Page 35 of Claimed By the Pakhan

“That is unfortunately not true.”

“Cut her some slack, man,” mutters Luka so only I can hear. “Your wife has been through hell and back.”

“Yes, and she might not return from hell next time if she keeps running away from me.” I flash Fia a glare, guiding her inside while bidding Luka goodbye.

Fia shoves me off, walking down the corridor, straight upstairs. “Where do you think you’re going?”

“To sleep. I’m exhausted.”

“Of course you are, carrying twins while trying to snoop around my dockyard.”

“Yours?” Fia spins around, searching my eyes. “YouownHarbor Island.”

I inwardly kick myself for revealing too much. “Yes, sweetheart.”

“Suddenly everything makes so much sense as to why you have all the money in the world.”

Indeed, Idohave all the money in the world, and somehow, I’m still the unhappiest I’ve ever been.

Money is meant to solve all your problems, which is why I continued the legacy after my father passed, hoping everything else would naturally fall into place. You can buy silence, get away with murder and wrangle your way out of court cases by affording the most expensive lawyers in town, but you can’t make the woman you love, love you back. I only got one shot at that, and Fia blew it by carelessly crossing the road, ending up in a coma.

“You missed your ultrasound and almost got yourself killed.”

“Yeah, well, I was lucky to survive another hit after being knocked unconscious again.”

I stop in my tracks. “What did you say?”

“I saw a dark figure running my way. I was dead to the world before I could see a face.”

“You have no idea who it was?”

“No, but Luka was there when I woke up, watching me.”

I swipe a finger over my lip. “He never mentioned that part.”

“Can you blame him?” scoffs Fia from the staircase, leaning into the banister. “He’s walking on eggshells around you at the moment. Take a look at your reflection in the mirror and you might see steam coming out of your ears.” Fia frowns. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“I just need you to stay under my roof, away from trouble.”

“I could be staring trouble in the eye,” she says, tipping her chin, challenging me. “I don’t trust you.”

“Perhaps not,” I say, walking toward the staircase. “But your body does. Isn’t that right, sweetheart?” I flash her a grin. “It’s easy to point the blame at me, but you lack trust in your own biology. Every time we’re close, you lose trust in yourself, which is why you’re risking everything to stay away. You’re afraid of what will happen if we spend too much time together.”

“You’re wrong,” she grits.

“I know you more than you know yourself, spitfire. It’s always been that way. Even before the amnesia, I could predict yoursteps long before you took them. You try so hard to be a closed book, but that just makes it easier for me to read the pages.”

Fia keeps staring at me, leaning into the banister to keep herself stable.

“You’ll regret defying me, sweetheart. The next time you beg for a fuck, I’ll walk away and see how you like it.”

“I don’t beg,” snaps Fia, anger quaking her jaw.

“Oh, but you do, sweetheart.” I flash her a smile. “It might take a while for your mouth to warm up, but your pussy is already begging.” I swipe a finger through her inner thighs, finding her through her jeans. “I know you’re nice and wet for me down there.” I keep looking at her. “Before you run along and make yourself come in the bedroom, let me warn you—if I catch you rubbing your pussy again, I’ll force you to use your mouth and beg for me.”

Fia’s cheeks turn red, her lips parting to release a small gasp. For once, she’s speechless.

But then she sighs, turning her back to me and hastily climbing the stairs. She can be pissed until the sky falls down, but it still won’t change how she feels about me.