Sophia’s POV:
We danced, swaying with the evening breeze that should have chilled me but only cooled off the rising heat in the pit of my stomach.
Everything felt right, perfect even. The way he held me in his arms like I was delicate and precious warmed my heart.
Ivan buried his face in my neck and his lips gently grazed the sensitive skin there, I wanted him to just take me, and do whatever he wanted.
The urge to just grab him and kiss him, so he’d know how bad I wanted him, how strong my feelings were for him was too overwhelming.
“I’ll be leaving London in a few days or so,” Ivan said abruptly, bursting the bubble around us.
I couldn’t hide the disappointment on my face even if I tried.
“Why?” I whispered.
“I have some things to take care of, you know I do have other businesses, princess,” he explained softly.
It felt like a bucket of cold water had been dumped on me as I remembered one important fact. I pulled out of his arms. He tried to pull me back to his chest and I moved back.
“You have so many businesses, yet you took the one I wanted the most.”
He averted his gaze. “You wouldn’t understand, milaya, it’s complicated and has nothing to do with you,” he replied.
“How is it complicated? You could explain it to me, make me understand why you did it.”
I knew I was ruining the moment we had a while ago, the date had been going so well it had felt way too good to be true. But I needed to know, maybe I needed that closure so I could go on having these feelings for myself without feeling bad or guilty. I wasn’t sure anymore, with Ivan, I didn’t care what was right or wrong.
And there hasn’t been time to actually bring this conversation up and I feel like now is the best time for it.
He let out a sigh. “I already told you, it has nothing to do with you but your father, I wanted to exact revenge on your father and I did just that, you just happened to be… well, his daughter, whom I’d been having sex with.”
My heart dropped to my stomach and my throat constricted as I tried to fight back tears.
He just sees me as a sex partner and nothing more.
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “Fine, then tell me how you did it, I know for a fact dad would never have handed his shares and company over to you so easily.”
Ivan studied me with an unreadable expression on his face. It went on for what felt like hours and I began to feel uncomfortable as the silence dragged on.
“I’m leaving,” I said with a hint of finality in my voice as I walked back to the table to get my purse.
“I blackmailed your father into signing over his shares and company to me.” Ivan’s voice came out cold and hard, stopping me in my tracks.
Blackmail?
My voice came out surprisingly calm. “What did you have on him?”
War raged in his eyes, as if he was battling with himself over whether to reveal the truth or not.
Finally, he spoke. “There is a lot you don’t know about your father,” he began. “He had his secrets just like everyone else and I used that to my advantage in order to get my revenge.”
Sure, I didn’t know my father too well, we lived together for years but we’ve been strangers, but what kind of secret did dad hide that would make him give up everything. He prided on how much his empire kept growing, he loved everything he’d accomplished over the years.
I let out a sigh. “Ivan, you’re stalling, just tell me what you know?” I asked despite the way my stomach churned, what if it was something I couldn’t handle? Dad was an arsehole, no doubt but could he have been worse than he already was?
“No,” he said firmly. “I already answered your question, what happened between me and your father was between him and I alone. He cost me a lot and I did what I had to do.”
Ivan’s POV:
Her face turned a bright shade of red as she glared at me. “Well he’s dead now, isn’t he?” She snapped. “And it’s as much of my business as it is his, I’m his daughter, his heir! You already took everything, the least you could do is tell me the whole truth, I deserve to know that much.”
But I couldn’t her the whole truth, I couldn’t tell her how her father’s betrayal had cost my cousin’s life. She’s not stupid, that would definitely make her start suspecting me again. You can’t take the life of my loved ones and go free, I kill people for lesser crimes.
What would happen if she found out I was responsible for the death of her father? I know she would never find out but panic still enveloped me at the thought of it, I don’t want her to hate me. Up until I met her, I didn’t give a damn if I was hated or not.
I turned away from her. “Let it go,” I said. “I already got what I wanted.”
“Sure, by blackmailing my father! And you’re so proud of it, proud of the fact that you took what would have been mine,” she bit out.
Her words cut deep, guilt took over me and I hated the way I could hear the pain in her voice. I didn’t really care who got ruined whenever I had to do something or I wanted something. I always did whatever I could to get what I wanted but this time it had been different, right from the start.
I sighed heavily as I turned back to her. “It’s what we do in this line of business, solnyshko. I’ve never claimed to be a good man because I’m really not, and I’m sure you know that,” I said calmly, despite the way my chest hurt.
Maybe Maxim was right, Sophia made me weak, and she made me feel things I didn’t want to. I had told her I set up this date to ease her stress but it was also because I wanted to spend time with her. So I did something I’d never done before. A date.
“…right, I think I forgot who you really are, selfish and cruel.” Her voice sounded small, but the pain in it was overwhelming. “I should get going.”
She turned toward the door and I moved without thinking, my hand found her arm and I grabbed her, pulling her flush against my chest.
Her eyes widened in surprise. “Wh-what are you doing?” She gasped, wriggling against me as she tried to free herself. “Fuck, let me go, Ivan!” She snapped.
Without warning, I grabbed her face and lowered mine to hers, claiming her lips.