Page 38 of Forgotten Vows

I shook my head. I would tell her more about my lies where Serena was involved and my reasoning to go. But not right now. I had every intention to steer this conversation to what was going onnow. “Luka expects me to figure out why you are here.”

She huffed. “Sure, sure. Whatever the boss wants.”

“I understand that your only wish was to defy your father, but I’m not the same.”

“Iknowthat. You choose your family over everything.”

“As I should!” I would never betray my family. I hated that being with Raisa that summer felt like an inkling of a betrayal at all, when I fell in love with a rival.

“What did you come here for, Raisa?” I approached her, grabbing her upper arms and jerking her closer so she’d look at me and focus on nothing but me.

“What do you expect from me?” Because this was her, and this wasus, I couldn’t resist stroking my thumbs over her bare skin.

She shivered, still so responsive to my touch. She loathed me, but her body recalled the magic we’d found together.

As she slowly lifted her gaze to meet mine, some of her stubborn protest melted in her eyes. Instead, she peered at me with something more like longing. Like need. This blonde beauty stared at me with such intensity that I had to wonder if she wanted me again.

No wonder Luka mocked me about keeping it in my pants.

I released her, stepping back and scolding myself mentally for being such an idiot. Sex wasn’t going to solve anything. I needed answers. Intel. But something about her always weakened me.

Only she could render me a fool like this.

I shook my head, more to feebly clear my thoughts than to nonverbally tell herno.

It’s not happening.

Not like this.

She clearly hated me, and that wasn’t any grounds for us to makeloveagain.

Meeting her gaze once more and finding her giving me a flinty, cool stare, I had to remind myself that she had every right to be mad at me for how I’d left her before.

If only she can understand I’ll never leave her again.

I dragged my hand over my face and sighed. “What do you want from me, Raisa? What did you come here for after so long of staying away and hiding my son from me?”

16

RAISA

Honestly, I was surprised Ivan hadn’t cornered me sooner. For almost a week, Lev and I were guests here. I wasn’t going to agree with Gabriella or anyone else and admit that I felt “welcome” here.

Ivan questioning me so directly now was proof that I was an “other”. That I was under Luka’s suspicion. Ivan’s too.

Shrugging off that sudden bolt of lust I’d felt when he got too close and put his hands on me, I sighed and faced him squarely. “Protection.”

He narrowed his eyes, perhaps surprised that I was obeying his command to explain myself and my presence.

“I’m here for protection.”

The fabric of his shirt strained under his bunched muscles as he crossed his arms. “Protection from…?”

I licked my lips, not looking forward to talking about that day when the Italians snuck in. When my illusion of peace was shattered.

“Lev and I were living outside Paris for the last few years. I worked in the laundry room of a hotel, paid under the table. The day I came here, I had walked home on my break because it washot and I wanted to change into a spare uniform. As I walked to and from the hotel, I felt like someone was watching me. Then I spotted someone in my neighbor’s backyard.”

“Who was it?”