Page 50

"We can't."

I remained silent for a moment, processing the two words she had to spare.

But a part of me expected this.

I am unsure of why I mentioned it in the first place.

"Then I leave," I determined, not wanting to be anywhere near her, "I leave and you leave me alone," I purposely added.

"We both know I'm not leaving you alone, Zinovia," Sevan sighed, uncrossing her arms from her chest.

I couldn't help but scoff, "Then what is it that you want hm?" I asked her, taking a few steps toward her—but only to push her shoulders, "What the fuck do you want Sevan?"

I glanced down when she gently grabbed my wrists, lowering my hands down from her shoulders that I had previously pushed.

"You want a romantic relationship, Zinovia?" Sevan clarified, staring down into my eyes.

Which immediately narrowed, "Not anymore," I immediately said, feeling everything burn around me, "I do not want anything to do with you anymore."

Sevan lazily raised her brows, "And we've already established that I'm not leaving you alone," she repeated herself yet again.

I clenched my jaw, feeling the anger inside of me grow.

Mostly because she is very confusing.

She will not leave me alone.

But she also doesn't form relationship with me?

This is the only puzzle I have yet to figure out.

"I do not fuck you then—and you do not fuck me," I purposely said, knowing that's all we supposedly did.

We are only fuck buddies.

"If that's how you want it," Sevan said, earning a few nods from me.

"So then what exactly will we do?" I asked her, seeing as she is proving my point exactly, "We do not fuck so we hang out... as a couple would do," I pointed out to her, knowing she had contradicted her very own words.

"Zinovia," Sevan said, her voice full of warning.

And before I could process it, her hand was wrapped firmly around my neck—holding me in place as I instinctively pressed my hands to her covered stomach.

"We can't be together—and I know you know this," Sevan said, her words careful and lowered with me as she stared so precisely into my eyes, "You also know that regardless of the circumstances, I'm not leaving you the fuck alone."

I forced a tight smile, "You seemed to do a very good job at leaving me alone when you had no phone to text me on," I purposely said, staring up at her with fake confusion.

"I had eyes on you—I always have eyes on you baby," Sevan explained, gently caressing her thumb against my neck, "Distance is necessary right now—"

"You are right," I cut her short, which immediately made Sevan raise a brow, "I put more than oceans between us—I go hideaway somewhere you don't know."

I glanced down, noticing Sevan's jaw clench and her caress against my neck halt.

"I'll find you," she murmured, her calm voice almost forced, "And I'll kill anyone who helped you on the way."

I remained silent for a moment, processing the edge her voice held.

How her dark eyes nearly consumed mine.

I knew she would cause much worse chaos than what she specified.

Being hated by Sevan was one thing.

It was something I could endure.

But being wanted by her...

I'm not sure that is something either of us could withstand.

Especially since we seemed to have bumped heads on the difference between wanting something.

And being serious about something.

She is not serious.

I suddenly shrugged, "Okay," I determined, firmly tugging out of her hold.

Which I knew she more or so let me do.

"I truly do not want to speak to you again Sevan," I said, walking over to my suitcase, "You waste time and I do not like to have my time wasted."

I heard her sigh.

The audacity she finds to sigh at a time like this confuses me.

This is her fault.

"You're aware that I have shit to handle right now," Sevan said, and I could hear her steps trail closer to me.

Before I felt the warmness of her hands sliding past my waist and pulling me back into her body.

"Now you want to be touchy?" I whispered as sarcastically as I could.

But blyat, all I could do was stare at her hands on my waist.

"I wanted to touch you this entire fucking time," Sevan immediately shut my accusations down, leaning down into my neck that her lips grazed, "I wanted to kiss you and feel you."

I shook my head, "You do this on purpose," I breathed out, briefly closing my eyes with hopes of getting my thoughts together, "You are manipulating me."

Sevan only pressed a soft kiss to the shell of my ear, "I missed you Zi, trust me," she decided to say, disregarding my previous words, "But this isn't about that—it's not about us."

I forced a hum, "We are not an us remember?" I shot back, desperately trying not to fold so easily under her touch and words.

"The executioners won't have this," Sevan determined, running her hands up the front of my stomach, "No one around us will have this."

I blinked a few times, knowing this was all about the executioners the entire time.

But why do we have to care?

Why can we not find other way?

She is choosing to give up in this situation.

I am a fighter and she is not.

"Then it's me or them," I suddenly said before I could think it through.

But an ultimatum is what she needed.

I am just not sure it's what I needed.

"Yuri and Arina—your right-hand men and your dogs that you care for," Sevan began to say, gently squeezing my waist, "They're all collateral damage—the executioners will kill the first."

I shook my head, "We all run away then—or we fight," I suggested, running my hands over hers, "We show them that this is okay. That we are adults who make our own decisions."

Sevan hummed, remaining silent for a moment as she traced her lips down from my ear.

And I couldn't help but clench my jaw, feeling the softest of kisses she left down my neck.

Until she finally murmured a brief—

"No."

It was faint and soft.

Careful even.

Like she knew what this would evoke out of me.

"Then you choose them—you choose your title over me," I determined, firmly pulling away from her.

But Sevan only jerked me right back by my waist—forcing me to roughly tug against her repeatedly.

Until finally, she let me go.

"Fine, Zinovia," Sevan said as I walked over to my suitcase, my heels clicking against the floors, "I'll choose you and fuck up both of our lives—is that what you want to hear?"

I shook my head, "Not anymore," I said, pulling the handle of my suitcase up, "I do not want you anymore—you are nothing to me."

Sevan only hummed, entirely unaffected by my words, "Let go of the suitcase, and let's finish this conversation," she said, motioning over to the suitcase handle I held.

"Nyet," I said, suddenly feeling tired of going in these circles with her, "You already made your original decision."

Sevan shook her head, "I made a necessary decision," she corrected me, "But let's discuss this, we can—"

"I want to leave," I cut her short, feeling nothing but irritation overwhelming me.

And these heavy unfamiliar emotions cloud my head.

I hate her so much.

We both know that she will not choose this over her current role with the executioners.

She will only manipulate me into thinking so.

"I'm not letting you leave tonight—you're getting rest first," Sevan said, firmly crossing her arms over her chest.

I shrugged, "I do not need your private plane," I said, even if I knew mine was no longer here in Colombia.

Even if they turned right back around, the plane wouldn't land here for at least another few hours.

"I... I take commercial plane," I hesitantly determined, furrowing my brows at what I had willingly signed up for.

Sevan tilted her head, eyeing my face for a moment, "For fourteen hours and a possible overlay?" she pointed out to me, mostly leaving me confused with the term overlay, "Zinovia just stay the night."

I firmly shook my head, "I leave," I said, tugging my suitcase along by my side as I began walking to the door.

Sevan let out a deep sigh, "Zinov—"

"Your mother will not kill me for leaving early, da?" I purposely asked, recalling our conversation from earlier, "I assume you let her if she does," I added, walking quicker through the small house.

"No I won't let her Zinovia," Sevan said, following close behind me, "Just fucking stay the night and we'll discuss this."

I only walked faster, "You made your decision already—now I do not want you," I said, and I could feel my irritation growing at my own lie.

I do want her.

But I know she's only going to try to find a way to keep this in the dark.

To keep us in the dark.

I do not mind a good fight for the things I want.

Only if I want them bad enough.

If Sevan wanted to she would.

She does not want to.

Simple.

I do not waste any more of my time.

"I drop this and focus on other women again," I suddenly said, opening the front door before Sevan had a chance to.

"You're not dropping anything," Sevan said as she followed me outside, "And you know the repercussions of fucking someone else."

I lazily hummed, "You said I should fuck someone did you not?" I asked, recalling her past words.

"I never said I wouldn't fucking kill them for touching a single inch of your body," Sevan said as we approached the large house.

And that's coincidentally when she remained silent, no longer fighting my decision to leave.

Especially since her parents were comfortably seated on the couch in the main living area we walked into.

"Via," Viviana said as soon as we stepped foot into the house, "Leaving already?" she asked, eyeing my suitcase.

Reniro seemed to remain silent, focusing on the game almost purposely.

I see who wears the pants here.

"Da, I have important business in Moscow," I decided to say as Sevan stood beside me, "A lot of people to meet up with," I added, knowing it would further Sevan's irritation.

Which I could tell worked by the way her jaw grew noticeably tight.

"I'm driving her," Sevan said, immediately earning her mother's attention.

"Nyet, I take car alone," I determined, wanting to be as far away from Sevan as possible.

She can be convincing.

And a car ride with her will only lead me back here.

"Our team is off the premises for the night," Viviana said, standing from the couch, "I'll take you instead."

I narrowed my eyes at her, watching as she leaned down to briefly kiss Reniro's cheek and briefly pat his shoulder.

Before her attention was back on me.

"I got it honestly," Sevan said, subtly taking a step closer to me.

Viviana tilted her head, "Via does not want to ride with you no?" she asked, raising a brow at her daughter.

Who refused to agree.

So I nodded for her, "Da I do not want to ride with her," I purposely said, earning not just Viviana's attention.

But Sevan's as well.

"I'll call someone to drive her then," Sevan said, still standing her ground on the fact that I shouldn't be in the car with her mother.

"Nonsense, I'll drive her—it's not far," Viviana insisted, motioning me along to follow her.

And as soon as she began walking away toward the door, the option to go or stay had officially disappeared.

I was now left with the one option.

To ride side by side in the small proximity of a car with Sevan's passive-aggressive mother.

But maybe I prefer that over Sevan herself.

I've always preferred a level of dislike compared to kindness.

"Goodbye Cortez," I purposely called over my shoulder, holding nothing but formality, "I am very happy we settled this business once and for all," I added, following behind Viviana away from the living area.

Sevan never seemed to spare me another word.

Although I could hear the deep sigh she let out as we walked out of the open space and down a long hallway.

Let's see if I make it to an actual airport.

Or a very shallow grave.

If Viviana has the strength to get me there—I'll kill her before I let her lay a finger on me.