Page 58 of Ruthless Daddies

It’s a lie, and I know he can tell. His smirk fades, replaced by something harder, colder. He tilts his head slightly, studying me.

“You’re a terrible liar, Alice,” he says softly.

My throat tightens, and I look away, focusing on the wall instead of his piercing gaze. “I’m just…tired, Dmitri. My head’s killing me.”

“Alice, in our world, trust is very hard to earn, and equally easy to lose.”

Before I can respond to Dmitri’s veiled warning, the door opens, and Nikolai strides in. His expression is unreadable.

The sight of him sends a chill down my spine. The memory hits me hard and fast—Nikolai standing in that alley, his face cold and unreadable as he pulled the trigger. The sharp crack of the gunshot, the way the man crumpled to the ground like a puppet with its strings cut.

I shiver involuntarily, gripping the edge of the blanket tighter. They’re dangerous—cold-blooded killers all of them, even Nikolai. He shows no remorse for what he has done, doesn’t even try to apologize.

“How is she?” Nikolai asks, his voice clipped.

“I’m fine,” I say quickly, though my voice comes out weaker than I intend.

“You scared the hell out of us last night,” he says, his voice softer now but still carrying that unmistakable edge of authority. “Do you remember what happened?”

I swallow hard, forcing myself to meet his gaze. “Not much,” I lie again. “It’s all kind of a blur.”

Dmitri’s low chuckle cuts through the tension. “She’s already tried that line on me, Nikolai,” he says, crossing his arms. “She’s not as convincing as she thinks.”

Nikolai glances at him, then back at me. “Alice,” he says firmly, his tone leaving no room for evasion. “You need to be honest with us. The man we…dealt with last night was one of Vadim’s.”

“Elena’s younger brother,” I say, recalling our conversation from earlier.

His jaw tightens.

“He’s been circling for months, making moves. But sending someone after you? That’s new.”

I shake my head, feigning confusion. “Why would Vadim be interested in me? I don’t even know him.”

“Exactly,” Dmitri says, his tone skeptical. “So why were you at that café, Parker? Out of all the places in the city, why there?”

I glance at Nikolai, but his expression gives nothing away. Dmitri, on the other hand, is watching me closely, his gaze sharp and unrelenting.

“I just…wanted to get some air,” I say, my voice shaky. “I didn’t know it would turn into…that.”

Dmitri takes a step closer, his presence almost suffocating. “You sure about that?” he asks, his voice low. “Because it feels like there’s something you’re not telling us.”

My stomach twists, but I force myself to meet his gaze. “I don’t know anything,” I say firmly, willing myself to sound convincing.

He doesn’t respond right away, his eyes narrowing slightly as he studies me. I can feel the tension in the room growing thickerby the second, and I know he doesn’t believe me. But he doesn’t press further—at least not yet.

“I’ll let it go for now,” Dmitri says finally, stepping back. “But if you’re keeping something from us, Alice, you’d better hope it doesn’t come back to bite you.”

Nikolai glances between us, his brow furrowing slightly. “Enough, Dmitri,” he says, his voice calm but firm. “She’s been through enough for one day.”

Dmitri doesn’t argue, but the look he gives me before he turns to leave is enough to make my stomach churn.

As the door closes behind him, Nikolai stays behind, his gaze softening as he looks at me. “Don’t let him scare you,” he says quietly. “You’re safe here, Alice.”

I nod, but the words feel hollow. Because no matter how much I want to believe him, the truth is clear—they’re dangerous men, and I’m caught in the middle of something far bigger than I understand.

And they’re starting to doubt me. If they ever find out about Elena’s phone, about the coordinates that led me to the café, I don’t know what they’ll do.

I have to tread carefully. Because one wrong move could cost me everything.

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