So unless I break his dick first, he’ll come after mine.
Besides, it’s like all the destructive energy I stored inside is slowly deflating. All I’m left with is a bitter taste at the back of my fucking throat.
I stare up at him—or, more accurately, glare. “Just tell me why, Daniel. Why her?”
“No reason.”
“Either you tell me or I swear to fuck I’m going to find the blonde from your past and fuck her, then send you the pictures.” I wouldn’t, because that would mean touching another woman besides Anastasia, and as much as I want to strangle the fuck out of her, I don’t want any other woman but her.
However, my words get me the intended reaction. He grabs me by the shirt and hauls me off the ground. “Don’t you fucking dare.”
“Why? I thought you were over her, or is that another lie?”
“I’m going to fuck up your life, Knox.”
“You do that while I’m busy fucking her into oblivion.”
“Shut the fuck up or I’ll fuck Anastasia for real.”
I’m about to punch him to death when his words register. He said for real, as in, it didn’t happen.
“You didn’t do anything with her, did you?” I ask slowly, the haze dissipating from my vision.
“I will in about half an hour if you don’t stop being a dick.”
“Like fuck you will.” I stand to my full height and push him away. “Why did you make me believe something happened?”
“I didn’t make you believe something happened. You painted that whole scenario yourself. I specifically told you I didn’t come on to her, but you weren’t listening.”
“Why did she say she came on to you?”
“Hello? She obviously realized I’m a catch.”
“Daniel,” I warn.
“Why don’t you ask her?”
“Well, I’m asking you.”
“Even if I knew something, why would I spill the beans? You get fewer brownie points for being a bloody fucking wanker. Not only did you believe I would do such a thing to you, but you also brought her up. We agreed to never fucking do that.”
“What did you expect me to do? You were lying to me.”
“I was cooperating for your bloody sake, but fuck you.”
“My sake? What is that supposed to mean?”
“She said she’s doing this for you.”
“For me?”
“That’s all I’m telling you. You’ll have to find out everything else from her.”
It still feels wrong that she even went to him instead of coming to me and I want to punch him to death for that reason alone, but I suck in deep breaths to conjure some much-needed calm.
Anastasia has a lot to answer to, and a lot to learn, like the fact that she can’t take any other man’s side but mine. Or tell me it’s over.
She can do whatever the fuck she wants, but only while she’s with me.
“Where did you see her last?” I ask Daniel.
“At the firm, but I wouldn’t look there or at her flat.”
“Why the fuck not?”
He sighs, long and deep. “Because she said she’s going back to where she came from.”
34
ANASTASIA
When I left my father’s house two months ago, I never thought I’d ever come back.
At least, not alive.
But here I am. In front of the black metal gate, waiting for the guards to open it. I don’t have to wonder whether or not they spotted me since countless cameras and drones survey the mansion.
If someone is stupid enough to consider intruding on the Pakhan’s house, they’ll have machine guns at their temples before they can blink.
The guards recruited to specifically protect the Pakhan don’t only rely on technology, though. They own countless weapons, some smuggled from Russia, and others from the merchandise they’ve acquired from arms dealers.
I’ve just seen the weapons vault once, and only because I was passing by when they were loading new guns in it. That thing resembled an army’s arsenal waiting to wage war.
Needless to say, I never went near it again.
Like Little Miss Ostrich, I pretended none of it mattered and I had nothing to do with it. Until I couldn’t keep up the fa?ade anymore and I had to leave.
But now, I’m back.
Now, I’m sitting in front of the huge gate, staring at the blinking cameras. The guards must’ve seen me by now and told my father that the daughter who stole from the Bratva and he covered up for is back.