“No.” I increased my pace, my face turning beet-red from the exercise and the bright sun. “It’s not. Leave me alone, Alexei.”
God, he was impossible. Even now, he was trying to control the situation with orders and flirting. Alexei was so used to getting everything his own way that he didn’t see that it was useless with me now.
Three more steps and I would be able to slot my key into the door and slam it in his face. The keys fell from my shaking, sweaty fingers.
“You know I can’t do that, Amy.” Smoothly, he bent down and lifted my key. “You live and work here?”
“That’s none of your business, Alexei. Anything I do with my life has nothing to do with you.” I snatched the key from him and slid it into the rusty slot, twisting it angrily. “Leave me alone.”
“I just want to talk.”
Maybe there was something in my new-found anger that was worrying him, and he should be worried. I’d built a life here. Sure, it was hard, but it was mine. I wouldn’t let him come in and steamroll it like he had last time. The last time had cost me my sister. I wouldn’t let him cost me my child.
“Unless it’s about our divorce, then I don’t think we have anything to say. And I sent the papers to Nikolai when he asked that I sign them.”
Alexei’s eyes slanted upwards to disappear into his hairline. “My grandfather knows where you are?”
Biting my lip, I shook my head. I loved Nikolai like he was my own grandfather. I didn’t want to get him into trouble. “No, I have a postal box.”
“So, you’ve been speaking to him all this time?” There was definitely a hint of anger in Alexei’s voice.
“No, there were a few times where he sent me paperwork.” Icouldn’t help it. My hand caressed my stomach. “I always send the checks back. But two weeks ago, he sent the divorce papers.” Slowly, I lifted my eyes to meet him. And the first twinge of sadness tightened my chest.
“I sent it back.” My hand closed around the doorknob. “You should be free to marry now.”
“I’m not marrying Violet,” he snapped. “And I haven’t received any divorce papers. I wouldn’t sign them even if they were placed in front of me. You are my wife, Amy.” His eyes darted downward and softened. “The mother of my unborn child.”
“Then you should have thought about that before. Alexei.” Sighing, I swung the door open. “Months ago, you should have chosen your wife and your child. But you didn’t. You choose Violet.” I took a startled breath. I almost sounded jealous there. I wasn’t jealous.
Alexei and Violet were my past. They deserved each other.
Turning in the doorway, I lifted my chin at him. “I’m sorry, Alexei, but it’s time for you to move on with the woman you have always loved. Please leave and don’t come back. The divorce papers are signed. There is nothing stopping you from marrying Violet now.”
He took an almost threatening step forward, forcing my head back as he crowded close. “There is one thing stopping me from marrying Violet, Amy. You.”
My eyes widened. “Me?”
God, was he here to hurt me?
“Yes, you, Amy.” Alexei sucked in a deep breath and froze. He had seen the sudden fear in my eyes, and it seemed to stop him in his tracks.
His chest heaved as he took a deep breath, and those icy blue eyes turned almost soft. “Forgive me, Amy,” he said quietly. “I forgot myself for a moment. I’ve been praying for so long that I would see you again, and I lost control of my emotions.” Another deep breath. “I don’t want to marry Violet. She is nothing compared to you. So yes, the thing stopping me is you.
Just you, right from the moment I first saw you. It’s always just been you and no one else.” His eyes bored down into mine. “Now, doyou have five minutes to talk to your stupid husband? After those minutes, if you never want to see me again, then I will walk away.” He reached out a hand and stroked his fingers down my hand. “Please.”
I stared at him for a second and then swung open the door with a sigh. “You have five minutes before I have to go back to work, Alexei.”
What the hell was I doing?
Chapter Thirty-Five
Alexei
“Five minutes.” She said and opened the door for me to step through. It was cooler in here. The air conditioner was blasting on full. The room was simple and basic, but she had made it a home.
“You know you don’t have to live like this, Amy.” I turned to face her as the door clicked shut, closing us inside away from prying eyes. “You don’t need to go back to work in five minutes. You never have to work again.”
She didn’t say anything. Instead, she passed me so closely that I got a tantalising whiff of her scent and had to stifle back a groan. Ignoring me completely, she poured herself a glass of lemonade and held the cold glass to her cheek. I watched it all mesmerised.
