Page 115 of The Billionaire's Baby

"Karina," He moves closer.

I lean back, trying to put as much distance as possible between us as my seated position will allow.

"Stay away from me."

The skin around his eyes tightens. "Let me explain."

"Too late." I swallow. "All this time we spent together, and you couldn't have mentioned this to me?"

"You didn't mention your connection with the Bratva either," he points out.

"Oh, don't put this on me. I'm not the one who has an entire other life that I just failed to bring up."

"But you do, babe." He firms his lips. "You, too, have another, undisclosed life, even if it's in your past."

"It's different for me."

"Oh?" He growls, "How's that?"

"I was born into the Bratva and decided to cut ties with them. You weren't part of them, but decided to join them."

His jaw tics.

"So your deception is greater because you made the choice."

A nerve pops at his temple.

"My silence was a necessary part of changing who I was." I insist.

"Was it?" His lips twist.

"How can you even ask me that?" I snap back. "You know what? Sod this." I push back my chair, and rise to my feet, or try to, because he’s still holding my hand and I find I can’t shake him off. So, I half hunch and try to free my hand, but of course, the asshole doesn’t let me go.

"Please, Sparks, listen to me."

"No."

"This once."

"No fucking way."

"Karina," my father admonishes me.

Arpad peers into my features. His gaze intensifies; he seems to be pleading with me, and at the same time, trying to coerce me and dominate me. The skin around his eyes tightens. "Please," he reiterates, "give me just a few more minutes of your time to explain."

"A few more minutes?"

"Five minutes." He holds up his hand. "That’s all I need, I promise."

"Five minutes."

"Just five."

I gaze into his features—those gorgeous blue-grey eyes, those lips I want to kiss and suck on.Ugh, stop thinking about his sex appeal in front of your father."Fine," I mumble.

"Fine." He lessens the pressure on my hand, but doesn’t let go.

"After the incident, you know how the Seven of us took to the streets? A bunch of posh prats like us, and we felt unhinged. We didn’t belong in school, couldn’t fit in at home, since our families, when they tried to help, didn’t have a clue as to the kind of emotional toll it had taken on us. I was spiraling out of control when, I met… Niko." He jerks his chin at my brother. "I was itching to fight and your brother was already running an underground fighting ring in London."