INICIAR SESIÓNViktor POVSomething had changed with Aria but I couldn't put my finger on exactly when it started, but over the past few days, I had noticed enough small things to know I wasn't imagining it.Aria was quieter than usual and there was a strange distance in the way she moved around me.She hadn't done anything wrong, but I knew her well enough now to recognize when she was keeping something to herself.Normally, I would have given her space. Aria needed it sometimes, especially when life became overwhelming but this wasn't just one bad day, it had been days and while I was busy trying to track Dante, I had also been staying inside with Ivan to make sure nothing happened to the family.Every member of the Kozlov family was already on edge, and the uncertainty surrounding Dante had made everything worse then Sergei casually mentioned that Aria had gone to a gynecologist appointment and had left Noah with him, that stopped me because she hadn't mentioned the appointment to me.I waited fo
Alexei POV Talia swipes away a few silent tears that have leaked from the edges of her eyes and shakes her head as she tries to process everything.It’s a lot and more than she ever expected to hear, I can see the questions racing through her mind as she tries to fit all the pieces together.The truth about her mother and the possibility that the man she has spent her entire life knowing only as a name could actually be her father but I know now that it was the right thing to do.She deserves to know her truth even if knowing it hurts her more than living without it ever could.“When I saw the name Michael on the drive, I never even looked twice. I just assumed it was someone else.”Her voice is quiet, almost distant, as though she's replaying the moment in her head.“I think Matteo coded her that way in his own contacts,” Damon explains. “That way, if any of Dante's men saw it, they wouldn’t think anything of it either. He didn’t want to take the chance of their connection getting b
Alexei POV The drive to Damon house is quiet and filled with tension. Beside me, Talia stares out the window while Ethan falls asleep in the back seat.We’re going to have to talk about what happened today, but right now, all I can focus on is the fact that Mike has sent his guys after us and Lucas was somehow not dead and the burning question in my mind is how. At this point it would be a risk to go back to New York and I'm sure they won't attack new York if they know we aren't there but I can’t leave without speaking to Damon at least one more time.If he has information that might help us, I’m not going anywhere without it. I’m only hoping that he’ll be more forthcoming once he meets Talia and Ethan.When we pull up to the driveway, Talia frowns at the state of the place. She still isn’t sure about this, but I’m hoping once she meets Damon, she’ll be more at ease too.I shut off the car and remove Ethan from the car seat, draping his sleeping body against my chest.Talia fidgets b
Talia POV Alexei came back almost an hour after I and Ethan entered the house and I was glad he didn't know we went out, I only hope Ethan wouldn't mention it to his hearing.There is something about him that feels different now, he still hasn't told me what he heard from Damon but then he held my gaze, then turns his head to Ethan picture on the wall. “There’s one bit of news you should know.”“What?”He glances through the window again like someone is waiting out there, then turns to me. “Lucas isn’t dead,” he says quietly enough that Ethan won’t hear us.“What?” I feel the blood drain from my face.“I’m pretty sure he’s badly injured, and I’m going to take care of it, but I wanted you to know.”“How? And…oh my God. He’s going to come after us too.”“Mommy?” Ethan woke up startled by my shouting.“Stay calm, Talia. It’s going to be okay,” Alexei tells me. “Do it for Ethan.”I press the heels of my hands into my eyes then turn to Ethan.“Go back to sleep dear, mummy is fine.”Ethan
Aria POV In the first few days, Viktor and Sergei only returned every night and left before sunrise again. As they extended their search radius, they stayed away longer and it seemed impossible that they would find this Mike guy hunting Talia. He could be anywhere maybe in America, maybe somewhere else. He was a ghost, even Alexei hasn't stepped into the house for almost a week and so has Ethan.“They’ve been searching for three weeks, we should tell them to give up,” Tristan said one night at the dining table, he has been on house arrest after damaging Sergei Lamborghini in a secret race he went for and got everyone scared.“They won’t listen,” I said, looking up from my phone after deciding not to text Viktor.Ivan nodded. “ but Alexei won't rest until he gets to know who Lucas boss is and takes him down”This two brothers weren’t just looking for an enemy but Talia could be in serious trouble if she's related to this mysterious boss, so nothing would make them give up their endea
Talia POV“Can we go to the playground, Mommy?”Ethan is getting bored of being cooped up indoors all day, and the allure of his unlimited TV time has worn off.I check the time on my phone, refreshing it in the hopes of a message from Alexei while I’m at it, but he’s been quiet since his call a couple of hours ago.“It’s getting late for that, but I saw a Dairy around the corner maybe we can walk over in a little bit and get some ice cream?” I want to wait until full dark, which will be very soon.“Ice cream ?”“Yep.”He smiles wide as he nods enthusiastically.“You have to eat your dinner first, though,” I tell him, eyeing his half-eaten bowl of spaghetti which the housekeeper serves a couple of minutes ago." “All of it?”“All of it.”He makes a face but picks up his spoon and starts to eat again. I walk back to the desk and stare at the nearly blank sheet of paper.Alexei wanted me to write down everything I remembered about my mother, but what he suggested, that she was in some
Aria POV I flinched every time my uncle’s stifled cries rang out as Alexei and Viktor broke each of his fingers. My eyes weren’t on my uncle, though, but instead on my husband’s face. His expression was unreadable as he watched my uncle like he was conducting some sort of experiment.Soon, they b
Viktor POV Yuri eyes shifted between my brother and me, his breathing picking up and fear started to fill his veins and I knew the signs were obvious but this was only the beginning of his sorrow.I leaned down, my mouth curling. “You will admit to it your transgressions soon and you will apologiz
Aria POVI immediately looked away from him and fighting the weak tears at the corner of my eye.I saw him remove his boxers, and then he climbed on the bed naked. I trembled because couldn’t stop myself no matter how had I tried. His hand touched my waist then slid up slowly, the touch was light b
Viktor POVWhen Alexei first told me about a marriage with the Crown Syndicate, I thought he was pulling my legs as usual but when Nikolai sent me the picture I was surprised, marriage was the last thing on my mind right now and an orphan, I didn't know what to say about that. I should have known s







