long time ago. Everything else is just
formalities to create some form of cordiality between both parties,” Antonio
replied, lighting himself a cigarette. I’ve always wondered if he was a part
of the mafia or a regular employee like the rest of us.

Right before my eyes, three women wearing next to nothing were brought
inside the room, and Mikhail made his pick, a tall, skinny blonde with a
nice ass. The rest were dismissed.

I watched as she settled onto his lap, giggling as he whispered something

into her ears, his hands traveling from her thighs to casually hover above
her crotch.

I felt bile travel up to my throat, leaving a bitter taste and the strong urge to
throw up. I tore my eyes away from them, taking multiple gulps of water to
calm the heat cursing through me.

“Boss has serious hots for blue-eyed blondes.” Antonio chuckled, puffing
out a smoke.

Blue-eyed blondes. His comment felt like a slap in the face, and I forced a
smile, hoping he didn’t notice me falling apart before him.
Because I’m a sadistic bitch, and I like to subject myself to pain, I returned
my gaze to Mikhail’s end of the VIP booth and found the men whistling and
leaving him with the blonde, who currently had her tongue stuck deep in his
throat.

“This is my cue. I have to follow up with the deal,” Antonio snuffed out his
cigarette and went after the men leaving the lounge.

I sat there, watching as the blonde adjusted to straddle Mikhail and his
fingers dug deep into the plump flesh of her ass. Disgust and rage traveled
through me as he rolled her hips into him, practically dry-humping her.

Pain seared through me, and my mouth went dry. I wasn’t jealous, not by a
long mile. I had no right to be. I was only angry that he was wasting my
time making out and forcing me to watch while my son waited for me at
home, probably unable to sleep because I wasn’t home. I wasn’t jealous. I
could never be jealous of a woman getting her ass squeezed in the VIP
section of a club by a man, even if I harbor unresolved feelings for the said
man, and I know firsthand that he fucks like a god.

His hands traveled up to her back, toying with the straps holding her halter
neck top together, and I was up on my feet and storming towards them
before I knew what I was doing. My emotions got a hold of me, and I
refused to be disrespected in that manner.

“Get out.” My voice dripped of poison, and God knows if she hadn’t gotten
off him that instant, I would’ve dragged her by the hair.

Mikhail maintained his position, head thrown back on the backrest of the
sofa, lids heavy and a dazed look dancing in his eyes. Even his lips looked
unnaturally pink and swollen from the kiss. What was he thinking kissing
random girls in a club? Didn’t he worry if they had some sort of STD?

“If you’re going to interrupt my private time and walk my woman out, you
better have plans of replacing her,” he said, and I let out a dry laugh.

“Private time? Is that what you call practically having sex with a woman in
a club in front of me?” He opened his mouth to say something, but I didn’t
give him the chance. He had said enough for one night.
“Listen, I know we have our history, and frankly, I don’t even know why
you decided to keep me around, but what I’ll not have is you disrespecting
me. I don’t care where you decide to stick your cock or whose pussy you
decide to eat just don’t drag me into it. It’s past nine in the night, and you
keep me here to watch you make out with a girl. What are you? A hormonal
teenager!?” I took a steadying breath, realizing I was practically screaming.
He made no effort to interrupt me this time and only watched with a mix of
surprise and something I couldn’t place.

“Some of us have more pressing issues to deal with and don’t have the
luxury of sitting in a club and watching live porn, so next time, be sure to
excuse me before you proceed.”

I didn’t give him the chance to speak before grabbing my things and
storming out of the lounge. I don’t know how I’ll feel about my little
outburst when I come to work tomorrow, but right now, it feels good. He
can give me a sack letter tomorrow if he sees fit. I’ve had enough of his
rubbish. I might’ve broken his heart and been a spy, but he wasn’t innocent
either. He was a fucking criminal, and I was certain if my feelings didn’t get
tangled up, he would be far behind bars and I’d be celebrating it. He wasn’t
a victim.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 30

Mikhail

“Must’ve been one hell of a meeting,” Enzo commented, startling me the

moment I walked into my apartment. He was carelessly lying on my sofa
with a pack of Pringles in his right hand.

“How did you get my key, and how long have you been here?” I queried,
noting an already empty pack of Pringles and a glass of juice on the table
next to him.

He gave me a puzzled look, slowly taking a sip of his drink. “You drag me
from New York to Italy to oversee the security of your new office, and you
abandon me in a hotel to die of boredom.”

“And you couldn’t find ways to entertain yourself?”

“I am entertaining myself,” he replied, gesturing to the snack and TV in

front of him.

I rolled my eyes and settled into my sofa, kicking off my shoes and undoing
my tie. I let out a string of Russian curses as the events of the night returned
to me in flashes. I had no prior intentions of taking her to the meeting with
me, but after her comment about needing to be home early on a Friday
night, resentment boiled through me, and I dragged her into my routine. She
had no right to ruin my life, break my heart into bits, and go on to have
romantic date nights with Italian men while I spent my weekend hunched
over business plans.

“Rough day?” he asked, munching noisily.

“Not really,” I replied, not offering further explanation.

He slowly shook his head. “Is there a reason you’re still keeping her
around?”

“I’m not keeping her around. I’m giving her a taste of her own medicine.”

“And what happens when two years elapsed? She moves on to have a nice
life, or you craft another document to bind her longer? Let her go with a
strict warning. Nothing good will come out of keeping her around.”

“I’m supposed to let the woman who tried to wreck my life go scot-free
after she practically walked right into my arms?”

“Let’s look at your preferred method of dealing with rats; you kill them, or
you torture them to death after extracting information from them. The way I
see it, you’re neither going to kill her nor can you torture her for
information. I doubt she knows anything about Henry currently. The best
thing to do would be to dismiss her.”

“The door is this way when you’re done. I’ll handle my affairs however I
see fit while you focus on the security of the office,” I said dismissively,
picking myself from the sofa and heading to the bedroom.

Enzo was making sense. It just was not the type of sense I was open to at
the moment. His statement about what I would do when two years elapsed
took me back to the club, and Arielle’s outburst echoed over the stream of
hot water pouring down my back.
Maybe I took things a bit too far with my make-out session, but then she
was the one who made claims of having something to do tonight. I hate this.
I hate how I am the only one who seems to be affected by what happened
between us. She just went ahead to relocate and have a better life, while I
couldn’t find the space for another female in my life. I couldn’t punish her
publicly as Enzo said. It’ll only bring more attention to me. I, Mikhail
Ivanov, fell in love with a spy and got heartbroken. I’d be a mockery. My
fight is with Henry, and until I find the bastard and completely destroy him,
I can’t blow this up.

*****
“Good morning, Sir.” Arielle greeted, making her way into my office the
next morning. I don’t like the sound of the word when it comes from her,
but I’d rather drag myself through burning coal tar than admit that.

“Good morning. Please have a seat,” I replied in a professional tone, and

she squinted her eyes at me before slowly settling into the seat.

I turned off my laptop and leaned back into my chair, taking her in. She was
dressed in a black long-sleeved knee-length dress, paired with ridiculously
high stilettos. Her hair was put up in a tight bun, her makeup was light, and
overall, she looked beautiful. A far cry from the glamorous blonde I used to
know, but she was breathtaking regardless.

“I want us to talk about what happened yesterday,” I said, carefully

observing her.

She shrugged. “What happened yesterday?”

I curled my fingers into a fist to keep me from visibly rolling my eyes. Of

course, she was going to feign ignorance and force me to go over my
actions. The appearance might’ve changed, but the person remained the
same.

“The event at the club.”

“You mean the part where you made me watch you almost have sex with a
girl and asked me to offer myself as a replacement?” she bit out, and I felt
the familiar anger only she could elicit slowly coming to the surface.

“You had no right to walk her out.” I was not an emotional being by any
means, and I always have my feelings in check at all times, but she
somehow brings out the emotionally unstable part of me without much
effort.

“You should’ve let me go!”

“I didn’t tie you down. You stayed because you wanted to,” I retorted, and
her eyes flashed with anger. Good, we’re even now.
“You’re the one who dragged me to the club with you even after I said I had
something to do. You were the one who said no one leaves the club until the
deal is settled.”

“And the deal wasn’t settled at the time the girls came in? I saw Antonio
leave with the guests. You decided to stay!”

At this point, we were both breathing heavily and staring daggers at each
other. This wasn’t the way I intended the conversation to go, but I was too
far gone to turn around. I admit to dragging her to a meeting that had
nothing to do with her, but the drama that followed was entirely up to her.

After what seemed like a lifetime elapsed, she closed her eyes briefly and
took a deep breath, and when she reopened them, she was the picture of
serenity, and that infuriated me more.

She closed her eyes and took in oxygen, and she was fine while I continued
fuming. How could she have that much control of her emotions, as if the
history we share has no effect on her?

“Mikhail,” she started in a low tone, and I felt myself visibly tense at the
sound of my name rolling out of her tongue, “I’m sorry for spying on you.
I’m sorry for walking into your life, but if you’re going to punish me, just
get on with it already! Torture me like you torture the men who betray you,
do whatever you want, and just let me be. I’m tired of playing your stupid
games, and I want out.”

A dry chuckle left me as I watched her struggle to maintain the composure

she just regained. “You want out of my little game? Tell me, Arielle, should
I say, Cara, did you ever plan on letting me out of yours? No, here’s a better
question.” I paused, looking her dead in the eye. “Were you ever going to
tell me it was all a game?”

“You’re not a saint, Mikhail,” she replied in a bored tone, rolling her eyes in
the process. “drop the act. It’s not like you’ve not had someone infiltrate for
you in your line of work.”

“Unlike you, I don’t stab my enemies in the back. I hold a stake to their
face, and I drive a stake into their heart.”
“And you force them to look into your eyes while you snuff the life out of
them. I’ve seen that one already. What’s new?” She said, cutting me short.

“At least they look into my eyes. I don’t have to resort to deceptive means
to get what I want.”

“It’s not like you were completely innocent. You are a fucking criminal, and
it was only a matter of time till someone gave you a taste of your own
medicine.” She bit out, and I stared in shock at the woman standing in front
of me, and how she was totally different from the sweet, empathetic person
I used to know.

“So that's what it was all about? To give me a taste of my own medicine,” I
replied, stalking towards her.

“You are a criminal, and I was merely following orders,” She said in a tone
that sounded more like she was trying to remind herself of who I was.

“Was any of it ever real? Did you even love me?” I asked, standing in front
of her.

“Mikhail, I don’t think this is a wise conversation,” she replied, her eyes
darting between me and the door.

“Just answer the question, Arielle,” I hissed, taking a step forward?”

“It’s useless,” she shot back, taking a step backward.

Tension rolled off me in waves as I stood in front of her, watching as her

chest rose and fell in anger. “I deserve to know. Telling me the truth is the
least you can do after what you put me through.”

“It doesn’t matter anymore,” she muttered, looking everywhere but me.

And I don’t know why I was pushing the conversation. She was right. It
didn’t matter if she meant it or not. The end remained the same, but for
some reason, I couldn’t drop it. I needed to hear her tell me to my face that
everything was a lie, and she felt nothing for me.
I hooked a finger beneath her jaw, forcing her eyes to mine. I could see little
specks of blue through her contacts, and I found myself getting lost in them
again. “Tell me some of it was real, and I’m not making up these things in
my head.”

“It doesn’t matter,” she maintained, trying to force her eyes from mine but I
held her in place.

I could feel my heart pick up at a faster pace as we stood there staring into
each other’s eyes. The tension between us grew so thick you could slice
through it with a blunt knife, and at some point, I don’t know which one of
us moved, but I felt her take in a sharp inhale as my nose brushed against
hers, her eyelids slowly dropping.

The need to kiss her became suddenly overwhelming, and just as I dipped
my head to capture her lips in mine, the doorbell rang so loud we practically
jumped away from each other, and Arielle was out of the office in a flash,
taking the moment along with her.

After my brief meeting with Antonio, I sent a text to Enzo to get some of
his men to tail Arielle.

I couldn’t shake off the feeling that she was hiding more than just the
agency.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 31

Arielle

I successfully limited my contact with Mikhail to mostly emails, and only

attended to him physically when there was someone else in the room with
him after the incident in his office.

My weakness embarrassed me, and I scolded myself endlessly for almost

putting my son in danger. While I still harbored some feelings towards him,
mostly guilt and chemistry, I didn’t expect a heated fight between us to
quickly escalate into a near make-out session. If Antonio hadn’t knocked at
the time he did, there was no telling how far things would’ve gone between
us.

“You look like a pwincess mama,” Jason said with the brightest smile as he
walked in on Annalise adding final touches to my makeup.

“And you are my Prince Charming.” I beamed back at him. School was
doing him well, and interacting with kids his age and older had improved
his speech. He was home with something new to chatter about, and he
asked questions about everything and anything.

“Can I follow you?” he pouted, batting his eyes at me.

“No baby, it’s a work thing, and it’s for adults,” I replied, holding out my
arms for him.

“What’s adults?” he followed up immediately, and Anna let out a small

laugh.
“An adult is someone who is up to eighteen,” Anna replied, handing me a
mirror to look at myself. Her English session with Jason slowly dulled into
an echo in the background as I watched my reflection. I had grown so
accustomed to being brunette that I might feel like a fraud if I ever returned
to my blonde hair.

A sudden urge to tap into my original self seeped into me, and I reached out
for the makeup wipes on my vanity. I cleaned off the nude lipstick I was
wearing and reapplied my signature blood-red lip stain. A small feeling of
freedom settled into me, and I had to fight the urge to take out my contacts.

“Red is definitely your color,” Anna exclaimed, and Jason gave me the
tiniest thumbs up.

“I’ll be home by ten, try not to give Aunt Anna any trouble,” I said, picking
up my purse and placing a kiss on Jason’s forehead.

He let out a tiny giggle and planted a very sloppy kiss on my cheek. “Bye,
Mommy!”

“Bye, sweetie,” I replied, making my way to the door.

“Let loose and have some fun tonight, and if you can’t make it home, I’ve
got him,” Anna called after me. I ignored the double meaning behind her
words and walked out the door. She’s been hounding me to get a man since
Jason turned two.
A smile touched my lips as I heard Jason ask her what it meant to let loose.
I hope she never finds her way out of that one.

****

“You look stunning,” Antonio said, planting a soft kiss on my hand.

“You don’t look bad yourself,” I replied with a polite smile.

He’s been trying to get my attention for a while, and I lost count of how
many times I’ve had to decline his not-so-subtle date ideas. He was
conventionally attractive, and I might’ve given him a chance if
circumstances were different, but there was a brooding Russian who was
currently shooting lasers through him as we spoke.

“So, is this a regular thing?” I asked, gesturing towards the luxurious decor.
The entire reception area was transformed into some sort of ballroom. There
were elaborate flower arrangements, a live band in the corner the
receptionist usually occupies, and a buffet of every exotic dish one could
ever think of laid out to the right.

“Not exactly. It is a recent addition by the welfare team. They believe an

annual employee award gala, one different from the generic Christmas
dinner, would give the employees something to strive towards and
encourage healthy competition amongst workers.”

“That’s a great idea,” I concurred, sipping on my mocktail. “Were you

nominated for any award?”

“Nope. I was hired at the same time as you.”

My brows shot up in surprise at the revelation. “Could’ve fooled me.”

He blended so seamlessly with everyone and even knew the workers by

name that I assumed he must’ve been here from the very beginning.

“So, since we’ve been together all night, eating and drinking, can I call this
a first date?” He asked with a lopsided smile, and I rolled my eyes
playfully.

“You don’t give up easily, do you?”

“I’m a project manager. If I gave up easily, this whole thing would be

ruined,” he replied, and I found myself laughing at his cocky remark.

I returned my gaze to find him staring at me with a soft look in his eyes.

“Will you dance with me?” he asked, and I looked around to find most of
the employees swaying their bodies to the melody from the live band.

I offered him my hand with a nod and we proceeded to the dance floor. It
was either that or I stand awkwardly in the corner and watch everyone have
a great time.

“Is this the part where I tell you my best color and let you in on some
embarrassing childhood story?” Antonio said as we gently swayed to the
sound of the music, and I found myself laughing again.

I was certain everyone on the dance floor was wondering what was so
funny with how much I was laughing, but I couldn’t manage a poker face
with him if I tried. He was honestly so hilarious with his comments about
other employees and his stories.

“I’m certain we can find time for your childhood—”

A cold hand pressed into the small of my back, ultimately silencing me, and
a dark voice I’d grown very accustomed to pierced the playful aura, “I’m
certain Miss Kincaid would be delighted to hear stories of your diaper days,
but right now, there’s some mail I need her to attend to.”

“Oh,” Antonio muttered, taking a few steps back as his eyes darted between
Mikhail and me.

I could feel the blood roaring in my ears, but I tried my best to maintain a
calm demeanor. “I’ll see you shortly, Antonio,” I said, walking out of the
reception without sparing a glance in Mikhail’s direction.

“What mail couldn’t wait till Monday?” I queried the moment we stepped
into Mikhail’s office.

“None.” He replied in a cold voice and casually proceeded to sit behind his
desk.

“So you pulled me out of a party and took me to your office for nothing?”

“Yes.”

I massaged my temple to dissipate the pressure that was slowly building

behind my eyes. I wasn’t going to let him ruin the night for me. If he
wanted to be miserable, he could be miserable on his own.
“Romantic relationships between employees are against the company
policy. I was merely saving you from a summon from the HR.” He
shrugged casually, and every bit of control I had gathered fell to shut.

“Was that what you were doing when you tried to kiss me weeks back?” I
asked, my eyes burning with rage.

“Don’t flatter yourself,” he said with a dry chuckle, “I didn’t try to kiss you,
Arielle. The way I remember it, you were all flushed and panting, and if
Antonio hadn’t had wonderful timing, I’m sure you’d be dripping over my
cock if I let you.”

His statement hit me like a slap in the face, and I reeled back from the
weight of his words. “You know very well that wasn’t how it happened.”

“Really,” he sneered. “So, you didn’t want to kiss me then? Was it a part of
your Oscar-worthy acting skill?”

“Mikhail,” I tried to stop him, but he completely ignored me and continued

with his accusations.

“And while we’re on the topic, I’d also love to know if your moans and
repeated orgasms were a part of your job description, or do you whore
yourself out to every man you had to spy on?”

Regret flashed through his eyes as soon as the words left his lips, but it was
too late to take it back. It hit me straight in the gut and cut through every
protective wall I’ve built to protect myself. I could feel tears prickling at the
corner of my eyes, but I held them in.

I couldn’t find the words to fight back with, partly because he wasn’t
entirely wrong. I’ve had to resort to unethical means to guarantee results for
my work, and I always told myself if sacrificing myself for the greater good
was all it would take to make things better, then it was a small price to pay.
I just didn’t expect it to hurt this bad coming from someone else.

“Arielle,” he said softly, standing from his seat and walking towards me. “I
didn’t mean it that way. I was just very angry. I am angry at a lot of things.”
He lifted his hand to touch me, but I flinched, taking a few steps backward.

He let out a soft sigh and continued his speech. “I’m angry at your
deception. I’m angry at how easily you’re moving on despite wrecking my
life. I’m angry at how you can still laugh and dance with other men when I
can’t even stand the sight of another woman, and most importantly, I’m
angry at myself for still caring about who you’re dancing with after all these
years and what you did.”

His anger was valid, but words had been said, and they could not be taken
back. I straightened my spine, gathered the last shred of dignity in me, and
walked out of his office. He didn’t try to stop me, and I didn’t wait for him
to.

Once I was out of the building, I finally let the tears run down my cheeks. I
didn’t care how ridiculous I looked walking down the streets of Milan at
night with tears running down my eyes and my mascara probably smeared
all over my eyes. I was in so much pain, and I just needed to curl into my
bed and cry till I couldn’t produce any more tears.

Some passers-by whispered amongst themselves, pointing fingers at me as I

crossed to the opposite side of the road, and I made no attempt to hide my
face. Mikhail had already broken every last fight in me, and today would be
my last day at work. To hell with him and his employment clause. He could
take me to court if he wanted to, but I would never set foot in that building
again.

My hiccups slowly subsided, and I found myself in the low-lit alley leading
to the train station. Immediately, my senses heightened, and that’s when I
saw a male figure from the corner of my eyes, lurking in the shadows. His
silhouette was not distinct, but his intentions were crystal clear.

Before I could react, I felt a damp cloth cover my mouth and nose. Panic
coursed through my veins as I fought against the chloroform’s suffocating
grip. My legs buckled, and the world spun into a thick blanket of darkness.
The last thing in my mind as I felt my consciousness slip away was my son.
What would happen to my sweet boy?
OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 32

Mikhail

I paced my office, blaming myself for the turn of events. I should’ve left her
dancing with Antonio. It wasn’t my business how firmly his arms gripped
her waist or how loudly she was laughing at his jokes. I should’ve turned a
blind eye to all of it.

My phone chose the exact moment to go off, and I almost tossed it out of
the window before I caught a glimpse of the caller ID.

“Good evening, Don.” David greeted me the moment I clicked on the

receiver. He was one of Enzo’s men, but he has worked closely with me for
a while, and he currently reports directly to me instead.
“What is it?”

“Following your request to run a background check on Miss Kincaid, we

found her with a little boy. We had our doubts, but we were able to take a
lock of his hair after she dropped him off at school yesterday and ran a
DNA test on him. The result just came out. He’s yours.”

My blood ran cold, and my grip on the phone tightened. The world came to
a slow stop as the weight of his words sank into me. I have a son. I have an
heir somewhere.

“Sir?” David’s voice pulled me back into the present, and my shock was
immediately replaced with anger.

How many layers were there to her lies and betrayal? Every time I felt I had
her figured out, she pulled up with a brand new skin. She worked in this
office with me for months, looked me in the eye every day, and argued with
me some days while completely hiding a whole son from me. Not once did
she slip or give away anything that indicated she had a child.

Her constant need to return home early finally made sense, and I wondered
what she must’ve told him about me.

“Send me her address,” I ordered, grabbing my car key and rushing to the
elevator. I was supposed to be the one to present the awards to the employee
tonight, but none of that weighed anything at the moment. I had a feeling
that if I wasted a minute, I’d arrive to find her gone with my child.

I broke every road traffic law and had both pedestrians and other drivers
hurling curses at me on my way to her house. A drive of thirty minutes
became fifteen minutes, and I was parked in front of her apartment in no
time.

I marched up the stairs, rage cursing through me as I rehearsed everything I

was going to say to her the moment she opened the door. I would expose
her for who she is, and no court would allow someone with a double
identity to take custody of a child. I would take him from her and throw her
to the wolves to devour.

Coming after my business was one thing. She wasn’t special in that sense.
Breaking my heart was quite the achievement, but hiding my child from me
was something else entirely, something I would never forgive. I wasted no
time banging my fist on the door once I got to her apartment. I didn’t care if
her neighbors woke up. I’d be glad if they did so. They would be witnesses.

I lifted my arm to strike the door again when it cracked open, and a
strawberry blonde woman appeared at the doorway. I opened my mouth to
apologize, but a mop of black hair appeared next to her, and the bluest eyes
I’d ever seen stared up at me, knocking the air out of my lungs.

The woman looked at me and back at the boy then looked at me again.
“How can I help you?”

“Is Ari— Is Cara home?” I asked, forcing my voice to remain calm.

“No, she’s not,” she replied, observing me with caution. From the way she
was acting, it was obvious Arielle had told her nothing of her past, and she
knew nothing about me.

“Are you my mummy’s friend?” The little boy asked, and I felt my heart
crack a little. “Yes,” I answered, swallowing the lump forming in my throat.
David was right. He looked so much like me. I wanted to scoop him into
my arms and tell him I was his father.

“Do you mind coming back in the morning?” the lady asked, tearing my
attention from my son. I had almost forgotten about her until she spoke.

“I’ll wait. My purpose is a bit time-sensitive, and it can’t wait till dawn,” I
said with a tone of finality, making sure my insinuation didn’t fly above her
head.

She looked like she was lost in having an internal struggle before she finally
removed herself from the doorway and made room for me to step in.

I walked into what looked like a Lego party with blocks scattered all over
the floor. My son immediately settled into the sealed building blocks and
proceeded to stack them unevenly. I couldn’t look away. Everything he did
held my undivided attention.

“His name is Jason, and I’m Annalise. Can I get you anything?” the lady
asked, standing awkwardly.

“I’ll take peanut butter and toast!” Jason called out from the floor, and I felt
my heart twist slightly, realizing how much time I’d missed.

He probably had a favorite color, favorite food, and a favorite place, and I
was not a part of them. I was sitting in the same room with him, and he was
ignoring me to play with Legos. I asked myself to hold back my anger till
Arielle got home.

“I’d like the peanut butter toast too,” I said to Annalise, and Jason’s eyes
immediately snapped to me.
“You like peanut butter toast?” he asked with a sparkle in his eyes. I
couldn’t care less about the food. I had forgotten what peanut butter tasted
like. But if it would give me a great start with my son, then it was the best
thing in the universe.

“Yes,” I replied, and his smile grew wider. He returned to his Legos without
another word, and I found myself lost.

I played with the peanut butter toast in front of me while counting the
minutes till Arielle got home.

“Do you build houses?” Jason asked, peering at me from the floor.

“Yes. I build houses,” I replied, coming to join him on the floor. “I’ve built
a few hotels for myself.

“Woah! I like hotels too. Let’s make hotels.” He exclaimed, and I found my
face breaking into a smile watching him.

We spent the rest of the night building Lego houses till he got sleepy and
Anna took him to bed while I remained in the sitting room waiting for
Arielle.
“Can you try calling Cara?” Anna asked, worry etched on her face. “I’ve
been trying to call her, but her phone is switched off. It’s well past
midnight, and this has never happened before.”

I pulled out my phone and dialed Arielle’s number and was met with the
robotic voice of the service provider. “It’s switched off.”

“She never stays out late, and today is the first time she’s gone out at night.
I even encouraged her to let loose a little, and now this,” she sighed, and I
tucked the bit of information into the corner of my brain.

Another hour passed and no Arielle, and I was beyond certain something
was wrong. “Annalise, I’m going to be honest with you,” I said, looking at
her. “I don’t think Cara is safe wherever she is, and I need you and Jason to
come with me till I figure out what is happening. Trust me, she’d appreciate
it.”
“You walk in here, and all of a sudden, Cara is missing for the night, and
you expect me to pack up my things and hand over her son to you? What if
you’re the bad guy?” she said, giving me a look, and I couldn’t fault her for
her skepticism.

“I’m not the bad guy, and I believe you must’ve noticed the resemblance
between Jason and me. I would never hurt my son,” I said, hoping to soften
her resolve.

“It won’t be the first time a father has killed his child. Besides, I’m certain
there’s a reason Cara kept you hidden.”

I tugged at my hair in frustration, glancing at the clock. If my suspicions

were right, whoever had her would be out for Jason soon if they weren’t
already on her, and as smart as she was, I didn’t have the luxury of time,
and I had no backup in case we got attacked.

“Here’s what you’re going to do,” I said, turning to her. “You’ll send a
message to your local police station, you’ll send one to the FBI, CIA, or
whichever one you prefer. You can also share details of your location with
them. I don’t care, but I’m not going to sit around and do nothing when I
can feel the danger brewing.”

She paused for a while, probably giving a thought to what I just said before
picking up her phone and texting rapidly.

“I’ll get Jason,” she said, making her way into the room.

I sent Enzo a quick text to alert him of the situation of things and ask for
security to be stationed all over my penthouse before we got there.

*****

With Jason and Annalise safe in my house, I made my way to Enzo to work
out the details with him.

“This man has to be the scariest human I’ve ever seen,” Enzo said the
moment I stepped into his house, his eyes not leaving the screen.
“How is there something new every time we look into him?” I queried,
taking in everything on the screen.

We thought his activities with orphaned kids ended with the juvenile, and
apparently, Arielle was one of them.

Enzo moved further, and we soon uncovered the details of her upbringing
and the academy. I stared wide-eyed as Enzo pulled every string he could
pull to gather more information. My vision was clouded with red the more I
read. What kind of monster picked kids from the orphanage and trained
them to be killers under the guise of working for the government?

“I need you to hack into every CCTV camera leading from my office to the
central train station. I need her to be found as soon as possible.” I told Enzo,
urging him to close the files from the past. We can go over those later.

The most important thing was making sure Arielle was still alive. I
might’ve let her go scott-free, but there's no telling what Henry would do to
her. I just know by the time he’s done, there’d be nothing left of her.

It took Enzo about two hours to locate and hack into the CCTV in the
streets, and soon, we caught sight of Arielle’s limp body being dragged into
a car. We followed the car to a shady manor on the outskirts of Florence and
watched as Arielle was carried into the building.

“Gather all the resourceful men you can think of, people who are well-
skilled in combat and extraction. We move at dawn.” I said, my eyes not
leaving the building on the screen. I silently prayed Henry Kincaid was in
there with her so we could end this once and for all.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 33

Arielle

My nose was the first of my senses to wake up. The acrid smell of cigarettes
mixed with the musky smell of rotten wood and damp walls filled my
lungs, clogging my trachea like a growing tumor. I coughed to dislodge the
feeling, my eyes cracking open at the same time.

I was greeted by the hazy sight of a masculine figure seated in front of me

and puffing out a ball of cigarettes. I tried to squint my eyes to get a better
focus, but the movement triggered a sharp throbbing in my head, pulling a
groan from me.

“You’re up. I was beginning to think you might pass on from your little
nap,” the smoking figure said, leaning forward, and the fog suddenly
cleared from my brain.

The deafening beat of my heart drowned the ache in my head, and

awareness spread through my body like wild fear, leaving a trail of
goosebumps in its wake. I shut my eyes tight, willing the image in front of
me to be a figment of my imagination, but an unmistakable, baleful laugh
bounced off the walls, and I knew this was no bad dream. It was a
nightmare, just not the type you wake up from.

“Cara, Cara, Cara,” he tsked, dusting off the ash on his cigarettes on a table
next to him. “I must applaud your guts, but then I expected nothing less
from my favorite weapon. Italy was quite a surprise. I expected you to run
off to some tropical island. Guess the world is full of surprises, huh? And I
did you the favor of taking out your contacts and your wig. You looked
hideous in that color.” He let out an exaggerated shiver, the red flame on his
cigarette glowing angrily as he took a long draw from his cigarette.
My hands instinctively traveled to my head, and I could feel patches of my
hair from where the wig was ripped off. My throat tightened immeasurably,
and a soft whimper escaped my lips, “Please.”

“Please?” he sneered. Rage flashed through his stoically calm façade, and
his voice adopted a low, deep, menacing tone. “I picked you from the
deepest pit of the orphanage. I gave you a life, a family, and security. I gave
purpose to your meaningless existence, and what do I get in return? Fucking
betrayal.”

“I’m sorry,” I choked out, feeling tears burning in the corner of my eyes.

I should’ve known Mikhail’s appearance was a sign of impending doom.

Once you’ve been discovered by one, it is only a matter of time till your
cover is totally blown.

“You’re not sorry, Cara. You’ve been caught, that’s it.” He got off his chair,
stalking towards me. With his cigarette gone, I could make out his face
better. He still looked the same way he did the last time I saw him, with no
added wrinkles and certainly no smile lines.

“I had high hopes for you. I made no attempt to hide the fact that you were
my favorite among your siblings. I let you in on classified missions. I was
even hoping for you to take over in the future, but you just had to let your
pussy get a hold of you!”

“That’s not how it happened, Father. I swear it was—.” Pain exploded on

my right cheek, the force of the impact sending my head back and crashing
into the wall behind me. An agonizing scream left me, and I clutched my
face, staring at him in horror.

Father had always been strict. There were times he resorted to extreme
punishments like forcing you to repeat an assignment for hours without rest
or food, but he never got physical. He never laid his hands on us, not even
for a little smack.

“You could’ve picked any of the men from your past missions, and I
wouldn’t give a flying fuck, but you choose to have a child with an Ivanov.
You gave an heir to a bloodline I’ve been trying to wipe out for years, and
you look me in the eye and say you’re sorry?”

My heart came to a stop. The only thing echoing in my head were his words
‘a child with an Ivanov.’ Panic took hold of me, and the pain in my head
became irrelevant.

My baby, what have they done to him? Was he safe? I’d kill myself if
anything happened to him.
“You really thought you’d succeed at keeping him hidden for long?” he
chuckled, pulling out a Polaroid picture from his pocket. I recognized it. It
was the same one I carried with me everywhere. A picture of me and Jason
at his first funfair.

I immediately rose to my knees, clasping my hands in front of me. “Please

don’t hurt him. You can do anything you want with me, but please don’t
hurt him. He’s just a baby. He’s innocent.”

“While maternal instincts look incredible on you, I have more pressing

issues to deal with, and if you cooperate, your little boy will be fine,” he
said, returning the picture to his pocket and settling on his seat.

“Why is this so important to you? It’s not like you’re the federal
government itself?” I asked, finally finding my voice. He was unnaturally
particular about Mikhail, and it didn’t make sense. He was a criminal by
law and was wanted by the FBI, just like every other target I’ve had to work
on. While I understood Father’s anger at my betrayal, I couldn’t wrap my
head around his seeming obsession with Mikhail’s case.

His face contorted in the perfect image of disgust. “You still think this has
anything to do with the government, and you and your siblings are special
kids who were specifically selected for classified jobs by the government?”

“You said we worked—”

“I know what I said, Cara,” he chuckled darkly. “Do you really think the
government has the time for all of this? That I’d pick up and raise a couple
of kids for what? The greater good? Every person you’ve taken down and
every life you’ve taken was for me. Every one of them. I am your
government.”

I felt like the air had been knocked out of my lungs as I stared at the man
who had once been the pinnacle of a moral compass to me in mortification.
He lied. His little sermon about how we should see ourselves as
superheroes, creating a less dangerous world for our loved ones, was a lie.
They were all lies, every bit of it.

My whole life was a lie.

“Were they even guilty of any crime?” I asked, trying to find excuses to
make myself better. Mikhail wasn’t innocent. I got a glimpse of his life. But
what about the rest?

“If you consider pissing me off a crime, then yes,” he replied casually, and
at that moment, I saw a monster in place of the man I had known my whole
life.

“You turned us into murderers! You—”

“Enough!” He roared, and I jumped back in fear, wiping my eyes with the
sleeves of my dress. “Here’s what we’re going to do. You’ll tell me
everything I need to know about Ivanov, his new job here, and anything you
can think of. One wrong move from you, and I’ll blow your son’s head off
and force-feed you his intestines.”

His threat killed off the fight in me, and I was back on my knees, tears
streaming down my eyes as I pleaded desperately. “I don’t know anything.
You have to believe me. I didn’t run away with him. I ran away on my own,
and I accidentally started working for him.”

My words sounded ridiculous even to my own ears. The chances of me

disappearing with Mikhail’s child and being found years later on a different
continent with him and the child being a coincidence sounded like the sort
of lie even an idiot wouldn’t buy. I searched my head, trying to find
something for him, a little bit of information that would pacify him, and I
came up with nothing. Mikhail made sure I knew nothing about his personal
business.
“The choice is made then,” he said, raising his phone to his ear.

“Wait!” I screamed, grabbing his ankle and stopping him from making his
call. “Hold on. I think I might have something for you.”

He smirked. “I knew I raised you well. Go on.”

“I don’t have much. He doesn’t trust me, and the only reason he kept me
around was to punish me, but there’ve been some weird meetings and some
situations I didn’t tell you about after my accident.” I said, gluing my eyes
to the floor.

“Go on.”

I emptied every bit of information I had on Mikhail to him, from his wake-
up time to the brand of deodorant he uses. I equally involved Benjamin and
Enzo in my report. I didn’t feel good about it, but I’d rather die than for my
son to be killed over some criminal rivalry.

“I should’ve anticipated a side effect when I staged that accident to drive

you closer to him,” he said, shaking his head in disappointment, and my
eyes widened in shock.

“You were responsible for my accident? I could’ve died!” I yelled at him,

my eyes wide with disbelief.

I didn’t think it was possible for me to be surprised following the turn of

events, but this took the cake.

“Sometimes, you have to throw in an enzyme to speed up a reaction, and if

I had known things would turn out this way, I would’ve ensured you died in
the crash.”

A sudden wave of anger overtook me, and I was lunging at him before I
could think. “You son of bitch! I’m going to fucking tear you apart! Even if
it is the last thing I do, I’ll kill you, Henry!”

Strong arms tore me away from him as I kicked and struggled to land a
blow on his face. I felt a prickle on my neck, immediately followed by a
burning sensation on my neck, and it all went black.
******

Bang!

An explosion sent a sharp jolt of pain through my head, waking me

instantly.

“Where is she!?” A familiar dark voice boomed, adding to the ache in my

head.

“Mikhail?” I croaked out, struggling to open my eyes.

“Are you okay? Can you walk?” He rushed to me, inspecting me for
injuries.

I stared at him in part relief and confusion. “I’m—how did you get here?”

“Now’s not the time for questions, Princess. Lift up your legs,” he ordered
softly, and he swept me into his arms.

“Well, well, well. If it’s not the couple of the year.” Henry entered the room,
wearing an obnoxious smile, and I felt the familiar rage return. I’ve never
felt so much bloodlust in my life.

“Delivering the two people I want the most to me. The universe must really
be on my side today.”

“If there’s anything on your side, it’s a six-foot hole waiting for you, and if
you don’t step out of the way this instant, I’ll be pushing you into it a lot
faster than I intend,” Mikhail said, and I could feel his muscles vibrating as
his grip tightened around me.

Henry let out a dark laugh. “I don’t think you’re aware, but you’re
outnumbered, and this isn’t the type of war where love conquers all.”

I scanned the small cell and found us to be outnumbered on a ratio of 3:1,

not to mention the added advantage of the guns his men carried.

“Don’t move,” Mikhail said, lowering me to my feet.

“You know,” Henry continued, twirling a pocketknife in his fingers as he
rested his walking stick on the wall. “I thought you’d be a better opponent,
seeing as you were raised by your grandfather, but just like your father, you
had to meet your demise in a woman.”

“Don’t speak about my father!” Mikhail roared, taking a step forward, and I
visibly tensed. I didn’t think Mikhail was stupid enough to embark on a
rescue mission alone, but the numbers were currently not on our side.

“Who should I speak of then? Your grandfather who did not have the spine
to do what it takes to make Russia the biggest port?” Henry shot back, his
eyes glowing with contempt.

“By selling children?”

“Don’t sound so self-righteous, Ivanov. You’re already a part of the mafia.

What is one extra transaction to you?”

A wave of dizziness and nausea washed over me, and I had to lean onto the
wall to keep myself from falling. Everything around me was spinning.

I clutched at my chest, willing the burning sensation in my lungs to go

away, but it only intensified. It didn’t matter how many deep breaths I took,
it felt like every atom of oxygen had been sucked out of the room.

Don’t sound so self-righteous Ivanov. You’re already a part of the mafia.

What is one extra transaction to you?

The statement reverberated through my skull. It was him all along. He was
the one responsible for the trafficking, and he had used me to secure his
business.

“It was you the whole time,” I said, my voice sounding nothing like mine.
The floor beneath felt like jelly, and everything I thought I knew crumbled
before my eyes.

“Stay out of this, Cara,” he waved me off like I was some annoying insect
and returned his focus to Mikhail. “Your grandfather destroyed my
business, my family, and everything I owned. I spent the past decades living
like a vermin, and now, I’m back to claim my place.

Mikhail opened his mouth to retort, but I beat him to it. “Have you always
been this vile?” I asked, my voice stronger this time.

“I asked you to stay out of this.”

“Stay out of it? You hijacked my life and turned me into a fucking monster,
and you ask me to stay out of it?”

“Don’t act like you’re innocent, Cara,” he scoffed. “You know murder is
wrong. You only continued because you love the bloodlust. Why else do
you think you fell for him, huh? You’re no different from me.”

“I’m nothing like you,” I spat out. Staring at him with a burning gaze.
“You’re pathetic. You can’t even stand comfortably on your feet and had to
get kids to do your business. You’re the weakest man I’ve ever come
across.”

“You stupid bitch!” Henry said, diving towards me with his knife. I ducked
to avoid his sloppy attack, and at the same time, a gun went off somewhere
in the room, and multiple shots followed.
I curled into a screaming ball on the floor, covering my ears with my hands
till a deathly silence took over the cell. I shut my eyes tightly, scared to
open them and see who won.”

“Get up, Arielle, you’re safe now.” Enzo’s voice broke the silence, and I
opened my eyes to find him standing over me with a gun in his hands. My
eyes quickly scanned the room, only coming to a stop when I found Mikhail
taking off a bulletproof vest. Relief washed over me, and I felt my body
give into the darkness that’s been clinging to me.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 34

Mikhail

I have not moved an inch from my position on the sofa, staring into space
as I waited for Arielle to wake up from her rest. Question after question
swarmed my head, demanding immediate answers.

The past twenty-four hours have been the most eventful twenty-four hours
of my life. I found out I had a two-year-old son, and I had embarked on a
rescue mission to save the mother of my child from her father, who
happened to be a sworn enemy of my family and sustained an injury in the
process. It was some action movie type of shit.

My eyes snapped to the bed following the rustling sheets to find Arielle
gently massaging her forehead with her fingers, her eyes squinted in
confusion. A moment passed before her eyes widened in panic, and she was
out of bed in a flash, searching the nightstand and drawers for God knows
what.

She was yet to notice me, and I sat in silence, toying with the idea of letting
her go without a word about Jason being with me to make her suffer a
quarter of the pain she put me through, but the questions in my head were
not going to answer themselves.

“Going somewhere?” I asked, noticing her body tense at the sound of my

voice. She didn’t turn to look at me and continued searching through the
drawers.

“There’s someone who’s been waiting to see you.”

That finally got her attention, and she whirled around to face me.
“Thank you for saving me, Mikhail, but I currently do not have the time or
luxury for cute meet-and-greets. Did you retrieve my bag from the
building?” she queried, her eyes wild with panic.

So, that’s what she was looking for, a means to go home. I had just risked
my life for her, and the moment she got on her feet, she was ready to leave
without a word about our son.

I picked my phone from the table, holding it to my ears as it rang. “Bring

him in,” I said the moment the call connected and returned the phone to the
table, getting into a more comfortable position to witness the scene that was
about to unfold.
She paused, sending me a quizzical look. “Bring who in?”

As if on cue, the bedroom door swung open and the curly mop of black hair
sped into the room, tackling her into a hug and almost knocking her off her
feet.

“Mama! Where have you been? I built the biggest castle with Uncle
Mikhail,” Jason said, his eyes glinting with excitement.

I could see the tension leave her shoulders as she sank to her knees,
bringing herself to the same height as him before pulling him into a tight
hug.

A mix of anger and a feeling I couldn’t place washed over me as I watched

the emotional reunion of mother and child from the perspective of an
outsider. The kid thought I was his mother’s friend.

“Mummy is here, and she won’t be going anywhere, okay?” she said, her
eyes glistening with tears as she peppered kisses all over him.

“Okay, Mama.” He smiled and turned to me. “Say hi to my mummy.”

My body went rigid following Jason’s request, and I noticed Arielle tense,
too. She must’ve forgotten about my presence.

“Hello, Mama,” I taunted, mimicking Jason’s voice.

The little one had no idea what was going on and chuckled at my attempt to
sound like him.

“Why don’t you introduce me to Jason? He appears to keep referring to me

with a strange name. What was that again?” I tapped my jaw and squinted
my eyes like I was in deep thought. “Ah yes, Uncle. Why is that, Mama?”

She tore her gaze from me and returned her attention to Jason, plastering a
fake smile on her face. “Sweetie, where’s Auntie Anna?”

“Kitchen. She’s making soup.”

“Why don’t you go help her? I’ll be with you soon, okay?” she said, her
voice shaky as she pressed a kiss into his hair and let go of him.

“See you!” he screamed and zoomed out of the room, taking every bit of
warmth with him.

With Jason out of the way, I finally allowed the rage that was building
inside of me to shine through. “I’m waiting, Arielle, and the explanation
better make sense.”

She let out a low sigh and settled back into the bed. “What do you want to
know?”

“When did you find out you were carrying my child? Was it before or after
you left?” I asked, trying my best to keep my voice low.

“It doesn’t matter, Mikhail. It wouldn’t have changed—”

Red dots covered my vision, and I slammed my uninjured fist into the table
in front of me, cutting her words short and causing her to jump in fear. I
was tired of her stupid, vague answers, and if she gave me any more of
those, I’d be forced to take matters into my own hands, and she’d be
leaving this house without a son.

“You’ll give me a detailed answer to every fucking question I ask. Am I

understood?”

She nodded repeatedly, her eyes wide with fear.

I repeated my question. “When?”

“Before I left. It was why I left.”

“Did you ever plan on telling me?”

“No.”

The answer was so fucked up I could only throw my head back in laughter.
“Why am I not surprised? You listened to me talk about kids and families,
and you kept my son away from me for years.”

“Mikhail, you know the situation was not exactly favorable for a child.”

“And whose fault was that, huh? Who made the situation unfavorable for a
child?” I asked, pinning her with a hard glare.

“Even if things were different with me, your world is not the most child-
friendly. There’s danger in every corner and—”

I scoffed. “Spare me the bullshit, Arielle. You knew about my world from
the beginning. I never hid anything from you, and you know I would’ve let
you raise this child however you wanted. Don’t try to shift the blame. This
is not on me.”

She fell silent, looking everywhere but me. I had explored multiple ways I
was going to handle the situation in my head while she was unconscious,
but now that I had confronted the issue, I found myself unprepared for the
emotions cursing through me.

There was the burning feeling of rage and the gut-wrenching squeeze in my
chest that I’d already gotten accustomed to, but now, there was a hole
expanding in my chest, and I had no idea what to do with it.

Heartbreak is one thing. The lies and betrayal were another, but hiding a
child from me was something I never saw coming. I didn’t think she was
capable of something so cruel.

“You’re the most selfish human I’ve ever met. What were you going to tell
him when he grows up and asks for his father, huh? That I’m some deadbeat
that knocked you up and kicked you to the curbs? You were going to let my
son roam around for a lifetime without experiencing a father’s love.”

Her eyes flashed with rage at my words, and the tears came pouring down.
“You think I wanted this? You think I loved moving to a new continent and
living from hand to mouth like a fucking beggar? That I loved the nights I
spent alone in fear and entering labor with no one by my side? Or the long
nights of working double shifts to make sure there was food for my son?
You think I loved busting my ass to provide for us?”

“You sure as hell weren’t opposed to it!”

We were currently engaging in a screaming contest, and I didn’t care if we

shook the foundation of the building with our voices. I was a wounded man.
Both physically and emotionally.

“What would you have me do? It wasn’t as if you’d be the most receptive if
I told you the truth. Henry would’ve forced Jason out of me the moment he
found out about him. I had no choice, for fucks sake!” she shot back, her
chest heaving from the sobs she was holding in.

“I would never harm my child,” I replied in a firm tone.

“You wouldn’t, but what would have become of me? I’ve seen you handle
people you call rats. I wasn’t going to take the chance.

She had a point, but that was the least of my concerns at the moment.

I allowed a brief moment of silence filled with heavy breaths and muffled
sobs to pass between us before I finally spoke. “Here’s how it’s going to be.
I’m returning to New York next week, and Jason is coming with me.”

She opened her mouth to object, but I silenced her with a cold glare.
“You’ve had it your way for a long time. You don’t get a say in this.”

“What if there’s still a threat in New York? What if Henry has people that’ll
avenge him?” she asked, her lips trembling with fear.

“That’ll be my problem. I already missed his first steps, his first words, and
his first day in school. Heck, he thinks I’m your friend and calls me uncle.
I’m not missing a minute of his life, and if you have objections, I’d like to
see what the jury would think about a spy with a double identity raising a
child.”

She clamped her lips shut, and every argument she might have had died in
her mouth following my threat. She knew I’d easily win if we took legal
steps.

“I owe Vivian and James an explanation about what happened, so New York
won’t be a totally bad idea.” she finally said, accepting defeat.

“He will be staying in my house. You can do whatever you want, but he
stays with me,” I added and she nodded wordlessly.

“You might also want to get a head start with proper introductions, I’ll
punch a hole through the wall if I hear him call me uncle one more time.” I
said, making his way out of the room.

I found Annalise standing wide-eyed in front of the door with a bowl of

soup in hand. I was certain she heard everything that went down, and I
brushed past her without a word. She was Arielle’s problem, not mine.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 35

Arielle

“Call me if you need anything, anything at all, okay?” Vivian said, pulling
James into a bone-crushing hug.
“Yeah. Don’t be a stranger, kiddo,” I added, smiling at them.

“I’ll try,” he replied with his signature boyish grin. “Viv, I won’t make it to
the plane alive if you keep squeezing me like that.”

“Just give me five more seconds,” she groaned, pulling him impossibly
closer to her and earning them weird glances from people at the check-in
while I stood there, watching with an awkward smile.

A lot had changed during my absence and with that wave of change came a
bond between Vivian and James. Apparently, following my rebellion, father
ordered them to return home, keeping a close leash on them which resulted
in Vivian developing a protective big sister instinct towards him.

“You visit for holidays, right? Jason will be mad if you don’t.”

I rolled my eyes at her antics. “We both know Jason won’t be very mad
about that. Let the boy go before he misses his turn.”

“Be good, okay,” she said, finally releasing him from her hold.

“I’ll try,” he smirked before turning to me and pulling me into a surprising

hug. “Thanks, Arielle, for everything,

“It’s fine,” I replied, hugging him briefly.

We waved goodbye, and Vivian ended up crying like a baby the entire drive
home.

I’ve been home for two months, and I completely devoted my first month to
clearing the names of myself and my adopted siblings, deleting traces of
hidden identities, and freeing ourselves from the life Henry created for us.

We were in luck, and the old man had no one to fight for him or avenge his
death. He was pretty much an asshole to all and had no family left behind,
so there was no final battle to be won.

His enormous wealth was split between us, and what was left went to
charity—mostly the orphanage—to make up for the damage. We equally
found the officials who were responsible for our adoption and brought them
to justice.

James spent some time with us, mostly because he wanted to form a
relationship with Jason and me before leaving. Henry’s betrayal brought us
closer, opening us up to the fact that we were the only family we had.

Life was slowly getting back on track, and I was adjusting to being just
Arielle. I chose to keep the name over Cara since the only person who
called me that was dead, and I wanted the name to die with him.

“That’s not the way home,” Vivian pointed out as I made a diversion to the
right instead of taking the straight route.
“I know, Viv. Jason won’t be home till two, and I just need some time to
cool off before returning to being treated like a fucking parasite.”

“You still haven’t spoken to him?” she asked, her warm gaze resting on me.

“There’s nothing to say, Viv. This is my life. I’m going to be forever

tethered to a man who hates me.”

“I don’t think he hates you, Ari. He’s hurt, but I don’t think he hates you. It
would be weird if he welcomed you with open arms after what happened,
and you know it.”
I let out a soft sigh, feeling the weight of the past days perpetually stacked
on my shoulders. Vivian was right, but it didn’t make things easier.

Mikhail avoided me like a plague. He left most of the messages with Maya
and only spoke to me if it was totally unavoidable or he had to with Jason.

I had gone from being the object of his complete devotion to blending in
with one of the abstract paintings on his wall—unimportant and barely
noticed—and it hurt a lot more than I imagined.

My only consolation was how happy he made Jason. He was ecstatic to

discover Mikhail was his daddy. He was also at the receiving end of the
purest love from multiple people.

Enzo showered him with the most expensive gifts. Vivian took him to all
the parks and fairs in the whole of New York while Maya made sure he had
a taste of every food he saw on TV. When living with Mikhail got really
difficult, I comforted myself with the love my baby was receiving. He
deserved all of it after the life we had in Italy.

“So, what do you suggest I do?” I asked, pulling my lips between my teeth.

“Same thing I’ve been saying the whole time. Talk to him. Father’s betrayal
affected all of us, but you bore the brunt of his lies. You were most affected
by them, and the past few years have been a traumatic experience for you.
From running away to having a child on your own, getting kidnapped, and
returning to the life you ran away from. It only takes the strongest of
humans to hold down the way you have without breaking, and you should
give yourself some grace. You were a victim too, the biggest.”

I blinked repeatedly, forcing the tears that pooled in my eyes back.

Sometimes, I just wanted to put down the weight I was carrying and rest for
a bit, but I couldn’t. Most of the guilt was not mine, but I couldn’t bring
myself to ignore the fact that I had somehow contributed to the pain in
people’s lives. The man I loved couldn’t even look me in the eye.

“Hey,” Vivian placed a supportive hand on my shoulder, “it’ll be alright. He

just needs time, we all do.”
I nodded wordlessly, focusing on the road ahead. I intended to spend the
next hours in the spa until it was time to pick up Jason from school.

I’ll eventually have to speak to Mikhail. I just need to figure out what to say
to him, but until I find the words, I’ll just stew in my misery.

*****

“Daddy!” Jason shrieked, jumping down from my lap and running to

Mikhail.

“Hey, big guy,” the widest smile spread through his face as he picked up
Jason with ease, throwing him into the air and catching him.

Jason’s excited squeal echoed through the living room, and he proceeded to
grab his coloring book from me and show his father all he had been able to
accomplish.

Mikhail only acknowledged me with a curt nod before channeling his

undivided attention to Jason’s school adventures and his paintings.

It was a bittersweet feeling watching them bond so well and not be a part of
it. I swallowed the knot forming in my throat and forced myself to maintain
a neutral expression.

The last time they were seated like that, I had let my emotions take me over
and didn’t notice a tear running down my cheek till Jason asked why I was
crying. I told him I had something in my eye and made it a point to be
conscious at all times.

I couldn’t leave either. Jason was a growing boy, and it was only a matter of
time till he started noticing his parents were never together in the same
space.

“Dinner is ready!” Maya called out from the dining room, saving me from
torture.

Dinner was quite generic and consisted of Jason rambling off to mostly his
father and pulling me into the conversation once in a while.
He was currently talking about the new toy Enzo got him, and Mikhail
listened with rapt attention, soaking up every bit of gibberish he spewed.

My food turned to cardboard in my mouth, and I fought the urge to throw

up. It would be selfish for me to butt in and steal Jason’s attention after
promising to give them time to bond, but the pain was becoming almost
unbearable.

Thankfully, Jason soiled his shirt, and Mikhail had to take him to the
bathroom, essentially signifying the end of dinner.

I remained in the dining room, moving my food around my plate and

staring into space.

“ ребенок .” Maya’s voice startled me, pulling me from my thoughts.

“How long do you intend to remain sad amidst the joy surrounding you?”

“It’s not that simple, Maya.” I sighed.

“Nonsense. Everyone deserves a second chance.”

“You wouldn’t be saying that if you knew what I did.”

“I might not know what you did, but I saw the damage. I watched him
almost kill himself with alcohol and cleaned up after him. I watched him
become a shell of the man he used to be, and there were times I tried to find
you myself. But I do know life is not always black and white, and there
must’ve been a reason for your actions. There’s good in you, child, and
what is important is that you’re repentant of your actions, but it’ll all go to
waste if you don’t direct this repentance to the one who should see it.”

I fell silent, taking a moment to digest all that Maya had dumped on me.
We’ve had little moments where she tried to fix things between us, but she
never dumped this much information on me. My heart felt like someone
sank their fist into me and squeezed tightly.

I always equated Mikhail’s pain to his hatred for disloyal people. I knew he
loved me, but I never thought a man like him would let himself mourn a
feeling as trivial as love. Maya’s revelation only made me feel worse, and I
buried my face in my palms, every hope I had of Mikhail forgiving me
slowly slipping away.

“He showed you the depth of his love from the beginning, and he mourned
your absence the way a widower would mourn a dead wife. He has shown
the strength of his love for you, and now it is your turn to show him he is
not alone in those feelings.”

“I don’t know what to do, Maya. What if he is not interested in fixing

things? What if he’s only keeping me around because of Jason?” I asked,
feeling lost and hopeless.

Maya smiled warmly, pulling my hands into hers. “I’ve watched that boy
grow into the man he has become today, and I can tell you if he didn’t want
you around, not even a child would make him keep you, but he’s a man, and
he has his pride. This is up to you.”

This is up to you.

It seemed to be the only thing anyone ever said to me but I had no clue what
to do or how to handle things.

“Tell me what to do, Maya.” I clutched her hands tightly, desperate for any
help she could offer.

“You know him best. I’m sure you can come up with something,” she said,
getting on her feet and patting my hair softly before disappearing to the
kitchen, and I was again left with the aching pain in my heart and a new
feeling of self-loathing for the pain I had caused.

I had to fix this, and even if I don’t succeed, it’ll weigh lighter on my
conscience to know that I tried.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 36

Mikhail

“You know if you stay here any longer, you’ll miss out on Jason’s back
from school episode for the night,” Enzo said, walking into my office like
he owned the place.

“Why are you still here?”

“I got carried away with the new software I’ve been working on, but I’m
not the one with a wife and kid waiting at home.”

I shot him a hard glare. “She’s not my wife.”

“Whatever you say. I have an early morning tomorrow, so I can’t babysit

your emotional heart, but I’ll leave you with a few facts,” he said, getting
on his feet and pacing my office like some scientist who was about to
disclose the cure to cancer.

“Adopted at a young age and brainwashed into thinking she was working
for the greater good. She is also a victim, and if that’s not enough for you,
remember nothing was preventing her from getting rid of that baby the
moment she discovered she was pregnant, but she risked her life to keep it.
That’s not what a cold-blooded spy would do. I also know your days with
her were the happiest I’ve ever seen you. Do with this whatever you choose.
Adios amigo,” he said, walking out the door.

I spent the ride home, letting Enzo’s words sink in. They weren’t things I
didn’t already know. Arielle was a victim, but that didn’t make up for the
pain I had to go through for the past few years. I almost lost myself and
everything I had to my name when she left. Pain like that wasn’t what you
got over in a couple of months.
Granted, I’ve had moments where I’ve wanted to pull her into a hug and
promise her everything will be alright. She was completely different from
the sparkly ball of sunlight I knew. She moved around the house like she
was scared of being seen, and she apologized repeatedly for every little
inconvenience.

The only times I’ve seen her genuinely happy is when she’s with Jason, and
in those moments, I’ve had to fight the urge to join them. She was a
wonderful mother. I could tell from the amount of love Jason radiated and
how happy he was.

It’s why I arrived home at the same time every day, to catch a glimpse of
her carefree laughter and the warmth that seemed to only exist when she
was with our child.

We’ve not spoken about our situation as co-parents or what the future holds
for us. We’ve just settled into living like housemates who share a child, and
I don’t know how I feel about it.

A part of me wished she had come to me when she figured out she was
pregnant. I’d been upset, but I wouldn’t be as broken as I was when she left,
and fixing things would’ve been a lot easier. But three years was a fucking
long time, and I already forced my heart shut.

I opened the door, bracing myself to be tackled by Jason, but was met with
total silence. I immediately jumped into panic mode, throwing my briefcase
on the sofa and taking large strides into the house. Did she leave with him
again? How far have they gone?

The questions died in my throat as soon as I walked into the dining room.
Candles adorned the table, and an elaborate spread of food and wine were
meticulously arranged on the table, and sitting on the table alone and
picking at her nails was Arielle—in a fucking red dress.

“Hi,” she sprang to her feet, almost knocking a bottle over. “I didn’t hear
you come in.”

“Oh,” I said, standing at the door and taking in the dim lights and the warm
ambiance.
She cleared her throat. “I made dinner. Is that okay?” she asked, her eyes
filled with so much hope I only mustered a small nod in response.

“Where’s Jason?” I asked, settling into the chair across from her.

“I errr.” she cleared her throat again. “I put him to bed early. Is that okay?”

“Why wouldn’t it be?”

“I don’t know. Maybe you were looking forward to playing with him a
little. I can wake him up if you’d like that,” she rambled off, standing from
her seat, but I stopped her.

“It’s okay, Arielle. I can always play with him tomorrow.”

She nodded and settled back into the chair, locking her gaze to the food on
the table and chewing on her bottom lip. I found myself loathing how
uncomfortable she had become around me. She was making an effort, a
really huge one at that, and although it had caught me off guard, the gesture
warmed my heart a little.

“So, how was your day?” I asked, scooping a heap of dumplings onto my
plate.

Her eyes lit up briefly. I would’ve missed them if I had blinked before she
relaxed into giving me a detailed rundown of her day, starting from the time
she woke to this moment.

I had a feeling she was being overly transparent to let me know she had
changed, and while I appreciated that, I wasn’t sure I liked it very much.

“How about you? How was your day?” she asked, peering at me through
her lashes.

“Nothing as exciting as yours. Just work and stuff.”

Her face fell, and her lips shaped into a small ‘o,’ and I immediately
realized my mistake.
“My day was fine, Arielle. Enzo came over, and we had a meeting with a
company in London. I’m aiming to open a hotel there, and after that, I
returned to my office and did some paperwork before returning home.”

A small smile touched her lips, and against my better judgment, I found
myself smiling in return.

“So, did you cook all of these, or did Maya and Jason help?”

“Nah. I cooked everything myself,” she replied, and my eyes almost

doubled in size.

“I worked in a restaurant in Italy, so I picked up some mean cooking skills,”

she added, answering the question in my head.

She made it sound so easy, but I know it couldn’t have been that easy with a
baby. I finally decided to open the conversation I’d been avoiding for a long
time.

“How did you do it? The pregnancy, Jason, work. All of it. How did you do
it all alone?”

Her smile faltered a bit, and she laid her cutlery down before taking a deep
breath. “It wasn’t so bad in the beginning. I had some money on me when I
left, and it sustained me for most of the pregnancy and provided adequate
healthcare and housing, but the money eventually ran out. We had to
relocate to a different neighborhood. That was when the challenges set in,
and I had to start juggling jobs. Jason was only six months old, and I could
barely afford a sitter, but thankfully, Anna came along and offered to sit him
whenever I had work, and that made things a bit easier. So, when I saw that
flyer about the vacancy in your company, I rushed in headfirst without
doing any form of research.”

I sat in silence, letting her words sink in. I couldn’t fathom what she had
gone through, and the fact that I hadn’t been there for her had me in pain.

“You should’ve told me, Arielle,” I muttered softly.

“I couldn’t. I was scared to my bones, and I had nowhere to turn. I have no
family to love me unconditionally, and I knew Father would force me to get
rid of him.”

“So, do you regret it?”

Her brows furrowed slightly. “Getting pregnant for you?”

“No. Applying to my company,” I clarified, holding her gaze. I needed to

know where her head was.

“At first, I did, but with time, I came to appreciate it. Jason is so happy with
you, and now, I can’t imagine a different life for him.”

“I’m glad Jason is happy, Arielle, but I’m asking about you. Do you regret
running into me?”

“No,” she replied after a pause, and I felt myself release a breath I never
knew I was holding.

From there, we went into her upbringing and life at the orphanage. If we
were going to move forward, I needed to know everything about her. It
turned out to be a very heavy topic, and by the time she was done, I had
emptied a full bottle of wine, and anger simmered beneath me for
everything she had gone through.

Tension eventually gave way to light conversations, and Arielle ended up

taking me on a trip down memory lane. She showed me pictures and videos
of Jason at various points in his life. When he sprouted his first set of teeth,
when he took his first step, and when he said his first words.

“You know there was not a day that passed that I didn’t think of you,” her
voice came out in whispers, her eyes not leaving mine. “I subscribed to
every newsletter in New York and googled your name every morning in a
desperate attempt to feel a bit closer to you.”

Her confession clung tightly to the air between us, and I felt something
thicken in my throat, making it impossible for me to force out a word.
When I did not say a word, her face fell by a fraction, but she quickly
replaced it with a smile. “Oh. I forgot to show you this one.” She cleared
her throat, playing a video on her phone, and the moment was gone as soon
as it arrived. It was my fault.

“This was his first day at school, and he wouldn’t let go of me. I intend to
keep this one and show it to him when he starts feeling like a big boy.”

The video rolled by with Jason screaming out his lungs and holding on to
Arielle as his teachers attempted to pry him from her arms. It was both
hilarious and heartwarming, and I could totally see him growing to hate the
video.

“He’s got quite a grip,” I commented, lifting my face to find Arielle’s very
close to mine. We must’ve moved closer as we watched the videos together.

Tension sealed the room, and the air crackled with electricity as I stared into
her sea of blue eyes. My eyes journeyed from her heavy lids to her parted
lips and down to the delicate bob of her throat as she swallowed.

Heat suddenly spread through me, and I could feel her breath mingling with
mine as we drew closer. I don’t know who made the final move, but I found
my lips pressed against hers. I let myself relish the feeling for a second
before caution kicked in, and I was up on my feet and speeding to my room
in a flash.

OceanofPDF.com
 CHAPTER 37

Mikhail

Dammit!

I pinched the bridge of my nose, pacing back and forth as soon as I entered
my room. I’ve never been caught at a crossroads in my life. I’ve always had
a stellar sense of direction and always knew which way to go in every
moment of my life, but just like everything thing that had to do with Arielle,
I found myself completely torn about what direction to take.

My options were really simple and quite clear, devoid of all forms of
complications. Yet, I couldn’t bring myself to make a decision that one part
of me did not completely disagree with.

On one hand, logic and emotions were surprisingly in agreement. I still

cared deeply about her, and God knows I want her with everything in me. I
tried with other women after she left, but it never felt the same, and I gave
up a long time ago. It was part of the reason I was so angry with her. She
had ruined me for every other woman.

I also knew there was practically no way for her to betray me a second time.
Henry was dead, and everything about him was wiped out a long time ago,
but on the other hand, there was self-preservation and once bitten, twice
shy. As much as I tried to force myself to get through the pain she caused
and understand how she was also a victim in the grand scheme of things, I
couldn’t shut out the voice of caution that screamed at me every time she
drew close.

I found myself exploring scenarios where she never got pregnant and
remained with Henry, ultimately bringing to my downfall. I knew these
things didn’t matter, but I couldn’t stop myself from thinking about them. It
was my body’s way of protecting me from the pain I had gone through, and
I had no idea how I was going to fight it.

A frustrated groan left me as I pinched my nose harder. I had to come up

with something, and I had to do it very soon. If I didn’t fix this, with time,
it’d show in the way I handled little things, and she’d be hurt thinking I
haven’t forgiven her.

But you love her and the future should always hold more weight than the
past. A small voice whispered at the back of my head stopping me dead in
my tracks.

That was it. That was all that mattered, and if it wasn’t, well fuck it because
I was going back to my woman. We’ll figure it all out as we go. I wasn’t
going to spend the rest of my life worrying about what could’ve been.

I don’t know how long I spent in my room, but by the time I returned to the
kitchen, it was empty and pristine. There were no plates on the table, and
every surface was wiped clean. I felt a little squeeze in my chest. She
must’ve occupied herself with cleaning while waiting for me.

I left the kitchen, making my way to her room. I spent another minute
pacing the hallway and deciding if I should knock or just barge in. A soft
whimper from the other side of the door decided for me, and I opened the
door to find her curled up into a ball and struggling to quiet her cries with
her pillow.

Her shoulders were shaking with muffled sobs. She didn’t even notice me
enter the room. The little squeeze I felt earlier turned into a mind-numbing
ache, and I found myself rushing to her and gathering her into my arms.

“Hey, hey. It’s okay, I’m here now.”

“Mikhail?” she sniffed, surprise evident on her face. “I thought—I thought

you left.”

“No, Princess. I would never leave you. I needed a moment, but I’m here
now.”
She broke into a full sob, holding on to me as if her life depended on the
strength of her grip. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry about all of it. If I could go back
and fix it all, I’d do it in a heartbeat. I never meant to hurt you. I swear.”

“I know, baby, I know,” I muttered, wiping her tears. The sound of her cries
bouncing off the walls broke my heart to a million pieces, and I rocked her
gently, reassuring her I had forgiven her till her cries finally subsided. I
fetched her a glass of water, and we eventually settled into the bed.

“Feeling better?” I asked, and she nodded with a small smile.

“I love you, Arielle. I came to understand the meaning of the word with
you, and I’ve loved you for the longest time. Even when you left, I found
myself more focused on the reason for your actions than I was concerned
about my pains. And right now, every part of me is screaming at me to run
in the opposite direction, but I’ve decided to go against myself for you. I
know what I want, and I know where my heart lies and am willing to take
the risk and damn the consequences.”

“There won’t be any consequences,” she muttered, and I smiled at her.

“I know, Princess. I’m just letting you know how much you mean to me.”

“Thank you. Thank you for not giving up on me,” she replied, her lips
trembling slightly. Before she got the chance to release the second round of
waterworks, I dipped my head and captured her lips in mine. I’ve been
dying to do that since the first day I saw her back in Italy.
She immediately parted her lips, granting me entry, and I swooped my
tongue into her mouth, releasing a groan as the sweet taste of her flooded
my senses.

“I’ve missed you so much,” I whispered, deepening the kiss, and she
moaned in response.

I dragged my lips from her mouth, feeling her shiver as I trailed kisses from
her jaw to the base of her neck, planting a deep kiss on the erratic pulse and
nibbling softly. “I’ve missed the way you melt beneath my touch, your soft
whimpers and loud moans. Have you missed me too, Princess?”
A whimper escaped her lips. “Yes.”

The sound shot heat straight through my groin, and my dick grew harder
with anticipation. All the nights I've had to wake up in cold sweat with only
memories of her soft body pressing into mine to hold on to resurfaced,
igniting something feral in me.

I dragged my lips down to the creamy swell of her boobs, sinking my teeth
into the soft skin and ripping off her flimsy nightwear in the process. She
was going to be covered in red marks tomorrow, and I couldn't wait to
watch her fuss over them. There will be more time to savor the moment and
indulge in sweet, tender loving. Right now, I needed to bury myself in her
as soon as possible before I burst into flames.

My fingers found her already drenched, and her loud moans bounced off the
walls when I shoved three of them into her without warning. I curled them
inside her, loving the way her pussy clenched rhythmically around them.
Heat sizzled through my veins. I’ve been confined to cold showers for a
long time, and the wet sounds from her pussy as I drove my fingers into her
were almost enough to push me over the edge.

“You know I love you, right?” I groaned, freeing my cock with my other
hand.

Her response came out in short pants, “Yes.”

“Good,” I said, positioning myself at her entrance. “Hold on to that thought

because I’m about to fuck you like my whore.”

That was all the warning I gave her before I slammed into her with a quick
thrust. Black dots colored my vision, and I had to clench my abs to keep me
from bursting instantly.

She fit around me like a glove, snug and tight, and I realized why it never
worked out with anyone before her. She was made for me. Every curve of
her soft body was designed to fit into the crooks of my muscled frame, and
every hole in her was created to be filled by me.
I took a moment to recollect myself before thrusting into her a second time.
The room shook with the sound of skin slapping against skin and the
headboard crashing against the wall with every thrust. Jason’s room was
directly across from hers, and I was certain our mixed moans echoed
through the house, but I couldn’t bring myself to care. He’ll just have to get
used to the fact that his parents are insanely in love with each other.

I don't know if it was physically possible, but I needed more of her. More of
her soft skin writhing beneath me and her wet pussy wrapping around me.
Driven to the edge with near madness, I picked her up by the hip, flipping
her into an all-fours position and driving my cock back into her with so
much force she almost toppled over.

I stared in awe as my cock moved in and out of her, wetness coating the
entire length. Her ass jiggled with each thrust, and I lost to the primal need
to brand her cheeks with my fingerprint. Her walls clenched tightly around
me, her loud cry reverberating through the room. I watched in satisfaction
as the growing red welt in her ass took the shape of palms.

“You like that, huh? The feeling of me branding and decorating your pretty
ass with my hands.”

Her response came out in unintelligible whimpers.

“Words, Princess. You know how this works,” I said, emphasizing every
statement with deep thrusts.

“Yes!” she cried out, her fingers gripping the sheets tighter.

“Yes, what?”

“I love the feeling of your hands branding me,” her reply came out in one
breath, and a feeling of possession settled deep in my stomach, spreading
through me like a disease.

I didn’t think it was possible to go deeper, but she spread her knees and
arched her back, and I found myself sinking deeper into her like she
unlocked an entirely new portal for me. She began moving her hips,
meeting me mid-thrust with equal force and urgency. I dug my hand into
her hair and pulled her flush against me, her back to my chest and her
perfect ass nestled between my thighs as I continued to ram into her.

With the distracting view of her ass out of the way, a clear reflection of us
stared back at me from the full-length mirror hanging across the room. The
image completely knocked the air out of me.

She looked like a work of art with her head thrown back, lips parted, hair all
over the place, and her skin flushed and glistening with sweat. She looked
like a beautiful mess, perfectly undone.

I gripped her chin and forced her attention to the mirror, feeling her breath
hitch as she took in the sight before her.

“Watch how beautiful you look while I’m fucking you, how perfectly our
bodies fit together,” I growled into her ears, holding her gaze in the mirror.

I dragged my cock all the way out before slamming it back into her. I felt
her orgasm drawing near with the way her walls quivered, and I reached out
to draw circles on her clit with my thumb. Her eyes rolled back in pleasure,
but I forced them back on me. “Eyes on the mirror, Princess. I want you to
see how much you consume me, how much control you have over me. Do
you see it?” I asked, increasing my pace and drawing a strangled ‘yes’ from
her.

“Did you miss my cock wrecking your pretty pussy while you were away?”
I asked, delivering a hard thrust to drive my point.

“Yes!” Her scream was immediately followed by the erratic pulsations from
her pussy. Her knees almost shot off the bed as her orgasm washed through
her.

She threw her head back, her body convulsing with the intensity of waves
rippling through her. I watched in awe, increasing my pace to match every
vibration that coursed through her body. I didn’t stop, not even when she
collapsed on the bed and became a blubbering mess of incoherence and
crying from overstimulation.

“I love you.”
The soft whimper was all it took for me to topple over the edge, waves like
nothing I’ve ever felt, crashing into me and sending me soaring over the
cliff. I swear, I felt my soul leave my body for a brief moment before it
crashed back into me, and I collapsed on top of her.

I spun her around, searching for any trace of uncertainty in her eyes. “Say
that again, Princess.”

She drew her lips close to my ears and whispered, “I love you, Mikhail
Ivanov.”

I felt my already limp dick twitch at her words, and my chest immediately
felt full, as though there was a hollow in it that’s been waiting to be filled
by her. I sealed my lips over hers, taking my time to savor every bit of her
before whispering, “I love you more, Princess.”

My body might be wasted from the intensity of our session, but I've never
felt more whole in my life.

I found my missing piece, and I was never letting go.

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 Epilogue.

Arielle

“You know babies can hear you while they’re in the womb, right?” I said,
and Mikhail’s eyes doubled in size.

“That’s a lie.”

“You wait till he comes out and starts telling you about all the things he
heard while he was in the womb.”

“First of all, its a she, and Arielle, I swear if you’re fucking with me.”

“Shhh. No swearing around the baby,” I said, struggling to keep a straight

face.

We were currently in Italy for our honeymoon, and Mikhail had made it a
point to lay his hands on my swollen belly every morning and plead for the
baby to be a girl.

Today, I decided to scare him a bit by telling him babies could hear you
from the womb, and if we’re having a boy, he’d be feeling really bad and
unwanted from his constant pleas. It was obviously a lie, but Mikhail knew
nothing about babies, and I was thoroughly enjoying watching him battle
with himself.

“I think you should apologize to him. The midwife said it helps.” He placed
his hands on my bump and looked very ready to give an apology when my
voice gave out, and laughter poured from me.

“Mama! Daddy! Look what I made!” Jason’s excited voice drowned my

laughter as he rushed towards us with a paper kite in hand.
He pulled himself into the bed, squeezing between me and Mikhail. “It’s a
kite,” he said, shoving the folded paper into Mikhail’s face, who picked it
up and proceeded to give him a whole lecture on kites and what it took to
build a real one.

The conversation ended with Jason deciding he wanted to fly kites for a
living in the future. Mikhail tried to sway his stance in the direction of
becoming a pilot, but my boy maintained he wanted to be a ‘kite-flier.’

I leaned into the bed and watched as they bickered back and forth about
pilots and kite fliers, my heart swelling with gratitude at the sight.

“See why I need a girl?” he mouthed, and I chuckled lightly. He’d make a
great girl dad.

Mikhail was the best husband a girl could ever ask for and the most
wonderful boy dad. I sometimes find myself in awe of how much of himself
he pours into our family, being present and still keeping us safe from the
harsh realities of his life.

We came to the agreement that our children will be free to take whatever
path they choose instead of having a clear path marked for them. It wasn’t a
sustainable agreement. They were Ivanov’s and will always be tied to the
family heritage, but we’ll cross the bridge when we get there. For now, I
was content with watching my boys turn a paper kite into a solid argument.

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