Page 16 of Bought to Bear Bratva Heir

"Stay there," I ordered over my shoulder. Across the grass, I saw one of my men come towards me. His face was a mask of shock as he saw Daisy standing there.

"What the hell?"

I didn’t answer him. "Take Alexander home." I bundled my son into his arms. "Do not leave his side."

His eyes were still over my shoulder, but he nodded. "Did you know?"

I shook my head silently. "I’m going to get answers."

I waited for three seconds before I turned, because I didn’t want Alexander to see what would happen next.

I never wanted him to see that side of me.

Again, my eyes clashed with hers across the grass. She had stayed, but then again, she had always followed orders so easily.

That all changed the second I took a single step back towards her. Her face went grey. Spinning on her heel, she launched herself away. No doubt heading towards the other side of the cemetery, and the busy road beyond. She would lose me if she got there, or so she probably thought.

But Daisy wasn’t the only one who had changed in the last six years. This city belonged to me. Now I knew she was alive, there was nowhere she could hide where I wouldn’t find her.

And punish her.

I took off across the well-kept graves, ignoring the fact that I was splattering mud and grass up my legs.

Daisy was fast, and she had a head start on her side, but she couldn’t outrun me. Even if she got away, she would never outrun me now.

Every step I took filled me with more rage.

She. Had. Left. Us.

Slipping between the high walls of the marble mausoleums, I caught sight of her blonde hair as she tried to hide from me and changed direction.

Two steps, and I came out right in front of her. Skidding to a stop, Daisy threw her hands out, but not quick enough for me. Lashing out, I closed my hand around her throat and shoved her backwards against the wall with enough force to knock the breath out of her lungs. She yelped.

Her eyes widened into saucers, the fear in them palpable. I basked in it. I wanted her to be afraid. I had never wanted anything more.

"You." My fingers flexed around her throat, cutting off her air with every word. "Are meant to be dead."

"P-please."

"Shut up," I bellowed, squeezing her throat so hard that she couldn’t speak at all. Both her hands came up to scratch at the back of my hand, trying to get me to loosen my grip enough that she could at least breathe.

Her face went red and then purple, and the hands clawing at me grew weaker and weaker. I looked into her eyes and saw fear and acceptance.

I let go of her throat. And sucked in a breath. Why did she have to look at me like that? She looked at me and accepted her fate. That I would kill her. Daisy deserved death for what she had put me through. But how could I do that to my son? How could I look at him knowing I had killed his mother, even if he didn’t know her?

She dropped to her knees. "Ilya." Her voice was raspy. Her throat was clearly sore after being squeezed so hard. "Let me—"

"No." Looming over her, I shook my head. "There is nothing you can say or do to explain what you did, Daisy." My voice dropped to a low, menacing whisper.

She lifted tear-filled eyes to me, her hand rubbing her throat. "You don’t understand."

I would never understand her leaving us to grieve her like she was dead, and I would never forgive her either.

I rolled my eyes. "You’re right, I don’t understand. Get up."

She didn’t move.

Grumbling under my breath, I heaved her up by the arm. "We are going somewhere—" My eyes roved over her trembling form. "Quieter, so we can talk."