Page 16

M y low-heeled, leather-soled boots made a soft clacking sound against the highly polished marble floor, the rhythmic tap-tap-tap echoing through the vast corridor that led to my father’s and uncles’ offices.

The sound felt too loud, almost jarring, against the deep silence that surrounded me, as if the floor itself was meant to absorb the weight of what happened here, and I was disturbing that delicate balance.

These were hallowed halls.

Every inch of this place seemed to hold history, to carry the ghosts of decisions made in sound-proofed rooms and secret board meetings.

The walls were lined with sleek, modern art. The floor to ceiling windows offering a view of Manhattan only matched by the other kingmakers in the city.

Everything about Volkov Towers exuded power and authority, as though the very structure had been built with that innate strength in mind.

This was where kings worked—at least, that’s how it felt.

Men who made and unmade empires, not with armies or revolutions, but with the stroke of a pen.

They brokered billion-dollar contracts, reshaped markets, and manipulated industries with the ease of someone flipping through a deck of cards.

The men that ran Volkov Industries made the kinds of decisions that could bring entire governments to their knees or send millions of people’s lives spinning in a new direction, often without them ever knowing who held the power to make it all happen.

I always felt so small coming here when I was a child. But I’d always been so very proud of my father.

Proud to be his daughter.

But as I grew into adulthood, my desire to prove myself and to stand on my own only increased.

I felt a sadness well within me for the little girl I’d been. So na?ve and confident that I’d take my place by his side here one day. But now, I realized that wasn’t even something I wanted anymore.

Anxiety threatened to overwhelm me as I faced the door leading to his office.

Oh fuck. Are you really doing this, Micky?

I was about to confront my dad with some things he was sure to hate. The first one being the six foot plus man who was still gripping my hand as we passed the receptionist’s desk and my father’s personal assistant.

“Miss Volkov? Shall I announce you?” the older man asked.

“No, thank you, Nathan. I’ll announce myself,” I replied with a nervous smile.

Liam squeezed my hand, and I appreciated it, I did. Odd to feel comforted by my husband who has been practically absentee since day one, but there I was, using his grip on me as if I could siphon strength from that contact alone.

I faced Dad’s door and sucked in a fortifying breath. Every time I stepped through these doors, I felt gravity pulling at me, pressing in on my chest.

It was a constant reminder that here Dad was not just Dad. He was different. He was Adrik Volkov. Billionaire CEO.

It was easy to romanticize it from the outside.

The power.

The prestige.

The wealth.

But standing here, on this marble floor, I could feel the sharp edges of it.

The cost.

The toll.

The moral compromises that had to be made in order to hold the reins of this kind of power.

My father cared a great deal for his family. He would do anything for my mother, my sister, and me. That wasn’t even a question.

And maybe I was fucked up because I’d always wanted more. Not necessarily from him, but from everyone. Nerves wracked me, but I fought against them, pushing through the doubts and angst as I opened the door.

“Doshen’ka! What a nice surprise,” my father greeted me, a smile lighting up his still handsome face.

He was a little grayer these days, but every bit as powerful and attractive as the framed wedding photograph Mom kept of the two of them in the living room of their Long Island home.

I moved inside the office with Liam coming in right behind me. He closed the door, and my father’s gaze swept to where our hands were still connected. Liam squeezed me reassuringly, and I swallowed.

I watched my dad, seeing the precise moment when he registered the implication of Liam O’Doyle holding my hand.

“Dad,” I began.

A growl reverberated from my father’s throat, and I stumbled back as he rose to his feet, pushing away from his desk. He stalked towards us, his eyes glued to mine and Liam’s hands.

“What is this? What have you done, Doshen’ka?” he asked, and his voice was barely recognizable.

I admit, I had never seen my father in a temper. At least, not one aimed at me.

“You. You did this. You tricked my girl? I gave you a job. I granted you access. And this, this is how you repay me?”

“Sir, perhaps you should listen to your daughter.”

“Don’t fucking tell me what to do. Now, get your filthy hands off my daughter.”

My father’s demand was made in a tone that was both quiet and threatening. How he made it across the room so quickly was just a testament to his speed and strength.

I gasped as my father reached out and grabbed Liam by the collar.

“Stop!” I shouted.

My father only snarled and Liam, well, he just smirked and pulled me behind him.

“You don’t want to do this, Mr. Volkov.”

“What do you know of my wants?”

Still, Liam made no move against Dad. Probably a good idea since my uncles, Marat, Josef, and Andres, all came rushing inside the office at the same time.

“Ad, let him go,” Uncle Marat said, grabbing my father’s arm.

“Uncle Marat, make him stop,” I begged, as fear danced up my spine.

“Sonovabitch!” Dad growled, his teeth way too close to Liam’s face right before he pushed him away.

I had to hand it to my husband. He didn’t even flinch. And my father looked scary as fuck.

“Come here, Micky,” Uncle Andres beckoned me, but I couldn’t move.

Liam was still holding my hand.

“Mr. Volkov, I appreciate we surprised you, but the situation is this. Michaela is my wife. We are married, sir, and there is nothing you can do about it.”

A stream of Russian flew out of my father’s mouth as Uncle Josef got between him and Liam, pushing my father back when he would have advanced once more.

“Easy, Adrik. Calm down!” Uncle Marat shouted.

“Micky, explain,” Uncle Andres said.

“Well, we-we’re married,” I said, my chest heaving with emotion.

Liam wrapped an arm around my waist and pulled me towards his side. He was protective and while I was curious as to why he suddenly felt that way after ignoring me all week, really, I appreciated it at the time.

Liam’s support was more than welcomed. Something crashed, and I saw my father had thrown one of his awards across the room, shattering the crystal into a million pieces.

I gasped. I knew Dad would be mad, but he was flying off the wall.

This all felt like I was stuck in a nightmare. I mean, Liam and I didn’t marry for love, and what I was doing to my father was sort of unfair. But he didn’t know that.

After the kind of relationship he and my mother had, you’d think he would be open to the idea of a whirlwind romance. I frowned, wishing we really were in love, but whatever. The point was, as far as Dad knew, that was exactly what this was!

The nightmare continued as my father and uncles all started yelling over one another. It felt like the kind of dream where everything is moving around you at regular speed, but you’re stuck in slow motion. I felt like I was caught in a thick, glutinous fog.

“Calm down? This prick tricked my daughter! What did you do, you fuck?” Dad yelled.

“I just married her, Mr. Volkov. I get that you’re upset. But it’s done,” Liam said, sounding calm in the midst of the raging storm that was my father.

“No! I won’t have it! Admit what you want, you sneaky sonovabitch.”

“Tricked? Tricked!” I repeated, finally registering some of what was being said.

“You think I am stupid, don’t you?” I asked, completely aghast.

“What? Doshen’ka, no,” my father replied, shaking his head as he tried to catch his breath.

“No, Dad, you really must if you think I’m so weak as to get tricked by a man. After all this time, everything I accomplished, you still think I’m a little girl. A stupid, na?ve little girl,” I whispered.

“Doshen’ka, you don’t understand. I’m just trying to protect you,” Dad said.

“Protect me? From what? Myself? All because you think I’m too dumb to know my own mind.”

“I never said this?—”

“Well, you said enough. Anyway, I came here to tell you I quit, and to introduce you to my husband. I won’t be working for Volkov Industries anymore. Liam and I are partners in our own venture. I hope when you are done having your tantrum, you will be happy for us.”

“Michaela—”

“Excuse me. We have to be going now.”