Chapter 26 #2
"Don't argue. You wanted this. You're getting it."
She looks at me for a long moment. Then nods.
And I realize: she's letting me do this. Letting me provide for her. Letting me be more than just the man who forced her into this marriage.
Maybe that's her strategy.
Or maybe it's something else.
When we get back to the mansion, Luc is waiting in the foyer.
"Brother," he greets me. Then his eyes land on Sera, and he smiles. "And the lovely Seraphina. You look radiant."
I roll my eyes.
"Thank you." She actually blushes. She leans over and presses a kiss on my cheek. “I need to go lay down,” she says, yawning.
Luc and I remain quiet as she walks up the stairs, and I want nothing more than to go with her. I enjoyed our time together this afternoon, and despite how sometimes things became heavy, it was…nice.
Now that we are home, that lightness is gone.
“I’m surprised that you allowed her out,” Luc says. “I thought you had been chained to the bed.”
"We've been shopping for the baby," I say unnecessarily, watching as staff carry in bags and boxes.
"I can see that." Luc's eyes dance with amusement. "Baby shopping on a Saturday. How domestic."
"Did you need something?"
"Just checking in. Making sure you're still alive under all this domesticity." He grins. "Want me to plan a guys' night? Remind you what freedom feels like?"
"I'm fine."
"You’re different.”
"I'm the same."
"You're really not." He leans against the doorframe. "But if you want to keep pretending, that's fine. I'll just enjoy watching this play out."
“Nothing is playing out,” I say, walking past him and heading towards my office. “Sera is my wife. Forever.”
"And you are utterly in love and devoted to her.”
I pause. "I care, obviously.”
He laughs. "Adrian. You spent three hours baby shopping. On a Saturday. You haven't checked your phone once. And you just looked at her like she hung the fucking moon." He shakes his head. "You're gone, brother."
"I'm managing my investment."
"Is that what we're calling it?" He laughs. "Look, I'm happy for you. Really. She's good for you.”
"Fuck off."
"I'm serious. She's smart. Strategic. She's learning to play, and you're teaching her." He pauses. "But Adrian, keep your head on straight. We have enemies, and they can smell blood.”
His words settle uncomfortably in my chest.
"I’m aware, Luc.”
He straightens. "Just... be careful."
He leaves, and I stand there processing his words.
He's wrong.
I'm not falling for her.
I'm in control. I'm managing the situation. I'm giving her small freedoms to keep her compliant while maintaining ultimate authority.
That's all this is.
The fact that I enjoyed today? That I liked watching her face light up? That I wanted to buy her everything in the store just to see her smile?
That's just... strategic investment.
Right?
That night, I don't wait for her to initiate.
I find her in her workroom, bent over a manuscript Antonio sent over. She's wearing reading glasses I've never seen before, hair piled on top of her head, completely absorbed in her work.
"Bedroom. Now."
She looks up, surprised. "I'm in the middle of—"
"I don't care. Bedroom. Now."
Something flashes in her eyes. Recognition. Challenge.
She sets down her tools carefully. Deliberately. Making me wait.
Testing me.
When she finally stands and walks past me toward our room, there's a sway in her hips that's absolutely intentional.
She's playing.
Good.
So am I.
I follow her, watching the way she moves. Confident. Knowing exactly what she's doing to me.
Luc's words echo in my head. This stopped being a game a while ago.
He's wrong.
This is still a game. I'm still in control.
And I'm about to prove it.
The moment we're in the bedroom; I close the door and back her against it.
"You've been getting bold," I say, caging her in with my arms. "Thinking you're in charge."
"Aren't I?" Her hand slides down to palm my cock through my pants. "You give me everything I ask for."
"Because I choose to. Not because you've won." I grab her wrist, pin both hands above her head with one of mine. "You're playing a game you can't win, Seraphina."
"Then why are you letting me play?"
She's breathless, pupils dilated, but there's intelligence in her eyes. Challenge.
She knows exactly what she's doing.
And fuck, it's working.
"Because watching you try is entertaining." I kiss her hard. Claim her mouth until she's gasping. "But don't forget who's really in control here."
"Prove it."
The challenge hangs between us.
So I do.
I strip her efficiently, roughly, not giving her time to think. Her clothes hit the floor, and then she's naked, pressed against the door, both hands still pinned above her head.
"You think you've learned how to manipulate me," I say against her neck. "You think if you ride me in the morning or negotiate with your body, you're winning."
"I am winning." Her breath hitches as my free hand slides between her thighs. "You took me shopping. You're giving me what I want."
"Because I want to. Not because you made me." I find her wet, ready, and thrust two fingers inside. She cries out. "This body is mine. This pleasure is mine to give or take away. Don't forget that."
"I haven't—oh God—"
I work her with my fingers, bringing her right to the edge, then stop.
She whimpers in frustration.
"Please—"
"Please what?"
"Don't stop. Adrian, please—"
"Who's in control, Sera?"
"You are." The words come out strangled.
"Say it again."
"You're in control. You—fuck—you're always in control."
"Good girl."
I release her hands and lift her. She wraps her legs around me instinctively as I carry her to the bed.
But the moment I lay her down, she flips the script.
Her hands are on my shirt, unbuttoning it with shaking fingers. "I need you."
"I know you do."
"No, I mean—" She gets my shirt open, her hands on my chest. "I need this. Need you. Not because I'm negotiating. Because I want you."
The admission does something to me.
Makes the game feel less like a game.
"Sera—"
"Show me." Her eyes meet mine. "Show me I'm yours."
So I do.
I fuck her hard, rough, claiming every inch of her. Reminding her with every thrust who she belongs to.
But she's not passive. Not submissive.
She meets me thrust for thrust, nails digging into my back, legs wrapped around me, whispering filthy encouragement in my ear.
"Harder. Show me who I belong to."
"You want harder?" I grab her thighs, spread her wider, drive deeper. "You want me to fucking ruin you?"
"Yes—God yes—"
"Mine. Say it."
"Yours. I'm yours. Always—fuck—always yours."
The words shouldn't affect me this much. They're just part of the game. Part of the negotiation.
But they feel real.
Too real.
"Come for me," I order. "Come on my cock."
She does, clenching around me, screaming my name, and I follow her over, emptying myself inside her with a groan.
We collapse together, both breathing hard, sweat-slicked and satisfied.
And for a moment, lying there tangled together, I let myself admit what I've been avoiding.
Luc was right.
I'm not just letting her play anymore.
I'm falling.
Maybe I've already fallen.
The question is: is she playing me, or is she falling too?
We're still lying tangled together, her head on my chest, my hand stroking lazy circles on her back, when my phone rings.
I should ignore it. Should stay here in this moment.
But the ringtone is the one I assigned to Agent Monroe.
Which means this is about Gabriel.
Fuck.
"I have to take this," I say, already sitting up.
"Okay." Sera doesn't move, just watches me with those dark eyes.
I step into my office, closing the door.
"Talk."
"It's confirmed," Monroe says. "Gabriel Romano has been working with the FBI for eighteen months. Federal witness protection. He's feeding information to a task force building RICO cases."
My blood goes cold. "What kind of information?"
"Morozov operations primarily. But also yours. Shipment routes. Money laundering. Names." He pauses. "He doesn't know everything, but what he knows is enough to be dangerous."
"Where is he?"
"Safe house in New Jersey. Heavy protection. The task force running him is serious about keeping him alive."
"Can you get me a location?"
"Mr. Nero—"
"Can you get me a location?" I repeat, voice deadly quiet.
"I'll try. But if you go after him—"
"I'm aware of the consequences."
I hang up and stand there, processing.
Gabriel Romano. Sera's brother. The man I promised her I wouldn't kill.
Is a federal informant.
Has been for over a year.
Has been feeding information that could destroy me, my family, everything I've built.
And I have to tell Sera.
Have to watch her choose between her brother and me.
Everything Luc said earlier crashes into focus.
I was falling for her.
Past tense.
Because what I'm about to tell her is going to destroy whatever this was becoming.
I walk back to the bedroom. She's still there, wrapped in the sheet, watching me with concerned eyes.
"What's wrong?"
"We need to talk."
"Adrian, you're scaring me."
"Come here."
She gets up, wrapping the sheet around herself, and sits beside me on the edge of the bed.
I take her hand. Look at her face. Try to memorize this moment before I ruin it.
"It's about Gabriel."
Her eyes widen. "You found him? Is he okay?"
"He's alive. He's safe." I take a breath. "And he's working with the FBI."
The words hang between us.
"What?" Her voice is barely a whisper.
"He's been a federal informant for eighteen months. Feeding information to a task force. About the Morozovs. About me. About our operations."
She pulls her hand away. "No. Gabe wouldn't—he's not—"
"I have confirmation from my source inside the bureau. It's real, Sera."
"But why would he—" She stops. Understanding dawns. "He thinks he's protecting me."
"Maybe."
"No, not maybe. Definitely." She stands, pacing. "He saw you force me to marry you. Saw me trapped. Saw—" She turns to me. "From his perspective, you're the villain."
"I know."
"So, what happens now?" Her voice is hard. Cold. "You kill him? You told me you wouldn't, but that was before you knew he was cooperating with the feds."
"I don't know."
"Don't lie to me. Not about this."
I stand, move to her. "I promised you I wouldn't kill him. I keep my promises."
"Even when he's actively trying to destroy you?"
"Even then." I cup her face. "Because you love him. And I—"
I stop. Can't say it.
Not now. Not like this.
"You what?" She's looking at me with those dark eyes, waiting.
"I care about you. More than I should. More than is strategic." I kiss her forehead. "So I won't kill your brother. But this changes things, Sera. We're going to have to deal with this. Figure out what to do."
She nods slowly. "Okay."
"Okay?"
"I choose you." The words are quiet but firm. "My brother made his choice. He's trying to protect me by destroying you. But he doesn't get to make that decision for me." She touches my chest. "I choose you, Adrian. Whatever that means. Whatever comes next."
The words should make me feel victorious.
Instead, they terrify me.
Because now I have something to lose.
Now she's not just a chess piece or a strategic asset or even just my wife.
She's Sera.
And I'm in love with her.
And her brother is actively trying to destroy me.
"We'll figure it out," I say, pulling her close. "Together."
"Together," she repeats.
But as I hold her, I can't shake the feeling that everything we built today—the shopping, the softness, the game that became real—is about to come crashing down.
Because Gabriel isn't just a problem.
He's a bomb waiting to explode.
And when he does, I don't know if what Sera and I have will survive it.