Page 45 of Deceptive Vows
“The day Ma and Pa told me they wanted to adopt me,” I found myself saying. “I thought they were going to send me away over a broken vase.”
His arm tightened around me, pulling me closer as if to shield me from that long-ago fear. “And instead, they gave you a home.”
“A family. My name… They gave me everything,” I whispered.
Nazar’s expression softened further, his thumb tracing the line of my jaw. “They saw what I see. Someone worth cherishing.”
The words settled into me like stones dropping into still water, rippling through layers of armor I’d built over the years. He understood the value of a chosen family, of finding belonging after believing it impossible.
But this… thing taking root between me and Nazar was impossible. It felt too real, too soon, like stepping onto a bridge that couldn’t possibly hold my weight. The thought thundered in my mind, and just like that, my flight instinct kicked in. I needed to get out of this. To remember who I was. I didn’t date. I didn’t fall in love, and I especially didn’t fall in love with a man I’d known for only a few days who could be setting a trap for my family.
“We should go inside.” I pushed against him. “You must be freezing.”
“You make it bearable,” he murmured, but he released without a fight. "But we do need to go inside. Marco called after youfell asleep. He wanted updates on the Opera house and our wedding preparations."
As I stood, the frosty air whipped around me, a bitter rush that helped rebuild the walls I’d let fall."Do you think he suspects anything?"
"Nyet.He seemed especially pleased to learn about the ring Mr. Marcello designed for you."
I turned away from the horizon, already retreating into the safety of routine. “I need some coffee.” I moved toward the door without waiting for a response.
He didn’t argue, just followed me into the penthouse. The shift from crisp air to warm cedar enveloped us, and I moved deliberately to the kitchen, focusing on the mechanical steps of brewing coffee instead of the weight of his gaze. Nazar positioned himself at the island, his silence a presence all its own.
With every measured scoop of coffee, the chaos began to settle. The familiar ritual grounded me, letting my mind catch up to my heart.
I needed to push my feelings aside. There were bigger things than my confusion, like the fact that Marco Moretti had just declared war.
“After I get dressed,” I said, “I’m going toLykos. I need to tell Lucas about the conversation with Marco.”
Nazar didn’t move at first, just watched me with that unreadable expression. Then he crossed his arms over his chest, his voice low and firm. “We’ll go together.”
The coffee maker gurgled, and I reached for two mugs—black for me, a splash of milk for him because of course, I’d noticed that yesterday. Some details stuck, even when I wished they wouldn’t. I slid his across the counter, clutching mine like a lifeline against the morning chill that had nothing to do with the weather.
I bristled, my mug meeting marble with a sharp sound. I needed a minute without him. I’d gone from completely independent to feeling like I was attached at the hip to a man I barely knew. “He’ll know the call info came from you. I don’t need a shadow, Nazar.” Even as I said it, the words tasted sour. Too harsh for a man who’d saved my life just forty-eight hours ago. When I spoke again, I softened my tone. “I’ve been on my own for a very long time. I’ll be fine.”
“I know.” His voice stayed calm, but there was steel in it. “And I’ve been dodging bullets since I was eighteen. This isn’t aboutyou needing me—it’s about keeping my word to your brother. I promised I’d keep him in the loop.”
He had a point, and that little flicker of happiness at him wanting Lucas’s trust only made me angry. I set the mug down, crossing my arms. “Fine, but after that, I need to do a few things, and I need to do them on my own. I don’t need anyone watching over me like I can’t handle myself. I don’t need protection.”
He gave me a look that was half-smile, half dare. “You weren't meant to be shielded. You were made to be unleashed, mytyomnyy angel."
I ducked my head, hiding the stupid grin that nickname dragged out of me.Jerk.
The next hour disappeared in a blur of hot showers and hurried movements, both of us dancing around each other in the penthouse like we were afraid to get too close again. By the time we hit the road, I’d armored myself in a pantsuit—sleek, sharp, mine—hair yanked back in a ponytail that meant business. Nazar drove, one hand on the wheel, the other on the gearshift, sleeves rolled up to show off those forearms I refused to stare at. The city blurred past, gritty streets giving way to the polished restaurant district. Lykos rose ahead, dark wood and subtlesignage screaming home, especially today when it was the only physical structure in my life still standing.
Nazar parked and jogged around to open my door before I could stop him. It wasn’t the gesture that got me, it was the way it felt different with him, like he was claiming something. I hated how much I didn’t hate it.
The restaurant was dead this early, smelling of polish and cinnamon, chandeliers casting a glow over empty tables. Ari loomed at the door. I brushed past, Nazar’s casual strides trailing behind me.
Lucas was at the desk as usual. Running the family and the restaurant made this room more like a second home. Dimitris leaned against the wall with a cigarette dangling. I dropped into a leather chair, wrinkling my nose at the smoke.
“How are you doing this morning?” Lucas’s eyes flicked up from his papers.
“Well, I got a license after dragging myself all over the city yesterday.” I leaned forward. “But that’s not why I’m here. Nazar talked to Marco. He admitted to the fire, called it a ‘test.’”
Lucas’s gaze snapped to Nazar, who slid into the chair besideme. “A test for what?”
“To see if I’d save her,” Nazar said. “He thought it’d build trust with your family. To make it look like he’s after me too.”
