Page 9 of Stolen Seconds

I smirked at the affection Roman so proudly displayed for my best friend. “I expect nothing less.”

Although Aurora and Roman’s relationship started out rough, it was clear as day the infinite love they held for one another.

An inferior emotion if you asked me.

“Welcome to our home, Irina. I hope your stay is. . . memorable.” Roman assessed me as if he was analyzing me in his head.

Did he think I was a threat?I had given him no reason to believe that, but I guess as aDon,you had to assume the worst in everyone and everything. Andconsidering it was our first time meeting in person, I couldn’t quite blame him.

“Let’s go inside and I can show you around,” Aurora interjected. “Don’t worry about your bags. They’ll be taken to your room.”

Once we entered the house, Roman kissed Aurora’s cheek and parted ways with us.

I stared as she watched her husband walk down the corridor before he disappeared around the corner.

“You really do love him, don’t you?”

She turned back to me, a smile plastered on her glowing face. “What was that?”

“You love him,” I stated.

And in one sentence, she summed up their unconditional tie. “He breathed me back to life.”

“Poetic as ever.”

She smacked my arm playfully. “Oh, shut up. The day someone tames your craziness, I’ll never let you live it down.”

“I don’t see that happening. Ever.”

Their manor was a dream. The décor was warm and inviting, which surprised me. It was luxurious but subtly done with vintage furnishings.

“Your room is here.” Aurora gestured to the black oak door with a Victorian plate knob. “I’ll let you freshen up before dinner.”

With that, she turned on her heel and left the west wing.

My bags were already perched atop the bench at the end of the four-poster bed when I entered the room.

It could’ve been taken as a master bedroom with the huge pane windows and an even larger bathroom.

As I wandered through the space, I noticed the different shades of red on every surface.

A small smile curved my mouth. This had to be Aurora’s doing, her way of making me feel at home.

Guilt bloomed, my chest caving in further remembering the reason for my visit. But this was inevitable.

After washing up with too many bath scents to choose from, I pulled out my phone and clicked the first contact.

“Printsessa.” My father’s voice filtered through the line.

“Privet, Papa.”

There was a sort of irony to him calling me princess. I was one, yet I grew up differently than the expectations that would’ve tied me down.

When I was born, my parents hid me from the outside world. I lived in the four walls of our manor, longingly waiting for the day I could go beyond our property border. This was a secret within our inner circle, kept hidden from outsiders.

As daughter of thePakhan, my father knew that I would be a liability to him. He knew that I’d be used against him if the opportunity arose for his enemies, and he'd rather die than put me in any danger.

He was one of the most ruthless yet loving men I had ever met. He protected me from our world without thinking of the consequences that would’ve happened if I was exposed.

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