Page 14

Ivan

It’s been a couple of weeks since that night in the study, and Sarah is still living under my roof. The arrangement is supposed to be temporary, but I find myself in no rush to change it. The truth is, I can’t get enough of her. Every time I leave the house, all I can think about is going back and claiming her again. It’s an addiction, a need that’s taken root deep inside me. It’s strange—no, it’s unsettling. I haven’t felt like this in a long time, if ever.

Yet, here I am, craving her like a drug I can’t quit.

I try to push those thoughts aside as I sit in my office, focusing on the work in front of me. Maxim is leaning against the edge of the desk, his expression serious as he briefs me on the latest developments.

“Kace is bleeding,” Maxim says, his voice laced with satisfaction. “Stealing back the money hit him hard—double the amount. He’s been in a rage ever since. Tried to break into our systems a few times, but they haven’t been able to get through. Seems they can’t do it without Sarah.”

I nod, absorbing the information. The knowledge that Kace is struggling brings a certain satisfaction, but it’s laced with the awareness that a cornered enemy is a dangerous one. Kace is the kind of man who doesn’t take defeat lightly. He’ll be plotting, planning his revenge. The man is nothing if not relentless.

“Stay alert,” Maxim continues, echoing my own thoughts. “Kace isn’t going to let this go. He’s going to come at us one way or another. We need to be ready for anything—a physical attack, an ambush, something unexpected.”

“Of course,” I reply, my voice steady, though my mind is already half-occupied with thoughts of Sarah. Even now, I can’t shake the image of her from my mind, the feel of her beneath me, the taste of her lips. I force myself to focus, to bury the distraction under the pressing reality of the situation. “Double the security on the perimeter. Make sure our men are armed and ready at all times. I don’t want any surprises.”

Maxim nods, his expression grim. “I’ve already put the men on high alert. They know what to expect. We’re watching every move Kace makes, but he’s slippery. If he decides to go low-tech, we might not see it coming.”

“Then we’ll be ready,” I say, my voice hardening. “He’s desperate now. Desperation makes people reckless. We use that to our advantage.”

Maxim smirks, the corner of his mouth lifting in a way that tells me he’s more than eager for the confrontation. “You know, it’s ironic. The one person who could get Kace out of this mess is right here, in your house.”

I can’t help the possessive growl that escapes my throat at his words. “Sarah belongs to me now,” I say, the statement coming out with more force than I intended. Maxim raises an eyebrow, clearly noting the intensity in my tone, but he wisely chooses not to comment on it.

“Understood,” he says instead, his voice neutral as he straightens up, pushing off the desk. “I’ll make sure everything is in place.”

As Maxim leaves the room, I’m left alone with my thoughts. The irritation that bubbled up at the mention of Sarah lingers, a reminder of how deep she’s gotten under my skin. It’s not just about the sex—though that’s certainly part of it. It’s the way she challenges me, the way she’s slipped past the walls I’ve built around myself. I find myself wanting her in ways I hadn’t anticipated, ways I haven’t wanted anyone in a long time.

It’s dangerous, this growing attachment. I know it is. The last thing I need is to be distracted by a woman, especially one as complicated as Sarah. Yet, I can’t bring myself to pull away. I’ve always been a man who takes what he wants, and right now, all I want is her.

The thought of going home to her, of feeling her body against mine, consumes me. I’ve tried to rationalize it, tried to tell myself it’s just physical, but I’m not sure I even believe that anymore. The truth is, there’s something about her that I can’t let go of, something that pulls me back to her again and again.

As I sit there, the reality of the situation presses down on me. Kace is a threat, one that needs to be dealt with swiftly and decisively. Sarah is becoming something more than just a distraction. She’s becoming a need, and that need is starting to cloud my judgment.

I shake my head, trying to clear the fog of desire that seems to settle over me whenever I think of her. I can’t afford to lose focus, not now. Kace is out there, plotting his revenge, and I need to be ready for whatever he throws at us.

A knock on the door interrupts my thoughts. It’s soft, hesitant—definitely not Maxim or one of the other men. My eyes narrow as I glance toward the door, a sense of unease creeping in. “Come in,” I call out, my voice sharp.

The door opens slowly, and to my surprise, it’s the housemaid who steps inside. She’s a timid woman, middle-aged, always keeping her head down and doing her work quietly. It’s unlike her to come here unannounced, especially with the tension that’s been hanging in the air lately.

She hovers just inside the door, wringing her hands nervously. Her gaze flickers between me and Maxim, who’s standing near the window, his expression immediately turning cautious. Something’s off.

“What are you doing here?” I ask, my tone clipped. “This isn’t the time for cleaning.”

The maid swallows hard, taking a hesitant step forward. “I’m sorry, Mr. Sharov,” she says, her voice trembling slightly. “I… I have something to report. Something about Miss Sarah.”

At her words, I feel a shift in the room. Maxim’s posture straightens, his eyes sharpening with interest and suspicion. My own instincts go on high alert, the mention of Sarah’s name enough to put me on edge.

“What is it?” I demand, my voice a little harsher than intended. The maid flinches slightly, but she presses on, clearly struggling with whatever it is she has to say.

“She’s hiding something from you, Mr. Sharov,” the maid continues, her voice barely above a whisper. “She asked me to get something for her, something she didn’t want anyone to know about.”

Maxim steps forward, his eyes narrowing as he assesses the maid’s nervous demeanor. “What did she ask you to get?” he asks, his tone low and dangerous.

The maid’s eyes dart to me, then back to Maxim, as if unsure who to address. Finally, she settles on me, her loyalty to the Sharov family evident in the way she forces herself to speak. “She asked me to get a pregnancy test,” the maid admits, her voice shaky. “She begged me not to mention it to anyone, but I couldn’t keep it from you. I believe she’s carrying your child, Mr. Sharov.”

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, knocking the wind out of me. For a moment, I can’t think, can’t process what she’s just said. Sarah… pregnant? The idea swirls in my mind, impossible to ignore, impossible to comprehend. Maxim’s reaction is immediate, his hand going to the gun at his waist as if preparing for the worst.

The room feels like it’s closing in, the walls pressing in around me as the realization takes hold. My mind races, the implications of the maid’s words crashing over me in waves. Sarah, pregnant with my child? It’s a thought I hadn’t even considered, a possibility I hadn’t allowed myself to entertain. And yet, here it is, staring me in the face.

“Are you certain?” I ask, my voice low and dangerously calm, the kind of calm that comes before a storm.

The maid nods quickly, her face pale. “Yes, Mr. Sharov. She was very insistent, very anxious about it. I couldn’t lie to you.”

Maxim’s eyes meet mine, the silent communication between us clear. This changes everything. If what the maid says is true, Sarah is no longer just a temporary fixation or a useful asset. She’s something more—something much more complicated.

“Leave us,” I order the maid, my voice leaving no room for argument. She doesn’t hesitate, backing out of the room quickly, leaving Maxim and me in a tense silence.

Once the door clicks shut, Maxim turns to me, his expression a mixture of concern and something else—something I can’t quite place. “What do you want to do, Ivan?” he asks, his voice cautious.

I take a deep breath, trying to calm the storm raging inside me. Every instinct I have tells me to keep her close, to protect what’s mine. There’s also the gnawing suspicion, the fear that this could be a trap, another layer of deceit.

“Find out if it’s true,” I say, my voice hardening with resolve. “If she’s pregnant, I need to know. No mistakes.”

Maxim nods, his expression serious. “If she is?”

I don’t answer right away, my mind racing through the possibilities, the risks, the consequences. If Sarah is carrying my child, then everything changes. She becomes more than just a part of the game—I become tied to her in a way I never intended.

“If she is,” I finally say, my voice low, “then I’ll protect her. She’ll stay with me, under my watch, and we’ll deal with Kace and whatever else comes our way. No one touches her or that child.”

Maxim nods, accepting my decision without question. He knows me well enough to understand that when I decide something, there’s no turning back. Beneath the surface, I can feel the turmoil brewing, the uncertainty that comes with this new reality.

Maxim remains standing across from me, his eyes studying my face carefully. I can tell there’s more he wants to say, something lingering beneath the surface. He shifts his weight slightly, clearing his throat before speaking.

He says, “We need to tighten security around the estate. Double the guards, monitor all incoming and outgoing communications. If Kace gets even a hint about this, he’ll use it against us.”

“I agree,” I respond, my mind already running through the necessary precautions. “Make the arrangements immediately. I want a full background check on all staff. If the maid knew about the test, others might know as well. We can’t afford any leaks.”

“I’ll see to it,” Maxim replies, his professionalism returning in full force. He hesitates for a second before adding, “Ivan… perhaps it’s best if you speak to Sarah about this directly. Confirm things between the two of you.”

I feel a muscle twitch in my jaw at the suggestion. The thought of confronting Sarah about this is… complicated. Part of me wants to demand answers, to assert control over the situation. Another part, one I don’t often acknowledge, feels a pang of uncertainty, even vulnerability.

“I will,” I say curtly, dismissing any further discussion on the matter.

Maxim takes the hint and straightens up, preparing to leave. As he reaches the door, he pauses and glances back at me, a rare softness in his usually stoic gaze.

“You’ll make the right decision,” he says quietly. “You always do.”

I offer him a brief nod, and with that, he’s gone, leaving me alone in the silence of my office. The weight of the conversation settles heavily around me, the reality of the situation pressing in from all sides.

I stand up from my chair and walk over to the large windows overlooking the estate. The sun is beginning to set, casting long shadows across the manicured lawns and imposing gates. The view is one of order and control, a contrast to the chaos swirling inside me.

Fatherhood. It’s a concept I’ve never seriously entertained. Growing up, my own relationship with my father was… complicated, to say the least. He was a hard man, stern and unyielding, his expectations heavy and often suffocating. We clashed more often than not, our disagreements escalating until his passing left so many things unsaid, unresolved.

I remember the nights spent in this very office, listening to his lectures about duty and legacy, about the weight of the Sharov name and what it meant to uphold it. For him, everything was about power and reputation, about maintaining our place in a world where weakness was not an option. Affection was a luxury he rarely afforded, and praise was even scarcer.

I know I’ve turned out just the same as he has.