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My heart clenches in my chest, and I can’t help but argue. “I’m not staying here with you,” I snap, defiance lacing my words.
Nikhil leans back in his chair, a smug grin on his face. “If you don’t want to stay, then you don’t have to. But your girls aren’t going anywhere.”
“Wh—what do you mean?” I stammer, feeling the room close in around me.
“We’ve already done a DNA test on the twins,” Cassius interjects, his voice cold and detached. “They’re Volkov princesses.”
Volkov princesses. The words echo through my mind like a haunting melody, and I feel bile rise in my throat. My daughters, reduced to pawns in their twisted game. Gripping the edge of the table, I force myself to stay calm, knowing that if I lose control now, I’ll be playing right into their hands.
“Listen,” I say through gritted teeth, my voice trembling despite my best efforts to steady it. “My children are not possessions for you to claim. They’re people, with their own lives and their own identities.”
“Of course they are,” Nikhil replies smoothly, his gaze never leaving my face. “But they’re also Volkovs, whether you like it or not. And as such, they belong here, with their family.”
“Family?” I snort, unable to suppress the bitter laughter that bubbles up inside me. “Is that what you call this? A family?”
“Blood is thicker than water, Annalise,” he says, his voice low and dangerous. “And our blood runs in your daughters’ veins.”
“Does that mean you’ll protect them?” I ask, desperation creeping into my voice. “That you won’t let any harm come to them?”
“Of course,” Cassius chimes in, a hint of genuine sincerity in his tone. “We’d never let anyone lay a finger on those girls. They’re Volkovs, after all.”
“Like it or not, Annalise,” Nikhil says, a wicked glint in his eyes, “you’re one of us now. And there’s no escaping the Volkov family.”
“Who gives you the right to decide that?” I growl.
“Rights?” Cassius chuckles darkly, his cold blue eyes fixated on me. “In our world, power is everything, and we have it. You, on the other hand, are insignificant.”
A wave of helplessness washes over me, but I refuse to let it break me. I swallow the bitter lump in my throat, my resolve hardening. “So, what am I supposed to do now? Sit here and let you control every aspect of my life?”
Nikhil tilts his head thoughtfully, his icy gaze never leaving my face. “For now, you’ll continue to go to work as normal. You’ll see your daughters again when we deem it appropriate.”
I don’t like that answer, but at least I’ll get to see them again and know that they’re safe. I believe them when they say blood runs thicker than water. “Okay.”
“Once Damian returns from his business trip, we’ll discuss the situation further,” Nikhil answers, his tone indifferent. “But for now, you’d better get used to your new reality.”
They haven’t left me with much of a choice.
14
ANNALISE
The brothers kept their word about one thing, and that was letting me return to work. Leaving the house brought a sense of normality back into my life. It turns out I was stuck in that room for over a week while they debated what to do with me.
Of course, I still think about my girls constantly, but knowing they’re safe…it helps.
I should have been fired for not coming into work for so long, but I’m guessing the brothers had a role in that.
I leave the mansion in the morning before the sun comes up to walk to work. It’s the only time where I feel like I’m not being watched and even then…that might not be the case.
“Annalise!” Stewart barks as I enter the office. “You’re late.”
Does it matter? It’s not like they’ll let him fire me.
“Sorry, sir,” I mutter, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment. He waves me off, too preoccupied with his own affairs to give me much thought. I take a deep breath and head to my desk, determined to focus on the tasks ahead.
My job isn’t hard, and it keeps my thoughts busy which is all I can ask for.
“Hey, Anna,” a coworker calls out. “Got a minute?”
