ELEVEN
Hannah
I head out of the study with Bay in my arms, ready to take her upstairs and tuck her into bed. One of the taller gentlemen in a suit stands by the window, focusing on something transpiring outside.
"What's going on?" I ask.
There's no sign of Luka. Where did he disappear to?
Madisyn comes up from behind and glances out the window. "Nikita has it covered. You should tuck Bay into bed." She whisks me away from the front hall and to the staircase.
It's Mark.
He must be outside, demanding that I come home.
My hands tremble, and I hug Bay tighter to my chest as I hurry up the stairs.
Madisyn is right on my heel. "Come on," she says, ushering us upstairs and hidden from view. At least, I assume that's her plan if Mark ends up inside.
Luka won't let him inside the house. He'd protect Bay, wouldn't he?
"How'd he find us?" I ask.
Madisyn shakes her head, not answering my question, her gaze on Bay. She pats her back and steps around me, opening the bedroom door. "Goodnight, Bay," Madisyn says, giving her the biggest reassuring smile.
My stomach flops.
I wish I could feel safe and calm and reassure Bay that everything is fine. Madisyn closes the bedroom door behind us, and I get Bay changed into her pajamas. I didn't bring too many clothes or belongings. I'd quickly shoved as much of Bay's clothes into one piece of luggage and a handful of my clothes to wear. It was risky packing while Mark was in the shower.
I still have access to my bank account. Thankfully, we aren't married yet. But I'm not sure if I still have my job after not showing up this morning.
I'll deal with it tomorrow.
I pull back the covers, and Bay climbs under the sheets. "Bunny," she says.
I grab her stuffed animal from the luggage. She's slept with her favorite toy since she was born. There was no chance of leaving it behind and risking a meltdown. At least I had enough forethought to grab it when I packed.
"Mama." Bay gestures for me to come closer, and I tuck her in and give her lots of hugs and kisses before shutting off the lights and heading quietly out of the bedroom.
It may be Bay's bedtime, but it's not mine. I'm exhausted, but I doubt that I'd get any sleep.
Madisyn stands in the hallway, her back against the wall.
I didn't expect her to wait for me. I head for the top of the stairs, away from the bedroom door, so that Bay can't overhear us. I want her to get some sleep, and the last thing she needs is for the grownups to be keeping her awake.
"Is it really Mark downstairs?" I ask.
"Outside," Madisyn corrects me. "He's not in the house. You can relax, Mikhail isn't going to invite him inside, and there's no way he's getting through his army."
"Army?" I suppose she's trying to make me feel better. I pull Madisyn in for a hug. "Thank you. I appreciate everything that you're doing for me. You're an amazing friend."
"I know," Madisyn quips with a wide grin. "Don't worry. I'm not going to let Mark get anywhere near you or Bay. And I'm confident Mikhail and Luka are doing the same thing. Trust me when I say this place is a fortress."
My bottom lip trembles as I stalk down the stairs. I'm grateful for the added security outside and the guard gate. It seems a bit like overkill—for what, exactly, I don’t know, but I don't care right now.
The truth is that a small part of me wants to glance out the window and see what's going on, not that I expect to see much. It's dark outside, and if they're not right in front of the window, it's probably impossible to see anything.
But I should let Luka handle things with Mark, at least right now. I'm not ready to talk to him or deal with the last twenty-four hours until Mark is sober and I've had enough sleep to feel human again.
"Come on," Madisyn says and throws her arm around my shoulder. She guides me quickly past the window and into the kitchen.
"Wow." The place is enormous. I mean, I shouldn't be shocked considering the size of the house, but it's bigger than my apartment. Which, I suppose, isn't saying much. It's also immaculate. I'm guessing that Mikhail hires help, if not a chef. "Are you sure Mikhail isn't a billionaire?" I joke. Except, I'm curious how he affords his lavish lifestyle.
"You would think, with the way he has an entire staff to help him around here," Madisyn says. She opens the fridge and grabs a bag of grapes. Taking the fruit to the sink, she washes it before dropping the contents into a bowl and placing it on the counter. "Eat."
"I'm not hungry."
Madisyn stands at the opposite end of the counter. She grabs a grape and pops it into her mouth. "You're missing out."
How can she manage to eat right now? It's probably because it's not her crazy fiancé trying to break down the gate and drag her back home.
Heavy footsteps tromp through the hall. I shiver and glance over my shoulder as Luka struts into the kitchen.
"Your ex is an ass," Luka says. He doesn't sugarcoat what he thinks of the man.
"He's not normally like this," I say. I've never known Mark to behave in such a manner. He's always been sweet and, honestly, a bit bland. A definite workaholic but never aggressive or unkind until recently. It's almost like a switch has been flicked, and a mad man has awoken and taken over his mind and body.
"I hope you're not planning on going back to him." Luka's darkened gaze tightens as he glances me over. "You can do better than that low life." He steps around to stand beside me.
I exhale a loud sigh and lean forward on the counter, resting my elbows on the marble and my chin on my clasped hands. "It isn't that simple."
He clears his throat, and it's impossible not to notice the look that Madisyn gives Luka. "What?" I ask. They're having a private conversation with just a glance, and I'm not part of it.
Luka clears his throat again, and Madisyn is subtly shaking her head.
I drop my arms to my sides. "This is ridiculous! If you have something to say, just out with it," I say.
Luka invades my personal space. If he steps any closer, he'll be on my lap. His leg brushes against mine, and his fingers gently rake through my hair before he guides my chin up to meet his stare. "You're not going back to him." His voice is firm, and there's a finality in his command.
His touch sends a rippling pulse through my body, and my breathing deepens. It's subtle. At least I hope Luka doesn't notice the effect that he has on me, the way my body willing responds to his demands.
Madisyn quietly retreats from the kitchen, leaving the two of us alone.
My heart hammers against my ribcage.