Chapter 9
Ava’s POV
Words failed me. Did he actually say that? And then he just…left? What was that?
I’d always known I was not ugly, but not this kind of pretty, the kind that drew the dangerous attention of his brothers. I sighed, wringing my hands as I walked back into the funeral. I could fight, I could protect myself, but I was still battling my trauma, still learning to handle the sight of blood. And in this world, with these men in black, it was inevitable.
The next morning. I woke to the birds chirping outside. The forest was peacefull, but the sight of people gathering for the final burial made my stomach churn. Later, we all headed there to honor my uncle’s last day.
“You must be Ava,” a man about my uncle’s age said, standing next to me.
I nodded, not trusting myself to speak. Then, I tossed the last of the white roses onto my uncle’s coffin.
“Things are chaotic in the organization right now,” he continued, his voice low. “You need to be extra careful. As the Last Romanov, you’re a target. They might seem quiet, but they’re watching you.”
When I finally turned, the man was gone, swallowed by the crowd.
Fabio’s voice cut through my confusion. “We’re leaving,” he said, his hand offered like a command.
1 hesitated, my eyes darting around. The man’s warning echoed in my head: They’re watching. And they were. I took Fabio’s hand, feeling the weight of unseen eyes. Why? Why this hatred?
Inside the car. I pulled my hand away, the lingering heat a strange discomfort. “Thank you,” I said, my voice tight. “I feel like I’m making you act as some bodyguard. I’m sorry… I’m sorry for taking up your time.”
“You escaped your security detail, Ava,” he said, his tone clipped. “You’re the problem here.”
I scoffed softly, frustrated by his coldness. But that was just him; he’d always been like this. No wonder he was his father’s favorite. I tried to fasten my seatbelt, but my hands were angrily shaking.
He noticed and helped me. “Next time, learn to ask.”
I heard the click, but he kept staring.
“Don’t look at me like that,” I whispered. “I didn’t do anything wrong
“Yes, you did,” he whispered, his breath warm and minty against my skin. I hadn’t realized how close he was.
I felt a nervous flutter like I was testing the limits of his patience. Tm sorry, I said softly, trying to smooth things over.
I hated how close he was, but I held my breath, waiting for him to move away. After a tense moment, he inhaled deeply, straightened in his seat, and buckled his seatbelt.
Three vans trailed behind us as we drove. Thirty minutes in, Fabio pulled over at a completely empty restaurant. It was bizarre.
His men, all in black suits, exited the vans. We followed, filling the restaurant like a sudden invasion.
I figured Fabio had booked it for our lunch break. It was a bit much
“Order something, he said, handing me the menu. “What do you want?”
“Let’s see what they have,” I said, opening the menu.
He watched me, his lip slightly compressed, like a server awaiting my choice. Why was he switching roles like this? first he was like a bodyguard, and now a waiter?
I smiled at the waiter. I’ll start with the Antipasto misto, followed by the Risotto Amarone, then the Pollo alla veronese, with grilled vegetables on the side. Thank you. And… Tiramisu for dessert, please.”
When the waiter turned to Fabio, he simply said, “Carbonara and a whiskey.”
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+8 Pearls
Chapter 9
1 raised a delicate eyebrow and sighed. That’s it, he’s going to watch me eat everything.
I sighed, waiting for my food. My stomach was growling: I was so hungry I could eat a horse.
When the food arrived, I ate slowly, savoring each bite. It had been ages since I’d been to a restaurant. My stranger ex- husband, Caspian, never took me out because he’d been away for a year, and his family kept me confined to their house like I’d lived to serve them.
“Did the Pavlov family starve you so much that you miss eating out this much?” he asked suddenly, his voice sharp. It was like he’d read my thoughts.
1 paused, my fork halfway to my mouth. They didn’t starve me.” I said, my voice tight.
“Alright. Eat,” he said and went back to his food. He ate calmly, with perfect manners. Then he stopped, his face a little red. “And stop staring. It’s rude.”
I looked away. Why did I keep doing that?
When we were done, I went to the washroom, and Fabio had his right–hand man settle the bill. Five minutes later, I returned to find them waiting outside.
I stepped onto the wet pavement, my heels losing traction. I nearly fell, but he caught me, his arm wrapping around my waist, and quickly guided me into the car. “You’re being clumsy,” he whispered in my ear and closed the car’s door.
He didn’t give me a moment to react. He slid into the driver’s seat and sped away from the restaurant.
“Look, I’m not clumsy,” I said, trying to explain. “My heels just slipped on the wet pavement. Accidents happen.”
“Hmm, is that so?” he asked, a hint of amusement in his voice. He seemed surprised by my sudden bluntness. I usually spoke to him softly, calmly, with no emotion. Now, I felt the need to justify myself.
“Yes, I sighed softly.
“Training ground tomorrow,” he said like it was a casual invitation.
“Training ground?” I repeated.
“Does that ring a bell?” he asked, with a slight smirk.
“Did you already know about that, or did you have to dig up my old files?” I asked, rolling my eyes.
He turned to me. “Yeah, I knew. And I also know you’re not exactly a warrior princess. You are clumsy, and you get sick at the sight of blood. You need to deal with that, Ava. I’m not going to be around to protect you all the time.”
didn’t understand why I felt so unexpectedly sad. It was like he was walking away, and the thought of being alone terrified I didn’t fully trust him, not yet. Trust was a luxury I couldn’t afford. But he knew my past, and he’d promised to protect So why did his words feel like he was abandoning me?
