Page 13 of Sweet Deception

Ignat, to his credit, didn’t falter. “Ignat by name. I’m Miss Anna’s dance tutor.”

A long, awful silence stretched between them.

Then Gleb smiled. It was a cold, humorless thing, sending a chill down my spine. "A dance tutor," he mused, stepping closer. "And youtouchmy wife?"

Ignat stiffened. “It was only to steady her. She...”

"I can walk now, thanks to you," I interjected, hoping to defuse whatever tension was building. "Dancing has always been my dream, so I asked Zoya to hire a tutor."

Gleb didn’t look at me.

"Mr. Ignat, You may go. I’ll have Zoya update you."

Ignat nodded quickly, stuffing his things into his bag. He was just about to step out when...

"Freeze."

Gleb’s command was quiet. Deadly.

Ignat halted. His eyes darted to mine, silently pleading.

My pulse raced. "Gleb, let him go, he’s just my tutor!” I snapped, voice trembling but firm.

He ignored me entirely, stalking toward Ignat.

"She’s my wife."

Ignat nodded sharply. "I know that, sir."

"But you touched her."

"Gleb, please!" I tried to rise, but my legs buckled.

"Sir..." Ignat began, his voice faltering. "Like Mrs. Anna said, I..."

Gleb tilted his head slightly, eyes glinting with something cruel. 'Call her that again.'

Ignat swallowed. “I... I meant no disrespect, sir.”

“No?” Gleb stepped closer, circling him like a predator toying with prey. Each movement is slow and calculated. “You put your hands on my wife. You called her by the wrong name. Tell me... why shouldn’t I break you for that?'

The color drained from Ignat’s face. I tried to stand, desperate to intervene, but my legs failed me.

Then, without warning, Gleb’s fist connected with his face. The sickening crack of bone filled the silence. Blood splattered onto the polished floor.

Ignat crumpled to the floor, blood streaming from his shattered nose.

Gleb loomed over him, his fist still clenched, knuckles red. His breathing slowed, and for a moment, he went still, too still. His cold eyes flicked to me, then back to Ignat, as if weighing something. “You think you can touch her and walk away?” he said, his voice dropping to a low, deliberate growl.

He crouched beside Ignat, tilting his head like a hunter studying wounded prey. “No. That’s not how this works.”

Ignat whimpered, clutching his face.

“I swear, sir, I didn’t mean...” Gleb silenced him with a sharp glance, then stood, rolling his shoulders as if shaking off a fleeting doubt.

"Gleb!" My heart slammed against my ribs. "You’re hurting an innocent man!"

His hand flexed, his knuckles already stained red.