With This Ring

Levan caught up with me as I reached the elevator. “What’s going on?”

I tossed the phone to him and he caught it.

It took him a while too for what he was seeing to register. “Isn’t that Freya? What the fuck is going on?”

I tried my best to but I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face. Never had I felt more exhilarated in my life.

“What’s today’s date?” I asked Gary.

“Uh the uhh- 29th sir, of October.”

I noted it.

It was the day that I claimed Freya Fedorov as mine.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and called Viktor. “Where are you?” I asked.

“I’m on the second-floor sir,” he answered. “I’m almost at the lobby.”

Chapter Sixty-One

Freya

The guards had obviously had enough.

They came for me, and before I could defend myself, it was after all four against one, they grabbed me.

“Let me go,” I said trying my best not to cause more of a scene than I already had. Truthfully, I wasn’t here to exhibit my fury. I was simply just here to dispose of the money. To return it to the jerk who sent it to me.

It would have been the entire million if the bank had agreed to give it to me, but they had not.

The guard’s grip was rough and nearly tore my arm away from its shoulder sockets. I didn’t blame him… I was putting him at risk of losing his job for even allowing my debacle to go on as long as it did. This was meant to solely happen in the privacy of Maxim’s office, but since his people had refused to let me see him, I had no other choice.

“Get your hands off her!” an imperious bark sounded.

Instantly, the callous hands holding me prisoner were gone. I turned around and saw two of his guards. Viktor and the one with a vicious scar down the side of his face. I couldn’t remember his name. Britney and I just called him the one with the scar from the time we saw him at the house.

They glared at me, but I was unfazed. It appeared as if I had created quite some scene at the Ivankov head office. People from the lobby and several floors up had stopped to watch me. Others had heard the news and were running out of their offices to see what was going on. It felt as though a thousand fascinated eyes were on me.

I looked down at all the money and saw the three approaching pairs of tailored pants. One of them was him. I could just tell by the way his feet moved. He prowled like a panther.

I looked up and Maxim was standing in front of me, his expressionless gaze boring directly into mine. It seemed like a lifetime passed before he eventually spoke.

“What are you doing?” he asked casually.

“Returning what you sent to me. I would have brought it straight to you, but,” I jerked my head towards the reception desk, “they wouldn’t let me go up.”

“Let’s go up then,” he said to me, stepping aside so that I could go ahead of him, but I scoffed at the offer.

“No need,” I replied. “I’ve delivered what I wanted. I’ll return tomorrow with the rest.” I gave him a smile, turned around and started walking away. I wanted to run, but I wouldn’t stoop to it. The revolving doors were right ahead of me, and I prayed to God I would be able to get to them and away from that place before I crumbled with tension and heartbreak.

I almost reached it.

Almost.

Suddenly, my hand was grabbed firmly and I was spun around. Before I could even begin to protest or fight back, I was unceremoniously lifted into the air and swung over someone’s broad shoulder.

Of course, it was him… no one else would dare.

“Fucking put me down,” I ordered through gritted teeth.

Of course, I was totally ignored. He walked with me further into the building seemingly completely unembarrassed to behave like a damn caveman in front of all his staff.

“Maxim,” I screamed into his back. “Put me down. Right now!”

I rained blows on his back, but I might as well have been punching a brick wall. I only hurt my own fists.

He took me out of the arena like a spoilt child. I could hear people begin to giggle and laugh. Some even started clapping and as he carried me to his private elevator. It was already open, one of his men was waiting inside of it. Maxim took me in with him, and the guard immediately exited the elevator and the door dinged shut on us.

He put me down then and I headed straight to the keypad to try and open the door. I did but just before I could press it, he grabbed my hand and my contact was interrupted.