Page 121 of Ruthless Lullaby

That is when a thud on the door shatters our bliss.

Loud and violent, the sudden noise is in stark contrast with the sensual moment we were sharing. In an instant, the mood is gone. I flinch, startled, while Maron grunts and looks up. Everything unfolds in mere seconds.

Kevin's voice booms from the hallway, filled with urgency. "Miss, stop! Stop right now or I'll have to call the police!"

"Shut up, you jerk!" Another voice chimes in and I recognize Alexis.

Shit!

We don’t get the luxury of preparing for what’s to come. I don’t even get a chance to explain to Maron that the woman yelling outside is my drug-addicted sister. The next moment, the door flies open, and Alexis storms in. Her eyes are wild and bloodshot; it’s clear she’s high out of her mind. Her mouth drops open as she takes in the sight before her. Maron and I still naked, entwined in each other like passionate lovers caught in a moment of intimacy.

A second later, Kevin also appears at the door. "I’m so sorry, Mr. Korolev," he pants, fear plastered across his face as he looks at Maron. "I tried to stop this crazy woman but-"

"Shut the fuck up," Alexis interrupts him, her voice laced with venom as she stares at us. The next moment she pulls out her phone and starts snapping photos of us like a madwoman.

"What the hell are you doing?!" I yell at her.

"You deserve this, you slut! Mom's dead because of you," my sister screams, her phone clicking away. "I had to call Dr. Walker to find out!" She puts her phone away and lunges at me, pure fury emanating from her pores. But she doesn’t get to lay a finger on me because Maron steps in and restrains her.

Maron is only wearing his pants. His robust, muscular form, streaked with scars and tattoos, is as intimidating as a man can get. But somehow, Alexis doesn’t seem fazed - she’s probably too high to fully grasp who she’s picking a fight with. Her eyes narrow to slits as she sizes up Maron.

"And who the fuck are you supposed to be?" Her voice is sharp and dripping with disdain, but her face lights up with recognition as understanding dawns. "Wait, you’re Maron Korolev?" She looks back and forth between Maron and I, a wild glint in her eye. "Leave me alone, jerk," she snaps, yanking her wrist from Maron's grasp. A devious smile spreads across her face. "StarDust will pay top dollar for these photos. I mean, the CEO of Global Media getting kinky in a seedy club with a hooker? That's front-page material."

With that, she storms out of the room, not even caring to shut the door behind her. Kevin rushes after her, his urgent footsteps echoing through the hallway as he tries to catch up and prevent her from making matters even worse.

Maron's furrows his brow as his eyes bore into mine. His expression is a mix of disbelief and seething anger. "What the fuck was this about?" he demands, his voice low. I can see the gears turning in his head. His eyes dart to the door where Alexis disappeared, then back to me.

I take a deep breath, feeling my heart race in my chest as I try to control my conflicted feelings. "That was my sister being high," I confess, my voice trembling slightly with shame and regret. "She's trouble, Maron. She's addicted to painkillers, and she'll do anything to get her next fix."

Maron's expression turns to confusion. "That was your sister? How did she find us?"

"She works in the area and she probably spotted my car." It's true, but there's more to it. The real deal is that Alexis knows people in this fancy neighborhood, thanks to her career as a gossip journalist. For the same reason, she also knows how to get people to tell her what she wants to know. Once she got into the building, I’m sure it didn't take her long to get someone to rat out my whereabouts.

Maron's jaw clenches so tightly that the muscles in his face ripple. His teeth are grinding audibly as a storm of fury brews in his eyes. "She said something about StarDust," he grits out. "What did she mean?" His gaze pierces into mine, fierce and unyielding.

“Alexis works for StarDust as a journalist.” I gulp.

His eyes widen before snapping back to me with an intensity that scares me. "Chertovski dno!Do you know what that means? If those pictures get out, it's not just my reputation on the line. It's the whole fucking company!”

“I’m so sorry, Maron, I-” I try to apologize but he cuts me off.

"Give me her number," he demands.

I hesitate for a moment. I don’t want him to hurt Alexis, no matter how cruel and evil she’s become. She’s still my sister.

“Maron, please don’t-”

“I’m not going to hurt her, Mindy, but I need those photos gone. Now, give me her number.”

I heave a sigh and pull out my phone, sending Alexis’ contact to Maron. As I do that, Maron is already pulling out his own phone, dialing another number with practiced ease.

"Pavel," he barks into the device. His voice is cold and authoritative like a dictator commanding his troops. "I'm sending you a number. The woman who owns it took some pictures that I don't appreciate. I need those photos gone. For good."

"Got it. Do you want the person gone too, boss?" I hear Pavel's voice crackle through the line and cold fear grips my throat.

"No," Maron says, giving me a side-eye. "She's Mindy's sister. Just take care of the photos for now."

Chapter Forty-Six

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