“She’s gotten home and locked up for the night,” Arseny replies.
I don’t like defiance. Not from anyone, but especially not from her.
She’s different. And that’s what makes this so damn infuriating. I’ve never had a woman fight me before, push back, try to test their boundaries.
She thinks she can push me away, that she can reject the things I’m offering her. She doesn’t know the kind of protection she needs.
She doesn’t understand that the world she’s so eager to hide from—my world—is the only thing keeping her safe. That the same darkness that pulls me in is the one that shields her.
The thought of her rejecting me, rejecting everything I’ve done to keep her from the worst of this life, fills me with rage. She doesn’t get to dictate the rules here. She doesn’t get to decide when and how she’s part of my world.
I stand in the center of my office, my hands clenched into fists, my jaw tight. Every word Arseny spoke about her pushing away the protection I assigned her, tossing the flowers aside like they were nothing—it eats away at me, gnawing at my insides.
I don’t care that she’s scared. I don’t care that she doesn’t understand. She doesn’t get to play this game. Not with me. Not with what’s mine.
She doesn’t understand the danger that follows me. The enemies I’ve made over the years, the shadows I’ve built my empire on. But she will. She’ll learn it. She’ll see what I’ve protected her from.
And she’ll realize that the same man who is keeping her safe is the one she’s pushing away.
The silence in the room is suffocating. I can’t sit still any longer. I walk toward the window, the weight of my thoughts heavy in my chest. I’m not going to let her reject me. I’m not going to let her walk away from this.
She’ll come around. She has no choice.
I don’t just want her. I need her.
And no matter how much she tries to run, no matter how hard she pushes, I won’t stop until she understands.
She can’t keep rejecting what she doesn’t fully understand. She doesn’t know what it means to belong to me.
“Get out.”
The words are cold, sharp—an order, not a suggestion. Arseny doesn’t flinch, doesn’t hesitate. He nods, quietly taking the dossier with him, his expression unreadable as he heads for the door. He’s barely there when the door opens. This time, it’s Adrian.
He walks in casually, the usual arrogance in his steps, his eyes immediately flicking to the Zoe dossier in Arseny’s hand. He rolls his eyes, an exaggerated gesture, like he’s seen enough of this shit to last a lifetime.
“Lukin,” he starts, his voice laced with both annoyance and concern, “when is this obsession going to stop?” He crosseshis arms, looking at me like I’m some kid playing a dangerous game.
I turn away from him, staring out at the city skyline, trying to push down the anger bubbling beneath my skin. I don’t need his judgment right now, don’t need anyone’s opinion on her.
But he doesn’t let it go. “What would Maria say if she found out you’ve been fantasizing about fucking her best friend?” Adrian’s words cut through the tension like a knife.
I turn to face him, my eyes narrowing, my jaw tightening. “Don’t you ever speak on Zoe like that again. Is that clear?”
Adrian hesitates, his gaze flickering with the slightest trace of something—surprise, maybe, or something akin to fear. As my brother, I give him a lot of grace, but he knows when I’m at my limits and he has never tested me before.
“Yes,” he finally mutters, his voice edged with reluctant acceptance.
“Good,” I say, my tone flat and final. “Now both of you—get out.”
I don’t wait for any more words, but Adrian stays planted in the middle of the room. He has his own idea in mind, and I know it before he even opens his mouth.
“No,” he says with a grin, pushing his hands into his pockets. “Why don’t we go unwind at the club? As a distraction. I know I could use one. You’ve been cooped up here for days. Let’s go. I’m sure the women there won’t mind.”
I can see where this is going. He’s not wrong. The club is full of distractions, full of beautiful women willing to forget their names for a few hours, and for a moment, it sounds like exactly what I need—something to drown out the thoughts of Zoe.
But it’s not enough. I know it won’t be.
Still, I sigh, running a hand through my hair. “Fine,” I say reluctantly, feeling the weight of Zoe still hanging over me, but I push it down for the moment. “We’ll go. But make it quick. I’m not staying long.”
