LOGINTalia POV He takes another step, I match his, going backward but I should know better because one more, and my back is to the wall.It’s exactly where he wants me because in the next instant, he has my arms stretched over my head and my wrists pinned to the wall. "Alexei.."“You weren’t safe, Talia. You were never safe and you hid well, I’ll give you that, but I found you and Lucas men followed the day we left. I’ve told you more than once that I will keep you safe. I’ve asked you to trust me, and I think my actions have proven that I have yours and Ethan best interests at heart.”“But....”“You need to trust that I will tell you what I can when I can.”“My mother...”“You want me to tell you about your mother?”Something in his eyes tells me I don’t want to know, but the thing is, I need to know. No matter how terrible it is, and it is terrible because there’s no other reason he’d have a file on my mother. I need to know.“That accident that killed her, Talia, it doesn’t appear to h
Talia POV I lock the door after Alexei leaves and watch him through the window of the second-floor hotel room as he looks around the almost empty parking lot, then gets into the SUV.Before he closes the door, he looks up at me and we stay like that for a long minute before he drives off.In the bedroom, Ethan is sitting against the pillows with toy in his hands, rubbing the little stuffed animal’s well-worn ear, his attention wholly absorbed by the cartoon.I’m about to go sit beside him when I see Alexei duffel bag tucked behind the chair by the small table. Faris hasn't come and I think he won't be here today.Glancing once more at Alexei, I go to it, pick it up, and carry it into the other room. I set it on the couch, and as I unzip it, I tell myself I’m just going to look through what we have packed for Ethan.What I see first is a set of neatly folded clothes for Alexei and me, and several more sets for Ethan. I smile when I find the coloring book and crayons, that was really
Talia POV I force a smile but don’t reply. I’m wearing one of his tee shirts and a pair of sweat pants I had to roll down at the waist.He reaches up and grabs my chin, and I reluctantly bring my eyes to his. I haven’t been making eye contact with him, and he notices.He notices how uncomfortable I am with his discomfort. He watches me for a long moment, his eyes flicking back and forth between mine and I want to know what he’s thinking.He doesn’t say rather he brushes his fingers across my jaw and my eyes flutter shut. How can such a simple touch make me feel so much? My body responds to him, but even worse, so does my mind. I don’t even think he’s doing it on purpose. It’s just the cause and effect of being near him.His body is tight and tense beneath me, and I want to take that away. For a few minutes, I try to block out everything else. All of the questions. I set the kit aside and do what feels right.I kneel down before him and drag my fingers up his thighs. I inch my finger
Talia POV Just after midnight, the front door slams open while I’m sitting on the sofa painting my nails. I’ve been bored out of my mind and Faris company has done little to improve that.I glance up to find Alexei standing in the kitchen. He looks at Faris and then to me, some kind of dark and scary energy rolling off of him. It’s not an expression I’m familiar with on him.I know that Alexei a dangerous man and I’m aware of the sort of things he deals in and yet, he’s always been a little bit mysterious… quiet… ominous, but in a calm way. I’ve seen a few different sides of him so far, but never anything like this ever since we moved into Los Angeles, he has kept me off his business and I'm clueless.I don’t miss the fact that his jacket is gone and his shirt is covered in blood. Over it he’s wearing a shoulder holster that I’ve never seen him wear, and something tells me he put that to a lot of use tonight.Before I even get a chance to say something, he stalks down the hall and in
Talia POV It's been two weeks since we arrived Los Angeles and just as I expected the house was big but this time, I'm left with the responsibility of ensuring the workers did their work but I'm glad the head housekeeper has see that all things are in order, now I miss Aria and wish she was here to help but I was really glad to have resolved that issue before leaving and grateful Aurora wasn't mad at me for what happened to her husband.Ever since we arrived Alexei has been super busy, he went out early in the morning and only returned late at night to fuck me, play a bit with Ethan and go to bed. Ethan was been homeschooled and the life we lived was more better than I expected it to be. Alexei inform me someone called Faris would come baby sit while he was away and as he left that morning, Faris stepped in after speaking with Alexei in Russia and I couldn't make out their discussion.Having Tristan Faris around to babysit me all day meant that I couldn’t check out what Alexei house
Talia POV I take the phone and push it into my back pocket.“Is everything okay? Did something happen on your call? Is there something new and that’s why....”“We need to get on the road because I want to put more distance between us whoever is coming after you but I'm going to run to the store and buy some things we need.” He gestures to my hair. “You’ll need to color your hair because it’s too recognizable.”I touch my hair. “ethan is used to me like this. I don’t think we should change it because....”“The important thing is to keep Ethan safe, and that means to keep out of sight. We’ll find a way to explain it.”“He wants to go home.”“Yeah, well, he can’t do that right now, and neither can you, so stay focused, Talia. I'm doing everything in my power to keep you safe and even though changing location is the last thing in my mind according to our last conversation but Lucas friends and I will be having a meeting soon, I need to know you and Ethan are well secured for me to focus.
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
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
Aria POV“Who is it I am going to marry?” I forced the words out, but they sounded strangled.That was the first question I asked my uncle when he came into my room and informed me I was getting married. I was an orphan so finding a notable member of the Crown Syndicate is almost impossible.“Vikto







