Chapter 33 Security measures pt. 1
Aleksander POV
“Come,” I said again, leading her toward the staircase.
Her flip flops made soft slapping sounds against the marble as we walked. Casual. Almost out of place against the polished stone and towering ceilings.
I noticed it immediately.
Not heels. Not something delicate or strategic.
Flip flops.
In a house built for war.
The sound followed us up each step — light, unguarded, human.
At the top landing, the hallway stretched long and dimly lit. Dark hardwood floors polished to a mirror finish. Framed black-and-white photographs of Moscow in winter lined the walls.
She slowed, glancing down at her feet.
“I feel really underdressed right now.”
A faint smirk pulled at my mouth.
“You could walk through this house barefoot and no one would question it.”
She glanced up at me.
“They wouldn’t?”
“They answer to me.”
And if I decide you belong here, then you belong here.
We reached the south wing, and I stopped in front of the double doors.
“This is yours.”
She blinked.
“Mine?”
“Yes.”
I opened them.
The room was expansive but warm. Neutral tones. King-sized bed. Sitting area by tall windows overlooking the back acreage. The bed linens were soft cream. The lighting golden, not harsh. Intentional.
She stepped inside slowly, taking it in like she had downstairs.
“You already had this ready.”
“I prepare.”
“For me?”
“For scenarios,” I answered evenly.
That was technically true.
But I had it adjusted for her.
She moved toward the closet, spotting the clothes arranged neatly inside.
“You got my size right.”
“I pay attention.”
She turned slowly back toward me.
“This is… too much.”
“No,” I said calmly. “This is stability.”
That word hit her.
I saw it.
Because she misses it.
Routine. Familiarity. Waking up in the same place two days in a row.
I walked further into the room.
“There’s a panic button under the nightstand,” I said. “Another in the bathroom. Windows auto-lock at midnight. Two guards posted at the end of this wing.”
“Outside my room?” she asked.
“Yes.”
Her brows pulled together.
“And your room?”
“Across the hall.”
She hesitated.
“Aleksander…”
I knew what was coming.
“You’re not sleeping in here with me?”
The question wasn’t insecure.
It was vulnerable.
I stepped closer until we were only inches apart.
“I want to,” I said honestly.
Her breath caught slightly.
“But you won’t?”
“No.”
“Why?”
Because I am not ruled by desire.
Because emotions get people killed.
Because if someone breaches this wing, I need to be able to move without hesitation.
I held her gaze.
“If someone attempts entry tonight, I need to know which room is the target.”
Her expression shifted.
“I don’t understand.”
“If we sleep together, and there is an intrusion, we are in the same point of failure.”
She swallowed.
“I won’t put you in a position where one mistake costs both of us.”
The air felt heavier.
“I have an exit route from my room that you do not,” I continued. “If something happens, I can draw attention away from you.”
Her face paled slightly.
“You’re planning for that?”
“I plan for everything.”
She shook her head faintly.
“I thought you just didn’t want to…”
I cut her off gently by brushing my fingers under her chin.
“Maria.”
My voice dropped.
“This has nothing to do with wanting.”
Her breathing slowed.
“If I sleep in here,” I continued, “it will not be for security reasons.”
A flush crept up her neck.
“And tonight,” I added quietly, “my priority is keeping you alive.”
Silence stretched between us.
Her flip flops shifted softly against the hardwood as she stepped closer.
“You’re serious about all of this,” she said.
“I do not play when it comes to you.”
I reached past her and opened the small drawer in the nightstand, showing her the concealed handgun resting inside.
“Only if necessary,” I said.
She looked at it, then back at me.
“I don’t want to ever need that.”
“Neither do I.”
I stepped back slightly, giving her space.
“My room is directly across from yours. If you open your door, you will see mine. If you need me, you call. If you are afraid, you call. If you are angry, you call.”
A small, reluctant smile tugged at her lips.
“And if I just… miss you?”
My jaw tightened just slightly.
“Then you call.”
Because that is the line.
Security first.
Desire second.
Always.
I moved toward the door, but before I stepped out, I paused.
“Spokoynoy nochi, malyshka.”
Good night, little one.
Her voice was softer when she answered.
“Good night, Aleksander.”
I closed the door gently.
And the second it shut, the softness drained from my face.
Now I could be the man the world knows.
Not the one she does.