Chapter 27
Chapter Twenty-Seven
A lex straightened his cuffs and adjusted his tie as he entered his brother’s sleek office. He’d expected his brother would want to speak with him about his marriage, but being summoned was never a good sign.
It had only taken two weeks of married life for his world to shift in ways he hadn’t expected. That he enjoyed the changes was the most alarming part.
It hadn’t been a conscious decision to start coming home early enough to see Jax before he went to bed, but the way the toddler lit up when he walked in, babbling half-formed words and grinning like Alex was someone worth getting excited over, was not something he wanted to miss. It was mildly terrifying how quickly he’d become attached to the child.
Some nights, after Jax was asleep, Madison would come back to the living room. Those nights when she would curl up on the couch next to him with a glass of wine, her attention locked on whatever mind-numbing reality show she’d insisted on watching, were swiftly becoming his favorite time of day. Her taste in television was atrocious . Some nights Madison talked about work, and other times they said nothing at all.
But every night he made sure she screamed.
And when he woke in the middle of the night, her warmth pressed against him and her scent on the sheets, he’d felt a peace he hadn’t expected.
As he stepped through the doorway, Mikhail looked up, his eyes narrowing. “So, my little brother got secretly married.”
Alex gave a slight shrug, keeping his expression neutral. “It wasn’t a secret. Just… a small ceremony. Madison’s preference.”
“Convenient that this preference of hers only surfaced when I was out of town,” Mikhail said, his voice low and edged with something unpleasant. He tapped his fingers against his desk, each beat deliberate.
“Madison didn’t want her parents there either, Mikhail,” Alex replied smoothly. “It wasn’t about you. It would have been awkward if my family were there and not hers.” He offered one of his cavalier smiles. “You know the saying ‘happy wife, happy life’.”
“How thoughtful of you.” Mikhail’s voice dripped with sarcasm as he folded his hands, his gaze unyielding. “I heard your mother isn’t too pleased that you excluded her. Selena isn’t thrilled about the bride you chose, either. She used some interesting adjectives, I was told.”
Alex fought to keep his expression blank, but anger bubbled, threatening to erupt. “Oh, I’m sure she’ll love Madison once she gets to know her. Who wouldn’t? She’s charming and beautiful.
“Charming and beautiful,” Mikhail mused in a low tone. “But is she capable of handling the realities that come with our world? I doubt you’ve explained that part to her.”
“Not in detail,” Alex replied. “But Madison is an intelligent woman. I’m not worried.”
“I hope she is. I hope your beautiful new wife won’t cause trouble for you, and that you don’t come to regret your hasty decision.”
Alex felt blood pound in his ears, the simmering rage rising dangerously to the surface. “What could I possibly regret?”
Mikhail’s lips thinned. “She has a child.”
“His name is Jax, and as of two weeks ago, he is my son.”
He’d chosen his words for impact—for his brother to understand Alex stood whole-heartedly behind his decision. A sudden image of Jax’s face when he was about to do something sneaky flashed in front of his eyes, and Alex felt a deep pull of something in his chest.
Mikhail’s mouth tightened. “That’s the least of it. She’s a public personality who investigates crime. You don’t think that might be a problem?”
“It’s not an issue. I’m a businessman remember,” Alex drawled.
“You just met her.”
“The heart wants what it wants.”
“Have you seen her?” Liev chose that moment to pipe up, and Alex’s hands curled into fists.
“Liev—”
“You were there, weren’t you, cousin?” Mikhail interrupted him, the chill in his words palpable.
“I needed a witness. Liev didn’t know until he arrived that it was for a wedding,” Alex lied.
Mikhail let the silence hang, his fingers drumming rhythmically on the desk, eyes boring into Alex’s.
“I take it,” Mikhail continued, “you’re aware of her custody battle. The one with Senator Armstrong’s son-in-law.”
Alex’s red flags shot up. “I’m aware, yes. It will be over soon. Nothing to worry about.”
“What exactly do you intend to do?”
Something wasn’t right here. This shouldn’t even be on Mikhail’s radar.
“We are married. I plan to neutralize any bribes or blackmail used against Madison.”
“And if the legal way doesn’t work?”
“No one is going to take my family from me.” Alex’s voice was deathly cold.
He saw the barest hint of surprise beneath his brother’s calculating gaze. “Ah, so protective already. Touching.” His brother mocked. “Have you considered what keeping this ‘family’ might cost you?”
Alex’s alarms were ringing loudly now, but he kept his voice unconcerned. “I am perfectly capable of taking care of a bunch of country club fucks without breaking a sweat.”
Mikhail smiled. “I’m sure you are. However, I’m afraid you can’t touch them.”
The words sent a shock through Alex, his well-practiced composure barely masking a wave of anger and disbelief. “Why?”
“Armstrong is an integral part of our new business venture. In fact, you will probably work closely with him once you’ve created the new company? How’s that coming, by the way?”
The sharp turn in the conversation threw Alex for a minute. “We filed the Articles of Incorporation and are establishing a small financial footprint for them. Some small clients… shouldn’t be long.”
The explanation rolled off his tongue even while his brain was screaming.
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
His brother pointed a finger at him. “Armstrong chairs the committee that approves these contracts. So, you see, Armstrong is far too valuable to jeopardize because of some personal vendetta.”
“It’s the son-in-law that I have a problem with, not the Senator.” Alex was furious, and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could keep up the facade of nonchalance.
“Good news travels fast, and I’ve already received a concerned phone call from Armstrong. He’s worried that this Felix might be in some danger, that he’s being followed, and their house is being watched. I assured him that wasn’t the case.”
Alex tried not to grind his teeth.
“Why don’t you wait and see what the courts say?” Mikhail splayed his fingers out. “I’m sure you will keep your little family together.”
“I see.” Alex’s voice was low, but he didn’t doubt his brother heard the rage thrumming through his veins. “In other words, hands off.”
“Exactly. Handle your family business, Alex. But don’t cross Armstrong. Unless, of course,” he added with a mocking lift of his brow, “you’d like to test the limits of my patience.”
Alex’s blood boiled. “Understood. As long as they stay away from my wife, his junkie son-in-law is safe. But if he even breathes on her wrong, I’m going to rip him apart. She is a Kovalyov now.”
Mikhail’s lips curved into a slight smile, his gaze glinting with satisfaction, but inclined his head in agreement.
Alex’s mind was racing, calculating. He refused to break his promise to Madison.
“Good. I knew you’d be reasonable.”
Every cell in his body wanted to tell Mikhail to fuck off, but he knew better than to give his brother the satisfaction of an argument, one that Alex had no hope of winning. His brother was the pakhan .
One thing this meeting had made clear. His brother thought the years behind a desk had made Alex soft.
They hadn’t. He’d just learned to hide it better.
Alex pushed to his feet. “If there’s nothing else, I have a lot of work to do.”
“Of course,” Mikhail replied, settling back in his chair with a faintly triumphant expression.
Alex forced himself not to slam the door as he left Mikhail’s office. He clenched his fists, the tightness in his chest growing with each step as he struggled to keep his anger in check.
When he reached the elevator, he loosened his collar and took a deep breath, steadying himself. Mikhail had made his position clear, and now Alex had to find a way around it. If Mikhail thought he’d won this battle, he’d underestimated just how far Alex would go to keep his word.
The doors slid shut, and Alex stared at his reflection in the gleaming metal, his jaw set and his eyes cold. It was time to think like a Kovalyov.
The house was quiet when Alex stepped inside, the heavy door shutting behind him with a soft click. It was late—much later than usual—but that had been intentional.
He had stayed at the office long past when Madison would normally have gone to bed, knowing that what he had to tell her wasn’t something he wanted to face tonight.
He needed time.
Alex wanted to have a plan in place to reassure her he could still uphold his end of their agreement.
Madison wasn’t going to take it well. He’d promised she would keep Jax no matter what.
Fuck!
To his surprise, when he stepped into the living room, she was still awake, her laptop open. Concentration etched furrows in her brows as she scrolled through whatever she was reading, unaware of his presence.
A sense of certainty slid into place inside of him.
Madison is mine.
Mine to take care of.
Mine to protect.
Mine.
She must have sensed him, because she looked up with one of her warm smiles. After she studied his face for a moment, Madison closed her laptop and set it aside.
“How did it go?” Her voice was cautious.
His throat tightened.
He didn’t want to tell her yet.
Not now.
Not when she looked so soft in the dim light, her platinum blonde hair spilling over her shoulder—calm and trusting, because he’d made her a promise.
Alex wanted just a few more moments of peace before he shattered it.
“I didn’t think you’d still be up,” he said ignoring the question.
She tilted her head slightly, watching him.
“Morning sickness is destroying Cami, so I’m trying to handle more.”
Alex nodded, walking toward the bar, and poured himself a drink. “I heard the last episode.”
Madison blinked, clearly surprised. “It just came out this morning.”
He lowered himself onto the couch beside her. “It’s interesting.”
It was.
The way she and Cami methodically laid out each episode, dissecting the evidence with thoughtful analysis, was impressive. But that wasn’t the real reason he had gone back and listened to every single episode she’d ever recorded.
It was her voice.
The way it wrapped around him, burrowing into his veins—He couldn’t explain it.
How many other men listened for the same reason?
The thought made his blood run hot, irrational anger curling low in his stomach.
“What are you scowling about?” She shifted slightly, her arm brushing his as her sweet smell filled his nose. Heat shot through him, unwanted and entirely out of place. Alex reached out and brushed her hair away from her face before he could stop himself.
She stilled under his touch, her lips parting slightly. “Your brother wasn’t angry?”
The words were a bucket of icy water over his skin, and he sat back, rubbing a hand down his face.
Madison tensed. “What happened? Is he upset he wasn’t invited?”
“Not exactly.” Alex pushed to his feet, stalking toward the bar.
It pissed him off that Mikhail had put him in this position, particularly when things had been working so well between him and Madison. He lifted the bottle of vodka toward her, offering, but she shook her head.
“You’re making me nervous, Alex.”
“Don’t be.” He poured another drink, not meeting her eyes. He took a sip, the vodka doing little to ease the weight in his chest. “It just turns out there are some complications regarding my plans for Felix.”
“Complications?” Her frown deepened. She unfolded her legs and sat up straight.
“Mikhail has put limits on what I can do,” Alex explained. “There is a connection between them.”
Silence.
Madison’s fingers tightened on her knees. “the Senator knows your brother?”
Alex met her gaze, his expression unyielding. “I don’t need to remind you to keep this confidential.”
Madison shot to her feet so fast he barely had time to react. “Don’t fuckingpatronizeme, Alex,” she snapped. “What the fuck does ‘complications’ mean?”
His jaw ticked. “It means we can’t play as dirty as I’d hoped.”
Shock flickered across her face, quickly followed by betrayal.
“But it also means they will be under the same interdict,” he added, his tone measured. “They can’t touch you or do anything to smear your reputation because you are a Kovalyov now.”
Her bitter laugh filled the room. “Is that supposed to comfort me?”
“Mikhail wants the court to handle it.”
Her breath hitched. “So, that’s it? After everything you promised? Nothing has changed.”
The way she looked at him—like she had already decided he had failed her—fueled the anger simmering just beneath his skin.
“It’s not that simple,” he ground out. “Mikhail is the pakhan . I can’t openly defy him, but that doesn’t mean?—”
“Not that simple?” she choked out, cutting him off. “I married you for one reason. One . You promised me you could keep Jax safe. You said no matter what… And now you’re telling me your brother has decided Felix is untouchable ?”
“I’m well aware of what I promised,” he seethed. “There is still plenty I can do, but it’s going to take time?—”
“I don’t have time!” Madison’s voice rose, panic seeping in. “You know that. He is manipulating the courts somehow.”
Her breath turned ragged, her chest rising and falling too fast. She pressed a hand to her sternum, as if she were struggling to breathe.
“It was all for nothing,” she whispered, voice breaking. “Jax?—”
“Madison.” His glass hit the table with a thunk, and he crossed the space between them, gripping her shoulders tightly.
“Breathe,” he ordered.
She twisted away from him. “I will never let him have Jax.” Her raw voice sliced through him. “I don’t care what I have to do orwhoI upset. Never .”
Her arms wrapped around her stomach, and her hair fell forward, shielding her expression. “You said we were partners… I trusted you,” she whispered, the words barely audible.
Alex inhaled sharply, his body going rigid and his patience snapped.
“This isn’t about loyalty ,” he bit out. “This is about survival . Mikhail gave a direct order. If I go against him, it’s not just my life on the line.”
Alex exhaled roughly and shoved a hand through his hair.
“I’m not giving up.” He did his best to make his voice sound calm. “I won’t let Felix take Jax.”
“How am I supposed to believe that?”
His throat worked, and something uncomfortable settled inside him.
“Listen to me. All Mikhail’s order means is that I can’t blackmail Armstrong or threaten him into pulling his support for Felix. It means I can’t kill Felix outright.”
Madison's shoulders dropped. She looked defeated. Hopeless.
“It doesn’t mean there’s nothing I can do.” His jaw clenched. “This isn’t over. It just meansI have to change my approach.”
A cold feeling crept over his skin as she stared at him, the fire he loved in her, all but extinguished.
“I’m going to bed.”
Alex stood for a long time, listening to her retreating footsteps, his fists clenched.
This wasn’t over.
He wouldn’t let her down.