Page 66 of Mafia Prince's Secret Baby

KATYA

Aleks’s words hit me harder than I thought they would.

It’s the only explanation for why I’m sitting here, hours after putting Sofiya and Damien to bed, waiting for Igor to come home. Normally, he makes time for the kids before bedtime, but tonight, his usual heavy footsteps haven’t echoed through the halls.

When the front door finally opens and slams shut, I tense. The sound reverberates through the quiet house, followed by the distinct rhythm of his shoes against the wooden floor. His steps are louder and faster than normal, sharp and purposeful. Is he angry? In a rush?

I slip out of my bedroom before I can second-guess myself. Curiosity gets the better of me, pulling me toward the hallway. The floors creak under my weight as I cross the corridor, moving quickly to peek around the corner.

Igor is standing at the door to his room, one foot planted in the doorway, his hand braced against the frame. He pauses, tilting his head slightly to the left, and I swear he’s looking straight at me.

“I know you’re there,” he calls out, his deep voice rolling down the hall.

My heart drops, and a chill ripples through me.How the hell does he do that?Is he a wizard or something?

“It’s okay,” he says, his tone softer now. “Come closer.”

I stay rooted in place, refusing to move. Like I’d willingly approach the beast.

“Where were you?” I demand, my voice sharper than I intend.

He turns fully to face me, his brow furrowed in confusion. “Since when do you give a shit?”

“Answer the question,” I snap.

His jaw tightens, and for a moment, I think he’s going to ignore me. But then he sighs, running a hand through his dark hair. “I was on a date.”

“What?” The word escapes me before I can stop myself, and I immediately wish I hadn’t reacted. My stomach twists, a sick feeling creeping in.

“A date,” he repeats, lifting his chin as if daring me to challenge him. “Do you have a problem with that?”

I do.

Ireallydo.

My hands sting as I clench them into fists, anger bubbling up and spilling over. Before I realize what I’m doing, I storm across the hall, shoving past him into his room. He follows me inside, and I slam the door shut behind us. The sound echoes like a gunshot.

“As a matter of fact, Ido,” I snap, turning to face him. “Your idiot brother tried to convince me to give you a chance. For some reason, he believes you want to be in Sofiya’s life. But judging by tonight? It looks like you’d much rather be anywhere else.”

Igor’s eyes narrow, his posture straightening as he towers over me. “Are you done?”

“No,” I bite out, the fire in my belly surging higher. The words spill out of me, fast and hot, my frustration boiling over. I’m not even sure who I’m mad at anymore—Aleks for raising my hopes or myself for believing, even for a second, that Igor could be anything more than the selfish, stubborn man standing in front of me.

“You’re a pig,” I throw at him, the words cutting like daggers.

He doesn’t flinch. He doesn’t even react. Instead, he loosens the tie around his neck, his expression maddeningly calm as he undoes the knot. “Please move out of the way,” he says coolly. “I can’t have this conversation until I change. This suit costs a fortune.”

He tugs the tie free and drapes it over a nearby chair, his broad shoulders shifting under the perfectly tailored fabric of his shirt. My eyes betray me, trailing over the hard lines of his body, the way the muscles ripple as he unbuttons his collar.

And then I see it.

The red lipstick stain on his collar.

It hits me like a slap to the face, reigniting the anger that was just starting to cool. “You’re afucking man-whore,” I spit, the words laced with venom.

Igor’s gaze sharpens, his eyes growing cold as ice. “Watch your mouth,” he warns.

“Or what?” I challenge, my voice rising.