“I saw the way he was holding you,” Yegor’s words cut through my misery like a blade.
When I looked at him, he was smirking but his eyes burned with something darker. “My father’s dead because of you, and you think you can just sit there and act like you’re untouchable?” He laughed coldly, then pressed his tongue to his bloody lip.
I sank onto the seat, feeling drained. “If he killed your father, it has nothing to do with me. I hate him.”
Yegor flashed a wicked grin. “You still have to pay for hitting me.”
“I already apologized,” I said, exhausted. “What more do you want?”
Before he could answer, another voice cut in.
“What’s going on?”
I turned to see Arseny, Yegor’s brother, stepping forward. His gaze flicked to Yegor’s broken nose, and amusement danced in his eyes.
“She hit me,” Yegor grumbled.
Arseny let out a sharp laugh. “You’re joking, right? A woman hit you… and she’s still breathing?”
His gaze shifted downward, spotting the gun Yegor had discarded. His smirk widened. “And why the hell did you throw your gun away?”
“She wanted a fistfight,” Yegor muttered.
Arseny tilted his head, looking at me. “And yet, she’s sitting there. Doesn’t look much like someone ready to fight.”
Yegor grunted and walked over to retrieve his gun. Then, without warning, he bent down close to me. His breath was rancid, his voice a sickening whisper.
“If I tell Grandma what you did, the consequences will be severe.” He let the words sink in before continuing, “Or… I could just beat you senseless right now. That’d be fair, considering you hit me first.” His lips curled. “Unless you’d rather get on your knees and make it up to me another way.”
Disgust churned in my stomach. Without thinking, I spat in his face. Then I leapt to my feet, backing away fast.
Yegor’s eyes burned with fury as he lifted his gun. My heart slammed against my ribs, but before he could pull the trigger, Arseny grabbed his wrist.
Arseny leaned in, his voice low. “Not here. Not now. You’re being sloppy.”
Yegor’s nostrils flared, but after a moment, he exhaled sharply and shoved his gun into his holster. He turned to me and wiped my spit from his face with slow, deliberate fingers. “This isn’t over.”
Then, without another word, they turned and walked away.
I stayed frozen, watching them disappear into the distance. I expected a gunshot, a sudden end, but nothing came.
Only when they were truly gone did I collapse back into my seat, my limbs shaking.
Whatever they were planning, it wouldn’t be good.
I stayed hidden in the alcove for another two hours, stewing in my thoughts.
Eventually, hunger gnawed at me. I wandered toward the kitchen, stomach twisting with each step. But the moment I crossed the threshold, a woman in a starched apron shot me a sharp glare.
“Only family eats from this kitchen,” she said coldly, stepping in front of the doorway like a guard.
Unlike Gleb’s house where I could walk into the kitchen freely or ask Zoya to prepare something, I had no such privilege here.
I didn’t have the strength to argue so I turned and walked away, pulling out my phone as I went. I searched for nearby restaurants.
Nothing.
The closest one was 60 kilometers away. A one-hour drive…just to eat.
Ridiculous.
“I’ll be traveling tonight.”
I snapped my head up, startled. Gleb stood there, watching me.
I frowned. “Why are you telling me that?”
“Do you want to come with me?” he asked. “You won’t be safe here.”
Leaving with him would be safer. Yegor and Arseny were already circling me like sharks, waiting for the right moment to strike.
But leaving with Gleb meant choosing him. Trusting him, even for a moment.
My pride flared. “No.”
Without another word, Gleb set a food flask down beside me. “Italian. I figured you’d like it.”
Curious, I opened it.
Gnocchi.
The moment I saw it, my hunger took over. I didn’t even try to play it cool.
I devoured it shamelessly.
When I looked up, Gleb was staring at me.
I ignored him, focusing on my food.
He didn’t say anything as he disappeared for a moment. When he returned, he placed a bottle of water beside me.
I grabbed it, drinking deeply. Only when I was satisfied did I mutter, “Thank you.”
He nodded.
I lifted a hand to my hair, wincing as a dull ache pulsed across my scalp.
I hadn’t thought much of how Yegor had yanked it at the time, adrenaline had masked the pain, but now, the sting had settled in, stubborn and lingering.
Gleb’s eyes darkened. “Who did this to you?”
“What?”
“You are in pain.” His voice was deceptively calm, but his gaze was locked onto my face. “Don’t lie to me, Anna. I know when something’s wrong.”
I turned away. “It’s nothing.”
“Tell me now.” His voice dropped to a cold menacing edge. “Did someone touch you?”
“I just said it’s nothing. Drop it.”
“Was it one of my siblings? A woman? A man?”
I clenched my fists. “It’s better if you don’t know.”
Gleb exhaled sharply, his jaw tightening. His patience was running thin.
I needed to change the subject fast. “Where are you traveling to?”
“New York. Business.”
“And taking me with you wouldn’t be a problem?”
“It might.” He shrugged. “But I’d handle it.”
Silence stretched between us before he spoke again.
“Who did this to you, Anna?”
I sighed, exhausted. There was no point in lying. “Yegor.” I hesitated before adding, “And don’t do anything stupid. It’s already stupid enough that you keep killing every man who touches the wife you supposedly hate.”
His expression darkened further.
I pushed harder. “It’s my body, not yours.”
His voice came low and lethal. “Your body is mine.”
My breath hitched. Then, slowly, I lifted my chin. “Prove it.”
A muscle ticked in his jaw.
He didn’t answer.
For a long second, he didn’t move. Then, finally, he looked away. “Was it just Yegor? Was someone else involved?”
I hesitated. Telling him Arseny was there could be dangerous. But he was staring at me, waiting.
“Arseny was there,” I admitted. “But he didn’t touch me.”
Gleb nodded once, his expression unreadable.
“Are you still hungry?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
I shrugged. “I want pizza. But I’ll drive out and get it myself.”
He glanced at his watch. “I’ll get it for you.”
I laughed bitterly. “You’re impossible, you know that?” I waved a hand. “One minute, you act like you care. The next, you’re a devil. It’s annoying.”
Gleb said nothing.
I stared at him, stomach twisting. How can you care and still throw me to the wolves? How can you cross continents to bring me my favorite cheese but not care if I’m dead in a month?
My lips curled bitterly. “You risk your life to avenge me, but won’t fight for me.”
I turned away.
I sighed, throwing up my hands. “Fine. Go get me pizza, husband. Thank you.”
I stood. “I’ll go inside and pack for the trip.”
As I turned away, his voice followed. “If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to ask me.”
I glanced over my shoulder. “You sound like you will grant me anything I ask for?”
A hesitation. Then… “Depends.”
I smirked and left.
***
After a bath, I sat in my vanity, applying my usual skincare routine.
Then. the door swung open.
I stilled, watching in the mirror as Gleb entered. He walked to my side and set two pizza boxes on the table.
“That was fast.” I arched a brow. “It’s a two-hour trip, and you were gone for barely forty-five minutes.”
He shrugged. “Had someone bring it in a jet.”
I blinked, turning fully to face him. “You flew in a pizza?”
Gleb glanced at his watch, barely looking at me. “Obviously.”
My jaw dropped. He was serious.
I stared, speechless.
“I should’ve been in a meeting thirty minutes ago.”
I smirked, deciding to push his buttons. “Guess I’ll have to wait until you’re back to eat it.”
His brows furrowed. “Why?”
I leaned back in my seat, stretching. “Because I’d rather have you feed me.”
He stiffened.
I gave him a smug look. “You won’t see me again after thirty days, remember?”
His gaze flicked to the pizza, then back to me.
I was toying with him. Testing him.
He checked his watch. His lips pressed together.
Then, in a single, decisive motion, he pulled out his phone. “Tell the Bratva from Yakutsk I won’t be making it tonight.”
I blinked, startled. I hadn’t expected him to actually do it.
My fingers curled around the warm pizza box. Maybe I had more control over him than I thought.
His phone rang again and the person on the other end of the call spoke, their voice low and urgent.
Gleb’s response was clipped. “I know millions of dollars are at stake, but I’m handling something far more important right now.”
He paused, listening, then his jaw clenched. “No. I’m not canceling. Send Oleg in my place.”
I shifted on the bed, guilt tugging at me. He was canceling a major meeting because of me. Millions of dollars were at stake, yet… he stayed.
I should hate him. I needed to. But when he spoke to them on the phone, ignoring millions of dollars just to stay with me, I felt something else. Something I didn’t want to name.
“Come here,” he said.
Before I could react, he lifted me effortlessly into his arms. I let my body go limp, making myself heavier, but he carried me like I was weightless. He placed me gently on the bed, then grabbed one of the pizza boxes.
He was silent for a moment, his eyes trailing over me. Then, so quietly I almost missed it. “You smell nice.”
My breath caught. That was… unexpected.
I blinked, startled.
A compliment. From him.
My face heated involuntarily. I had just bathed, but hearing my husband say those words made my stomach flutter. That had to be the first compliment I’d received from him since our marriage. A farewell compliment, maybe.
He sat across from me, picking up a slice of pizza and bringing it to my lips. I took a bite, savoring the warm, cheesy goodness. It was the first time I’d had pizza since coming here.
I swallowed my last bite and stared into his hazel-blue eyes.
“I’m full,” I said.
I hadn’t even finished half the pizza, but I was already stuffed from the meal he had brought earlier.
“I’m sorry you had to cancel your meeting.”
“It’s fine.” He closed the pizza box and stacked it on the other.
“So what now?” I asked. “The meeting’s canceled, so do you have any other plans?”
“Might meet with some of the men, get updates.”
“Or… you could stay here with me.”
His gaze flicked to mine.
“Talk to me,” I said suddenly.
He frowned. “About what?”
“Anything. Boring, interesting. I don’t care. I just want to know who you were before all this.”
After a long pause, he walked back to the bed and sat beside me, his expression unreadable.
“I really don’t have anything interesting to say.”
“Then tell me the boring things.” I smirked. “I trailed my fingers over the buttons of his tuxedo.
“Can I?”
He raised a brow. “Can you what?”
“Take this off. You’re always so put together. I want to see what’s underneath.”
His brow lifted slightly.
“I know we’re traveling tonight, but I still want to spend time with you,” I continued. My voice was steady, but inside, I felt a war raging. I told myself it was because we had thirty days left. That I just wanted to know him better before we parted ways.
But deep down, another voice whispered something else. Something I wasn’t ready to admit. That was the only reason I was doing this.
Right?
He hummed, considering.
I moved closer, taking off his tie first, then sliding his tuxedo jacket off his shoulders. His scent, masculine, rich, intoxicating surrounded me.
“Should I tell you about the first time I killed someone?”
“Hell no!” I swatted his arm as I unbuttoned his shirt. “I know you’re used to violence, but I’m not. Tell me something that doesn’t involve bloodshed.”
He exhaled, almost amused.
“When I was eight, my mother baked a cake for me and my friends.” His voice had a different quality now. Softer.
I slowed my movements, paying attention as I slid his shirt off, revealing his sculpted chest.
“She barely ever made it, so I thought… why should I share? I could eat it for days instead.”
I raised a brow. “Selfish and greedy, huh?”
His lips twitched, and this time, he didn’t fight it. A ghost of a smile. Small. But real.
“Both.”
“So what happened?”
“I served my friends drinks instead and told them the cake was for visitors.”
I gasped in mock horror. “So you’re not just a criminal, you were a liar, too?”
I pinched his nose lightly, and for once, he didn’t react with cold indifference. He just… looked at me.
“That’s not the end,” he continued.
I waited, intrigued.
“I walked my friends out, then came back late at night. When I finally went to get the cake…” He paused.
I leaned in. “What happened? Was it spoiled?”
He shook his head. “No. But there was a rat feasting on it.”
I burst out laughing.
Not a polite chuckle. Not a restrained laugh.
A real, full-bodied, gasping-for-breath laugh. The first one I’d had in months.
“So let me get this straight,” I said between giggles. “Your mom baked a cake for you and your friends, but because you were greedy, you lied and kept it all for yourself only to come back and find a rat had already claimed it?”
“Ironically, I grabbed the cake anyway, thinking I could cut off the rat-eaten part. But the moment I took a bite… I gagged. The rat hadn’t just eaten it, it had pissed on it.”
I howled with laughter. “Serves you right, you greedy little brat!”
His eyes glimmered with something unreadable. Maybe amusement. Maybe something else.
I fell back on the bed, still laughing.
Then, out of nowhere, he reached out and cupped my
His thumb brushed my cheek absentmindedly. “You should laugh more.”
My chest tightened. Coming from him, that almost felt like a confession.
I froze.
“Really?”
He nodded.
And for the first time since we met…
I saw something new in his gaze.
Something I couldn’t name.
Something that terrified me.
Because I knew, if I let myself keep looking, if I let myself believe it…
I’d fall.
And I’d never recover.
