Page 101 of Secret Heir

“She won’t talk,” Maksim says firmly. “She knows the stakes.”

Nikolai looks at me one last time, his expression filled with disdain. “I hope for your sake you do, Miss Delano. Because if you’re lying—if you’re using my brother’s feelings to play games—you’ll discover that the Bratva doesn’t take kindly to manipulation.”

Then he’s gone, the door closing behind him with a soft click that feels like a judge’s gavel.

I’m shaking so badly I can barely stay in the chair. Tears are dripping down my face, and I can't seem to stop them.

“He thinks I’m lying.” My voice is broken. “He thinks I’m manipulating you.”

Maksim is beside me in an instant, pulling me into his arms. “He’s protective of Alexander. But I bought us time. We have two weeks to out him.”

I pull back to look at him, needing to see his face. “You don’t actually think I’m lying, do you? When you said you needed to prove it⁠—”

“I was lying to Nikolai.” He gently kisses my forehead and I breathe him in. “I believe you, Aria. But if I’d defended you too hard, if I’d insisted on investigating Alexander, Nikolai would have warned him. This way, Alexander thinks everything is fine. He doesn’t know we’re coming for him.”

Relief floods through me so intensely I nearly collapse. “I thought for a moment you⁠—”

“No.” He cuts me off fiercely. “Never. I believe every word you said. But Nikolai needed to think I was being rational. I needed him to think I was investigating you, not Alexander.” His thumbs brush away my tears. “I’m sorry I had to say those things. I’m sorry you had to hear them.”

I nod, understanding even though it hurt. “What if we can’t prove it? What if all we have is my word?”

“Then we’ll have to make him prove it himself.”

“How?”

“I don’t know yet. But we’ll figure it out.” He presses his forehead to mine. “Together.”

I nod, even though I don’t see how this ends well. I’m scared shitless that Alexander will find out, and Nikolai will decide I need to be eliminated.

But Maksim believes me. And right now, that has to be enough.

Hours later, after we’ve gone over everything again, I’m sitting in the armchair by the fire, staring at nothing.

The fire is burning low in the fireplace. The clock shows 5:15 a.m. We haven’t slept at all.

Maksim is at his desk, reviewing files, but my eyes keep drifting closed. The exhaustion is bone-deep, pulling me under. The emotional roller coaster of the night—the confrontation with Nikolai, the fear, the relief that Maksim believes me—has left me completely wrung out.

My eyes close. Just for a moment…

“Aria.”

I jolt awake to find Maksim crouched beside the chair, his hand gentle on my shoulder.

“Come on, moya. You need sleep.”

“I’m fine,” I mumble, even though I can barely keep my eyes open.

“You’re falling asleep in a chair.” There’s amusement in his voice, but also concern. “Let me take you to bed.”

Before I can protest, he’s scooping me up into his arms, cradling me against his chest. I should argue. I can walk, but I’m too tired. Instead, I let my head rest against his shoulder, breathing in his cedar and leather scent.

He carries me through the quiet house and into his bedroom. Maksim sets me on the edge of the bed, and I realize I’m still in the clothes I wore to try and escape. They feel tainted now, contaminated by what happened.

“I need to shower,” I say, my voice thick with exhaustion. “I feel…I need to wash off the last few days.”

“Okay.” He helps me stand, his hands steadying me when I sway. “Come on.”

He leads me into the bathroom, and I expect him to leave. But he stays, moving to the large glass-enclosed shower and turning on the water. Steam begins to fill the room.