ログインRENEE“I told you this was going to happen.” I balanced the steaming mug of tea in my hands before setting it carefully on Iris's coffee table. She sat curled beneath two blankets on her tiny apartment couch, her nose bright red, a mountain of tissues piled beside her. She looked up at me with watery eyes. "You don't have to sound so smug about it." Iris replied, “I didn’t exactly call you here for an I-got-you moment.” "But still, I got you.” I replied, She sniffled loudly before taking a careful sip. "Ouch." "What?" "I burned my tongue." I folded my arms. "See? Even your tea is trying to teach you a lesson." She shot me an offended look. "I invited you here because I thought you would nurse me back to health." She said, "You've done nothing but insult me since you got here." "I made you tea." "You made me judgment-flavored tea." A laugh escaped me before I could stop it. "I told you weeks ago that working double shifts every night without taking a break was going t
"I still think you are making a mistake."Lily's voice carried a familiar edge, though it lacked the bitterness it once had. She stood near the departure gate with a single duffel bag slung over her shoulder, dressed in a plain coat and jeans that made her look like any other traveler passing through the airport. Nikolai chuckled softly."You've said that three times already.""I'll probably say it a fourth."He smiled and reached into the inside pocket of his coat before producing a small leather passport holder."This is for you."Lily frowned as she accepted it.Inside rested a brand-new passport bearing a different name, accompanied by travel documents, a bank card, and an envelope containing several foreign currencies.She looked at the papers for several long seconds before lifting her eyes back to him."You really thought of everything.""You deserve a chance to disappear," Nikolai said simply. "A real chance."Her fingers brushed over the cover of the passport.“You really c
“You will attend this meeting, Viktor.”The words from the council's summons echoed through Viktor's mind as he strode into the grand chamber, fury radiating from every step.The message had been painfully clear. Failure to appear would be interpreted as contempt for the council itself. His title would be revoked, and without the protection afforded to a recognized leader, no one would be obligated to respect his claim or answer for whatever befell him afterward.He had no choice but to come now.The circular council chamber was already filled with the heads of the major families. Heavy silence settled over the room as Viktor entered.Every eye followed him and no one greeted him.It was something that Viktor was kind of used to by now. He had always sort of been an outcast in the council. They didn’t agree with some of his methods and the way he carried out business, but it was not like they were any better than him.Self-righteous pricks, he thought. They all think they are goody-tw
NIKOLAI “Are you warm enough?” Katya sat curled into one corner of the large sofa with a thick blanket wrapped tightly around her shoulders. She was sitting right by the fireplace, her arms wrapped around a steaming mug of cocoa that I had made for her to calm her nerves.She had still not taken a sip, though, as her eyes remained fixed on the dancing flames. "I'm fine," she answered I was not convinced in the slightest, because I could see the confusion on her face and everything. Her fingers still trembled around the mug, and her eyes were very distant. I could only imagine what she had been through all these days. And it was all my fault. She wouldn’t have gone through any of this if not for me. I set another log onto the fire before taking the chair opposite her. I couldn’t stop myself from watching her every few seconds, making sure that she was still here. Across the room, Sergei leaned casually against the mantelpiece while Lily stood near one of the tall windows, star
KATYA“What… what did you just do?”Daniel’s body lay right across the floor, completely motionless.Everything had happened so fast that my mind refused to process it.Blood spilled beneath his head now in a widening pool and I could feel myself getting sick just looking at him as my stomach moved violently.Lily lowered her weapon for a second as she looked toward the door now.“They definitely heard that," she said.I slapped a trembling hand over my mouth."Oh, God..." I said.A loud click echoed through the room and when I jerked my head toward Lily, she was calmly sliding another magazine into her pistol before checking the chamber like she'd done this a thousand times before.“We need to move right now," she said. “With any luck, they will already be here.”I stared at her, still trying to wrap my head around what she was saying."What..." My voice cracked. "What are you talking about?"She looked at me and let out an impatient sigh."You just..." I pointed shakily toward Danie
KATYA KATYA“What was that?”The words had barely left my mouth when another deafening boom shook the walls.The entire room trembled as dust drifted lazily from the ceiling, settling over the old wooden floorboards.Then the unmistakable sound of gunfire erupted somewhere outside. "What the..."I hurried toward the only window in the room, my bare feet slapping against the cold floor. The glass overlooked part of the compound, but from where I stood, towering pine trees blocked most of the view.I strained my eyes, but I couldn’t see anything. Only flashes of movement between the trees, with men running and someone shouting orders that I couldn’t make out.Another burst of gunfire cracked through the air. My stomach twisted, as I now knew that someone was attacking the estate.My bedroom door burst open and I spun around instinctively, my guard up as best as I could because I wasn’t sure what to expect.Viktor strode inside first. Lily followed closely behind him.The moment I saw
KATYACold fear crashed into me so fast as my eyes locked on the gun pointed directly at my face.“What are you talking about?”“When were you going to tell me that you are Viktor Orlov’s daughter?” he asked quietly.I blinked at him.Viktor Orlov…My father.My eyes widened in confusion.“How do yo
NIKOLAIHer anniversary?And that bastard had spent it with his cock out in my club.My jaw tightened.What kind of man does that?No…scratch that.I knew exactly the kind of man that did that.The kind that did not deserve a woman like her.“What the hell does Kotyonok even mean?”Her voice cut th
KATYAMy phone fell out of my hand, hitting the ground in a dull thud.My head spun as I tried to grasp what I had just watched.Daniel had cheated on me. My stomach twisted violently, the video going around on a loop in my mind.I staggered back, my legs hitting the edge of the sofa as I sank onto
KATYA“Such a dirty word coming out of so sexy a mouth,” he drawled.Aside from the slight smirk that curved his lips, he did not react to my insult.Which, for some reason, irritated me more.Most men would have gotten offended or at least taken the hint and backed off but not him.He just stood t







