Page 122 of Stolen Seconds

“What’s this motherfucker talking about, Irina?”

“Nothing,Papa.” I definitely wouldn’t tell him I had lacked all judgment whenever the brute next to me was near and had figured out who I was before anyone else did.

“Is this where you apologize for shooting me falsely,dear father-in-law?” Luca kept riling him up, his voice full of arrogance.

My father’s face became red, and I knew he was a second away from lunging at him, but I was frozen in place.

Father-in-law.

My heart fluttered in my chest, and I felt myself growing faint. Luca wanted to marry me?

“I should’ve shot you in the head instead,” he spat out. “Anddon’tcall me that.”

“What? Father-in-law?” His grin was wide, and it was so infectious, I couldn’t help but reflect it. “Doesn’t it have a nice ring to it, though? Sort of like the one I’ll be putting on your daughter’s finger.”

Before I had a chance to react, my father was on him, his hand wrapped around his throat. “Not unless I kill you.”

Luca barked out a laugh, not fighting back. “You tried that already.”

Nicolai grabbed our father before he followed throughwith his threat, pulling him back with a force I didn’t think he was capable of.

Luca shifted his gaze to me with a longing that made my heart nearly give out. “I’m not joking, sweetheart. I will marry you.”

He wasn’t asking me; he was telling me, and his possessive side drove me insane. Heat warmed my face and for the first time ever, I was lost for words.

“Great, you’ve traumatized my daughter with your unsolicited confession. She can’t even speak!”

“No,” I breathed, holding Luca’s stare, knowing exactly who and what I wanted. “He hasn’t.” Tears clung to my eyelids as a thick emotion cascaded over me. “He saved me.”

The truth would’ve brought me to my knees if it wasn’t for my father, who had firmly grasped my elbow, stealing my attention.

“All I’ve ever wanted was to protect you,” he said, his voice sounding distant—almost haunted. “But I see now how I’ve suffocated you in the process. I should’ve never gotten you involved in this world, either.” He pulled me to his chest, wrapping his arms around me. “I’m sorry,Printsessa. For everything.”

I sighed against him, letting him carry the weight of my hurt for once. He’d loved me in the only way he knew how. Even though he’d been too blind to see how his actions took a toll on me, a part of me couldn’t fault him for it. I still loved him.

“I forgive you,” I whispered.

He squeezed me tightly as if he was afraid to let me go before he spoke over my head, his words directed at Luca. “You made it evidently clear that you love my daughter that night but if you make me regret letting her go, I’ll personally slice your limbs and feed it to my hounds.”

“By the hands of thePakhanhimself? What a true honor,” Luca snidely replied as he pulled me to him by the back pocket of my jeans until I was facing him. “Besides, love is too vague of a word for what I feel for her.”

He smiled down at me, his eyes crinkling at the corners, and I knew with everything that I was, I’d never regret him.

I’d found Nicolai alone in one of the studies a few days later. He was standing in front of the window, peering down at the guards littered across the front lawn.

I leaned against the door, clicking it shut before striding toward my little brother.

“Nico.”

He didn’t turn around, merely hummed in response as if he wasn’t surprised by my presence.

“Can you look at me?”

With his hands clasped behind his back, he angled his head at me.

I searched his brown eyes, the light in them nearly gone. “Why are you doing this?”

“This?” He quirked a brow.

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