Page 37 of Tainted Empire
“God, I hadn’t even considered the fact that his captors might have kept him alive,” I admit, feeling frustrated at myself for not seeing it from that angle. “It’s a terrifying thought, but it makes a twisted kind of sense.”
She sighs, gesturing with her hands. “It’s almost like a long-term investment, isn’t it? Raising him with a specific purpose in mind, perhaps feeding him lies about you, about what happened to his family.”
I nod, feeling a cold shiver run down my spine. “Exactly, but it’s the kind of long con that someone patient and vengeful would play. And if he’s been brainwashed or manipulated into believing I’m responsible for his family’s demise, his hatred for me would be deeply ingrained.”
Gabriette’s expression grows dark with concern. “So, we’re potentially dealing with someone who has been nurtured to hate you, to seek revenge against you. Someone who’s possibly been planning this for years.”
“Fuck,” I curse under my breath, a sense of dread settling over me. “This changes everything. We’re not just dealing with a random enemy; we’re up against a ghost from the past, someone with a deep-seated grudge.”
Gabriette takes a deep breath, steadying herself. “We need to be two steps ahead of him, Mischa. This needs to end one way or another.”
“Exactly and I’ve been too reactive, waiting for things to happen,” I say, running my fingers through my hair, then I chuckle. “So it’s ‘we’ now, Malyshka?”
She raises her eyebrow and scoffs. “Do you honestly think I’ll let myself be left out of this now? It includes both of us now, Mischa. I’m not going back to hiding in a penthouse.”
Fuck, I love this woman.
“I won’t keep you locked up here… if you come back,” I swallow deeply. “But we have to be smart about it. This isn’t just a vendetta; it’s a meticulously planned assault.”
Gabriette sighs, shaking her head. “But how would they have known you killed Dasha? I thought that was hidden?”
“That’s the question, isn’t it? No one knew but my inner circle,” I say, clenching my fists. “I’ll contact my sources, gather more intel. We need to know more about Dasha’s brother, about his movements and connections.”
“And I’ll do some digging of my own,” Gabriette adds. “My father has always been a mystery, but I have my ways of uncovering the truth.”
“Look at you, going all detective on me,” I raise an eyebrow, impressed.
She chuckles, a sound that momentarily lightens the heavy atmosphere. “You’d be surprised what I can do, Mischa.”
I smile, the first genuine smile in what feels like forever. “I have no doubt about that; you’re my queen after all.”
As we sit there, our resolve solidifying, I feel a renewed sense of purpose. This battle may be far from over, but with Gabriette by my side, I know we’ll emerge stronger, ready to reclaim the life that’s rightfully ours.
Chapter 21
Gabriette
Last night Mikhail let Lee know that I’m staying the night while we spoke about things. It actually felt like a somewhat normal evening for us, given that we’ve never had normal before.
Just sitting in the living room with him, drinking wine and planning… I loved it. There were no expectations from either of us and I could see how relaxed Mikhail looked after being completely honest with me.
When it came time to go to bed, I told him I’m not taking the guest room and neither is he, so here we are.
I’ve been awake for a few minutes now, laying in his arms and just staring at him sleeping. He’s laying with one arm around my waist while the other is behind his head, his breathing labored.
It always amazes me just how peaceful he looks when he’s asleep; how he should have looked if he didn’t have the heavy mantle he was born with.
He’s grown out his beard these past few months; that, coupled with his short hair just looks delicious. I bite my bottom lip and allow my gaze to travel over his chiseled chest, taking in the dips and curves of his well-toned muscles.
How can one man look so beautiful and yet be so deadly?
I shift in his arms, and squeeze my thighs together. God, when was the last time we were intimate? I promised myself this wouldn’t go as far as us sleeping in the same bed, but I wasn’t lying in Mikhail’s arms when I said that.
Slipping his arm from around my waist, I pray he doesn’t wake up when I pull the covers from his lower body. I drink in his body and my gaze zeroes in on his crotch. His cock thick, heavy and straining against the silk fabric of his boxers.
Feeling brave since he hasn’t woken up yet, I nudge his legs open and move in between them, carefully removing his already hard cock from the confines of his boxers.
Thank fuck for morning hard-ons.