Chapter 26 - Alexei

Clara grabs my hand and starts walking into the house, leading me towards the sunroom.

Behind me, Oleg grabs my arm. "Alexei. A word," he growls under his breath.

I pull Clara to a stop. "Clara, I'll be right behind you. Go ahead, okay?"

She looks worried for a second but then nods, and disappears into the house. My eyes follow her.

Oleg drags me off to the side, away from the crowds, into a passageway that is semi-private.

Leon and Yefim soon join us.

They all look furious.

"What the fuck kind of game are you playing here?" Yefim snarls.

"I don't know what you mean. What game?"

"You are going to get us all killed and fuck up a delicate alliance. You think everything is a fucking game, don't you? Our family deserves better from you, Alexei. We expected more from you," Oleg says.

"Did we, though? He is always fucking reckless and not thinking about the consequences," Leon blurts out.

I stare in shock between my brothers. "Guys, what in the world—"

"No, man, you took it way too far this time. Your little challenges—they are getting out of hand. This one—I can't believe you did this. Are you really that bored with your life that you have to go this far for entertainment?"

"Stop, what the fuck. This isn't entertainment," I snarl angrily, realizing that they think this is some kind of twisted joke. Something I am not taking seriously.

"Of course it is. You got bored. You always pull stupid shit when you get bored."

"You're wrong Oleg. Clara isn't just some challenge for me. I have had my eye on her since the alliance started. I have wanted her since then, and in all honesty, I have fallen completely in love with her. I want to spend the rest of my life with her and I will fight to the death to have that. I won't give up on her—she is my entire world."

My brothers look stunned.

Leon finally speaks. "You love her?"

"Yeah, man. I love her." I haven't said it out loud before. Not even to myself. It feels so good to admit it to someone. I've been holding it inside and trying to deny it, thinking she wasn't interested in me.

But she's pregnant—I am going to be a father. And I love her.

"Shit. I thought you were just messing around…." Oleg sighs, running his hand through his hair.

I shake my head. "No. I've never been more serious about something in my life."

"We're sorry, man. We didn't realize. I guess—I guess we need to go and see how we can sort this out, then."

I feel relieved that they are on my side now that they understand. I'm annoyed that they assumed it was all some game to me, but at least I've managed to get them to see the truth of it all.

"I'm going to the sunroom." I turn my back on them and head into the house, eager to get this resolved so that I can finally have a one-on-one conversation with Clara.

It's been absolute chaos since she told me she is pregnant, and I haven't even had a chance to grab her in the tightest hug and tell her how freaking excited I am.

I need to get to the sunroom and help Clara talk sense into Giorgio.

***

Everyone is sitting quietly, their eyes on Clara as she handles her uncle.

I can't believe it. She is blowing me away with her calm, yet very strong demeanor. She is handling Giorgio incredibly well. I thought I was going to have to help her manage this situation and talk him down, but she's standing up for herself in a way I don't think she ever has.

"I won't tolerate you talking down to me anymore, Uncle Giorgio. I am so grateful for everything you have done for me, for how you took care of me when there was no one else to look after me. I will never stop being grateful for that, but things are going to change from here on out. I want my independence and my freedom. You are no longer in charge of my life. I am. It's my life, and I will live it in whatever way I please.

"Also, I am going to have a baby with this man. I chose to be with him. He never forced me to do anything I didn't want to do, and when the time came to leave—I didn't even want to do that. This is my choice."

Giorgio's expression is sour. She's said her piece really well, and there isn't much more for her to say, but he looks bitter over the entire thing.

I get up and stand by her side.

"Giorgio, I am going to do my part. I will be there every step of the way to fulfill my duty as this baby's father. I'm not going to leave her alone in this situation. I want you to know that."

I want Clara to know that, too. I want her to know how excited I am, but now isn't exactly the right time to say that. For now, I just need Giorgio to know that I will be a father to this child.

Clara glances up at me nervously, then looks back towards her uncle.

Giorgio stands up, his fists clenching and unclenching. His chest is heaving. He's losing control. He has sat quietly for too long, listening to people tell him what is going to happen. He is not used to that; he's used to being in charge.

He shakes his head at Clara. "You are such a stupid girl. Nothing but stupid. Do you really believe this fucking idiot is going to help you raise a baby? He's reckless, useless, the worst of all, a Dubrov. He's a fucking child himself, and now you want to rely on him for support? How pathetic are you, that you made such a mistake? I thought you would at least have some brains, but it turns out—"

"Stop that immediately," I growl at him.

"Or what? Huh? What are you going to do? You don't even understand the meaning of the word responsibility. No one can rely on you for anything—"

"Giorgio." Leon's voice comes from behind him. "I think you forget who you are talking to. Let me remind you—Alexei is a Dubrov. He might be the wildest of us all, but make no mistake that he is still a Dubrov, and you will not speak to any member of my family in that way without dealing with the consequences of your disrespect."

Leon, Yefim and Oleg are all standing now, their arms folded across their chests as they stare down towards Giorgio.

Yefim nods in agreement with Leon. "And from what we have heard from Clara just now, she has made it very clear that everything between Alexei and herself was mutual. She chose to be with him. There wasn't anything coercive about the situation. They are two adults who are making it very clear that this is what they want. From our side, we have no issue with this, and don't see any reason why you would, either. We are already in alliance. Our families are already working together. Am I right?"

Giorgio takes a deep, loud breath, then walks back and forth across the sunroom a few times. I can see he is agitated, probably very unhappy about being reprimanded by both his niece and now my brothers, but he has no choice now.

Clara steps towards him, her hand held out, reaching for him. He stops pacing to face her.

"Uncle Giorgio. Please? I want this."

He clears his throat and nods. His mouth is pulled tight as he stares at his niece.

"Alright," he says after what feels like an eternity. "Yes, I can see that there is no problem here." He nods again.

This is clearly difficult for him, but he is managing to control his emotions.

"But," he says, lifting his hand in the air. I feel my shoulders tense up. But what? I sigh.

"All I ask is that you don't disappear from my life, Clara. Please. I know I am overbearing. I know I am controlling. I didn't know how else to make sure you stayed safe. I didn't ever mean for—I didn't want you to hate me." He looks broken as he speaks to her. And I think this is the first time he has ever really spoken to her from his heart.

Clara steps towards him and wraps her arms around his neck. "I won't ever cut you out of my life, Uncle Giorgio. You don't have to worry about that. I just need to go live my own life now. That's all."

Giorgio nods and clears his throat a little too loudly, trying to hide his emotion.

"Alright," he says curtly. "If that is everything, then I had better be getting back to my guests."

He waits to see if anyone else has anything to say, but we've said what we needed to.

Giorgio leaves. My brothers follow him out, one by one, until Clara and I are alone in the sunroom.

She breathes a heavy sigh of relief.

"I'm exhausted," she says, pressing her hands against her eyes. "I, um, I guess I should go to my room and rest a bit."

She turns away from me and walks out of the sunroom.

What the hell?

I walk briskly to catch up with her, not understanding her coldness.

I follow her into her room and close the door behind us.

"Clara, are you okay?" I ask, thinking that maybe she is just so tired that she can't deal with anything else.

"I'm fine," she answers, short and clipped.

"What's going on? Don't you think we should talk a little?"

"There is nothing to talk about, Alexei. You've made yourself clear."

She sits on the edge of her bed looking miserable.

"How have I made myself clear?" I ask, confused.

"You confirmed you will be involved in terms of whatever your responsibility is towards the baby and nothing more. I appreciate that. I understand, too. It's okay that you don't have feelings for me. We can work out a way to co-parent and—"

I start laughing. It's more relief than anything else, because now I know why she is upset.

"What's so funny?" she says, looking hurt.

"Clara, I was only trying to settle any concerns your uncle might have had about financial repressibility and other such things—"

"Yes, I get it."

"No, you don't. That conversation was for that moment. The conversation I want to have with you is very different."

She looks right at me. Her eyes narrow to thin slits as she stares at me, looking nervous to ask what I mean.

"Clara…" I sit down on the bed next to her and wrap my arm around her waist, pulling her up against my side. "I am so excited to have a baby with you. In fact, I can't think of anything in this world that I want more. I am completely and totally and madly in love with you."

The grin on my face is massive. It feels so incredible to admit that to her. Finally.

She shifts, turning to face me. "You love me ? Are you teasing me? Are you serious? Are you…" She bursts into tears and leans into my chest, hiding her face.

I chuckle and wrap both arms around her.

Kissing the top of her head, I tell her again, "I am so in love with you. I have been for a while already. I just didn't know how to tell you. I've been going crazy without you. I don't even think my life is worth living if I can't live it with you. You are everything to me, and the thought of starting a family with you—Clara, you are my dream come true."

She leans back and looks up at me. Her face is stained with tears and her eyes are glittering. "I love you, Alexei. I thought—I thought you were bored with me or—"

She starts crying again, but now she is laughing as well.

I reach both hands up and wipe her tears away, then lean forward and kiss her cheeks. "Beautiful girl. The most beautiful girl in the world. I want you. Forever."

I lift her face up towards mine and press my lips against hers.

She melts into me.

I warp my hands beneath her ass cheeks and lift her onto my lap. She kneels over me, kissing me deeper, more passionately as we both soak in the words we have just shared.

We are in love.

We are going to start a life together.

The most beautiful girl in the entire world is in love with me.

I stand up and pull her to stand in front of me.

Looking into her eyes, I start to undress her, moving slowly, savoring each moment, each piece of her body that I unwrap—the beauty of her skin, her eyes, her lips.

When she is naked, standing in front of me, I step back to take it all in, the sight of her sending currents of electricity through me, my love pulsing like a living thing in my veins.

She starts to slowly undress me too without a word. We smile at each other, our eyes warm and filled with all the words we want to say.

When I am naked, she presses her body against mine, letting her hands explore my skin. I lift her in my arms and gently lay her on her bed, leaning over her, pushing her legs apart with my hips.

Everything seems to be moving in slow motion. Everything is peaceful and beautiful, serene and calm in a way I have never felt before.

There is something very special about knowing that the person you are looking at is going to be yours forever.

I push my cock inside her pussy, and she gasps, her eyes locked on mine.

Moving slowly, I rock my hips back and forth, brushing her hair from her eyes, looking into her soul, my heart feeling so full it might burst.

I start moving faster, pushing my cock deeper inside her, and she wraps her legs around my waist. She reaches up and holds on to my neck as I wrap my arm around her back, arching her up towards me.

We breathe in unison as we move together in an intensely intimate moment.

I am so in love with her.

I want her forever.

She is my world.

Clara begins to gasp softly against my ear, and it makes my cock throb and grow harder. Her legs begin to shake a little, so I start moving faster. I can feel she is close.

I lean back again so that I can look into those beautiful brown eyes of hers.

"I love you, Clara," I whisper.

Her lips part and a soft, warm rush of air escapes her mouth as her orgasm washes through her in wave after wave of pleasure.

I thrust deep inside her, exploding into her as I hold her tightly in my arms.