Chapter 153 158

Chapter 153 158
She blinks slowly. “I didn’t seek out danger, you know? You’re the one who came after me.”

“And you’re the one who ran right back the first chance you got.”

“Because I thought I could trust you!” she explodes suddenly. “I believed you!”

I raise my eyebrows in surprise. She’s no longer trying to hide how she’s feeling. In fact, I’m amazed she lasted this long.

But I don’t belittle her for her vulnerability the way I once did. We’re long past that.

Instead, I take a step forward and surprise her by resting the palm of my hand against her cheek. “You should trust your instincts.”

“Apparently, I don’t have any,” she snaps, trying to jerk her head away from me.

I don’t let her escape. “Look at me, Olivia.”

“No.”

She sets her jaw stubbornly and pointedly looks away.

So I run my fingers, light as a dreamer’s breath, across her throat. Gooseflesh pimples her skin immediately. I feel the shudder just underneath her skin.

“Your body gives you away every time, kiska.”

“Stop…” she breathes.

“Stop what?”

“Stop manipulating me.”

“Is that what I’m doing?”

She blinks at me and nods slowly.

“Then what would you say you’re doing?”

She frowns. “What do you mean?”

I tip my head to the side, watching her. “Are you not here to distract me?”

She freezes in slow, creeping horror when it hits her—I know what she’s doing.

Her eyes go wide. She twists around and rips open the door. She’s expecting to see Yulia and the girl, no doubt, but they’re long gone.

Everything that happens from this point forward will happen very, very quickly.

Demyan and Jennifer round the corner and join us.

“They left,” Demyan informs me.

Jennifer’s eyes are focused on Olivia. “Liv, are you okay?”

She lunges at her former sister-in-law with new fire in her eyes. “What the hell are you playing at? What are you all playing at?”

“We’re not the ones playing games, Olivia,” I interject coolly. “We’re simply caught in someone else’s. And it’s time for it to end.”

“How much of a head start are we giving them?” Demyan asks impatiently.

“You knew the whole time?” Olivia interrupts with a gasp.

“I know everything that goes on in this house,” I growl. “Including the fact that my mother turned off the security cameras. She made it look like a malfunction, but I know when my shit has been tampered with.”

Her chest rises and falls. “Are you going to stop her? Force her back here?”

I don’t answer her. I just give Demyan a nod. “Get the cars ready.”

Demyan nods back and heads out. Jennifer hesitates a moment longer as she turns towards Olivia. “Liv—”

“Don’t you dare speak to me,” she spits. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re as bad as he is.”

“It’s not what you—”

“Don’t tell me what I think!” Olivia hisses. “For fuck’s sake, all of you need to stop telling me what I think. Maybe you’re the one who hasn’t been thinking this entire time.”

“Jennifer,” I say firmly, “go get ready. It’s time to finish this.”

She gives Olivia a sad parting glance and then she leaves.

When we’re alone again, Olivia looks up at me, her eyes rippling with worry. “Let her go,” she pleads. “She’s so young, Aleks. She’s… she’s only a child…”

I already know what she’s assumed, what she thinks she saw. But hearing her say it, I get so angry so fast that I fear I might do something to scare her.

But I control the urge. Because, despite what she thinks, her well-being and the well-being of my child is my only priority now.

Nothing else matters.

Still, a part of me wants her to hit rock bottom before things are cleared up. I want her to see how they played her for a fool and she danced to their fucking tune.

The difference between the old me and the new me is that I want to do it for her. Not to her.

I want her to become invincible, so that no one can ever fuck with her again.

“Come on,” I growl as she backs away from my heated gaze.

“Where are we going?”

“You wanted to be a part of this,” I remind her. “You joined forces with my mother against me. You should be there for the big finale.”

When she doesn’t move, I grab her hand and steer her towards the front door. She struggles, but only marginally.

I drag her outside and towards the line of armored jeeps parked in front of the house. Demyan is standing in front of the third one, so I move towards it and push her inside.

“Get in.”

The moment I get into the passenger seat next to Demyan, the engine fires up and our little entourage starts down the long driveway towards the gate.

“Are you seriously going to stop Yulia?” she asks from the back seat.

No one answers her. Demyan shifts in his seat uncomfortably. Living in this lie is uncomfortable for him.

But I don’t mind it at all.

I was born into a world of lies. Living in one now is no different than the rest of my life has been.

“Demyan?” Olivia asks, looking towards him.

He glances at me for permission to speak to her. I shake my head.

“Are you sure about bringing her?” he asks me in a low voice, even though Olivia can hear everything he’s saying.

“I’m sure,” I say dismissively. “Are the teams ready?”

“Yes.”

“Stationed outside the hotel?”

“All ten of them,” he confirms.

“And our ally?”

“Has been informed. He’s waiting in the wings.”

“He is to move on my signal only.”

“I made that abundantly clear,” Demyan mutters. “He wasn’t happy about it.”

“He doesn’t have to be. He just has to follow my orders.”

Demyan snorts. I can’t help but smirk. It does feel intensely satisfying to issue orders to this unexpected asset. Feels almost karmic, in a sense.