All Chapters of Tied to the Ruthless Three: Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

After sharing a heated kiss with Alexei, I finally mustered the courage to look at him. A sly smirk curled the corners of his lips as he tucked a loose strand of my hair behind my ear."Good job, Anna. You’ve learned fast,” he murmured, his voice low and commanding. "Give me more. Give me something wilder."I nodded and drew him close again. Our lips met fiercely and hungrily until the rest of the world faded away. Alexei’s touch traced a slow path along my spine, his warmth sinking into my skin. Our kisses deepened, becoming feverish and consuming as if we were starving for each other.When I closed my eyes, Alexei’s fingers brushed my cheek. "Open your eyes," he whispered. “Look at me.”The command made me hesitate. It felt too intimate, but I obeyed. Alexei's gaze was cold yet burning with something primal, and it captured me completely. Anyone could lose themselves in eyes like his.Alexei broke our kiss and trailed his lips down my neck and across my collarbone. He teased around

I returned to Bastorin feeling confused and a bit heartbroken. Alexei’s demeanor had grown cold, like the chill of autumn giving way to winter. It chilled me to the bone.After everything that had happened between us, it seemed as if it had meant nothing to him.I had to accept the consequences. I kept pushing the feelings down, reminding myself that I was just a puppet in Alexei's hands. Nothing more.The gloomy weather matched my mood that morning. It had been raining in Bastorin since dawn, turning the air heavy and gray. With a weary sigh, I watched the water droplets form lines down the glass. I had no idea when the rain would stop."Anastasia Lancroft!" The call made me jolt instantly.I jumped from the bench and faced Master Mila. Her cold gaze felt like it was peeling my skin off. I swallowed hard, realizing that I had been spacing out the whole time. Combat class was never my thing, but I was forced to follow the academy’s unique curriculum.I should have been paying attentio

My pulse tightened as I stepped into the weapon training room. It was located beneath Bastorin Academy—an underground facility lined with glass shooting bays, each with a small shelf for storing firearms. Straight ahead, the firing lanes stretched about 25 yards from the shooting positions.No one else was there yet; Alexei had told me to come early. Five in the morning, to be exact.I rubbed my palms together to warm them against the biting cold. My eyes swept across the room—rows of locked cabinets where the training weapons were stored, each secured with a code lock.A low throat-clearing startled me. “Morning, Anna,” Alexei greeted, his voice low and lazy.I stiffly nodded. “Good morning, sir.”With measured steps, Alexei moved to the cabinet. His fingers tapped a sequence on the keypad, and the metallic click echoed through the room. He retrieved two pistols and a box of bullets, then headed toward the shooting bay.He motioned for me to come closer. I stood beside him, my heart

I was furious.My footsteps echoed sharply in the empty hallway as I breathed heavily with rage. Even my palms were damp with sweat. I didn’t understand myself anymore. Why was I so mad at Nathaniel for insulting Alexei?Before I knew it, I had stopped right in front of Alexei’s room. I had no idea why I ended up at his door.For a few seconds, I stood there in silence, realizing that this was the stupidest thing I could possibly do. I was angry at Nathaniel, yet here I was, wanting to tell Alexei everything. No, I wasn’t going to do precisely what Nathaniel predicted.But before I could turn away, the door behind me opened.I spun around and saw Alexei stepping out. He was wearing a black shirt with suspenders hooked onto his black trousers. My breath caught in my throat as I looked at him. How could someone look so striking without trying?His eyes pierced straight through mine. "Why are you here?"His voice was soft and almost gentle, yet his gaze still carried that predatory sharp

Nina's name kept echoing in my head, mingling with the throbbing pain pounding inside my skull. Despite taking painkillers that should have knocked me out, they had the opposite effect. I stayed wide awake the whole night, lying still like a corpse in a coffin.I heard Isolde rise from her bed, followed by the soft click of the bedside lamp. A gentle glow washed over the room, chasing away the darkness.I turned my head slightly and saw her sitting on the edge of her bed."When did you take your medicine?" she asked flatly."About four hours ago."Isolde got up and walked out of the room.That was it? I didn’t understand her at all.After our talk that afternoon, we went to the dining hall together, but neither of us said anything. I went back to bed afterward, and she didn't return until after evening Mass.Later, around dinnertime, she showed up again, bringing me a tray of cold food. I guessed she was forced to do it, maybe by Mrs. Edna.Isolde didn’t want me to end up like Nina, b