Page 19 of Deadly Vows

She looked up at me, her bright hazel eyes searching mine. “What is it?”

I took a deep breath, gathering my thoughts. “What we spoke about last night, about keeping you and the baby safe…it will always be my priority. That is why we can’t be in a relationship. You’d be a target for my enemies, and I can’t bear to have anything happen to either of you.”

Talia’s gaze softened. “I understand. But things are different now, aren’t they? We’re already a family. You, me, Sasha, Maxim, and the baby.”

Family. The word sent a warmth through me that I hadn’t expected. I wanted that with her more than anything. But danger still loomed over us. I caressed her cheek, my thumb tracing the delicate curve of her jaw. “I want to be with you. But it’s dangerous.”

She placed a hand over mine, her touch grounding me. “We’ll face it together, Aleksandr. Whatever comes, we’ll face it together and keep our family safe.”

She was strong and brave yet kind and giving. She was perfect for me in every way. I kissed her tenderly, caught in a tug-of-war between what I should do and my selfish desires.

Reluctantly, we pulled ourselves from bed, the responsibilities of the day calling. I slipped on black sweatpants and headed to the kitchen to make breakfast. Talia followed,wrapping herself in one of my soft grey T-shirts. Seeing her like that, looking so at home, made me smile.

“What would you like for breakfast?” I asked, pulling out ingredients from the fridge. “Or should I ask what the baby would like?” I teased.

“Surprise us,” she said with a grin, perching on a stool by the counter. She tenderly cradled her baby bump, whispering sweetly to the baby.

I decided on a simple meal of scrambled eggs, toast, and coffee. As I cooked, Talia wandered around the penthouse, her eyes landing on the paintings that adorned the walls. She paused, studying them intently.

“These are beautiful,” she said, looking at me. “Who’s the artist?”

I hesitated for a moment before answering. “I am.”

“You’re an amazing artist,” she gushed. “Did you ever think about painting full-time?”

“I did,” I admitted, flipping the eggs. “When I was younger, I wanted to be an artist. But life had other plans.”

She stepped closer, her fingers lightly tracing the edge of one of the frames. “What happened?”

I sighed, turning off the stove and plating the food. “Otets was killed. Mikhail was supposed to take over aspakhan, but he couldn’t handle it after Anya died. His depression was so bad that I needed to step up. I had to take care of the children, too. So, at twenty-four years old, I becamepakhan. I didn’t feel ready, but I had no choice.”

Talia’s eyes were filled with sympathy. “I’m sorry. That must have been difficult.”

“It was,” I admitted, placing the plates on the table. “I had a different vision for my life. But such is the way of the Bratva.”

We sat down to eat, the conversation shifting to lighter topics. It was easy being with Talia. She had a way of making everything seem more bearable. But our moment of peace was interrupted by the buzzing of my phone. It was Dimitri.

I answered, his voice urgent on the other end. “Brat, we have a lead on Vic’s whereabouts. He’s hiding in the back room of a Chinese restaurant in the city.”

“I’ll meet you at the mansion. I’ll be there soon,” I assured.

I hung up and turned to Talia. “We have to go. There’s a lead on Vic.”

She nodded, worry flashing in her eyes. “Please be careful.”

“I will,” I promised. “I’m meeting Dimitri at the mansion. I need you to stay with the children to know you’re safe.” Leaning toward her, I captured her lips with mine. This woman meant everything to me, and I’ll burn down the whole fucking world to make sure she is safe.

We quickly dressed and left the penthouse. The drive to the mansion was filled with a tense silence. I hated leaving her, but I couldn’t risk her safety. Once we arrived, I ensured she was settled before heading out with Dimitri to meet Anton.

The city passed by in a blur as we drove to the restaurant. The possibility of finding Vic was electrifying. But when we arrived and stormed the back room, we were disappointed.Instead of Vic, we found a low-level thug with no useful information.

Frustrated, we returned to the mansion. I needed to see Talia to reassure myself that she was safe. I found her playing a board game with Sasha and Maxim in the playroom. Seeing them together brought a smile to my face, a rare moment .

But the moment was interrupted by the ringing of the doorbell. Abram answered, bringing in a long white delivery box addressed to Talia. Her face lit up with excitement, and she realized it was from a florist. She read the note, her face paling.

“Kiska, what does it say?“ My eyebrows snapped together as I took the note from her.

“Sorry for your loss,” she whispered, her voice trembling. She opened the box, immediately dropping it on the floor. A dozen black roses spilled out as Talia’s expression turned to horror.

---