Page 28 of Mafia Prince's Secret Baby

“She’s fine,” Igor says calmly, kneeling next to my chair. His cool, unreadable gaze doesn’t help the storm building inside me. “We’ll be landing soon. You’ve got ten minutes if you want to freshen up.”

“Where is she?” I demand, my voice sharper than I intend.

“In the captain’s cabin with the pilot and copilot,” he replies smoothly, completely unbothered by my alarm. “Apparently, one of them knows sign language. Alyona’s with them.”

That name ignites my temper, fueling the embers of rage I’ve been trying to smother since this nightmare started.

“Figures,” I snap, unable to stop myself. “The better option would’ve been for you to actually look after your daughter. But no, you’d rather leave her with that dumb slut. You’re despicable.”

Igor’s blue eyes brighten with amusement, his crooked smile tugging at his lips. He doesn’t even flinch. If anything, my anger seems to entertain him.

A shiver snakes down my spine, equal parts fury and… no. No. I refuse to acknowledge whatever it is that makes my skin prickle when he looks at me like that. I won’t fall for his charm again. I’ve already had a night to think things through, and I know this much—Igor Sokolov can smirk, threaten, and flirt all he wants. He’s not worming his way into my bed. Never again.

“You should go freshen up,” he says, leaning back like he owns the air between us. “Sofiya’s perfectly comfortable where she is. Besides, you look like you could use some cold water.”

“Thanks for the compliment,” I grumble, standing. “I only need five minutes. There’s no one here I care to impress.”

“Suit yourself,” he replies coolly, his smirk still lingering. “See you in a bit.”

When I return, the plane begins its descent, the faint hum of the announcement signal filling the cabin. Moments later, Alyona reappears, leading Sofiya back to her seat. My little girl’s smile is radiant, her excitement unmistakable.

She loves this—traveling, the novelty of the captain’s cabin, the whole adventure. If only the circumstances were different.

The moment we touch down, dread washes over me like a cold wave. The plane slows to a stop, and the flight crew announces we’re free to disembark. Igor heads for the exit, his stride confident and unhurried. I linger, holding Sofiya’s hand tightly, waiting for his signal.

Sofiya looks up at me, her bright blue eyes full of curiosity as she signs,“Are we home yet?”

I hesitate, forcing a smile as I sign back,“We’re very far from home, but it’ll be fun.”

“Will Annette be there?”she asks, her small hands moving quickly.

“No,”I reply, my chest tightening when her face falls in disappointment. I panic, grasping for something to lift her spirits.“You’ll meet a boy your age.”

Her face brightens instantly, a hopeful smile replacing her frown. Relief washes over me, but it’s fleeting. I wonder how she’ll react when she learns Damien is her brother. Will the idea of having a sibling excite her? Or will it overwhelm her?

She hasn’t asked me about Igor yet, but I know it’s coming. And when she does, I can only hope I’ll have the right words.

“All clear,” Igor calls out from the exit, his voice cutting through my thoughts.

The flight attendant offers me a forced smile, but when her gaze shifts to Sofiya, her expression softens with genuine warmth.

Whatever, girlfriend. You can have him as far as I’m concerned.

We descend the stairs, stepping onto the tarmac. A sleek black SUV waits nearby, its engine idling. Two men—Igor’s, of course—are already seated in the front. Igor strides toward the car, his shoulders exuding power.

But before he reaches the vehicle, a loud horn blares, cutting through the stillness of the runway.

“Fucking perfect,” Igor mutters, his jaw tightening as he turns toward the source of the interruption.

Curious, I glance in the same direction. The moment I spot the culprit, a wide smile spreads across my face. Without looking at Sofiya, I sign,“Uncle Nik is here.”

Her eyes widen with delight as I lift her into my arms. She claps her hands, waving excitedly as a Bentley glides toward us.

Nikolai.

I’ve never been so relieved to see him in my life. Sofiya adores both him and Katarina. They were always welcome in our homewhenever they visited Moscow. Of course, they had no idea who Sofiya’s father was. I’d made sure of that.

The Bentley rolls to a stop, and Nikolai steps out, slamming the door behind him. The sharp click echoes in the air, matching the steel in his expression.

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