Page 75 of The Pakhan’s Hidden Heir

“You’re not controlling me anymore.” She’s frantic, eyes darting around in fear. “And you don’t get to keep my son.”

“Your son?”

I can see we have a bit of a discrepancy on how she thinks things will go, and she’s going to have a rude awakening when she finds out.

I won’t let her take Felix from me again.

“We’ll see,” I say coldly. No man alive could keep her from me once I learned where she was. And she’s a fool if she thinks she’s smarter than Petrov’s men. She’ll never keep me from my son.

30

RAINA

“I want to go outside and play,” Felix says for the third time, sitting on the bed with his hands balled up and his arms crossed. It shatters my heart seeing him so sad. I’m sure if I told Bastian that his son wants to go outside, he’d let us go, but to do that would be to admit the boy could be happy here.

“I know, baby, but right now we’re playing inside.” I can’t even use the excuse of it raining. It hasn’t rained since yesterday just as we were touching down. And Bastian hasn’t come to see me or his son either. He’s busy working or something while I’m here locked in this room.

“Can we have ice cream?” he says, lifting his eyebrows. But I know how Bastian feels about a healthy diet. No way he’ll let Ingrid bring Felix ice cream—if Ingrid’s still around. It’s been long enough anything could’ve happened.

“Not right now. Maybe after dinner.” I’m starving. Akim left us a few sandwiches from the deli last night for supper, and this morning there was a tray of hot tea and biscuits for Felix just outside the door.

And the lock is a joke. I know every one of Bastian’s men probably have a key to this room.

Keeping them out won’t happen. But I locked it anyway just for my peace of mind.

Technically he didn’t lock me in, but I feel like his prisoner. I know if I try to leave, they’ll stop me. There will be hell to pay.

“Can I see my father?” he asks, picking at a loose thread on the comforter now.

He’s so sweet and understanding.

And so obedient too. It really breaks my heart to have him in this situation. I thought this was all part of the past, and I was so wrong.

“He’s busy, honey. Okay?” I pluck some hair off his forehead and smooth it back, seeing how tired he looks. We were up very late last night and he barely slept.

Felix hasn’t taken naps in ages, but today I’m sure he could use one.

And I could use some privacy to sort out my thoughts without having to worry about a little boy who just wants to be with his father—who happens to be a criminal and a murderer.

“Why don’t you lie down. I’ll see about some ice cream after a while, alright? And we’ll talk to your father about playing outside.” I may have to play nice for a while until I figure out how to get away from here, but I don’t have to punish Felix for existing.

“I don’t want to sleep.” His whining has always been the one thing I could never say no to, but today I’m feeling firm.

“Lie down for mama, please.”

He resists me as I pull his legs down, easing him to a lying position.

He still wears the same dirty clothes he had on at the park, but if I know Bastian he’ll have someone up here today with a sewing machine to make him a tailored suit fitting the heir of his bloody empire.

Felix closes his eyes and curls onto his side as I get lost in thought and in under ten minutes he’s snoring lightly.

I wish I could fall asleep so quickly, but adult stress is worlds apart from the stress a child endures.

I stand and stretch, walking to the door where I peek out down the hallway.

There’s no guard standing watch, but the camera mounted at the ceiling down the hallway has a blinking red light.

It means his men are watching, which means they know I’m moving around now.