Page 55 of Shielded Secrets

She opened and closed her mouth, glancing at Lev.

He strode forward, talking to me, not Rurik. I noticed that all of them—the men at the top of the family and closest to Rurik—referred to me directly, unafraid to speak to me. The common guards and soldiers seemed to keep their distance, though, as though they understood I wasn’t to be bothered.

Which was ridiculous. I wasn’t anyone special or in command.

“Kelly, the cops won’t stop looking for you. They searched your apartment again.”

I frowned, not understanding why this had to matter. “They won’t have anything on me.” Deep down, though, the idea of any cop looking at me made me nervous.

“But as of right now, they can continue to stir doubt and make noise,” Oleg said, stepping forward and entering the conversation. “Don’t worry.”

“It’s crazy if you think I can’t.” I huffed a laugh, looking at all of them so serious. This was the last thing I ever wanted, to be in the crosshairs of drama and threats that didn’t personally matter to me.

“The cops can’t touch you,” Lev said.

“Of course, they can,” I protested.

“No member of law enforcement will get away with coming after a Baranov.” Oleg lifted his chin, looking like every bit of the boss that he was. “So we’re going to make you one.”

“Make me…” I narrowed my eyes.

“No.” Rurik scowled at him. “We’re not going tomakeyou do anything. What he meant to say is wecanmake you one.”

“Make me a what?”

“A Baranov.” Rurik stared at me intensely. “Marry me. Become an official part of the Baranov legacy and be my wife.”

My jaw dropped.

He’d actually said those words.

He’d… proposed? Ordered me to marry him? Suggested it? I was so stunned I couldn’t wrap my head around what was going on. I saw how concerned they were about the cops’ interest in me, something that had to be Jerome’s doing, but to go this far?

Eva elbowed Rurik. “Askher.Askher to marry you…” she said out the side of her mouth.

He cleared his throat. “Kelly, will you marry me?”

I blinked, snapping out of this reverie. “I, um, I heard you the first time.”

He was serious. He intended to marry me and keep me as his wife, not just protect me and sleep with me. And they were all in on it. The flowers made sense now. Eva must have heard about this plan and wanted to make it slightly sentimental.

But it wasn’t my dream. This wasn’t how I ever thought this could happen. Meeting Rurik, then having a chance to see him again, and later enjoying the bliss of starting a relationship with him—those were all steps that felt rushed yet magical.

But marrying him? Like this?

My heart broke at how he was only asking out of duty. His offer was something from a need to protect me, nothing more. Sure, he had to care about me to want to keep me safe, but this had to be the least romantic approach to marriageever.

He watched me expectantly. All of them did. I was too timid to speak up and voice my critique that this wasn’t romantic, that it wasn’t a fantasy coming true.

I wanted Rurik to ask me to marry him because he loved me.

Tears stung in the back of my eyes at the bitter sadness that engulfed me. This should’ve been such a joyful moment. A proposal. An invitation to share my life with someone who would promise to be with me in the good times and bad. A partner. A lover. A soulmate.

I looked into his eyes and saw all the affection and genuine concern he always showed me, but still, I struggled to get past the heartache of his choosing me out of necessity, not love.

“Kel—”

“Yes.” I nodded at him, stunned that this was happening so quickly. That with one word, my life was changed. “Yes, I’ll marry you.”

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