Maya

I couldn't see through the windshield in my car because the snow that was falling so hard. It had been a long night, and I was exhausted. I drove my car into the crumbling palace where we lived and turned off the engine.

I parked my old car in the palace's front courtyard, near the crumbling stone fountain, and pressed the brake. My hands trembled as I peeled them from the steering wheel. I'd almost driven off the road twice during the storm, but I had groceries and, more importantly, fever medicine for my baby. That was the only thing that mattered at the time. I needed to make sure my poor baby was okay.

I took a deep breath, took the grocery and medicine bag with one arm, and climbed out into the night. As I padded through soft snow and ascended sweeping steps to the gilded double doors of the two-hundred-year-old palace, cold air blew past my cheeks. We were saving electricity to pay for food and diapers, so the windows were dark and closed. Only a sliver of moonlight shone through the dark Russian forest.

"We'll make it; all we have to do is be strong. All of this will be over very soon." I thought to myself. It was April, and spring was still far away, but we had candles and a shed full of wood. We only had to manage the resources we had.

I'd be able to start a new life with my four-month-old baby and my younger sister if I found work as a translator. Things were finally looking up after months of hell. I'd be able to get us out of this shit hole we were in.

I froze as I lifted my keys to the door. My eyes widened as a chill ran down my spine. My heart began to race and my palms began to sweat profusely. The front door was unlocked. How is that possible? Was my sister somewhere? I didn't want to consider any negative scenarios.

I pushed my way into the grand foyer, barely able to breathe. An ancient, unseen chandelier chimed noisily in the shadows above as whirling flurries of snow came in from behind, whipped by a cold north wind.

"Penelope?" I called down the hall, my voice echoing down the hall. When I heard a muffled scream in response, I knew we were in trouble.

Immediately, I forgot about the groceries and dropped them on the floor. As I ran down the hall, potatoes fell across the floor. I pushed open the door to the back apartment, gasping.

A man stood near the ceramic tile fireplace, his broad shoulders silhouetted in the candlelight. There was no way I could forget the frame of his body. I knew instantly who the intruder was.

Adrian!

Despite everything, my heart raced for a split second. But when I saw the empty crib, it shattered my heart.

"They took the baby, Maya," Penelope cried, her eyes wide behind her glasses. Two grim bodyguards held my sister on either side, huge and angry-looking in the crackling firelight. She attempted to leap from the high-backed chair, but was restrained by one of Adrian's men. "They broke into my room while I was sleeping and snatched him from his crib. I heard him scream and tried to intervene—"

Adonis. Oh my goodness, my son. What happened to him? Was he being held by some of Adrian's men? Has he already flown out of Russia to God knows where? I was trembling all over. My child. My precious child. He was ill and required my assistance. I turned to face the monster I'd once loved, sick with desperation and fear.

Adrian's face was solemn, almost savage. The man who had made me laugh in New York and Las Vegas while drinking ouzo and singing in Greek had vanished. In his place was a merciless man. I could see it even in the dim light. He was now a man who could permanently take my son away from me.

Yet, he was as handsome as ever, with olive skin and black hair, but something had changed. The crooked nose he'd broken in a childhood fight had once been the only flaw in his otherwise perfect appearance. Now his face was filled with rage—with cruelty. He'd always been strong, but now his body had hard planes that hadn't been there before. His shoulders were wider, his arms wider, as if he'd spent the previous four months hitting his opponents in the boxing ring. His cheekbones were razor-sharp, his arms were muscled up, and his blue eyes were limitless and cold.

It was like staring into a half-frozen sea when I looked into his eyes. I used to adore him; now I despised him, this man who had betrayed me. This man, who had persuaded me to betray myself with kisses and sweet words whispered against my skin at night. I gave up a piece of myself to be with him, and all I got was heartbreak. He had destroyed my family and was now coming after me.

"Good day, Maya." Adrian had a deep, dangerous, and tightly controlled voice.

I charged at him, grabbing his black cashmere coat lapels. "What did you do to my baby?" I shook him and pounded on his chest. "Where has he gone? "Return my baby to me!"

He grabbed both of my wrists. "He is no longer of concern to you."

"Please give me my child!" I cried, holding him tighter.

“No.” His grip was grim and unyielding.

I was struggling in his arms. Once his touch ignited my body, and I melted around him. But that was in the past. I had no idea what kind of man he was until now. My skin crawled with disgust as I looked at him.

“Adonis!” I screamed, filled with pain.

Adrian's grip tightened as he drew me in, preventing me from thrashing my arms or clawing at his face. "My son is mine to keep. You have no right to be with him because you stole him from me."

It was exactly what I expected him to say, but I still staggered as if he'd hit me. He let me go this time. To keep myself from sliding to the floor, I grabbed the rough edge of the long wooden table. I needed to be strong for my baby. I needed to come up with a plan to save my son.

Despite my best efforts, a tear ran down my cheek, leaving a cold trail. I wiped it away furiously, raised my chin, and glared at Adrian with all the hatred I could muster. "You can't do this to me!" You won't be able to take him away from me!"

"I can and will do so. When you stole him away like a thief in the night, you forfeited your right to be his mother."

I put my hands to my mouth, knowing Adrian could use his money, power, and man-eating lawyers to keep me from seeing my son for the rest of my life. I'd made the mistake of fleeing, and now my worst nightmare had come true.

My child would grow up in Las Vegas with a heartless, womanizing billionaire and his new mistress. He'd have a terrible childhood if he didn't have his mother's love.

"I'm so sorry, Maya," sobbed Penelope behind me. "I attempted to stop them. I tried.”

"It's fine, Penelope," I said quietly. But everything wasn't fine. It would never be right if they took my baby away from me.

As a third bodyguard entered from the kitchen and placed a tray on the table, the door slammed back against the wall, giving me a jump.

Adrian walked over to the table and poured undiluted tea, followed by hot water, into a blue china cup.

I fixed my gaze on my great-china grandmother's teacup. I noticed how fragile and small it appeared in his fingers. Those tanned, muscular hands could crush it in an instant.

Adrian had the ability to destroy anything he desired. And he'd done it.

"I've been for here two weeks," I said as I watched him drink. "What took you so long to find me?"