Page 24 of Ruthless Daddies

“You were shot, Nikolai,” Alexei says evenly, though there’s a sharpness to his tone. “Your priority was protecting Luka, not chasing after some coward in the trees.”

I glare at him, my jaw tightening. “Luka shouldn’t have been at risk in the first place.”

At that, Alice stops pacing. She turns to face me, her hands dropping to her sides. “This isn’t your fault,” she says softly, her voice shaking just enough to betray how much she means it. “You…you protected us. You got Luka back.”

Her words should soothe me, but they only make the anger churn hotter in my chest. “You don’t understand,” I say, mytone harsher than I intend. “This isn’t just about what happened today. It’s about what could’ve happened. What almost happened.”

Alexei lets out a low growl of agreement, crossing his arms as he leans against the wall. “This wasn’t random,” he says, his voice like gravel. “It’s a message.”

“A message,” I repeat bitterly. “And we’re supposed to let Luka pay the price for it?”

“No,” Alexei says firmly, his eyes dark. “We find out who sent it, and we send one back.”

Alice shifts in her chair, her hands tightening into fists. “But Luka’s okay,” she says, as if reminding us of the most important part. “That’s what matters, right? He’s safe.”

The room is quiet for barely a moment before the door swings open, slamming against the wall with a force that makes Alice jump. Ivan strides in, his presence filling the room like a storm, his icy blue eyes blazing with fury.

“You,” he snarls, his voice sharp enough to cut through steel. “Do you have any idea how incredibly stupid you acted today?”

I meet his gaze, but I don’t flinch. I knew this was coming.

“Ivan—” Alice starts, her voice small but steady, stepping forward slightly.

“Not now,” Ivan snaps, his glare cutting toward her for the briefest of moments before settling back on me. “Whose idea was it to take the children to the park?” His voice lowers, deadly and quiet, as his gaze flickers to Alice again, suspicious, searching.

“It was mine,” I say before he can draw any conclusions. My voice is calm, firm, leaving no room for doubt. “The decision was mine, and mine alone.”

Ivan’s eyes narrow, his anger shifting momentarily into something colder, more calculating. “You thought taking them to a public park was a good idea? You thought leaving them exposed, vulnerable, was the right move?”

“I thought it would help them feel normal for once,” I say, keeping my tone steady, even as the tension in the room rises. “I had security. I was there. I took every precaution?—”

“Clearly notenough!” Ivan barks, his voice thundering. He steps closer, towering over me where I sit. “Luka was nearly taken. Nearlygone. Do you understand what that means, Nikolai?”

I don’t answer. There’s nothing I can say that will douse the fire in his voice, the raw fear that’s hiding beneath his rage.

“Ivan,” Alice says again, softer this time, her voice wavering slightly. “He?—”

“Leave,” Ivan commands, his voice cutting through the air like a whip. He doesn’t even look at her, his focus entirely on me. “Now.”

Alice hesitates, glancing at me, her worry etched into every line of her face. I nod at her, a silent reassurance, and after a moment, she turns and slips out of the room, closing the door quietly behind her.

The silence that follows her exit is deafening.

Ivan takes a step back, pacing like a caged animal, his hand raking through his dark hair. “Do you know what happens if theysucceed next time?” he growls, his voice low but seething. “Do you know what that would mean?”

“I know exactly what it would mean,” I reply, my voice steady. “Which is why I didn’t let it happen.”

His glare sharpens, and he stops pacing, turning to face me fully. “And yet, you didn’t catch him.”

“I managed to shoot the bastard in the leg,” I counter, leaning forward slightly, my elbows resting on my knees. “He won’t get far. We can identify him, track him down.”

Ivan lets out a sharp, bitter laugh, shaking his head. “Track him down? And what then? What about the others he’s working with? Do you think this was a one-man job?”

“I don’t think?—”

“That’s right, you don’t think!” he roars, his control slipping for a brief moment, the raw edge of his fear bleeding through. “This isn’t just about you, Nikolai. It’s about Mila and Luka. My children. They are the only thing that matters. And because of your recklessness, their lives were put in danger.”

I stand now, facing him head-on, my own anger rising to meet his. “You think I don’t know that? You think I don’t care about them as much as you do?”

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