MasukWILLAThings suddenly changed between us. I don’t know if I still trust him. There’s no doubt about my feelings for him— it won’t disappear overnight, but I can feel the skepticism growing inside me.He doesn’t cuff me again because he knows I won’t survive out there if I escape. I don’t even make it to the door.He even makes love to me. I feel his pain, his regret, his atonement in his kiss. I feel how attentive and thoughtful he is in his touch, in his thrust, and it’s just too much. His emotions are everywhere— too overwhelming.I cry in silence, in the midst of it, and he kisses my tears away.We come together. We cuddle after. But he never apologizes and promises he won’t do it again.When he leaves the bed, I curl up in bed. Thankfully, I saw a doctor while he was in Türkiye, and I got the shot. We had sex, and we never used protection. I believed him. He was clean, but I couldn’t be too careful.The trust is broken, and I don’t know how he can fix it.He comes back to bed with
ILYAHer words ring in my ears.“I know you don’t trust me. You probably don’t believe my story.” She takes something from the drawer— a flash drive. She gives it to me. “Here. Watch this.”I feel like I don’t have to hear it. Women like her, born in our world, aren’t weak. They’re honed to be the next in line to run the family business, but I was too busy to give a damn about her or pay attention to what has been going on in her life.“When I turned fifteen, I recorded it. I wanted to show it to your father because I wanted him to kill Dad. I wanted to give it to the police, but I realized the police are on our father’s payroll. And I don’t think your father would risk their friendship over a daughter like me.”“I’m sorry, Sofia.”She steals a glance at me in the mirror. “I always see you as my big brother, not a future fucking husband, but you let me down.”“Since you were fifteen, and you didn’t tell your mother?”She laughs, shaking her head. “The first time I told her, she slappe
ILYAI stare at my father’s portrait on the wall. To the right is the family portrait from when I was eight, the last photo as a family together. Maria Ivanov was always beautiful, a ray of sunshine for as long as I can remember. Every time I look at Lara, she reminds me of Mama.I smile one last time at ba-tya as I fix my suit when I hear a gasp from the door.I turn around to see Willa in a simple baby blue dress, yet she carries it very well. “Hi.”“Where’s the funeral?” She steps closer, but I always see the skepticism since that night, and I forever regret my action.“My father’s friend.”“Oh.” She fixes my tie. “You look handsome.”“Just handsome?” I stroke her arms.A small smile curves up her lips. “The last time we talked about something like that, it didn’t end well for me. Can’t be too careful now.”“Willa—” I hold her elbows.“It’s fine, Ilya. It happened.” She meets my gaze, and all I see is pain. It breaks my heart that I’ve caused such immense pain to the woman I love.
ILYAI can’t focus. Volk is right. My head’s not in the game. What I did with Willa, the woman I couldn’t live without, was wrong. I will forever regret it and ask for her forgiveness for the rest of my life.But the damage is done. I broke her, and there’s no way to undo my mistakes but learn from them.“Let me take care of this.” Volk takes the knife from me and approaches Olga sitting on the chair in an old apartment.I stand in the corner, and my mind goes back to Willa— what if someone gets to her— this mysterious, faceless, nameless last member of Archangel gets to her and tortures her to get to me.The horror and fear in her eyes earlier will haunt me through eternity. I was just so consumed with anger and frustration to find the man responsible for the attacks, and I killed people to find him, and I still have no clue who he is.Volk is good at hurting people, as good as Sasha. I listen to Olga’s scream for minutes, and all she says is her daughter, while Andrey and Dmitriy ha
WILLAI scream in anger and frustration. I can never forgive him for what he’s done to me.He can never make me bend to his will. I’m a woman of my own. He’s maybe a boss, feared in his world, but he still has one life. He’s not immortal.I keep my lips tightly sealed, even if I can see his face tightening in anger. He’s losing his patience faster.His eyes narrow as he growls, “Open your mouth, Willa. You haven’t eaten since lunch.”I shake my head in defiance.“So, you’d rather take IV solution or NG tube feeding. I can call the doctor right now. You pick, my love.”“I hate you.” I spit out the words. I’m so angry at him I could kick his face right now, but I can’t underestimate Ilya. He’s fast, strong, and he’s trained in weapons and fighting.I also feel bad about the redness on his face. No wonder he was mad at me. I just didn’t realize the coffee was so hot that it gave him a first-degree burn.“We’ve established that part.” With his free hand, he pinches my nose, cutting off ai
ILYAI know fear when I see one. She’s definitely scared, even terrified of me.Just now she realized what she’s done to me. Too late— the damage has been done. She doesn’t just hurt my feelings— she hurts my ego and disrespects me in front of my men.As I stalk towards her, she’s already stepping back. Before she can turn and run away, I already have her over my shoulder, screaming for help. She knows no one will help her, or I will start shooting them in the head.I take her upstairs two steps at a time, and she knows she won’t get away without her punishment.“Put me down this instant, Ilya!” She’s been hitting me the entire time, but like I said, punches— her punches don’t bother me. At this moment, even the anger and hatred in her voice, I don’t care right now.She needs to learn a lesson, and she hasn’t even apologized.I throw her on the bed and leave her.When I come back with handcuffs a few minutes later, I see clothes on the bed and her suitcase on the floor that has my fea







