Page 106 of Marked By the Mob

“I’m fine.” The lie comes automatically. “Just didn’t sleep well.”

Krystal studies my face for a moment, and I can see her debating whether to push. Finally, she just nods and gestures to the chair across from her. “The guys are out. Some kind of business meeting.”

Relief floods through me. I’m not ready to face them yet, not with this secret burning in my chest. I pour myself coffee and force down a piece of toast, even though my stomach protests.

Krystal watches me carefully, her delicate fingers wrapped around her cup. “Emma, are you sure you’re okay? You’ve been acting strange lately.”

I want to tell her. God, I want to tell my best friend that I’m pregnant and terrified and have no idea what to do. But things are different between us now. Krystal has changed since her year with Volkov, and I don’t fully trust her anymore. The warning she gave me about the men using me still echoes in my mind, creating distance I can’t quite bridge.

“I’m just stressed about the Langford situation,” I say instead. “Planning how to trap him without getting killed in the process.”

It’s not entirely a lie. The confrontation with Langford is coming soon and I’m terrified of how it might go. But it’s not the whole truth either.

Krystal’s expression softens. “Be careful, Emma. Men like Langford don’t go down easily.”

“I know.” I take a sip of coffee, using the moment to avoid her eyes. “But I have to do this. I have to make him pay for what he did.”

We eat in silence after that, the weight of unspoken things pressing down between us. I finish my toast and excuse myself, needing to be alone with my thoughts.

Later that afternoon, I find Rurik in the office, reviewing documents spread across the massive desk. He looks up when I enter, his pale blue eyes assessing me immediately.

“We need to talk about the plan,” I say, closing the door behind me.

He nods and gestures to the chair across from him. “I’ve been coordinating with Eduard and Artur. We have the location secured and surveillance equipment ready.”

I sit down, my hands folded in my lap to hide their trembling. “I want to confront Langford in person.”

Rurik’s jaw tightens. “That’s not safe.”

“I don’t care.” My voice comes out sharper than I intend. “He needs to see my face when I make him confess. He needs to know I survived what he did to me.”

“Emma—”

“The only way to stop me is to tie me down or kill me,” I interrupt, meeting his pale eyes without flinching. “And since he already knows I’m alive, there’s no point in wasting time.”

Rurik leans back in his chair, his broad shoulders blocking the light from the window. For a long moment, he just stares at me, and I can see him weighing options and considering strategies.

“You’re stubborn as hell,” he says finally.

“You knew that when you bought me.”

His lips curve into something that might be a smile if it reached his eyes. “Yes, I did.”

He stands and moves around the desk toward me, his presence filling the space between us. My pulse quickens as he stops just inches away, close enough that I can feel the heat radiating from his body.

“If we do this your way,” he says quietly, “you follow my rules. You wear a wire. You have backup positioned within seconds ofthe meeting location. And if anything goes wrong, you get out immediately.”

“Agreed.” My voice is more breathy than I mean, but I can’t help it when he is standing so close to me.

Rurik’s hand finds my chin, tilting my face up so I have to meet his gaze. “I’m not losing you, Emma. Not to Langford. Not to anyone.”

The possessiveness in his voice sends heat flooding through me despite everything. “You won’t.”

His mouth crashes against mine, claiming me with a kiss that’s all hunger and desperation. I kiss him back with equal intensity, my hands fisting in his shirt as I pull him closer. The pregnancy test results flash through my mind, but I push the thoughts away. I’ll tell him later. After we deal with Langford.

Right now, I just need to feel something other than fear.

Rurik’s hands slide down my body, gripping my ass and lifting me onto the desk. Papers scatter to the floor, but neither of us cares. His mouth moves to my neck, his teeth grazing the sensitive skin there, and I suck in a sharp breath that turns into a moan when his hand slides between my thighs, his fingers finding me through my jeans. My hips start rocking automatically, my core pulsing with desire.