Page 95 of Mafia Prince's Secret Baby

I can feel the shift in the atmosphere immediately, a wire pulled taut, threatening to snap. My stomach knots.

Something’s not right.

Igor’s jaw is locked tight, his nostrils flaring with every breath. His shoulders are set in that stiff, unyielding way that tells me whatever has him this worked up is more than just business. It’s personal. And it’s bad.

“Volchitsa,” he says gruffly. The name is an anchor, but this time, it feels like it’s weighted down by a dark force. He takes my arm—not roughly, but firmly—and leads me upstairs.

I don’t resist, though my heart thunders in my chest as he pulls me toward one of the guest bedrooms. The tension radiating off him is impossible to ignore. My mind races, filling the silence with worst-case scenarios. My steps falter, but Igorkeeps moving, determined. As soon as we’re inside, he shuts the door with a soft click that feels deafening in the stillness.

He leans against the door, his broad frame pressed to the wood, his head tilting forward as though the weight of whatever he’s carrying is too much for him to bear. For a moment, I think he might not speak at all.

“What’s going on?” I demand, my question breaking the silence like glass shattering. I can’t stand not knowing.

His head snaps up, and he looks at me, really looks at me, with those piercing blue eyes that have always been impossible to escape.

“Maksim Olenko,” he says finally, his voice tight. “Galina’s brother.”

The words land like a blow, and for a second, I just blink at him.

“She’s the girl you went on a date with,” I murmur, more to myself than to him. It’s not a question; I already know the answer.

“It wasn’t a date,” he snaps, the sound of his statement as sharp as a blade. “But yes, that’s her.”

“What does her brother have to do with anything?” I ask, swallowing hard. There’s a lump forming in my throat, one I’m not sure I can get rid of.

Igor exhales harshly, running a hand down his face as though he’s trying to pull himself together. The strain on his features is visible, his forehead creased with frustration and something that looks an awful lot like guilt.

“I’m trying very hard right now not to go out and kill everyone standing between me and the men who hurt you,” he says quietly, his words laced with a terrifying edge of control. “Maksim is involved. I don’t have all the details yet, but I’ll get them. And when I do, he’ll pay.”

“It was him?” I ask barely above a whisper. “He was the one who snatched me?”

“Yes,” Igor answers, his jaw tightening again. “But I still don’t know why. That’s the part that doesn’t make sense. I’ve been over it again and again, and there’s no reason for Maksim to come after you—unless…” He trails off, his eyes narrowing as though the thought has only just occurred to him. “Unless this is bigger than I thought. If he’s behind the missing shipment, then Boris has been lying to my face this entire time.”

“You’re going to need proof before you start throwing accusations around,” I say, my voice sharper than I intended. “If you go after Boris or Maksim without evidence, this will turn into a war. And if that happens?—”

My words die in my throat as Igor pushes away from the door and steps toward me. His eyes are locked on mine. I back up instinctively, startled by the sudden proximity.

“Katya,” he says, his voice low and gravelly, the sound rolling through me like thunder. He stops just a breath away, close enough that I can feel the heat radiating off him.

I close my eyes, trying to steady myself, but it’s impossible when he’s this close. He’s pulling me under.

When I open my eyes again, his gaze is softer, though no less intense. His hand comes up to cup my cheek, his thumb brushing against my skin.

“I promise you,” he murmurs gently, “they’ll pay for what they did. No one hurts you and gets away with it. Not Maksim. Not anyone.”

My heart thuds against my chest when I feel the hard length of his cock push against me. I’m surrounded by him, enveloped in a solid and silent embrace. Weeks have passed, and we still haven’t given this thing between us a label or spoken of the feelings we share for each other.

Unsure how to proceed, I lift my hands, preparing to push him away, but he swipes his large palm around my throat and leaves his thumb underneath my chin. His breath ghosts over my parted lips. Every second that passes makes my knees grow weak, and the ache in my belly swells.

“I don’t know if you’ll ever forgive me for bringing this upon you.” His low voice washes over my pulsating body. “But I promise, from this point on, I will always do everything in my power to keep our family safe.”

Inhaling sharply, I let myself melt against him. Our bodies are locked together, a stark contrast to the soft breaths that escape him, tickling against my neck.

“Look at me,” he commands.

My eyelids flutter open, his striking gaze filled with intensity and a hint of fear. I feel the pulse on his fingers dancing against my throat, causing goosebumps to erupt over my arms. I have to hold in the moan that threatens to escape my lips, fighting a losing battle.

“You’re so much stronger than you give yourself credit for, Katya.” He runs a finger along the curve of my jaw.

---