Chapter 16Mikhail
16
Mikhail
A s we approach the marina, I scan our surroundings, alert for any signs of pursuit or danger. The yacht is anchored ahead, a gleaming fortress on the water. I tap the driver’s shoulder.
“Circle the block once more. Make sure we’re not followed.”
Vlad nods, and I turn my attention back to Phoebe. Her face is pale, her eyes wide with fear and uncertainty. I want nothing more than to comfort her, to tell her everything will be all right, but I can’t. Not yet. Not until she’s safe, and it’s clear she wouldn’t welcome my touch right now anyway.
The limo completes its circuit and pulls up to the marina. I exit first, scanning the area before I help Phoebe out. She stumbles slightly, and I steady her with a firm grip on her arm. Nastya follows right behind us.
“Stay close,” I murmur, guiding her toward the yacht. I keep a hand on her wrist, expecting her to bolt just to prove a point, or because I’m insisting she stay with me to keep her safe.
We board swiftly, and I nod to the captain. He understands the unspoken order and immediately begins preparations to cast off. I lead Phoebe to the main salon, but she barely looks at it today.
“Mikhail,” she whispers, her voice cracking. “What’s happening? Why?—”
I hold up a hand, silencing her questions. “Please, Phoebe. Let’s wait until we’re out to sea. I promise I’ll explain everything.”
She nods mutely, sinking onto one of the plush sofas. I pour her a glass of water, pressing it into her hands. Our fingers brush, and I linger for a moment, wishing I could take away her fear.
The yacht’s engines rumble to life, and we begin to move. I watch from the window as the lights of Miami recede, replaced by the vast darkness of the open ocean. Only when the coastline has disappeared entirely do I turn back to Phoebe.
She sits rigidly on the sofa, her knuckles white around the untouched glass of water. I prepare myself for the conversation ahead.
“You asked why this is happening. I’ve tried to keep this part of my life separate from you, to protect you, but now, that’s no longer possible.”
“Why?” she asks again.
“Because of a man named José Valdés. He’s the leader of the Cuban mafia in Miami, and he’s my rival. We’ve been locked in a power struggle for months, since I was sent here to replace the failed pakhan before me. Recently, things have escalated.”
I sit beside her on the sofa, close enough to touch but maintaining a respectful distance. “Valdés discovered your connection to me. He sees you as a weakness he can exploit.”
Phoebe shakes her head, as if trying to deny the reality of my words. “This is insane. I’m just... I’m nobody. Why would he care about me?”
“Because I care about you,” I say softly. “More than I should. More than is safe in my world. What happened this afternoon was my fault. I underestimated Valdés. I thought I could keep you safe by keeping you in the dark. I was wrong.”
She stands abruptly, pacing the room. “So what now? Am I supposed to just accept that my life is in danger because of...because of what? Because we went on a few dates?”
I rise, following her movements with my gaze. “It’s more than that. You know it is.”
She whirls to face me, her cheeks flushed. “Do I? How can I know anything when you’ve been lying to me this whole time?”
Her words sting, but I can’t deny their truth. “You’re right. I should have been honest with you from the beginning, but I was selfish. I wanted to keep you in my life, even knowing the risks.” I soften my voice. “I liked being just Misha with you.”
Phoebe’s anger seems to deflate, replaced by weariness. “What am I supposed to do now? I can’t go back to my life, can I?”
I shake my head. “Not yet. It’s not safe. Valdés won’t stop until he gets what he wants.”
“And what is that?” she asks.
“Me,” I say simply. “Dead or weakened enough to lose control of my territory, and he’ll use you to do it if he can.”
Phoebe sinks back onto the sofa, her head in her hands. “This is a nightmare.”
I kneel before her, gently prying her hands away from her face. “This is overwhelming, but I promise I’ll do everything in my power to keep you safe. No matter what it takes.”
She looks at me with unshed tears. “How can you promise that? You’re just one man.”
I smile grimly. “I’m not just one man. I have resources, people I trust. We’ll find a way to end this threat.”
“And then what?” she asks. “Do I just go back to my normal life like none of this ever happened?”
The question hangs in the air between us, heavy with implications. I stand, moving to the bar to pour myself a drink. The smooth burn of vodka steadies my nerves.
“That depends on you,” I say finally, turning back to face her. “Once this is over, once you’re safe, you’ll have a choice to make.”
Phoebe’s brow furrows. “What kind of choice?”
My next words could change everything between us. “You can choose to walk away. Go back to your life and pretend none of this ever happened. I’ll make sure you’re protected, but from a distance. You’ll never have to see me again.”
Her face pales at my words, and I hurry on before I lose my nerve.
“Or you can choose to stay. To be with me, knowing who I am and what that means. It won’t be easy. My world is dangerous, but I swear to you, if you choose me, I’ll spend every day of my life making sure you never regret it.”
Silence falls between us, broken only by the gentle hum of the yacht’s engines. She stares at me, her expression unreadable. I wait with bated breath for her response.
It’s obvious when the reality of her situation really sinks in. Her expression flashes with anger and betrayal. The sight twists something deep inside me, but I force myself to remain stoic. Her safety is far more important than her happiness right now.
“You lied to me,” she says, her voice trembling with suppressed rage. “This whole time, everything between us... was all a lie.”
I shake my head, taking a step toward her. “No. My feelings for you are real. They always have been.”
She backs away, her hands held up as if to ward me off. “How can I believe anything you say? You’re a criminal, Mikhail. A murderer.”
The words sting, but I can’t deny their truth. “I’ve done things I’m not proud of, but everything I’ve done has been to protect what’s mine. Including you.”
Her eyes narrow. “I’m not yours. I’m not some possession for you to keep or protect.”
“That’s not what I meant,” I say, frustration creeping into my voice. “I care about you. More than I should. That’s why you’re in danger now.”
She turns away from me, staring out at the dark ocean beyond the yacht’s windows. “Take me back,” she says quietly.
“What?”
Phoebe whirls to face me. “Take me back to shore. Now. I want off this boat.”
I feel my jaw clench. “I can’t do that. It’s not safe.”
“Not safe?” She laughs bitterly. “I’m on a yacht with the leader of the Russian mafia. How is that safe?”
I move closer, trying not to sound angry. “Because I can protect you here. On shore, Valdés’ men could be anywhere. They could get to you at any time.”
She shakes her head, tears glistening in her eyes. “I don’t want your protection. I want my life back. The life I had before I met you.”
Her words cut deeply, but I push aside the pain. “That life is gone for now, Phoebe. The moment Valdés learned about you, everything changed.”
“Because of you,” she spits out. “This is all because of you and your criminal empire.”
I breathe deeply, trying to maintain control. “I never wanted this for you. I tried to keep you out of it, to keep you safe.”
“By lying to me? By pretending to be someone you’re not?”
“I was protecting you,” I insist.
She sneers. “No, you were protecting yourself. Your secrets. Your precious bratva . You didn’t care about what finding out the truth would do to me.”
I count to ten to sustain calmness. “That’s not true. Everything I’ve done has been to keep you safe.”
“Safe?” Phoebe laughs, the sound harsh and brittle. “I was shot at, Mikhail. How is that safe?”
“And my woman, Nastya, saved you,” I counter. “If I hadn’t had people watching you, you’d be dead right now.”
She flinches at my words, and I immediately regret my bluntness, but it’s the truth, and she needs to understand the gravity of the situation.
“I want to go home,” she says, her voice small and defeated.
I shake my head. “I’m sorry, but that’s not possible right now. You need to stay here, where I can protect you.”
She glares at me, fire rekindling in her eyes. “You can’t keep me here against my will. That’s kidnapping.”
“It’s protection. Please try to understand. If you go back now, you’ll be walking into a war zone. Valdés won’t stop until he gets to you.”
“And what about my family?” she demands. “My friends? My job? Am I just supposed to disappear without a word?”
I run a hand over my face. “We’ll figure something out. Make up a story about an emergency trip, but right now, the priority is keeping you alive.”
Her shoulders slump, and she sinks onto one of the plush sofas. “This can’t be happening.”
I sit beside her, careful to maintain some distance. “I know this is a lot to take in, but I will fix this and make you safe again.”
She looks at me with fear and anger that breaks my heart. “And then what? Do you expect me to just forgive you? To forget all the lies and go back to how things were?”
I don’t look away from her. “No. I don’t expect forgiveness, but I hope... I hope that once this is over, you’ll give me a chance to explain. To show you who I really am.”
Phoebe shakes her head. “I don’t know if I can do that. I don’t know if I want to.”
Her words hit me like a physical blow, but I force myself to nod. “I understand, but right now, I need you to trust me. Just long enough to keep you safe.”
She’s quiet for a long moment, staring down at her hands. Finally, she looks up at me. “How long?”
“What?”
“How long do I have to stay here? On this yacht?”
I hesitate, not wanting to lie to her again. “I don’t know. Until we can neutralize the threat from Valdés. It could be days, maybe weeks.”
She lets out a shocked sound. “Weeks? Mikhail, I can’t just disappear for weeks. People will notice. They’ll look for me.”
“Everyone still expects you to be in Scotland for the next three weeks. No one will suspect anything.”
She shakes her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “This is insane. My whole life has been turned upside down in a matter of hours.”
I reach out, wanting to comfort her, but she flinches away from my touch. The rejection stings, but I can’t blame her. “I’m sorry,” I say softly. “I never wanted any of this for you. If I could go back and change things...”
“But you can’t.” She sounds defeated. “We’re here now, and I have to deal with the consequences of your choices.”
I nod, accepting her anger. “You’re right, and I promise to make this right.”
She looks at me intently. “And if you can’t? If Valdés doesn’t back down?”
I let her see my determination. “Then I’ll deal with him. Permanently.”
She shivers at my words, and there’s a flicker of fear in her eyes. It hurts to know she’s afraid of me now, but I can’t soften the truth for her anymore.
“Get some rest,” I say, standing up. “There’s a bedroom down the hall. I’ll have someone bring you some clothes and anything else you need.”
She nods, her shoulders slumping with lethargy. “And you? Where will you be?”
“I’ll be in the main cabin, making calls and coordinating with my men. If you need anything, just ask one of the crew. They’ll be able to reach me.”
Phoebe stands, wrapping her arms around herself as if for protection. “Okay,” she says quietly.
As she turns to go, I call out to her. “Phoebe?”
She pauses, looking back at me over her shoulder.
“I’m truly sorry,” I say, pouring all my sincerity into the words. “For everything.”
She holds my gaze for a long moment, then nods once before disappearing down the hallway.
I watch her go, heart heavy with what I’ve done. I’ve brought her into my dangerous world, shattered her trust, and put her life at risk, but as much as it pains me to see her hurt and afraid, I think I’ve made the right choice. Here, on this yacht, surrounded by my most trusted men, she’s safe, and I’ll do whatever it takes to keep her that way, even if it means losing her in the process.