“What? Why?” I ask since he only acted smug around me.
“I said your name when I…you know, finished.”
Fuck. I bet Gavriil was livid with her.
“That does make me feel a little bit better,” I admit, knowing she ruined it for him.
“He’s such an asshole. I hope he forgets I’m down here.”
Doubtful.
A yawn breaks from her as she buries her face in the crook of her arm. “Sorry. I was having trouble sleeping before he sent me back down here.”
“Me too,” I tell her as I push a few strands of hair out of her face. “Maybe he won’t be an ass and will let us sleep for a few hours.”
Alina chews on her bottom lip. “Maybe.”
I can tell that her mind is still racing, but I don’t want her to overthink things and make herself feel even worse than she already does. I want to move forward with this plan, and I’d really like to sleep with her in my arms for once.
I cup her face and tell her, “Sleep. You’re safe with me. I’m going to hold you for as long as he lets me.”
Light returns to her eyes as she smiles. “That sounds really nice.”
We have to cherish the small things. They never last as long as we want.
I don’t want to let her go, especially after finding out what Gavriil has been doing to her.
He’s adamant on making her his, on proving to me that she’s not loyal. But if we can turn things around on him soon, I’ll take everything from him.
Alina will be mine.
I’ll replace him asPakhan.
And Gavriil won’t be able to hurt either of us again.
27
Gavriil
Pressure poundsbehind my eyes as I sit at my desk, staring at the glow of my computer monitor.
I fell asleep in my office chair this morning, the image of Alina and Dominik tangled together burned into my skull.
I expected an argument. Tears. Regret. I expected Alina to beg to be sent back to me.
But that didn’t fucking happen.
My jaw tightens as I watch Alina and Dominik eat breakfast together, their shoulders pressed close like they can’t bear to be apart by a centimeter.
Beside him, I’m still a shadow she barely notices.
I should rip them apart, but I thought that they would do that themselves. I thought Dominik would be furious about her keeping secrets from him, but he forgave her immediately. He was only pissed atme.
Why won’t they break?
I don’t understand how they still choose each other after everything.
A knock sounds on my cracked office door before it opens, Matvei appearing in the doorway. “Maximo and Enzo Luciani are due to arrive in a few minutes. Are you ready to see them?”
