Page 79 of Sexting the Single Pakhan

“Ms. Harper?” she says smoothly. “Mr. Volkov is expecting you. The private elevator is to your right, floor forty-eight.”

I blink. “Oh. Okay. Thank you.”

Expecting me. Of course he is. He probably saw me step out of the cab from one of those tinted windows up there.

The elevator ride is silent except for the soft chime of passing floors. When the doors slide open on forty-eight, the hallway is empty, modern, lined with dark wood paneling. I walk straight to the double doors marked Volkov Enterprises – CEO, and raise my fist to knock—

The doors swing open before my knuckles connect. Three men in tailored suits file out first, followed by a woman in a blazer carrying a tablet. They nod politely as they pass.

I step inside. Leonid is leaning against the edge of his massive desk, arms crossed, dressed head-to-toe in black, shirt, suit, tie, fabric clinging to every hard line of him like it was tailor-made for him. He’s smiling. That small, knowing curve of his mouth that usually melts me.

Today it almost works. I stop three steps in, remind myself why I’m here, and plant my feet.

“Hey,” he says, voice low, warm.

“Don’t ‘hey’ me.”

His smile fades, but not completely. He uncrosses his arms, straightens a little. “Okay. What did I do wrong?”

I pull my phone from my bag, screen already open to the email. “I got this from the school. They’re asking me to come back.”

He nods once, like he expected exactly this.

“Then I called Principal Ellis.” My voice stays level. “She told me you were there this morning. That you ‘cleared the air.’ That you made it clear you pursued me. And that I ‘didn’t have much choice in the matter.’”

His jaw tightens, just a fraction, but he doesn’t interrupt.

“So that’s what you told them?” I step closer. “That I had no say? That you forced this relationship on me? Because that’s what it sounds like, Leonid. Like I was some helpless woman you dragged into your world.”

“Of course not—”

I raise my hand. He shuts up instantly.

“I appreciate you speaking up for me, but I’d have appreciated it more if you talked to me about it first.”

By the time I finish, my chest is heaving a little. Leonid hasn’t moved. He’s just watching me, that powerful frame still leaning casually against the desk like he has all the time in the world.

“Are you done?” he asks, voice low, calm.

I exhale sharply. “Yeah.”

“Can I speak now?”

“Yeah.”

He pushes off the desk, straightens to his full height, and takes one measured step toward me.

“I heard you. When you asked me not to interfere. I heard every word.”

“Then why—”

“Because seeing you broken yesterday—” He cuts himself off, jaw working. “You were crying so hard you couldn’t breathe. You wouldn’t eat. You wouldn’t look at me. And I couldn’t just sit there and let that stand.”

“That’s not the point—”

“I know, but when I got home yesterday after picking Alexei up, he told me he doesn’t want to go back to school. Because you’re gone. And Aria is his new teacher.” His jaw flexes. “He said she’s mean. That she looks at him funny. My son doesn’t want to step foot in that building because the woman who hurt you is now in charge of him every day. I couldn’t let that stand.”

He takes another step closer. I don’t back away.