Page 142 of Wicked Proposal
I don’t want to part from her. To let go of her scent, her warmth.
But if I don’t, I’ll never be able to do it again.
I push to my feet, take the tea from her hands and set it aside. Then I hold my hand out. “Come.”
She hesitates. “Where?”
“Away.”
“With…” She hesitates. “With you?”
“Yes. For the weekend.” She needs a place you can recharge, clear her head without thatmudaklooming over her. Otherwise, she actually might run.
And I’ll never see her again.
That thought shouldn’t bother me. It shouldn’t cause me more than a passing annoyance, for losing money and losing an asset. For the hassle of having to replace her.
Instead, it fucking guts me.
Mia’s brows knit. Disappointment flits on her face, but it’s gone as quickly as it came. “Yulian, I can’t.”
“Yes, you can. You’re free for the next two days.”
She blinks at me. “You know my schedule?”
“I make it my business to know things.”
Something warm spreads across her face. Soft, rosy—alive.“I… I really can’t,” she whispers again, with a twinge of regret. “I can’t just leave Eli on his own. Especially not now.”
“I’m not asking you to.”
Her eyes widen. “You—you want me to bring him?”
“I do.”
You’re crazy.The rational part of me is banging its head against the wall. Drop everything and leave? My Bratva, my duties, my company? Just to spend one weekend with Mia?
No—with Miaandher son?
If Maksim were here, he’d call me insane. Remind me of my plans, my goals. Tell me I can’t have it both ways, that I have tochoose.
But I don’t have to choose quite yet.
She’s watching me now. Trying to gauge if I’m regretting my words, if I ever truly meant them. After a month of radio silence, she’s got every right to doubt me.
“Yulian—”
“Pack a bag,” I cut her off. “We’re leaving tonight.”
She stares at me, and I see the conflict war in her gaze. The need to be strong, to be independent. To care for her job and her kid more than her selfish desires.
Torefuseme.
But she’s exhausted. And scared. And deep down, she knows I won’t take no for an answer.
So, after a long moment, she nods. “Okay.”
“Okay.”
