Page 44 of Unexpected Bratva Baby

I count to ten to sustain calmness. “That’s not true. Everything I’ve done has been to keep you safe.”

“Safe?” Phoebe laughs, the sound harsh and brittle. “I was shot at, Mikhail. How is that safe?”

“And my woman, Nastya, saved you,” I counter. “If I hadn’t had people watching you, you’d be dead right now.”

She flinches at my words, and I immediately regret my bluntness, but it’s the truth, and she needs to understand the gravity of the situation.

“I want to go home,” she says, her voice small and defeated.

I shake my head. “I’m sorry, but that’s not possible right now. You need to stay here, where I can protect you.”

She glares at me, fire rekindling in her eyes. “You can’t keep me here against my will. That’s kidnapping.”

“It’s protection. Please try to understand. If you go back now, you’ll be walking into a war zone. Valdés won’t stop until he gets to you.”

“And what about my family?” she demands. “My friends? My job? Am I just supposed to disappear without a word?”

I run a hand over my face. “We’ll figure something out. Make up a story about an emergency trip, but right now, the priority is keeping you alive.”

Her shoulders slump, and she sinks onto one of the plush sofas. “This can’t be happening.”

I sit beside her, careful to maintain some distance. “I know this is a lot to take in, but I will fix this and make you safe again.”

She looks at me with fear and anger that breaks my heart. “And then what? Do you expect me to just forgive you? To forget all the lies and go back to how things were?”

I don’t look away from her. “No. I don’t expect forgiveness, but I hope... I hope that once this is over, you’ll give me a chance to explain. To show you who I really am.”

Phoebe shakes her head. “I don’t know if I can do that. I don’t know if I want to.”

Her words hit me like a physical blow, but I force myself to nod. “I understand, but right now, I need you to trust me. Just long enough to keep you safe.”

She’s quiet for a long moment, staring down at her hands. Finally, she looks up at me. “How long?”

“What?”

“How long do I have to stay here? On this yacht?”

I hesitate, not wanting to lie to her again. “I don’t know. Until we can neutralize the threat from Valdés. It could be days, maybe weeks.”

She lets out a shocked sound. “Weeks? Mikhail, I can’t just disappear for weeks. People will notice. They’ll look for me.”

“Everyone still expects you to be in Scotland for the next three weeks. No one will suspect anything.”

She shakes her head, a bitter laugh escaping her lips. “This is insane. My whole life has been turned upside down in a matter of hours.”

I reach out, wanting to comfort her, but she flinches away from my touch. The rejection stings, but I can’t blame her. “I’m sorry,” I say softly. “I never wanted any of this for you. If I could go back and change things...”

“But you can’t.” She sounds defeated. “We’re here now, and I have to deal with the consequences of your choices.”

I nod, accepting her anger. “You’re right, and I promise to make this right.”

She looks at me intently. “And if you can’t? If Valdés doesn’t back down?”

I let her see my determination. “Then I’ll deal with him. Permanently.”

She shivers at my words, and there’s a flicker of fear in her eyes. It hurts to know she’s afraid of me now, but I can’t soften the truth for her anymore.

“Get some rest,” I say, standing up. “There’s a bedroom down the hall. I’ll have someone bring you some clothes and anything else you need.”

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