Chapter 178

Vladimir:

I ran my fingers over my mate’s waistline as she slept. 

She was laying her head on my bicep, and I couldn’t help but find myself smiling at how peaceful she looked.

Never in my life did I picture myself telling a woman that I was in love with her. I believed in the mating bond, but the feeling of love, the weakness for someone, and the idea of losing them killing me inside was not one that I had in mind. At least, not until I met her.

The small human who has changed my life forever.

Her words still played in my head. And though I had no idea who or where her family were, I was going to fight everything and anything that would come in my way to find them.

I wasn’t going to let her live that pain without a price. Even if it meant that they were going to pay for letting her live in pain while they moved on with their lives.

“I promise you, my beauty, every tear that you let out wouldn’t be going in vain.” I whispered to her sleeping form. I kissed her shoulder gently before getting up from the bed. I had a few things to take care of, and I knew that she wouldn’t be waking up anytime soon. She was exhausted, and that only meant that she would be sleeping for a full night. 

I got dressed and pulled my notebook from the dresser’s drawer. I ripped a paper out of it, wanting to write a note for her. I didn’t want her to panic IF she were to wake up at night. And though I wasn’t going to leave the house, the idea of her not finding me by her side wasn’t one that I wanted. 

-I have a few things to tend to in the office, malyshka. Get some sleep, I’ll be back once I’m done. 

I put the paper on the bedside table by her side before walking out of the room. I knew that Konstantin was awake. The man rarely ever slept at night, but then again, when he was asleep throughout most of the morning, I wouldn’t expect otherwise.

“Couldn’t sleep?” I asked, choosing to pretend that I didn’t know that this was his almost daily routine. 

The man was sitting on the couch in the living room. It seemed to me that this couch in particular was his favorite. He always sat on it and it was rare when anyone else did.

“I have a few things to take care of.” He said, tapping the armrest of the couch. He didn’t say a word for a moment before he looked at me. “It’s been six months since she died.”

“She?” I asked, frowning in confusion. It was rare for the man to show any pain, but I knew that it was the alcohol talking. The man was half drunk.

“My daughter. It’s been six months,” he said, shaking his head. “She died not even knowing that I am her father. It sickens me to know that things ended the way that they did.”

I stayed quiet, choosing to sit by his side. The man looked down at his lap, not saying a word for a moment. His heart was racing and I watched as he took another sip of his drink. 

“Do you want a glass?” He asked, and I shook my head. I didn’t need to drink anything right now. I wanted to be sober when I went back to the room. Plus, I was curious about what he was going to say. His eyes glistened, and he took a deep breath. “It has been a while since I’ve spoken to her mother. I am going to see her in Paris.”

“Do you love her?” I asked, and he scoffed.

“Do men like us know what love truly is, Vladimir?” He asked, shaking his head. “She is a weakness, I will admit that much. But she is my hidden secret. I will have her moved somewhere else though. She is attracting too much attention to herself, and I don’t want anyone to relate her to me. She is going to be a threat to me, and I don’t want to end up dealing with that.”

“Where do you plan on taking her?” I asked, and he shrugged.

“I might buy her an island. It would be well guarded, but I doubt that it is something that she would accept. I am also considering bringing her here. She would be safer here by my side.” He said, and I frowned. A mother whose daughter has been killed isn’t a good idea when it comes to where she would be. “I need to find the right thing to do for her sake. But I am going to need to be sure that she is safe until then.”

“Why not try mom?” I asked, shaking my head in question.

“Her and your mother were never on their best terms as young women.” He said, and I nodded. “She was the reason that your mother was initially sent as a bride. While it came to my advantage, I know that your mother didn’t want to marry a man whose heart was with another woman.”

The memory of what my mother told me a long time ago about my father loving Eleanor’s mom played in my head, but I knew to stay quiet. “To make me hold everything, to hold the power that I hold today, I had to send my sister away as a bride. It was her idea.”

“Does mama regret it?” I asked, and he shrugged.

“I never bothered to ask.” He said, and I nodded, clenching my fist. On second thought, it was a better option for her to come here. “She has you. I am sure that counted as something to her. But you know, I don’t know whether or not she would have done so if I gave her the choice.”

I got up from the couch, not wanting to hear anymore. His eyes met mine as he looked up, clearly drowsy. I nodded at his two bodyguards, knowing that they would be ready to take care of him if they needed to. At least, to take him to his room.

“He is drunk enough as it is.” I said, and the men nodded. “Take him to rest. If he resists; call me. I’ll help.”

They nodded and I walked back toward my office. Batrov’s eyes met mine as he stood in front of one of the doors, ‘guarding’ it. I smirked, knowing that the man was a liar. But to let him know that I knew wasn’t something that I would do.

“I hear that you are going to Paris.” I said. He looked down at his feet, avoiding my eyes, knowing to still keep his respect as he was of a ‘lower’ rank. 

“Mr. Konstantin asked me to go with him. I am going to help and escort him until he is back.” I nodded in response, and he cleared his throat. “You know that it is only a matter of time before I am back in my place. Don’t get too used to being by his side; he won’t be allowing you there for long.”

I scoffed, shaking my head at the man’s audacity before grabbing him by his throat, choking him. I pinned him against the wall behind him, tightening my grip before raising him off the ground.

“You see, you know that you can call for help, but you won’t; because you know that if I kill you here and now, no one is going to do anything. But if ONE hair on my head in harmed by you, unless I say otherwise, you are to lose your fucking head.” I said, watching as the man choked on his own breath. He grabbed my wrist, trying to pull my hand away, but being a wolf gave me an advantage on him. I tightened my grip. “Dare threaten me again, and this neck of yours would be broken in less than a minute.”

I let the man go, watching as his body dropped, forcing him on his knees as he fought to catch his breath. He put his hand on his neck, coughing, and I rolled my eyes as I walked past him, heading to my office. 

“Go and rest for the night. You have a long few nights ahead of you in Paris.” I said, not bothering to look at him. “If anyone asks, you were ordered to rest by the boss’s second hand, nephew, and ONLY heir…”