Page 60 of Ruthless Daddies

I roll my eyes, leaning back against the desk. “No one’s suggesting we tie her to a chair, Nik. But we can’t keep pretending. She was therefor a reason.”

Ivan looks at Nikolai, then back at me. “Fine,” he says finally, his tone brooking no argument. “We’ll talk to her now.”

Ivan knocks at her door,but when she doesn’t respond, we all go inside.

Alice stirs immediately, her head lifting off the pillow as she blinks blearily at us. She’s in bed, tangled in the sheets, her hair a messy halo around her face. The nightdress she’s wearing is thin, delicate, and does absolutely nothing to help me focus on the task at hand.

Her green eyes widen as they take us in, and she pushes herself up slightly, her expression groggy and confused. “What…what’s going on?”

“Get up,” Ivan says, his voice even but unyielding. “We need to talk.”

Alice frowns, rubbing at her eyes. “Now?”

“Yes, now,” Nikolai adds, though there’s hesitation in his voice. He shifts, looking anywhere but at her as she tosses back the covers and swings her legs over the side of the bed.

The moment she stands, the nightdress clinging to her curves, it’s like a punch to the gut. The fabric skims the tops of her thighs, her bare legs lithe and smooth in the soft glow of the bedside lamp. I swallow hard, dragging my gaze back up to her face, but it doesn’t help.

Ivan clears his throat, a muscle ticking in his jaw, but I don’t miss the way his eyes flicker downward for just a moment before he schools his expression. Nikolai shifts on his feet, his shoulders tense as he stares at the floor, his mouth set in a thin line.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” Alice asks, her voice small.

“Sit down,” Ivan says gruffly, gesturing toward the chair near the window.

She hesitates, glancing between the three of us, and I can see the flicker of fear in her eyes. It twists something inside me, a sharp pang of guilt, but I shove it down.

“What’s this about?” she whispers as she slowly walks over to the chair and sits, pulling the hem of her nightdress down instinctively.

Ivan steps forward, his presence towering and unrelenting. “Why were you at that café last night, Alice?”

Her breath catches, and I see her fingers tighten around the edge of the chair. “I already told you—I just needed some air.”

“That’s not good enough,” Ivan says, his voice hard. “You knew Vadim’s man would be there, didn’t you?”

Her eyes widen, panic flashing across her face. “What? No! I didn’t?—”

“Then what were you doing there?” I press, unable to keep the edge out of my voice. “Why that café? Of all places?”

“I told you?—”

“You’re lying,” Ivan cuts her off.

She flinches, and something sharp twists in my chest. I don’t like seeing her like this—cornered, afraid. But I can’t stop myself from pushing. We need the truth.

Alice looks at me then, her green eyes glassy, desperate. “I swear I don’t know anything!”

Her voice cracks, and my stomach knots. I want to believe her. God, I want to believe her so badly. But I can’t ignore what I’ve seen, what I know.

“Stop lying to us, Alice,” Ivan says, his tone low, dangerous.

“I’m not lying!” she snaps, her voice trembling. “Why would I lie to you? I don’t even know what’s going on half the time!”

The room falls silent, the tension so thick it’s suffocating. Alice’s chest rises and falls rapidly, her breaths shaky. Her nightdress has slipped slightly, the thin strap hanging off her shoulder, and I find myself staring at the smooth skin there, my throat going dry.

I’m not the only one. Ivan’s gaze lingers, his fists clenching at his sides, while Nikolai’s eyes flicker downward before he quickly looks away.

Alice notices. Her cheeks flush as she pulls the strap back up, her lips parting slightly as she stares at us, like she’s realizing something she shouldn’t.

I have to do it. I have to be better than this.

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