Page 76 of The Pakhan’s Hidden Heir

Glowering, I shut myself back in the room and lock the door again, but in under ninety seconds the door opens and Akim stalks in.

My body shudders from head to toe as he glares at me, stalking in after shutting the door.

Felix is sleeping, and I know why he’s here.

He has always hated me and sending me away was practically his idea.

My presence in this home is not welcome by him.

He’s just come here to tell me that.

“What do you want?” I whisper loudly, feeling defensive. I back toward the bed where Felix sleeps but quickly realize maybe that’s not a good idea.

“What do you think?” Akim reaches out, grabbing a handful of hair and with it drags me across the room.

I bite down on the yelp of pain, grabbing his arm so it hurts less. “I swore to you if you came back here I’d kill you myself.” He’s so strong manhandling me so roughly I can’t get away.

“You think I want to be here?” Both of our voices stay low so we don’t wake Felix, though maybe I should shout because it’ll wake him up. Bastian will never tolerate Akim treating me like this in front of my son.

“I think you’re foolish and stupid. You got caught, and you know what that means. Eventually he’s gonna track it back to me. You’re as good as dead,” he growls, shaking me so hard I can’t hold back the squelch of discomfort.

Searing pain shoots down my neck and into my spine as he shoves me away and I stumble, catching myself on the dresser as Felix turns over in bed, disturbed by my noise.

I come off that dresser like a banshee, clawing and growling as I lash out at him, and the door bursts open. Bastian stomps in, glowering at the ruckus, and I spit, “Get this sick fucker out of my room. I want him gone! Out now!”

With the threats Akim is leveling at me, I have no interest in ever seeing him again.

Bastian takes one look at how serious I am and nods at his right-hand, dismissing him.

A few seconds later, Demid strolls in with his pistol in hand.

“Really?” I scowl upon seeing the gun, which he holsters the minute Felix starts crying.

Bastian struts over to him while I rub the back of my head, nursing the sore spot.

That’s two days in a row someone had me by the hair and my scalp hurts.

I stand massaging the sore spot as I watch Bastian kneel by the side of the bed and pull Felix toward him.

“Hey, shhhh,” he soothes, rubbing Felix’s back. “It’s scary here, huh. You want to go to another room?”

“No,” I snip, stepping in. I pry Felix away from him, bouncing him on my hip to calm him down. “He stays with me. You’re not separating us.” I’m adamant about this. “He’s only ever known me. You’re not taking him away from me.”

Bastian stands slowly, straightening his coat. “We need to talk. Privately.”

After dealing with Akim the last thing I want is to get into it with Bastian.

He had no right to come into my home and tear me away from my life.

What will Darnell think when my mail isn’t brought in. How will I contact Lada now? My phone is still lying on the counter in that house. She’ll be terrified. I told her I’d call her back.

“You need to get out of my room.” My chest is heaving, my head spinning. But Demid moves forward, reaching for Felix.

“Let me entertain him…” He glances at Bastian as Felix leans toward him. “Do you like Masha and her bear?”

“Masha!” Felix chants and I whimper as Demid pulls him out of my arms. I don’t dare fight him. I don’t want Felix to be frightened or upset. “Is it okay, Mommy?” he asks, eyebrows high.

My gut instinct is to say no, to snatch him up and run away with him again, but these men will never let me do that.