MasukMarcus’ POVI woke before the sun fully rose, the weight of Alex’s body pressed against my chest. His breathing was slow and even. One of his hands rested near his stomach, as if even in sleep he was already protecting the child. I stayed completely still, watching him. The previous night still sat heavy between us, but the sharp edges had softened. He had accused me. He had broken down. And then he had leaned into me.I brushed a strand of hair away from his face carefully. His scent was different now. Softer. Warmer. Carrying that faint new note that belonged only to our child. It settled something restless inside me in a way nothing else ever had. I did not like how much power that scent held over me. I did not like how the thought of losing him made my chest tighten.Alex stirred. His eyes opened slowly, unfocused at first, then locked onto mine. For a moment there was the usual wariness. Then something quieter settled in his expression.“You are staring again,” he muttered, voice
Alex’s POVHe will regret every word.If only it was that easy.I could see the barely contained fury in his eyes, the way his hands flexed at his sides as if he was imagining wrapping them around Nathan’s throat. Part of me wanted to tell him to let it go. Another part, the exhausted and angry part, wanted him to follow through on that threat. I said nothing. Instead, I let him guide me further into the mansion, his hand firm on my lower back like he was afraid I might disappear if he let go for even a second.We walked in silence down the wide hallway toward the private sitting room. The mansion felt quieter than usual tonight, the heavy curtains drawn, the lights low and warm. Every step reminded me how much my body had changed. The pregnancy was still early, but the emotional exhaustion from the meeting with Nathan made everything feel more difficult. My chest felt tight, like I could not draw a full breath.Marcus opened the door to the sitting room and waited for me to enter fir
Alex’s POVI adjusted the collar of my shirt one last time in the mirror before stepping out of the suite. The clothes Marcus had provided fit well, comfortable yet formal enough for this meeting. My stomach still showed no obvious sign of the pregnancy, but I felt the awareness of it with every movement. Marcus stood near the door, watching me with that intense gaze that never seemed to waver.“I cannot go with you,” he said, voice low. “There is urgent business I must handle personally. But Kai will accompany you. He will stay close and Leonard will meet you there as well.”I nodded. We had already argued about the terms earlier, and I had agreed. Fighting him on every detail would only drain me more. “I know. Just make sure your men stay out of sight unless something goes wrong.”Marcus crossed the distance between us and pulled me into a firm kiss. His hand rested briefly on my lower back, possessive as always. “Come back safely. Both of you.”“I will.”Kai was waiting in the hall
Marcus’s POVThe shower water ran red for a long time. I stood motionless under the scalding spray, eyes closed, letting the heat pound against my shoulders and back as the blood from the interrogation slowly washed away. It swirled around my feet in faint pink trails before disappearing down the drain. The metallic smell lingered in the steam even after most of the visible evidence was gone. Those doctors had talked in the end. They always talked when Kai got creative and Ryker applied pressure. But their words kept echoing in my head.Subject Zero.The only successful case.The child.Alex.I turned the water off and stepped out, grabbing a thick black towel. My reflection stared back at me in the steamed mirror. The same hard, unyielding face I had seen for years. Tall. Broad-shouldered. The kind of presence that made rooms go quiet and the kind of man who had built an empire on calculated violence and unbreakable control. But something inside me had been shifting ever since Alex S
Alex’s POVI ended the call with Nathan, my heart still racing. He had agreed to meet. Not at the mansion, not at the Sterling building, but somewhere neutral. The conversation had been tense and short, but at least he had not refused. I handed the phone back to Uncle Leonard, feeling a mix of determination and exhaustion.“I need to freshen up before anything else,” I said, pushing myself off the bed. “I cannot meet my brother looking like I just survived a war zone.”Elena stood up quickly. “Good idea. We will wait right here. Take your time.”I walked into the luxurious attached bathroom, closing the door behind me. The mirror showed a man I barely recognized. Pale skin, shadows under my eyes, hair messy from everything I had been through. I splashed cold water on my face, brushed my teeth, and tried to make myself look at least somewhat presentable. My hand lingered for a moment over my stomach. Still no real bump, but the knowledge of what was inside me made every movement feel h
Alex’s POVMarcus stayed on his knees beside the bed for a long moment after I finished explaining everything I knew about the pregnancy. His hand remained gently pressed against my stomach, warm and protective. The intensity in his eyes had not faded. If anything, it had deepened into something almost overwhelming.He finally stood up, but he did not step away. Instead, he pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed a number. I recognized it immediately.“Dr. Sophia,” he said when she answered, his voice deceptively calm. “I need you to come to the suite right away. There is something important we need to discuss.”I sat up straighter, alarm spiking through me. “Marcus, wait—”He held up a hand, eyes locked on mine as he continued speaking into the phone. “Yes. Now. And while you are on your way, I would like you to think very carefully about why I had to learn about Alex’s pregnancy from him instead of from you. You are his doctor but you work under my roof. I expect full transparen







