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I can’t help but let out a quiet laugh, though there’s no humor in it. “That’s one way to put it.”
She’s waiting. Not pushing, just... waiting for me to trust her enough to share. There’s something in her eyes, something that makes me want to let down my guard and stop pretending that I have everything under control.
I shake my head and run a hand through my hair. “Everything’s falling apart, and it’s happening too fast for me to stop it.”
Her brow furrows, concern written all over her face.
I take a deep breath, feeling the words like stones in my throat. “You’re already aware that the British and French authorities have frozen the assets I have registered in Europe. The yacht, the properties, the shares... they’re all locked away. And now...”
“And now?”
I smile bitterly. “And now… they want more blood. They have got their American brothers coming after everything else—my reputation, my businesses, my assets in this country. If I don’t clear this up soon, I’ll lose everything that’s not in Russia.”
She’s quiet for a moment, absorbing it all. I half expect her to be overwhelmed, to step away, but instead, she inches closer, her hand resting on mine, grounding me in the moment.
“Is there anything you can do?” she asks, her voice soft, cautious.
“Yes, I can sort it all out. I’ve got paintings, crypto and assets that I can sell to raise the funds I need, but I need time.” The frustration leaks into my tone, and I rub my face, trying to shake it off. “Even if I wanted to ask my brother to help, he can’t help,being in debt himself. My sister... well, she’s offered, but only in exchange for seventy percent of everything I own once this matter is solved.”
Her eyes widen. “Seventy percent? What’s her real name, Shylock?”
I shrug and smile softly. “Natalia is a hard-nosed career woman and it is good business to cut the best deal you can especially when you see the other side is weak and with little options. But what choice do I have? She might be my only way out.”
Lara doesn’t say anything right away. Instead, she moves a little closer, her eyes scanning my face like she’s trying to find something, some answer that I can’t seem to see.
“You’ll figure this out,” she says quietly, her hand still resting on mine. “From what I’ve learned about you so far, you’re not the type to let something like this take you down. One way or another you’ll solve this.”
Her words hit something deep inside me, and for a moment, I feel... lighter. Of course, she’s right. I know I will figure this out. And even if I have to give Natalia half, I will be okay. I hate the thought of it, but it’s only a couple of billion dollars.
“Thank you. For listening. For being here.” I shake my head. “Never in a million years did I ever think I’d be saying this to you.”
She smiles, amused. “Neither did I.”
For a moment, everything feels still—just the night air thick with something unspoken. I glance at her.
“You know because of all this... I can’t buy the house on the beachfront anymore, right?” I say quietly. The one thing I had promised—the one reason she had agreed to this situation in the first place. The one thing that tied her to me.
Her eyes look deep into mine. “I know that.”
“But I’ll make sure there’s no loss for you. Your father’s agency, the commission they were counting on—it won’t be affected. I’ve already settled all his debts and paid off his outstanding loan at his bank as I promised. I won’t let you walk away from this with nothing. I just want to tell you that I’ll need a bit of time to settle my affairs before you get paid, okay?”
She nods slowly. “I need to wait for my money, huh?” Her voice is quiet, but there’s a steadiness to it. “I guess that means I’ll have to stay... until my thirty days are up, and if you’re still not able to deliver then I guess I’ll have to stay even longer.”
The twinkle in her eyes tells me she’s not just staying for the contract or because of what I can offer her father’s business anymore. She’s staying for something more—something between us that neither of us dare name yet.
Now I know for sure. They can’t take her away from me.
I feel my chest tighten as I look at her. If I stay another moment looking into her limpid eyes, I swear, I’ll say something I will never say without half a bottle of whiskey inside me. I peel off my clothes, toss them aside, and dive into the pool. The water wraps around me, cool and refreshing.
When I resurface, I see her watching me from the edge, her expression unreadable. I swim towards her, my pulse quickening as I approach. There’s something in her eyes—something that mirrors the way I’m feeling right now.
She slowly kneels by the edge of the pool, her fingers brushing the water. “Ivan... did you hear me? I’m not leaving.”
My heart swells at her words. I swim to the edge. Our faces are so close they are almost touching. Her eyes lock onto mine.
“I don’t know how this will end,” I murmur, my hand brushing her cheek. “But if you’re staying, you need to know... you’re not just part of a deal anymore.”
Her breath hitches as I press my lips to hers, softly at first, but then the need—the desperation—takes over. I deepen thekiss, pulling her into the water with me. She falls in with a quiet splash and wraps her arms around me, and everything else falls away—the house, the deal, the mess I’m in.