AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Larissa sits up and composes her voice. “You need to understand, Eden. Nikolai has been through so much …”
I shake my head, unwilling to listen to excuses. “I don’t deserve any of this,” I whisper. “I’ve had losses too. And I won’t have another one. It won’t be my fault.”
Larissa tries again. “Eden,” she says softly. “I know you’ve suffered and lost your mother. But please, please understand …”
I shake my head and cut her off. “I can’t forgive Nikolai if he does this. I will find a way to protect everyone I care about from him. Everyone that I love. No matter what I have to do.”
“Who exactly is ‘everyone’ you want to protect?” Larissa asks gently.
“My father and my child,” I whisper.
Larissa looks at me as if I’m not done speaking. “And that’s it?”
I avoid looking into her forlorn gaze. “Yes.”
“And Nikolai? Does he mean anything to you?” she asks.
I scoff loudly. “Nikolai put me in this situation. You can’t expect me to care about him.”
“He will change his mind once he knows about the baby.” She watches the hallway as she speaks. “He’ll want to be a husband to you and a father to his baby.”
“He never cared about me,” I reply coldly. “The Bratva is why my family is a mess, and he is why I need protection in the first place. He kidnapped me. Remember?”
Larissa reaches for my hand and holds it tight. “Please, Eden. Don’t judge him so harshly. He’s not a monster.”
I lose my temper in a flash, yank my hand away, and find my voice. “Yes, he is!”
“Eden, I—” Larissa starts, but our conversation is interrupted when voices enter the house.
There’s a commotion in the hallway—loud voices and heavy footsteps. Rurik enters the room, and then two other brigadiers. The quiet, thin one is missing. I wonder what happened to Ippolit, but I’m glad he’s not here. He’s creepier than the rest. Rurik approaches Larissa and whispers something in her ear.
Her eyes widen as her hands reach out to grab mine. “No, they can’t,” she says.
“They can and they will,” Rurik says sullenly. “Lara, you have no say in this.”
My heart bangs in my chest as Rurik guides Lara away from me. “What’s going on?” I ask.
Larissa stares at me, but Rurik answers. “You have to go with them.”
“Go where?” I ask, confused.
“To Gunsyn’s place,” Rurik replies, pulling Larissa into his arms. “For safekeeping.”
My heart beats so fast it hurts as I stare at the frightened expression on Larissa’s face.
She shakes her head. “No, Rurik. Please stop them. Please!”
He maneuvers his body so she stands behind him, blocking her from me. “I’m sorry, Lara,” he replies, “but we have no choice.”
I don’t know where to look. My gaze scans the room for a safe place to go. Gunsyn stands firm while Alexander moves to block my path in case I run. Their hands are itching to grab me. Their calculating eyes lock on me. They watch for any hint of resistance so they can pounce. The two men remind me of monoliths of stone—cold, unmoving, and uncaring. They’re killers like Nikolai.
I’m not scared of Nikolai. But I’m scared of the fact that I might need him.
“Eden Zakharovna,” Alexander addresses me with a slight bow. “You are coming with us.”
“Why?” I ask. “Why do you want me?”
“These are Nikolai Gennadyevich’s orders,” Alexander replies tersely. “He says it’s for your own safety.”
