Page 33 of Claimed By Desire

I lose track of time. I lose track ofmyself.For a while I’m just a girl playing piano in a tiny little apartment while rain patters on the eaves outside her window. But then the door opens behind me and I shake my head.

“I’m not done,” I say, feeling desperate. Has ten minutes really gone past already?

“Natalya.”

I stop playing. His voice echoes through my head, and maybe I really have finally lost my mind. I turn, expecting Lev.

Alexander’s staring at me.

He’s wearing a tuxedo. It clings to his muscular body like he was born to wear it. The black makes his eyes seem even darker, and his hair is slicked back in a handsome wave.

I’ve never seen him look so good before in my life, and the expression in his eye is pure, hardened determination.

“Go away,” I tell him and turn back to the piano.

I start to play again. Because maybe I can drown him out and he won’t exist anymore.

But Alex walks over and sits on the bench beside me. His thigh presses against mine, and I want to hit him, I want to shove him, I want to scream in his face.

Why would he come here right now? When he knows there’s nothing we can do about this? I’m marrying someone else eventhough I’m pregnant with his baby, and he made it clear last night that he doesn’t care enough to stop me.

“I can’t do this,” he says quietly.

My playing falters. I don’t look at him. If I do, I’m going to lose myself, and I can’t risk it.

“Good thing you’re not,” I tell him and start up again. “Good thing I’m the one getting married.”

“I can’t let another man raise my child,” he says, his voice rough with emotion and pain.

And it nearly kills me.

Because it’s almost,almost,exactly what I wanted to hear.

But it’s still not quite right.

“You should go away,” I tell him again.

While inwardly wishing he’d sayI can’t stand seeing you marry another man.

But maybe that’s too much to expect?

“I should have said this to you last night,” he continues as if he didn’t hear me. “I was overwhelmed and at the time I knew my duty was to stay out of your way. That’s what I’m supposed to do, isn’t it? Mypakhanwants you to marry the Italian, and so I should step aside and let it happen.”

“Why doesn’t any care what I want?” I ask, not even upset by the question. Especially since I already know the answer.

“But I couldn’t sleep after you left,” he continues, pushing himself forward. “I was up all night thinking about you and mybaby. How could I call myself a man if I let someone else take over my responsibility? How could I live with myself, knowing the truth?”

I miss a note and nearly stop. That’s what he thinks of me and his baby? I’m just anotherresponsibility?

I keep playing, staring down at my hands.

“What do you want, Alex? It’s too late now. I’m in my wedding dress.”

“You look beautiful,” he whispers and my head whips up. He’s looking at me with pure fire in his eyes. “I shouldn’t have let you leave my apartment last night. I’m sorry, Natalya. But I’m here to make up for it.”

“You’re too late.” I get up off the bench and put space between us. I’m feeling stifled and suffocated and my heart’s racing into my throat. “You’rewaytoo late. I’m supposed to leave in a little over an hour for my wedding.”

He stands and faces me. It’s always incredible how big he is, and right now, he looks even larger. Like he’s twice his normal size, twice as broad and strong. My heart stutters and my jaw tenses.

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