Page 36 of Royal Bargain

I don’t flinch. “You run one of the most opulent clubs in the city. A place built on expression and truth and freedom.” I pause, leveling him with a look. “And you can’t even be honest withyourself.”

Aleksey’s eyes narrow and his mouth presses into a firm line, his hands clenched into fists on his lap. Shit. I’ve done it again—let my mouth get carried away and hurt someone I care about.

I look down at Lily, now sleeping quietly against my chest, and try to breathe through the ache in my throat, trying to figure out what to say to fix this moment.

But it’s too late for that. “You think you’re the only one who’s had to survive him?” he hisses. “You think you’re the only one who’s ever been afraid of what he might do?”

I don’t answer. I can’t. Not with Lily warm and heavy in my arms, not with guilt pressing down on my shoulders like a weight I can’t shrug off.

“Say what you want about me, Annushka,” he goes on, his voice rising now. “But at least I’ve always tried to protect you. Even when you didn’t want it.”

I scoff under my breath, but he barrels forward, voice cracking just slightly.

“You think he didn’t notice when you froze up at the table? When you couldn’t look him in the eye or answer fast enough?” Aleksey’s hands are clenched now. “I covered for you. I learned your tells. I’d step in, make excuses, say whatever I had to so he wouldn’t lose patience.”

“Aleksey—” I start, but he talks over me.

“I used to fake fevers to get you out of Sunday dinners. Lie to him about your headaches. You think I didn’t know what was really going on? I knew. And I did whatever I could to make sure he wouldn’t lash out at you for it.”

My chest tightens. I never asked him to do any of that. I didn’t know he had.

“You were a kid,” I whisper. “You shouldn’t have had to do that.”

“Yeah, well, I did,” he snaps. “Because if I didn’t, who the hell would’ve?”

He shoots to his feet, chest rising fast like he’s trying to keep a lid on whatever’s brewing under the surface.

“You don’t have to forgive me. You don’t even have to look at me again,” he says, voice cracking a little. “But don’t stand there and pretend I didn’t try. Don’t pretend I didn’t care.”

A shadow moves across the floor. I glance up—Liam’s standing behind the couch now, arms crossed tight, jaw locked.

“I think it’s time you left,” he says, calm but cutting.

His voice doesn’t rise, but there’s weight behind it. Final. Protective.

Aleksey turns, caught off guard. His mouth twitches into something that’s not quite a smile. “Of course. The white knight shows up.”

“You’ve made your point,” Liam says. “Now you’re upsetting her. That’s not happening here.”

Aleksey’s eyes flick back to mine. There’s a flash of something—sharp, almost cruel.

“I’m not the only one keeping things buried,” he says.

I stiffen. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He tilts his head just a little, studying me. “You really think he knows everything?” His voice drops, slow and pointed. “What made it all so hard for you? What made him crack? What made me step in—again and again?”

My mouth opens, but I’ve got nothing.

“I kept your secrets because I understood them,” he says, smooth as glass, sharp as a blade. “I wonder how long you think he would.”

He doesn’t wait for a response—just turns and walks out, slow and steady like he didn’t just set the whole room on fire.

The door clicks shut behind him.

I stay frozen. Lily shifts in my arms, letting out a little sigh in her sleep, but doesn’t stir.

Even she can feel the tension bleeding out of the room.