Chapter Fourteen
Silas
After dropping Anthea and Olei back at school, I sat in the backseat watching their figures disappear through the gates. My chest felt full—too full. Anthea held Olei's hand, warm sunlight catching in her blonde hair. Olei looked up at her, saying something, and she bent her head, offering him that gentle smile.
That scene... damn, it made me happy.
My fingers still remembered the feel of her ankle—the delicate skin on the inside, soft as silk. Through that thin layer, I'd felt her pulse racing.
Even though the beast that'd been sleeping inside me for six years was roaring for more, I'd held back. I'd let go of her ankle. She'd quickly pulled her leg away, face flushed, and finished dinner.
Then Anthea and Olei vanished. The car door shut. My good mood evaporated.
"Drive," I told the driver, voice back to its usual ice.
The car pulled away. I dug out my phone and opened the surveillance app. I'd listened to this morning's recording at least ten times. Each playback made the fire in my chest burn hotter.
"...I want custody of Olei back..." Anthea's voice came through the speaker.
"...He runs the Thorne Group. Power like that—your odds are brutal." That waste of space lawyer with his gold-rimmed glasses—voice sounded rough. Probably still feeling last night's beating.
"I know. But I have to try..." Anthea again, fragile but determined.
"I'll figure something out. Don't worry..." His voice carried that self-righteous do-gooder tone, but I knew what he was really doing—trying to impress Anthea.
My knuckles cracked. Hearing Anthea ask another man for help, talking about taking Olei's custody, maybe even planning to take Olei and leave my world forever—the loss of control burned through my gut like lava.
Though at lunch today, I'd already made my position clear to Anthea first. She could see Olei anytime. Take him anywhere—as long as I was there. I needed Anthea to know I'd bend for her. I'd learned to bend. I saw it surprised her, even shook her for a moment. But it wasn't enough. She had to understand—the only way out was back to me. Not taking Olei and running.
And Julian Voss. Did he think getting his ass kicked in that alley was the end of it? Did he think I was fucking joking? I'd warned him to stay away from Anthea. He didn't listen. Even had the balls to discuss Olei's custody with her over the phone.
Damn it. My jaw clenched. I couldn't kill him—Anthea would be furious. Might even hate me.
But that didn't mean I'd let Julian off.
I grabbed my phone and dialed.
"Pakhan." My man's voice came through.
"Teach Julian a lesson. Make sure he understands fear. But keep him breathing."
"Understood, Pakhan."
I hung up, stared at the neon lights streaming past the window. The pressure in my chest eased.
"Black Bird," I told the driver.
Black Bird was Pavel's private club—too classy for his style. No pounding EDM. Just low jazz and expensive cigar smoke.
We pulled up. I walked straight to the back room. Pavel was already there. Saw me coming, raised his glass.
"Look who it is." He smirked. "Our resident Romeo seems to be in a good mood today."
I sat across from him, grabbed a glass, and poured myself a whiskey.
"That obvious?" I glanced up.
"Obvious as hell." Pavel snorted. "You came from Olei's school, right? What'd your long-lost beauty do to make you smile like that?"
