07• “You bastard!”

HARPER PETROVSKY

Dmitri’s words still echo in my ears. “You want that, don’t you, Kiska? A little freedom… a little desire…”

His touch feels like fire against my skin, igniting everything it traces as his fingers glide along my neck, brushing my hair aside, leaving my skin exposed and hypersensitive. The heat he stirs in me takes my breath away.

My body is reacting in a way I don’t understand—but that I want. Just as Dmitri leans in closer, a rough sound cuts through the room, breaking the moment. My head turns instinctively toward the noise, my senses still tangled in the heat he awakened in me.

Alexander is standing nearby, eyes narrowed and sharp. His gaze is fixed on us, a deeper shade of blue, his jaw clenched tight, lips pressed into a rigid line. He holds his phone tightly, only glancing away from me to look at Dmitri.

“Dmitri,” he says, voice low but cold as ice, “you need to go.”

Dmitri steps away from me, his expression still relaxed, but I can sense a shift—something darker creeping in. He gives me one last look, his crooked, mischievous smile fading.

“Our problem isn’t solved yet,” Alexander continues, not caring that I’m still standing right there. “You need to go back and finish what you started.”

Dmitri nods, letting out a soft sigh. He takes a step toward Alexander, but not before leaning in toward me one last time, those blue eyes locked onto mine with such intensity that it knocks the air from my lungs again.

“I’m sorry, Kiska,” he whispers, his voice soft and warm, the heat of his breath on my skin making me shiver. “We’ll have to finish this later.”

He pulls away completely, a barely-there smile tugging at the corners of his lips as he walks toward Alexander, nods once, and heads for the door—never looking back. I release a long breath, only then realizing I’d been holding it.

Alexander stares at me for a moment before speaking. His stance is even more rigid now, and his voice carries a deeper weight—colder, more commanding.

“You’re coming with me. To the mansion,” he says, like it’s not a suggestion but an order. His voice is cold, calculated—but there’s something in it that makes me feel completely trapped.

I stare at Alexander, trying to process what he just said. My lips press into a tight line, arms crossing as I look coldly into his face.

“You think locking me up in a mansion is going to solve anything?” I ask, trying to sound firm. “I’m not your prisoner, Alexander.”

The cold smile he gives me makes my heart pound. He crosses his arms slowly, his eyes narrowing, watching every move I make like I’m a stranger to him. Then he steps closer, tilting his head toward me.

“No, Harper,” he says calmly, his voice rough and steady at once. “But I won’t let you escape again.”

His words make my whole body tense. What am I to them, really? This feeling—of being treated like something to be controlled—makes me want to scream, makes me want to run from all of them. And yet, I can’t deny the way Dmitri’s touch affected me in ways I wasn’t prepared for. My thoughts are a mess—and I’ve barely arrived.

“This is ridiculous,” I mutter, trying to hide the frustration growing inside me. “I’m not part of your business or your problems.”

Alexander chuckles softly—but there’s no warmth in it.

“Are you sure about that, Harper?” he says, with a calm that infuriates me. His eyes pin me in place, studying me like he’s waiting for my reaction.

I try to stay strong, but something in his words shakes me. What does he mean? What am I missing?

I know the situation with the Kireev brothers is more complicated than I ever imagined. But still—everything feels like it’s slipping out of my hands. I don’t trust them—not really.

Alexander continues to stare at me with that chilling calm, like nothing in the world can touch him. My chest burns with anger. I can’t believe he thinks he can just order me around—like I’m some puppet with no will of my own.

“I’m not going anywhere with you,” I say, my voice firm, defiant. “If you want me in that damn mansion, send someone else. I’m not going with you.”

He doesn’t respond right away. He just watches me for a few more seconds, analyzing every inch of my face. I can feel his eyes on every detail of me. And instead of stepping back, Alexander moves closer, closing the distance between us.

“You don’t have a choice, Harper.”

Before I can react, his hands grip my face, fingers firm on my jaw, holding me in place with a strength that makes me want to pull away. My heart races—rage and the urge to explode battling inside me.

“Let go of me,” I say through gritted teeth, trying to break free—but he doesn’t budge. My fingers clutch at his wrist, but it’s like trying to move stone.

“I said I’m not going with you!”

His closeness stirs a strange heat in me, his breath calm—as if my resistance doesn’t faze him in the slightest. His eyes meet mine, that icy blue shining with something dangerous.

“You’re coming, Harper,” Alexander says, his voice rougher now, so commanding it makes my stomach twist. His fingers press more firmly against my face, holding me in place. “Even if it’s against your will—you’re coming with me.”

I try to move again, writhing side to side, but it’s no use. He doesn’t let go, doesn’t back off. His gaze stays locked on mine, and his strength is suffocating. Anger bubbles inside me, burning at how he’s treating me.

“Alexander, I swear to God—let me go!” My voice rises, explosive, but he doesn’t even flinch. He doesn’t blink.

Then, without warning, he grabs my waist and lifts me off the ground with such ease that it catches me off guard. Before I can process what’s happening, he throws me over his shoulder, one strong arm locking around my legs, leaving me upside down, staring at his back.

“Alexander! Put me down!” I start kicking, hitting him with my fists, adrenaline surging through me—but he doesn’t react. His steps are steady, completely ignoring my struggling.

I try to lift my legs, but Alexander tightens his grip, keeping me in place.

“This isn’t going to work,” he says over his shoulder, maddeningly calm.

I hit him harder, but he doesn’t budge. My body is pinned against his in a way that leaves me completely powerless, and the fact that he’s ignoring me only fuels my frustration.

“You bastard!” I scream, my voice echoing through the empty space as he carries me like a sack of potatoes. Every hit against his back only reinforces how helpless I am. He won’t give in.

Suddenly, he stops—and for a second, I feel relief. But it’s only to toss me down with a swift motion. I stumble, trying to regain my balance, but before I can react, he’s already there, pinning me against the car I hadn’t even noticed behind me. His body is so close I can feel the heat radiating off him, his eyes locked on mine like a blade.

“You really want to keep testing my patience, Harper?” His voice, low and raspy, is laced with something that makes the air between us thick and heavy.

My back presses against the cold metal, his body caging me in, leaving no way out. His breath is controlled, but there’s something in his eyes that threatens to crack that icy exterior. Something darker.

“You’re coming with me—even if I have to drag you there by force, Harper.”

His voice reverberates through me, sending chills down my skin, a mix of rage and tension crackling between us.

His breath grazes my face, and I hold mine, suddenly realizing Alexander is far closer to losing control than I ever imagined.