Hide and Seek: Married to My Master Part 2

3. Aria

"Rurik, I can't stay here," I wheezed as soon as he locked the door. The panic was fully engulfing me, taking over my body and clouding all of my senses.

Just when I'd made such a massive step in my life, allowing Rurik to meet my son and come inside my apartment before our first nighttime date, the rug had been pulled out from underneath me. I was finally remembering what it felt like to feel happy and safe...and now I had to disappear again.

"Malia," Rurik said somberly after quietly ushering me into the kitchen, "This isn't right. What you have told me about Daniel's father...he sounds evil. And dangerous. I absolutely do not want him to find you. He can't. I know this.

"But...I love you. I'm in love with you. And I know it has been very difficult for you to open your heart to me...but I believe you may be in love with me too. I-I can't bear to lose you... It isn't right that you should have to keep running. It's not fair to you. Or to Daniel. You both deserve stability. And happiness. And love.

"I will help you. I will protect you. Both of you. Even if you no longer feel safe or feel like you can be in a relationship with me, I will protect you. Please let me help you."

I sat myself up on the kitchen counter and cradled my head, trying to calm my breathing and see past the terror that had seeped deep into my marrow. I felt Rurik's large, warm hand rubbing comforting circles on my back. His tenderness was always disarming.

Never had I experienced such pure, genuine tenderness with Alessandro. Any moments of tenderness from Alessandro always came at a price or with sinister ulterior motives. A romantic trip to the Eiffel Tower came with a vibrating chastity belt, controlled by my husband. When he allowed me to venture out with Erik, I'd later paid for his kindness in his office as he fucked me while casually taking a few business calls. Even when I'd feigned an upset stomach while we were in Hawaii, he allowed me a small break and provided me with medicine, before resuming his relentless, demeaning breeding efforts...which had been successful.

But bit by bit, Rurik had proven that his kindness was real. Over the last few years, his love and patience for me had chipped away at the fortress I'd built around my heart. He was absolutely right; I was falling in love with him. And I truly didn't want to leave him or to keep forcing my son to start over on a different continent every few years.

But what would I do, if Alessandro showed up on my doorstep tomorrow? He would undoubtedly drag me back to California, kicking and screaming. Probably put me back in that weird cage and then force me to welcome another one of his children in 9 months. And then another not long after that.

I shuddered at the thought. Birth control wouldn't help me; I'd learned that the hard, very painful way. A distant thought occurred to me again. One I had taunted him with years ago.

He can't get me pregnant if I'm pregnant with someone else's child.

I slowly raised my head and stared at Rurik tearfully. I wasn't ready to be pregnant, but he was the only man I could ever see myself willingly having a child with someday. I needed him to stay.

"Rurik, you don't understand...I told you my ex husband was...horrible. And abusive. And you're right; he is evil and dangerous. But he's also very powerful. My...my friend. She helped me to have him arrested. The charges she pinned on him weren't real... But they should've landed him in prison for life. Yet he's somehow about to be released, only 3 years later! And the first thing he'll do once he's released is come find me and my son. What I don't know is what he'll do once he finds out about you..."

I stared at him earnestly, trying to convey how serious this situation was. I was sure Lara and Alejandro would inform Alessandro that there was another man in my home, near his son. His son that he hadn't even met yet. Nothing good would come from him gaining this new information.