Not hard. Just enough. Enough to stop him.
“No,” I say quickly. “Don’t leave.”
His gaze snaps back to me.
I swallow again, my voice smaller now. Honest.
“Stay with me.”
He exhales slowly. Like he’s forcing something down.
Then, without a word, he bends down and removes his shoes.
He climbs onto the bed carefully. And then he lies beside me.
Pulls me into him immediately.
No distance. No hesitation.
Just arms around me again—steady, firm, present. Like the world outside doesn’t exist in this space.
“I’m not going anywhere,” he says quietly.
I believe him completely.
“I’ve had Lukyan call Sofia,” he says. “She’ll be here soon.”
A smile curves my lips. “Thank you.”
“Anything for you.” He kisses my hair and holds me closer.
Chapter 20 – Timofey
I start the investigation as soon as Sofia arrives.
I drop a kiss on Valeria’s forehead and leave her with Sofia, heading straight to my office with Misha. Mike is already there. So is Lukyan.
No one speaks at first.
We don’t waste time with questions we already know the answers won’t satisfy. We go straight to the only thing that matters right now—facts.
We start with the estate security footage.
Every angle. Every corridor. Every kitchen entry. Every timestamp from the hours leading up to Valeria being poisoned.
The room stays quiet as the screens flicker.
One feed after another.
Then something shifts.
I pause the playback.
Rewind.
Play again.
There.
