Page 106 of The Pakhans’ Curvy Prize

"Working," Alex says flatly. His gaze moves past her to me, and his expression softens slightly. "Morning."

"All night?" Arina asks, stepping closer to him. She reaches out and smooths her hand over his arm. "You look exhausted. You should take better care of yourself."

I feel a sharp stab of irritation watching her touch him. It's irrational and stupid, but I can't help it. Alex handles it smoothly, stepping back just enough to break contact without being obvious about it.

"I'm fine," he says.

Russ appears in the doorway behind Alex, his blond hair still damp from a shower. He's wearing gray sweatpants and a white t-shirt, looking far more relaxed than Alex. His gaze immediately finds mine, and I see the corner of his mouth twitch when he notices my expression.

He finds my jealousy entertaining. Of course he does.

"Arina," Russ says, his tone neutral. "Didn't expect to see you here."

"Clearly." Her smile is sharp. "Nobody seems to expect me anywhere lately."

The tension in the room is thick enough to cut. Sharon moves closer to me, her shoulder brushing mine in silent support. Ekaterina watches Arina with the wariness of someone watching a snake slither in the grass.

My phone rings suddenly, the sound cutting through the silence like a knife. Everyone turns to look at me. I pull it from my pocket and glance at the screen. Unknown number.

Almost nobody has this number besides Sharon. My stomach twists with unease.

"Answer it," Alex says quietly.

I swipe to accept the call and lift the phone to my ear. "Hello?"

"Marla." The voice on the other end is disturbingly casual and amused. "It's been a while."

My blood turns to ice. I know that voice. I'd know it anywhere.

"Zach."

The entire room goes deadly silent. Russ's expression shifts from amused to murderous in seconds. Alex moves closer, his body tense and ready. Even Arina loses some of her calculated amusement.

"I've been looking for you for a long time," Zach continues, his tone conversational. "You're very good at hiding. But disappearing into the woods with dangerous company only made me more curious."

"Leave me alone," I say, my voice shaking.

"I don't think I will." He sounds entertained. "You see, powerful men can't protect you forever. Eventually, they'll get distracted. And when they do, I'll be waiting."

The line goes dead. I lower the phone slowly, my hand trembling. Nick appears in the doorway, his expression dark and controlled. He must have heard from outside.

"Give me the phone," he says.

I hand it over without argument. He immediately starts working on it, his fingers moving quickly across the screen. Russ looks close to putting his fist through the wall. Alex's jaw is tight, his hands clenched at his sides.

Even Arina is quiet now, watching everything with sharp, calculating eyes.

"I'll trace the number," Nick says. "But he's probably using a burner."

"Doesn't matter," Russ growls. "We know who it is. We know what he wants."

"And we know he's escalating," Alex adds quietly.

The rest of the day passes in a blur of tense conversations and security updates. Arina eventually leaves, but not before making it clear she expects answers soon. The men spend hours on their phones, coordinating with their organizations.

By the time night falls, I'm exhausted. Sharon and I retreat to the kitchen long after everyone else has gone to bed. The house is quiet around us, the only sound the hum of the refrigerator and the occasional creak of the building settling.

"You okay?" Sharon asks quietly.