Page 46 of Savage Pakhan

“It’s the contract,” Nikolai tries to explain but the reasoning is weak.

I slam my mug down on the coffee table, breaking off the handle. “I do not give a fuck about the damn contract.”

“Do you have it with you?”

“No, it’s back in my office.”

Nikolai hums, leaning back on the swing as he thinks.

“What?” I ask, peeping a glance at Mia.

“I’m just wondering if the person she has to marry in the family is Ivan. If it says she must marry a Bykov, then that opens up other…” He smirks around the rim of the mug. “…options.”

Mia gasps and I’m left going over a contract in my head her father and I made all those years ago. I can’t remember every clause, but Nikolai has a point.

There might be a way out of Mia marrying Ivan.

11

MIA

Hope is a dumb emotion that promises change even though there is no guarantee anything will change.

My mind is racing with a million possibilities. Does this mean I can be free? Does it mean I can marry Alek? My heart pound with the same chance that I can be free of Ivan.

“As in, she can marry me, correct? That’s where you’re getting at?” Alek dares to ask the question I was too afraid to ask aloud.

“Depends.” Nikolai pale blue eyes land on me. His icy stare has a slither of fear wrap around my spine. I know he wouldn’t hurt me, but his eyes reveal more than he lets on.

He’s a stone-cold murderer.

“Depends on?” I ask with frustration. I can’t stand it when people don’t finish their thoughts.

“If you want to marry Alek or not. Or if he wants to marry you. I’m sure we can dig into the family history and see if there are any other eligible Bykovs. They will probably be in Russia. That is something the two of you will need to discuss when we have the answers. I wouldn’t get ahead of yourself since we don’t have the contract in front of us. I’ll need to go back and go into your office,” Nikolai explains, directing his statements to Alek. “Where is the contract? I need to know the exact location.” Alek’s righthand man questions, setting his empty mug down on the coffee table.

A light patter of rain starts to fall. The trees sway in the slight breeze and thunder booms above us.

It feels like a warning, an omen, and I know that’s just my overthinking getting the best of me. No one understands my fear when it comes to Ivan. Where Alek will burn the world to save me, Ivan will destroy me in order to save his world.

He won’t stop until he has retribution, until he captures me or worse, kills me.

“There’s a copy on my laptop. It’s password protected but you know it. There’s a hardcopy in my vault. Again, only you know how to enter it. You need to be careful, Nikolai. Ivan will want the contract too, and I wouldn’t be surprised if he tried to change it to his liking or forge his name.”

“I’ll be in and out. I’ll be back tomorrow, but you need to decide when you’ll return to banish him and strip him of his last name like you said. Maybe it’s best if you come back with me.

“I’m not leaving Mia here alone.”

“I’ll be fine, Alek. It will only be for a day or two, right? No one knows I’m here. I’ll be quiet. I won’t leave the house. I’ll be okay.”

He shakes his head. “No. Absolutely not. I will deal with my son after we have that contract in hand.”

Nikolai nods and jumps to his feet. “Great. Since that’s settled, I’ll get back to the house.”

“You just got here,” Alek points out.

“If I’m gone for too long, it will raise questions. It is best if I leave now.” Nikolai turns to me and gives me a small bow. He takes my hand, kissing the top of it like Alek does.

I don’t get the same butterflies floating around in my stomach when Nikolai touches me.