The following day, I sat in the front yard of the house with my father. He had ordered Stefano to bring Tatiana from wherever she was being kept. My stomach was tense with anticipation, my hands gripping the armrests of my chair.
Then, as if testing the waters, my father asked, “Are you still communicating with Gleb Romanov?”
My breath hitched. Had he somehow overheard my conversation with Gleb yesterday? I kept my expression neutral.
“Why do you ask?”
“Your sister told us Gleb didn’t seem to see you as just a nominal wife, that the way he defends you, he might not divorce you. But suddenly, you two divorced the day after she mentioned that. Strange timing, don’t you think?”
My heart pounded, but I forced myself to scoff. “Maria knows nothing about what my life was like under Gleb. To him, I was nothing but property. He blamed me for his mother’s death because of something Mother did. He hated me for it, swore to make my life miserable.”
My father studied me carefully. “So why would he let you go?”
I shrugged, trying to appear indifferent. “I lied to him.”
His eyes narrowed. “What lie?” His tone was sharp, more investigative than conversational.
I swallowed “I told him I had connections in Italy that could help him track down Tatiana. He knew I was useless to him if I stayed in Moscow, so he let me go, on the condition that I deliver results.”
My father hummed, still skeptical. “Why would he trust you?”
“He didn’t. He swore to kill Maria if I failed.”
His expression faltered, just for a heartbeat. “Did he really think that would move you? Given that you and your sister aren’t on good terms?”
I clenched my fists, my voice sharpening. “What are you talking about, Papa? Maria has been my sister and my friend since we were little. Just because we had a disagreement doesn’t mean I don’t love or care about her.”
His lips pressed together. “Okay.”
I didn’t know if he believed me, but as the head of the most powerful cartel in Italy, I knew he never took words at face value.
A black sedan pulled up, its tires crunching against the gravel. The back door swung open, and my breath caught.
The woman who stepped out was strikingly tall, dark-haired, her black evening gown clinging to her slender frame. But it wasn’t her beauty that held my attention. It was the way she carried herself. Cool. Detached. As if she were assessing everything around her.
Stefano led her toward us. “Tatiana, this is my daughter, Anna.”
I offered a warm smile. “Tatiana, yes?”
She gave a small nod. “Yeah.”
I extended my hand, and after a beat, she shook it, her grip neither firm nor weak. Calculated.
“My daughter wants to speak with you,” my father said before walking away.
I turned to Stefano. “Good morning.”
“Good morning, Anna. We’ll talk later,” he said before stepping aside.
I turned back to Tatiana. “Oh my days! Gleb misses you so much.”
Her expression remained blank. No flicker of recognition, no warmth.
I cleared my throat. “Come, let’s sit.”
I led her under a shaded area, where she sank into a chair with effortless grace.
“Anna, right?”
“Yes,” I said, my smile unwavering.
Something was off. Her tone, her body language, she was too composed, too unaffected. Had she been coached? Was she wired?
I reached for my phone and quickly typed:
“I’m Gleb Romanov’s wife. He sent me to save you. I do not work for my parents.”
I tilted the screen toward her, making sure not to hold it out too obviously.
She read it, then subtly shifted in her seat. Her fingers tightened slightly around the fabric of her dress. She glanced around, once, twice, then settled on a specific spot before looking back at me.
She began tapping her foot in an irregular rhythm. A signal? A warning?
I played along. “My father said he hasn’t harmed you. Is that true?”
Her answer came smoothly. “Your father is a good man. “ A beat of silence. “He would never do such a thing. I fell in love with him a long time ago. As you saw in the video, it wasn’t forced.”
A rehearsed line.
I leaned back and nodded, acting as if I bought her response. “I always knew my father was a good man, but the Russians made me believe otherwise.”
She didn’t react.
I typed again:
“Do you know where they’re keeping you? The location?”
I tilted the screen toward her. She lowered her gaze and shook her head slightly.
I exhaled slowly. She didn’t know.
I typed:
“I have a ring with a tracker. Keep it on you at all times. We’ll find you through it.”
She sat still for a long moment. Then, in a voice loud enough to be overheard, she said, “If there’s nothing else, I’d like to return.” She hesitated, then added, “And tell my brother that I will never forgive him for abandoning me. I’m happy here. I’ve moved on. I don’t need his help.”
I slid the ring onto the ground, nudging it toward her with the tip of my shoe. She didn’t look down. Instead, she stepped forward, pressing the ring under the toe of her heel before dragging it back toward her.
She bent down, pretending to scratch her ankle, and in one swift motion, palmed the ring.
“Please don’t ask to see me again. If you’re looking for friends, I’m not the right person.”
She turned away, walking back toward the car.
I called after her. “Tatiana, I’m not looking for friends. I just wanted to see if my father is truly not the man the Russians claimed he was.”
She paused, just for a second, then said over her shoulder, “And now you have your answer.”
She climbed into the car without another glance back.
I watched as Stefano and my father walked toward the vehicle. Tatiana slid into the backseat while Stefano took the wheel. A moment later, the engine roared to life, and the car disappeared down the driveway.
I let out a slow breath. The game had begun.
“Still have doubts?” my father asked.
I didn’t have doubts. I outrightly believed he was evil. “No, Father.” I answered.
“I just wonder why she doesn’t want to make friends with me,” I said.
My father turned to me, his gaze sharp. “You want to make friends?”
“Not really. I just wish the both of us could be friends.”
He exhaled. “She’s more like my mistress, and as her man, I do not approve of her having friends.”
I nodded and sighed, turning away.
“So, what are you up to now, Anna?”
“Well, I’ll probably resume my dance classes.”
“How about marriage?”
I froze for a second, then schooled my expression. “I’m not remarrying, Father,” I said firmly. “You’re not planning to marry me off to someone else again, right?”
He scoffed. “No. I would never do that to you again. I’ve made you suffer enough in Moscow.” He reached over, squeezing my shoulder. “I’m just glad to have my little girl back. Just know that I’ll support whatever decision you make about your life and career.”
His words were almost comforting. Almost.
“Thank you, Dad.” I stepped closer and gave him a brief hug before pulling away. As I walked back toward the house, I could feel his eyes on my back, watching me too closely.
But instead of going to my room, I walked down the hallway and entered a random guest room. I pulled out my phone and tried sending the message to Gleb again. Still nothing. My heart pounded as I dialed instead.
The call connected.
“Gleb, I’ve found your sister. I gave her the ring you gave me. You should be able to track her now.”
There was a pause. Then… “Who is Stefano?”
I blinked. “Jealous?” I teased, trying to lighten the mood.
His voice darkened. “You are still my wife. If there’s a man hanging around you, I should know.”
I sighed. “Stefano works for my father. That’s all.”
“Then what is he doing in your room?”
A shiver crept down my spine. I glanced around. “He came to plant an audio recorder in my room. That’s why I couldn’t call back yesterday. I’m speaking from another room now.”
“But he didn’t touch you, did he?”
“No,” I said quickly.
“Good. Now, describe Tatiana. They could have shown you someone else.”
My stomach dropped. I hadn’t even considered that possibility. But then I remembered the foot tapping.
I sucked in a sharp breath. “Her left foot… it’s not complete. She only has four toes.”
Gleb inhaled sharply. “Oh my God. That’s her.”
“Yes, Gleb,” I whispered.
A rough sound escaped him. His voice broke. “She’s really alive…”
A sudden, stinging slap landed on my backside. My heart jumped into my throat as I whirled around.
Stefano.
My stomach twisted in revulsion. Had I been so lost in the conversation that I hadn’t even heard him enter?
“Who is that, Anna?” Gleb’s voice sharpened.
Panic shot through me. I was about to hang up when Stefano snatched my phone from my hand.
“Gleb Romanov.” He smirked as he brought the phone to his ear. “Nice to finally talk to you.”
“If you touch her…”
“Touch her?” Stefano interrupted with a laugh. “Oh, I dare you to come to Italy, Gleb. Let’s see what happens.”
Gleb’s voice dropped to a deadly whisper. “Do not underestimate what I can do.”
Stefano scoffed. “You’ll do nothing. In fact, I just smacked her ass. Maybe next time I’ll do more.”
“You did what?” Gleb’s voice was pure fury.
“You’re not deaf, Romanov.” Stefano smirked, glancing at me. “Pray her father allows it. And the next time I call you, you might just hear her moan my name.”
He ended the call and smashed my phone against the floor.
“Have you lost your damn mind?!” I hissed.
As he took a step toward me, I instinctively backed away, my pulse hammering.
“If my father hears about this…”
Stefano let out a dark chuckle. “Who do you think I work for? Go ahead, tell him what I just did.” He took another step. “And I’ll tell him you’ve been speaking to Gleb Romanov. That Gleb cares about you. That you care about him. What do you think your father will do?”
I swallowed hard.
“It’s obvious, even to the blind, that you’re here for his sister,” Stefano continued. “But you won’t be able to save her. And you…” He smirked. “You won’t be stepping out of Italy anytime soon.”
He tilted his head. “I’m the only one who can help you get back to Moscow.”
A cold, sickening feeling crawled up my spine. “And what do you want in return?”
His smirk widened. “Allow me to fuck you. Doggy style, to be precise. And I swear, I’ll risk my life to get you out of here.”
Rage shot through me. “You’re disgusting.”
He bent down and picked up the shattered remains of my phone. “If You think you’ll ever leave Italy? That your knight in shining armor will come for you? No one’s coming, Anna. Not for you. Not for her. You’ll rot here, just like your sister-in-law.” When you finally realize the truth, hit me up. I’m always around.”
He turned away, walking toward the door.
“Let go of my phone!” I started after him, but he lifted a hand.
“Don’t,” he warned. “Or I’ll push you.”
I froze, watching as he disappeared down the hall.
I was in deep shit. No phone. No tracker. No way to contact Gleb.
Coming here was a stupid move. Gleb had been right.
But I couldn’t let Stefano or my father suspect a thing. I had to act normal.
So I did.
At lunch, I ate with my siblings like everything was fine. I watched movies with my aunts. I smiled when I needed to.
I knew my father was watching me. There were security cameras in the major rooms, but never in my bedroom.
That night, I lay in bed, running through my options. I knew Gleb’s number by heart. If I got my aunt’s phone, I could call him. But not now. I had to wait.
And as for Stefano… I would deal with him. Maybe not with brute force. But with something far worse.
I just had to be patient.
Then…
A knock on my door.
I bolted upright, my breath catching. My eyes darted around, searching for something, anything, I could use as a weapon.
Nothing.
I swallowed hard.
My best defense? Not opening the door at all.
Whoever it was… they weren’t here for anything good.
And I wasn’t ready to find out why.
“Who is that?” I asked, my voice cautious.
“It’s Isabella,” came the urgent whisper from the other side of the door.
I hesitated. Why would she be here at this hour?
Still, I unlocked the door. As soon as it cracked open, Isabella slipped inside, her face pale and frantic. She glanced over her shoulder, then grabbed my wrist.
“We need to leave. Now.”
I yanked my hand back. “Leave? To where?”
“I work for Gleb Romanov. I’m sorry. I betrayed your father,” she admitted in a rush.
My stomach clenched. “How can I trust you?”
“You can’t,” she said flatly. Then, without warning, she gripped my wrist again and pulled me out of the room.
I wanted to resist, but something in her eyes, pure desperation, made me follow.
“Where are we going?” I demanded in a whisper.
“Shut up and move,” she hissed.
We slipped through the darkened hallways, heading toward the backyard. As we neared the pool area, my breath caught at the sight of seven guards sprawled across the ground, unconscious.
“You… did this?” I whispered.
“I spiked their drinks,” she muttered while unlocking a small gate. “They’ll be out for an hour, but we don’t have that long.”
The gate creaked open, and we stepped onto a private road. The wind carried the salty scent of the sea. My stomach twisted.
Something felt off.
I halted. “How do I know you’re not leading me into a trap?”
She let out a sharp breath, glancing at her watch. Then she turned to look at the mansion. “We have less than two minutes. We need to be far from here.”
A sick feeling spread through my chest. “What do you mean?”
“The explosion might reach us if we don’t move,” she said.
I froze. My pulse thundered. “What explosion?”
She exhaled. “Gleb ordered an attack on Stefano’s wing.”
My blood turned to ice. “What?”
“He lost it after hearing what Stefano did to you,” she admitted. “So he made sure Stefano burns for it.”
I swayed on my feet. “What about Tatiana?”
“His spies confirmed she wasn’t in that part of the house.”
That wasn’t enough to calm me. “And my parents?”
Her expression darkened. “They’ll be fine. But anyone near Stefano’s rooms… won’t be.”
A chill ran down my spine. This wasn’t just an escape. This was war.
“Thirty seconds, Anna,” Isabella urged. “Run.”
I couldn’t move. The weight of what was about to happen paralyzed me.
Then…
A deafening explosion rocked the earth.
The ground shuddered beneath my feet as fire erupted from the mansion, bright as the sun against the dark sky. Heat rushed over us, the force knocking me back a step. My father’s house, the house I grew up in, was engulfed in flames.
My ears rang. My breathing was ragged.
Gleb… really did this.
A private jet descended from the sky, its engines roaring. Isabella grabbed my arm and pulled me toward it.
She stopped at the foot of the stairs.
“You’re coming, right?” I asked.
She shook her head. “If I vanish now, it’ll be obvious I helped you.”
“But…”
“My daughters are here. My life is here.” She took my hands. “If you ever need me, find them. They’ll know how to reach me.”
Tears burned my eyes. “Thank you,” I whispered.
She smiled, then gave me a rough shove toward the jet. “Go.”
I climbed in just as the doors shut. As the jet lifted off, I pressed my forehead against the window, watching my father’s house disappear beneath a cloud of smoke.
I swallowed hard.
Had I just witnessed my own family’s downfall?
And… had I caused it?
✦✦✦
The flight to Moscow was three hours, but it felt like a lifetime.
When we landed, I barely had time to step off the jet before Gleb was storming toward me.
Without a word, he cupped my face, his hands rough but warm.
“I’m sorry I acted late,” he murmured.
My chest tightened. Acted late? He blew up an entire wing of my father’s mansion.
“Thank you, Gleb,” I whispered. “But I caused all of this. I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have left… And now, they might hurt your sister even more.”
He exhaled. “My sister is here.”
My head snapped up. “What?”
“My men located her through the ring you gave her. So… thank you.”
Shock rooted me in place. “Tatiana is safe?”
His jaw clenched. “She’s alive. But she’s ruined.”
My stomach twisted. I lowered my gaze. “It’s my father,”
His grip on my waist tightened.
Then, in a low, hoarse voice, he whispered, “I risked everything I’ve ever built just to get you out of there.”
I swallowed.
As soon as we stepped inside, I turned toward the bathroom, desperate to wash off the night’s chaos. But before I could take a step, his hand caught my wrist, yanking me back against his chest.
His eyes were dark, unreadable, and something in them made my stomach clench. Anger? Possession? A warning?
His fingers trailed up my cheek, slow, deliberate, tilting my face to his. My pulse hammered. I opened my mouth to ask what, I didn’t know, but the words never came.
Because his lips crashed onto mine.
I sucked in a sharp breath, my body going rigid with shock. But then his hands curled around my waist, pulling me flush against him, and the moment snapped into something hot, reckless, undeniable.
Was this real?
His hands fisted in my hair, tilting my head as he deepened the kiss. I melted into him, my fingers sliding into his hair.
God. I had wanted this for so long.
A low groan rumbled in his chest as he lifted me into his arms. Effortless. As if I weighed nothing.
His grip was firm and possessive.
He carried me to the bed, his mouth never leaving mine, and when he lowered me onto the mattress, he followed, pinning me beneath him.
His kiss was fire. Rough, demanding, like he wanted to punish me for leaving, for making him burn for me. His teeth scraped against my lower lip, biting, soothing, claiming.
My mind blurred. My body trembled.
I arched against him, my breath ragged.
His lips moved to my throat, his voice a deep rasp against my skin.
“Mine,” he murmured.
I gasped, my hands flying to his chest, to push him away? No. To pull him closer.
I was drowning in him. His taste, his heat, the way he devoured my mouth like he’d been starving for it. My fingers curled into his shirt, clinging, needing.
A soft moan escaped me.
My head spun. This wasn’t a dream. This was happening.
Gleb Romanov was kissing me.
And God help me, I never wanted him to stop.
And I knew I was lost to him.
Forever.
