Page 58 of Use Me, Daddy

I took a deep breath. This wasn’t how I wanted her to find out about my criminal side, but there was no going back now.

“I promise I’ll explain everything, but not here. Not now,” I said, my grip tightening on her arm as I guided her toward the back entrance.

“But—” she started to protest, but I silenced her with a look.

“Trust me,” I said, my voice low and urgent. “Please.”

She hesitated, then nodded, her fingers slipping into mine as I pulled her through the hallway. As we moved back into the main hall, I saw that my men had already secured the space. I pulled Amy in close to me and watched as more Morozov men moved into position.

Less than fifteen minutes later, the gallery was ours again.

I watched as two of the Orlovs’ men were dragged past me, their faces bloodied, their eyes filled with fury and defeat. Romanshoved one of them to his knees, his gun pressing into the back of the man’s head.

“What do you want us to do with these?” Roman asked, his tone cold and professional.

“Secure them in the basement,” I said. “I want answers.”

Roman nodded, hauling the prisoners away. The gallery was a mess—broken glass, overturned sculptures, and the faint scent of smoke lingering in the air—but it was nothing we couldn’t fix.

As I turned away, my eyes landed on Amy, standing next to me, watching everything unfold with a look of disbelief. Her eyes were wide, her breaths shallow, like she was trying to make sense of the carnage she’d just witnessed. She was tough, I’d give her that, but this was a world she wasn’t prepared for.

I hadn’t readied her for it and that was on me.

I strode over to her, my steps quick and purposeful. The moment I reached her, I wrapped my arm around her waist, pulling her close. She stiffened, her eyes darting up to mine.

“Aleksei, I need answers,” she said, her voice a mix of fear and determination.

“Not here,” I said, my tone leaving no room for argument. “We’re leaving.”

She tried to pull away, her eyes blazing with defiance. “I’m not going anywhere with you until you tell me what’s going on.”

I leaned in close, lowering my voice to a whisper only she could hear. “You’ve seen enough to know this isn’t just about art. You’re a smart girl. I know you’ve probably heard the rumors about me, and we’ll talk about them,” I said softly, my fingerstightening on her waist. “But for now, you’re coming with me because it’s not safe for you to be alone.”

“But—” she began, but I cut her off, my lips brushing her ear.

“It’s not up to you, Amy,” I murmured, my voice dark and commanding. “It’s up to Daddy. And Daddy’s not letting you out of his sight tonight.”

Her breath hitched, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson. For a moment, she looked like she wanted to argue, to fight me on this. But then, as if something inside her gave way, she nodded, her gaze dropping to the floor.

“Fine,” she whispered, her voice barely more than a breath.

“Good girl,” I murmured, pressing a kiss to her temple before turning and leading her through the chaos of the gallery.

CHAPTER 18

Aleksei

The drive back to my penthouse was silent. Amy stared out the window, her fingers twisting in her lap, her mind clearly racing. I kept one hand on the steering wheel, the other resting on her thigh, a gentle reminder that she wasn’t alone. That she was mine, whether she wanted to admit it or not.

By the time we pulled into the underground parking garage, the tension between us was so thick it was almost suffocating. I parked the car and turned to her, my thumb brushing lightly over her knuckles.

“Come on,” I said, my voice softer now. “Let’s get you upstairs.”

She hesitated for a moment, then unbuckled her seatbelt and stepped out of the car. I followed, placing a hand on the small of her back as I guided her to the private elevator that would take us directly to my penthouse.

The ride up was agonizingly slow. I could feel her stealing glances at me, her eyes flicking over the blood on my knuckles,the tension in my jaw. But I said nothing. There would be time for explanations later. Right now, I needed to get her behind closed doors, where I knew she would be safe.

When the elevator doors slid open, I led her into my expansive living room. Floor-to-ceiling windows showcased the city skyline, but Amy barely glanced at the view. She turned to me, her eyes filled with questions.

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