Page 36 of Twisted Pact

Mila appears in the doorway. Her face is white, and her hands are trembling. She heard.

“You refused,” she says.

“Yes.”

“Irina and her baby are going to die, and you refused to help.”

“I’m protecting you. That’s my priority.”

“She’s my sister,” she shrieks. “My sister and my nephew are being held by people who will kill them, and you’re telling me that’s not your problem?”

“It’s not my problem; it’s your father’s problem. He made enemies. He failed to protect his daughter. That’s on him, not me.”

“You’re unbelievable.” She storms into the office and gets right in my face. “You have the resources. The manpower. The connections. You could save them, but you’re choosing not to because what? Because it’s inconvenient? Because it doesn’t benefit you?”

“Splitting my focus puts you at risk. My men are watching this property and gathering intelligence on who’s threatening your family. They’re prepared to defend this location if necessary. You want me to pull those resources to mount a rescue operation for a woman I don’t know?”

Mila slaps me. Hard. The crack echoes through the office.

I don’t react, just let the sting spread across my cheek while she glares at me with tears streaming down her face.

“You’re a monster,” she seethes.

“Maybe.”

“I thought you were different. I thought beneath all the violence and control, you cared about something. But you’re just like every other criminal. Cold and heartless.” She backs toward thedoor. “Take me home. Right now. I’m leaving your protection and helping my father myself.”

“No.”

“I’m not asking permission, Alexei, I’m telling you. Either you take me home, or I walk out that door and find my own way back to Moscow.”

I cross the room and block her exit. “You’re not going anywhere.”

She tries to push past me, but I catch her wrists and hold her in place. We’re standing too close now. Close enough to count every tear sliding down her cheeks.

“Let me go,” she demands.

“No.”

“I’ll never forgive you for this. Never.”

“I’ll learn to live with it. You’re staying here. End of discussion.”

She crosses her arms. “Help my sister, or I leave. Those are your options.”

“Those aren’t options, those are threats. And I don’t respond well to threats.”

“Then whatdoyou respond to, Alexei? Because clearly, logic doesn’t work. Appeals to basic human decency don’t work. So, what will it take to make you reconsider?”

I look at her standing there in my T-shirt with tears on her face and rage in her eyes. This woman who’s been driving me insane since the moment she walked into my life. This woman who tests every boundary I set and pushes every button I have.

This woman I want so badly that I can barely think straight.

An idea forms. It’s dangerous and probably stupid, but the thought of watching her get on her knees and beg makes my cock throb despite the situation.

“You want me to reconsider helping Irina?” I ask.

“Yes.”