Page 36 of Ruthless Daddies

“See?” I say, glancing over my shoulder with a grin. “Not so bad, was it?”

She glares at me, but there’s no real heat in it. “You’re lucky I didn’t fall off.”

“You weren’t going anywhere,” I say, chuckling as I pat her hands still resting on my waist. “You were practically glued to me.”

She huffs but finally swings her leg over, sliding off the bike and brushing her hands down her jacket. “Well, thanks for not killing us, I guess.”

I smirk, getting off the bike and stepping closer to her. “You guess?”

She rolls her eyes but doesn’t move as I lean in slightly, my grin softening. “You’re braver than I thought, Parker,” I say quietly. “Most people wouldn’t have trusted me on that thing.”

Her eyes flicker up to mine, something unspoken passing between us. “Most people wouldn’t have gone with you in the first place,” she says, her voice just as quiet.

We stand there for a moment, the night pressing in around us, the only sound the faint rustle of leaves in the breeze. Her eyes search mine, and before I realize what I’m doing, I take a small step closer. She doesn’t back away. Instead, she tilts her head up, her lips parting slightly, and the space between us disappears.

Her scent—something light and sweet, like vanilla and lavender—fills the air, and I feel her breath against my lips. My hand twitches at my side, the urge to close the gap, to pull her closer, overwhelming.

“Dmitri…” she whispers, her voice barely audible, but the sound of my name from her lips sends a jolt of heat through me. Sheleans in, just a fraction, her face so close now that I can see the faint flush on her cheeks.

But before anything can happen, the sound of the front door opening shatters the moment.

“Dmitri,” Nikolai’s voice calls out, sharp and curious. “What are you doing out here?”

I step back quickly, my hands dropping to my sides as I turn to face him. He’s standing in the doorway, his expression unreadable, though his sharp brown eyes flicker between me and Alice with a glint of suspicion.

15

ALICE

The air in the foyer crackles with tension as Nikolai stands just inside the door, his broad frame blocking the way like a wall of barely contained fury. The dim light glints off the bandages on his arm, but his injury does nothing to soften the sharpness of his glare. His eyes flicker between Dmitri and me, his jaw tightening with every second.

For a brief moment, the only sound is the faint creak of Dmitri’s leather jacket as he tosses it onto the couch, completely unbothered.

“You two look cozy,” Nikolai says, his voice cold and cutting. It’s not a question.

Dmitri doesn’t miss a beat, his grin spreading. “You know me, always happy to lend a hand. Anton couldn’t make it, so I figured I’d step in.”

Nikolai frowned. “I could have helped.”

“You are injured, not exactly available to do chauffeur duties,” Dmitri replies, his tone maddeningly casual as he shrugs out ofhis jacket. “Figured I’d handle it. Besides, Anton asked me, not you.”

“Since when do you take requests from Anton?” Nikolai snaps, stepping closer. His eyes flick briefly to me, then back to Dmitri. “And for her, no less?”

“She’s standing right here,” I say, raising an eyebrow.

Nikolai doesn’t even blink. “That’s not the point.”

“Oh, but it is,” Dmitri cuts in, grinning as he leans casually against the banister. “Anton’s scared of you. I’m not. So, he called me. Problem solved.”

“You didn’t solve anything,” Nikolai growls, his voice rising slightly. “You made it worse.”

“By picking her up?” Dmitri chuckles, his smirk widening. “Relax, big brother. Are you even hearing yourself? She survived. Thrived, even. Didn’t you, Alice?”

All their attention suddenly shifts to me, and I blink, thrown into the middle of their sibling war zone. “Uh…I mean, I didn’t die, so there’s that?” I offer weakly, which only seems to make Nikolai’s scowl deepen.

I’m not even sure what’s happening here. Are they fighting over…me? No, that’s not possible.

“That’s not the point,” Nikolai repeats, his voice taut with irritation. “She’s not your responsibility.”

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