Chapter 58

Albert

After Mia left Lorenzo's, I returned to the penthouse, the weight of everything that had transpired pressed heavily on me. The house felt too quiet, the calm almost mocking in its stillness after everything. I needed to do something to channel the frustration and anger coursing through me.

Dmitri across the line and maybe ruined my chances with me or forever. And I was helpless and it was my fault. I'd been too careless, too arrogant, and Mia had been the one to suffer for it.

I headed straight for the gym, where the punching bag hung. My fists were clenched, and I could feel the tension in my muscles as I started to beat at it. Each punch was sharp and vicious. I could imagine Lorenzo's face--Dimitri's and so many other faces. I pounded it relentlessly, my breathing heavy and erratic. My thoughts kept flashing back to Mia, to her pain, and the helplessness I felt when I couldn't reach her in time.

The fear of thinking that she was going to end up just like my mother. Another woman I loved dead at his hands. I went still at the thought.

Love.

Did I love Mia?

If I did, did that mean that she was just in more danger than ever? I snarled at the thought. My frustration wasn’t just with Lorenzo or Dimitri. It was with myself for not being able to protect her, for allowing things to spiral out of control. With every punch, I tried to drive away the thoughts of what could have happened if I hadn’t found her. The old helplessness and guilt of failing someone else crushed me.

I needed to figure out what came next, how to fix the mess I found myself in, and most importantly, how to bring this to an end before Dimitri got any more ideas.

"Bastard," I cursed, slamming my fist into the punching bag. My shirt stretched and ripped across my shoulders.

"Been a while since I've seen you do that..." I didn't look at Ivan as he walked in. He walked to the other side of the room to stand in my line of sight.

"How is she?" I asked.

"In shock. She went up to our mom's room and just been sitting there, as far as I know, hasn't spoken, hasn't moved. Turned out that you did leave her cell phone at the hospital and her wallet at the penthouse."

She'd been in a worse state than I thought then.

"Wanna tell me what happened?"

"Dimitri made her sign damn divorce papers," I replied, my voice rough with emotion.

"We knew it was going to be a matter of time before he found out about her."

I punched the back again and again and again. " It wouldn't have been so quick if Lorenzo--"

I snarled turning away from the bag. "He's going to pay for this."

"Of course."

I paced back and forth, frustration still boiling inside me. "I want him dead. Now. Lorenzo, too. I want them to suffer. I should have killed him when I had the chance. I should have had him killed with Elio."

"I'm sure Sasha would have made it an entertaining find for the coroner."

I chuckled darkly. "Maybe I'll give him a chance with Lorenzo and Dimitri."

Ivan stepped closer, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You and I both know Sasha would gladly do so, but I think we all agreed That death and postmortem humiliation wasn't enough for him...."

I threw a glance at him, my anger evident. "I agree, but that doesn't mean I like it."

"I didn't think you would. Dimitri’s arrogance will be his downfall. Let him think he’s won for now. If we stay the course, we can make him suffer longer, and Lorenzo will have his own consequences..."

He grinned. "Or, we can give Lorenzo to Sasha. I think he's taken a liking to Mia. It would be no problem. Think of it as a retirement present."

I laughed, running a hand through my hair, the weight of the decision pressing on me.

"I'll keep it in mind..." I sighed. "The hole in our network is the problem. There had to be someone leaking information. Someone else who knew where she was."

He nodded. "I'm already combing through the hospital staff as well as those who have been stationed around your wife."

"Ex-wife."

"Potentially to be ex-wife, have a little hope." Ivan smiled. "You haven't signed the papers yet, after all... It's not like Dimitri's the type to forge your signature... He's never seen it."

I did that on purpose, knowing what kind of man he is.

"That's true, but I know what kind of man Dmitri is. I'm going to have to sign that paperwork, but I'm going to sign it on my terms."

Ivan nodded in agreement. "That's the spirit."

I rolled my shoulders. "Get a team together to clear the penthouse out. I'm still going to give it to her... Prenuptial agreement being what it is and all. And I promised her that even if she tapped out early, she would get everything that I'd promised her."

"That's the spirit. It's better to let the misses decorate anyway."

He clapped me on the shoulder. Soon, my men came in and started packing things up, starting with the gun room. They worked efficiently, dismantling every gun and moving them into boxes. As I watched them work, I felt a pang of regret for how things had turned out, but also a surge of resolve.

I picked up the phone and made a few calls to arrange for additional security for the penthouse. As the last of my personal items were packed away, I took one final look around. I had staff bring in all the essentials—fresh linens, toiletries, and any other comforts they might need when they moved in including moving Mia's bed into the master bedroom and another king in the other master. I put my old bed in the guest room that had been the gun room.

When everything was finally packed up and the penthouse was ready, I sighed.

"Is Polina still coming tonight?"

Ivan nodded. "Should I have her meet us here?"

I nodded. "We'll wait for her here... By the time she gets here, the title should be changed over to Mia."

Polina

I had just got home from the office, bypassing my father and my brother on the way to my room when I got the call from Ivan and immediately, I was excited. Albert had never invited me over to his place before. My heart pounded as I smoothed an imaginary crease from my skirt. I changed after work to go see him. I always like to look my best when I saw Albert. I had to make him understand and see how good of a pair we were. The picture we made together. When I got to the penthouse, the clean scent of air freshener hit my nose. It was a new place.

Maybe our new home?

Was he going to ask me to move in with him here?

He knew for years how much I hated living with my father, though the house was comfortable living in a house with people who just didn't respect me and only saw me as just another woman in their world really irritated me. I was smarter than both of them, and they'd see that soon enough.

The decorations were a bit plain, like a blank canvas, but I could already imagine what I could place where. As I entered a pair of his men were carrying out a punching bag. Then, I saw him walking around the corner. He was only wearing a tank top, carrying his dress shirt and tie on his shoulder. His hair was a bit wet and curling against his forehead. I'd never seen him like this: drenched in sweat, muscles corded with exertion. A shiver ran down my spine.

My gaze was drawn to his hand, and my breath caught in my throat. The glint of silver on his finger was a physical blow.

That hadn't been there last week and it was on his ring hand.

Sure, it was a Russian wedding ring, but it was unmistakable.

Married. The word echoed in my mind, a cold dread settling in the pit of my stomach. Then, anger and jealousy burned through it.

Who the hell could he be married to? In a week? Did Dimitri know about this? There had to be an explanation. Albert wouldn't do this to me. I clamped down on it, forcing a mask of indifference. Instead, I let my eyes roam over his body, taking in the sculpted lines of his physique. I had to be patient. I'd waited this long, a little longer wouldn't hurt.

Besides there was something in his expression that gave me pause.

"Glad you could make it, Polina. Come join us in the kitchen."