I went pale as the door opened, already knowing it was Arko. My heart sank at what I anticipated was about to happen: an argument I didn’t want.
“Good morning.” His face lit up into a smile when he saw me, and I felt slammed with confusion. He didn’t look mad at all. In fact, he looked thrilled at the sight of me.
“Umm…hi?” My words sounded more like a question. I watched, utterly perplexed, as he walked over and kissed me on the forehead before taking the chair next to me.
“What’s for breakfast?” he asked.
“You were up early. Have you had a good morning?” I asked, trying to gauge his mood. I couldn’t understand how he was so calm after learning my brothers had sabotaged his operation.
“Just had to deal with some work stuff,” he said, kissing my shoulder as he reached past me to get the juice. “Nothing for you to worry about.”
“Do you have any plans for the day?” Arko asked.
“My closet is a mess,” I started telling him my plans. Arko was unusually attentive, giving me bites of berries, refilling my coffee without being asked, and laughing at all the right spots.
“What’s gotten into you?” I asked curiously, smiling as he leaned over to wipe off some cream from the side of my mouth,following the swipe of his finger with a brush of his lips. “Not that I’m complaining.”
“Can’t a man take care of his wife?” he teased, but there was something soft in his eyes when he looked at me.
Except I knew it wasn’t just innocent affection. I knew his morning had been a mess because of my family, and he wasn’t saying a word to me, choosing instead to shoulder that burden himself. It almost felt like he was trying to protect me. I realized then that our peace mattered to him as much as it did to me.
My heart jolted in my chest as a moment of clarity washed over me. I no longer viewed Arko Pavlov as an enemy or as someone I had to escape from. Hell, if I had it my way, I’d walk life by his side. I had, somehow and against all logic, fallen in love with Arko Pavlov.
And I was done allowing my family to shatter what we had. In that moment, I realized that I no longer felt like defending my brothers. In fact, it felt like it was time to put a stop to their madness, for once and for all.
***
After Arko took off for work, I grabbed my purse and put on my shoes. I waited until I knew the guards had gone on their lunch break, leaving some of the side gates unmanned. The gates would be locked, I knew that, but some of them were scalable.
I didn’t really have to sneak out. It’s not like Arko minded if I went out, but I knew he hated me leaving without security, and what I had in mind required me to be completely alone.
I found a five-foot iron wrought gate on the eastern edge of the property, and after throwing one glance around to see thatthe area was secure, I threw my bag over the rim of the gate first, before climbing over.
Once on the other side, I slipped down the street, keeping to the boundary wall of the estate until it fell behind me. A soft breeze blew my hair across my face as I hurried down the neighborhood with my heart hammering in my ribs.
After what I’d learned that morning, my annoyance at my brothers had reached peak levels. I knew I needed to get them to stop with this vendetta against the Pavlovs, who in every way that mattered had also become family.
What Arko told me last night kept playing on my mind. Dante had offered to help bridge the gap between us. I was thinking that if I could visit my brothers, team up with Dante, maybe the two of us could knock some sense into Caspian and the others.
I needed to talk to my brothers again and make them understand that I needed peace for myself, not just Arko, because I couldn’t choose between the family I was born into and the man I had come to love.
Just one more block, I thought to myself, and then I’ll find a cab. I kept my head low, just in case any of Arko’s guards were out on the streets—coming or going from an errand—when I thought I heard footsteps drawing closer.
I froze, daring to glance over my shoulder, but saw nothing. I convinced myself I was just being paranoid and started walking faster when that same strange prickling feeling washed over me.
Like I was being followed.
In that moment, I wondered what the hell I’d been thinking, sneaking out like that. I broke into a quick run,wanting nothing more than to be near civilization and away from these fortress-like compounds, when I heard the footsteps again. Far too close.
My pulse shot straight into my throat as I made a run for the corner, where I knew I’d find cabs, when out of nowhere, a man stepped out of the alley to my right, up ahead, stopping me in my path. I screamed, twisting to run straight across the street, with him at my heels.
There was no doubt that I was now being followed.
Chapter 21 - Arko
I got home late from work that night and had barely walked into the foyer when Andrey called.
“What’s up?” I said, holding the phone between my ear and neck to put down my briefcase and grab the water my butler got me.
