Maggie #3
Jules watches my face carefully. “Well?”
“He’s comin’.”
“Wonderful. Maybe he can use billionaire intimidation powers to fix our emotional state.”
I snort low before pushing upright again.
Beside us, Ivy looks up from where she’s still holding the puppy. “Papa has intimidation powers?”
Jules points at her solemnly. “Sweetheart, your father walks into rooms and grown men suddenly sit up straighter.”
Irina claps her hands lightly. “Come, printsessa. We should wash our hands before touching more puppies.”
“But Maggie needs emotional support,” Ivy protests while allowing Irina to guide her toward the shelter entrance.
“I absolutely do,” I call after her. “I’ve had a terrible day and only six emotional support dogs so far.”
Ivy grins from ear to ear.
The next twenty minutes pass beneath a layer of restless energy hanging over the entire property. I stand near the front desk reorganizing paperwork when the low growl of an engine rolls through the parking lot outside. Every head near the window turns instinctively.
Alexei’s black SUV glides into the lot, followed by a second vehicle behind it.
And Lord help me, the entire atmosphere changes the second he steps out.
He moves through the parking lot with the same authority he carries everywhere, though anger radiates from him hard enough that even the volunteers nearest the window step aside.
His eyes find mine immediately.
Every inch of me reacts. Relief hits first, which annoys me in principle. Then irritation follows right behind it, because this entire mess exists because his world is bleeding into mine.
Alexei crosses the lobby quickly while two security men and Luka remain near the entrance behind him. Ivy spots him first.
“Papa!”
The tension in his face eases a bit when she runs toward him. He bends immediately, lifting her into his arms with one smooth motion.
“You caused problems today?” he asks her quietly.
“No. Mr. Pickles caused problems.”
“Ah. Naturally.”
Ivy nods very seriously. “He stole hot dog buns.”
Alexei kisses the top of her head before looking at me again, and my chest squeezes painfully at the expression on his face. Relief is there first, followed immediately by anger and concern buried beneath the icy calm he wears better than anyone I’ve ever met.
He walks toward me slowly after setting Ivy down beside Irina.
“You’re alright?”
“I’m fine.”
His eyes move over my face slowly, lingering on the tension still pulled tight through my shoulders. Heat climbs into my cheeks under the intensity of his attention.
“Maggie.”
“I said I’m fine.”
“You look exhausted,” he insists.
“Well, it’s been one hell of a day around here.”
He almost smiles, but it fades. Then his hand brushes against my elbow, light enough to seem accidental, but my entire body reacts to the contact anyway.
“You should have called me sooner,” he says.
Frustration sparks immediately through my chest. “And said what exactly? Hey Alexei, another creepy man threatened me while your security watched?”
The air around us thickens. Jules suddenly finds the donation table across the room deeply fascinating.
Alexei lowers his voice further. “You think I don’t understand how serious this is?”
The folded drawing inside my bag suddenly feels impossible to ignore. I think about Ivy’s crooked flowers covered in black marker.
SHE DOESN’T BELONG TO YOU.
Guilt twists sharply through my stomach, but stubbornness rises right beside it. The second I tell him about the drawing, this entire situation explodes. More security, more control, and more of Alexei looking at me like I’m already standing in the middle of a war I still barely understand.
“I think nobody is tellin’ me the truth.”
“That’s because the truth isn’t safe.”
Anger runs hot through me. “You don’t get to decide what I can handle.”
His back teeth grind while we stare at each other, surrounded by dogs, cats, and stressed volunteers. Then one of his security men approaches quickly from the entrance.
“Boss.”
Alexei turns.
The guard speaks quietly enough that I only catch pieces.
“…vehicle returned…”
“…two blocks east…”
“…still watching…”
My blood turns cold.
Alexei’s expression darkens, and suddenly the entire room feels smaller. He looks back at me, and whatever he sees on my face softens his own slightly.
“This isn’t over,” he says quietly.
Deep down, I already know that. I swallow hard realizing too late that he knows something else is wrong.
“What is it?” he asks.
I look away first. Ivy laughs somewhere near the front desk while Irina helps her refill water bowls. I motion for Alexei to follow me to the office.
“There’s somethin’ I didn’t tell you,” I admit.
Every trace of warmth disappears from Alexei’s face. “What happened?”
My fingers tighten around the strap of my bag before I slowly unzip it and pull out the folded drawing. “I found this in my mailbox this morning.”
His eyes drop to the paper in my hands. Then I watch the exact moment his entire body goes rigid.
I unfold the paper revealing Ivy’s bright flowers beneath the thick black marker slashed across the page.
SHE DOESN’T BELONG TO YOU.
Alexei stares at the drawing for one long, terrifying second before lifting his eyes to mine.
“You got this before coming here today?” His voice stays calm which scares me more than yelling would.
“I didn’t know how to bring it up without you completely losin’ your mind.”
“That option is no longer available to you, kotyónok.”