LOGINLiora’s POVThe medical wing had become our temporary world. Hours blurred into one another, marked only by the steady rhythm of monitors and the soft rise and fall of Alora’s chest. I hadn’t slept more than a few minutes at a time, my body curled carefully beside her on the wide bed, one hand always touching some part of her, her uninjured fingers, her soft curls, the edge of her blanket.Nikolai refused to leave either. He sat in the armchair pulled right up to the bed, looking rumpled and exhausted but fiercely present. Every time Alora stirred or whimpered, he was there, murmuring gentle Russian endearments, stroking her hair with a tenderness that made my heart ache.“She’s going to be okay,” I whispered for what felt like the hundredth time, more to convince myself than him. “The doctor said the swelling is going down.”Nikolai nodded, but his stormy gray eyes remained fixed on our daughter’s pale face. The guilt from earlier still lingered in the tight set of his jaw, but he
Liora’s POV The medical wing felt colder than I remembered. The steady beep of monitors filled the air like a cruel countdown, each sound a painful reminder that my baby was still hurting. Alora lay in the reinforced hospital bed, her small body looking heartbreakingly fragile under the crisp white sheets. An IV dripped steadily into her arm, pain medication keeping her comfortable while the doctors monitored her concussion and the swelling in her broken arm.I hadn’t left her side for hours. My hand wrapped gently around her uninjured fingers, thumb stroking slow circles over her soft skin. Every shallow breath she took sent fresh waves of fear through me. The fall kept replaying in my mind, that terrible moment when her little foot slipped, her cry as she tumbled, the sickening sound when she hit the bottom.Nikolai sat on the other side of the bed, his massive frame hunched forward, elbows on his knees. His stormy gray eyes never left Alora’s face. The powerful Pakhan who had
Liora’s POVThe afternoon sun filtered through the tall windows of the family wing, casting warm golden patterns across the polished floors. Everything felt peaceful, almost too peaceful after the intensity of the past weeks. Alora was a bundle of pure joy, her little legs stronger every day since the poison had been purged from her body. She’d been running circles around the sitting room, giggling as Nikolai pretended to chase her on all fours like a big, clumsy bear.“Catch me, Daddy!” she squealed, her hazel eyes sparkling with mischief.I watched from the doorway, heart so full it ached. Nikolai’s deep laughter echoed through the space — that rare, unrestrained sound I’d come to cherish since the island. He let her “escape” again and again, scooping her up only to tickle her until she shrieked with delight. Maria stood nearby, smiling softly as she folded laundry.“Be careful on the stairs, baby,” I called gently as Alora darted toward the grand staircase that connected the famil
Liora’s POVThe days after our return settled into a beautiful, careful rhythm. Mornings belonged to Alora, her giggles filling the dining room as she demanded Nikolai carry her on his shoulders around the table. Afternoons often pulled him into the war room, but evenings were ours again. Soft. Intentional. A quiet rebellion against the shadows that still lingered at the edges of our world.This morning, I found him in the study earlier than usual, staring at a tablet with that familiar crease between his brows. The Reaper was hovering close again. I could see it in the set of his shoulders, the way his jaw tightened as he read the latest report on Elias’s remaining fragments.I didn’t knock. I simply walked in, slipped behind his chair, and wrapped my arms around his neck from behind. My cheek pressed to his temple.“Come back to me, baby,” I whispered, pressing a soft kiss just below his ear.He exhaled slowly, the tension easing as he set the tablet down and pulled me around into
Liora’s POVThe moment the wheels touched down on familiar ground, my heart began racing with a beautiful mix of excitement and nerves. The island had felt like a dream — endless blue skies, soft kisses, and a version of Nikolai I’d fallen impossibly deeper in love with. But home meant Alora. It meant reality. And after everything we’d healed on that island, I was terrified and thrilled to see how our new light would hold up in the world that had tried so hard to break us.Nikolai’s hand never left mine during the drive back to the mansion. His thumb stroked slow, reassuring circles over my knuckles, and every few minutes he’d lift my hand to his lips, pressing a soft kiss there like he needed the constant reminder that I was real.“You’re quiet,” he murmured, gray eyes searching my face in the dim interior of the armored SUV.“I’m just… happy,” I whispered, leaning my head on his shoulder. “And a little scared that the shadows will feel heavier after tasting so much sun.”He tilte
Liora’s POVThe last morning on the island felt like a gentle sigh from the universe — soft golden light spilling through the curtains, the distant sound of waves whispering goodbye. I woke slowly to the heavenly aroma of fresh coffee and warm pastries, and the feeling of warm, reverent lips brushing across my forehead, my cheeks, the tip of my nose.“Wake up, moya koroleva,” Nikolai murmured, his deep voice wrapped around me like a blanket. “I couldn’t let our last day start without spoiling you one more time.”I opened my eyes to find our bedroom transformed into something out of a fairytale. Rose petals in soft pinks and creams were scattered across the sheets and floor. A beautiful rolling cart stood beside the bed, loaded with all my favorites — ripe strawberries glistening with dew, warm croissants, yogurt drizzled with golden honey, fresh fruit salad, and perfectly brewed coffee steaming in elegant cups.Nikolai sat propped against the headboard, shirtless and breathtaking, ho
Liora's POV The black silk robe felt like a punishment.I tied the thin belt with shaking fingers, the fabric whispering against my bare skin. No bra. No panties. Nothing but this flimsy shield between me and whatever the Mafia King planned to do with me tonight.Ogura’s mocking video still echoe
Liora’s POVThe rain came down in steady, soothing sheets, wrapping the villa in a silver curtain that blurred the ocean view into something dreamy and distant. It was the kind of day that begged you to stay inside, wrapped in warmth and each other. I loved it.Nikolai and I stood barefoot in the o
Liora's POV The black SUV smelled like expensive leather and barely contained danger.I sat rigid in the back seat, Alora pressed so tightly against my side that I could feel her little heart racing. The video of Ogura mocking me still played on loop in my mind, his laughter, the other woman’s mo
Liora's POV The cheap bottle of wine felt heavy in my hand as I pushed open the apartment door. I had scraped together the last of my money for it — a pathetic little celebration after Ogura’s death. One night to toast freedom. One night to believe the bruises on my arms would finally fade and I







