Chapter 25
Alexei
Alina is still asleep, her head resting on my shoulder as we pull up to the suburban mansion I built for us. I gently shake her awake, glad we’ve made it home without any misadventures.
Since the Molotovs didn’t try to take her in Geneva, I was fully expecting them to pull something on the way to or from the funeral. I was ready for anything and everything, and they must’ve known that.
They’re waiting for me to lower my guard, probing for weaknesses.
Well, they won’t find any.
Alina is mine for good.
Lifting her head off my shoulder, she blinks open her eyes and yawns delicately, covering her mouth with one hand. “We’ve arrived?” She sounds deliciously sleepy.
I smile and bring her hand to my lips to place a kiss on the back. “We have.”
Now that the funeral is over, some of the bitter rage choking me has subsided, though it’s not gone by any means.
But she makes it better. Having her with me at the funeral, touching her, looking at her—it made those awful hours go by faster.
I could focus on the warmth of her hand instead of the bullshit praise the priest was spouting off, could think about the way her lips curved softly as she spoke to Aunt Sonia instead of the hollow agony I felt when I looked at the coffin and pictured Ksenia’s body in there instead of my father’s.
“Good,” Alina says softly. She sits up straighter, looking more awake. “I want to see our new home.”
Our new home. My pulse skips a beat. Does she mean it? Is that how she truly sees it, or is she saying that to make me believe she loves me?
Fuck. I need to nip this paranoia in the bud. There’s no good reason for me to distrust her. Except… her brothers still haven’t tried to rescue her.
Why not?
Could they be waiting for her to execute her part of the plan? Which involves convincing me that she wants to be with me?
It would be easier for them to take her if I didn’t expect her to escape at the first opportunity… if I gave her the freedom my wife would normally have.
Fucking fuck. I need to stop this and just fucking enjoy her not fighting me at every step.
“I’ll show you around first thing tomorrow,” I say as I help her out of the car. “Tonight, we should get some sleep.”
Fuck knows, I need it.
She nods, her brow furrowing as she studies my face. “You look exhausted. When was the last time you slept?”
Real or not, I can’t help smiling at the wifely concern in her tone. “It’s been a minute. But don’t worry, our bed is waiting.”
Whether we’re going to sleep right away is a different story.
As tired as I am, what I’m looking forward to most is sinking deep inside her and hearing her tell me again that she loves me.
Even if it’s a lie.