Page 155 of Nine Months to Love

There’s an awkward pause. Then Olivia appears in the doorway behind me.

“Stefan? Is everything—” She stops when she sees Iakov and Arielle. “Oh. Sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“You’re not interrupting,” I say. “Olivia, this is Iakov Zakharov and his fiancée, Arielle. They came to visit Elena.”

Olivia’s eyebrows rise slightly, but she recovers quickly and extends her hand to Arielle. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“You, too,” Arielle says, shaking her hand. “Congratulations on your engagement. Iakov told me.”

“Thank you.”

The two women smile at each other. It’s polite. Friendly, even.

I turn to Iakov. “Let’s talk privately.”

He nods. “Arielle, why don’t you stay here with Dr. Aster?”

“Of course.”

Olivia gives me a questioning look, but I just kiss her temple. “I’ll be right back.”

Iakov and I walk down the hall, away from the guards and the nurses’ station. We stop near a window overlooking the parking lot.

“I’m going to ask one more time: You expect me to believe that you have no ulterior motive in coming here?” I ask.

“I know this is probably hard for you to hear, but I’m not here for you at all. I’m here for Elena.” He pauses, then adds, “But so long as we’re talking about it, I had nothing to do with the attack on your manor.”

“Sounds like something a guilty man would say.”

“What would an innocent man say?”

He looks sincere. But I don’t trust anyone anymore.

“You’ve been working with the FBI,” I say. “You’ve been feeding them information about my operations. Don’t insult my intelligence by pretending you’re not trying to destroy me.”

“I’m not pretending anything. Yes, I’ve been working with the feds. Yes, I want to see you pay for what you did to my father. But I didn’t order an attack on your home and I sure as hell didn’t tell anyone to shoot Elena.”

“Then who did?”

“Your mother, probably. She’s the one who’s been pulling the strings, isn’t she?”

I don’t answer. He’s right, but admitting it feels like giving him ammunition.

Iakov sighs. “Again, I’m not asking you to trust me. I’m just telling you the truth. I had nothing to do with what happened to Elena. And if I find out who did, I’ll let you know.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because Elena doesn’t deserve to be caught in the middle of our bullshit. She’s a good woman. She didn’t do anything wrong.”

I want to believe him. Or maybe I just want to believe that not everyone in this world is out to fuck me over.

“If I find out you’re lying—” I start.

“You won’t.”

“—I’ll kill you. And Arielle. And anyone else you care about.”

His fist tightens, but he keeps it at his side. “Understood.”