Page 151 of Fierce Pursuit

Two Months later

“Hey Marina,that hot guy is back in your section,” Anna said, giving me a knowing smirk as she strolled into the kitchen and stole another one of my fries.

“Really?” I asked, my heart stuttering in my chest, excitement bubbling up inside of me before I could tamp it down.

“Yep, and girl, I pulled out all the stops. I even wore my best push-up bra today. He didn’t even look at me. It was all in vain. That man clearly only has eyes for you.”

I wanted to say that good husbands could be like that, but the words felt dangerous on my tongue. I swallowed them down, forcing a laugh instead. He wasn’t my husband anymore. Not really. That was the whole point, wasn’t it?

Still, I ducked into the bathroom to check my reflection,smoothing out stray hairs and reapplying my lip gloss with hands that trembled more than they should have. Why did I care?

The last few months had been strange. I knew when I ran it was in vain, but I couldn't just sit there and do nothing. If I had stayed, it would have been a surrender.

So, in a desperate, reckless attempt to take control of my own life, I stole a car from Gregor Ivanov and ran.

Kostya had been on my trail before I even crossed the Virginia state border. I could feel him before I saw him, a dark shadow pressing against my skin. And when I finally glanced in the rearview mirror, there he was, behind the wheel of a sleek, black sports car.

One of Gregor’s favorites, Yelena had mentioned. One he never lets anyone touch.

But Kostya had taken it. Because this was personal.

I should have been terrified. I was. But there was another feeling there too, something hot and aching that I refused to name.

I was caught, and I knew it. Except...he never closed the distance. Never chased me down.

I stopped for gas twice, using a credit card I had stolen from his wallet like a taunt, daring him to react. But he didn’t.

Instead, he let me run.

And that scared me more than anything.

Had he finally given up? Decided I wasn’t worth the trouble? The second that thought entered my mind, I knew it was wrong. Kostya didn’t let things go.

By the time I reached my old, rented room in Chicago, my belongings were gone. All of them.

The only thing left was a note with an address and a key.

No threats. No commands. Just a simple, silent message.

He was still playing with me.

A slow, twisting fear wrapped around my ribs. Not because I didn’t know what was coming, because I did. Because I had fought so hard to escape, and yet some desperate, shameful part of me was already thinking about running straight back into his arms.

I sank onto the edge of the bare mattress, my hands clenched in my lap. This was it.

I had made my valiant effort. Time and time again. And now?

Now, it was time to face whatever punishment my husband had waiting for me.

And the worst part? I wasn’t sure if I feared it…or wanted it.

The address led me to a penthouse apartment overlooking Lake Michigan.

It was stunning. Every inch of it was sleek and commanding, with dark furniture and bold, clean lines that reflected the steel and glass of the city outside. Depending on which room I was in, I had breathtaking views of the river, the lake, and the endless stretch of Chicago’s skyline. I was even close enough to Navy Pier to watch the fireworks in the summer.

If I was still here that long.

The place felt like Kostya. The power in the space was unmistakable. It wasn’t just the expensive furnishings or the luxury, it was him. His presence lingered in the walls,in the way the shadows stretched through the floor-to-ceiling windows at night. I had no idea why he had a penthouse here.

---