MALYSHKA

Chapter 20

ANASTASIA'S  P.O.V

...

I remained curled up on the bed, tears streaming down my face, each drop a testament to the turmoil swirling within me. Dami, my bodyguard, must be in pain, and Leonid and Valik were late. They had mentioned they would handle something, but over an hour had passed, and the silence in the room felt suffocating. My heart raced with worry, each tick of the clock amplifying my anxiety. Suddenly, I heard footsteps echoing in the hallway, and adrenaline surged through me. I jumped up, calling out, "LEO, VALIK, IS THAT YOU? PLEASE OPEN THE DOOR!"

The door swung open with a force that startled me, and I instinctively stepped back, my breath hitching in my throat at the sight of a tall man holding a sniper rifle and wearing a mask. My heart pounded in my chest as he removed the mask, and recognition washed over me like a cold wave. "HUNTER!" I gasped, relief mingling with confusion.

He offered a faint smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "You must be Anastasia, the woman Leonid speaks of, his wife."

"I know you from the pictures with Dami. He mentioned you are his cousin," I replied, my voice trembling as he stepped further into the room, his gaze drifting to my belly, a silent acknowledgment of the life growing within me.

"Pregnant?" he asked, a hint of confusion lacing his voice as he rubbed his temples, as if trying to process the situation.

"W-wait, why are you here? And why do you have a sniper?" I took another step back, my instincts screaming at me to be cautious.

"That's my baby," I said, placing a protective hand over my stomach. "And the Boss sent me to take you to his private plane. We're heading to America."

"No, I'm not going anywhere without the others," I protested, my voice rising in desperation. I felt a surge of defiance, but it was quickly overshadowed by fear as he slammed his hands against the wall, the sound reverberating through the room.

"You will walk to the car right now, and I don't want to hear that name. Leonid, your husband, said you must comply," he said, his expression a mix of anger and hurt, as if he were caught in a conflict of loyalty.

"I need to say goodbye to my husband," I insisted, my heart aching at the thought of leaving without him.

He said "WE ARE LEAVING, END OF THE DISCUSSION."  The intensity in his eyes was unsettling, and I could feel the weight of his words pressing down on me like a heavy blanket.

"But what if something happened to them?" I stammered, my mind racing with worst-case scenarios. "What if they're in danger? I can't just leave them behind!"

Hunter's jaw tightened, and for a moment, I thought he might lose his temper. Instead, he took a deep breath, visibly trying to rein in his frustration. "Anastasia, listen to me. The situation is critical. We don't have time for this. Leonid is counting on us to get you to safety. If we don't leave now, we risk everything."

I shook my head, my heart pounding louder than ever. "I can't just abandon them! They wouldn't leave me behind. They wouldn't—"

"Anastasia!" he interrupted, his voice sharp and commanding. "This isn't a negotiation. You need to trust me. I know you don't know me well, but I promise you, I'm here to protect you. If you stay, you put yourself and your child in danger. We can't afford to wait any longer."

His words hung in the air, heavy with the weight of urgency. I glanced at the door, half-expecting Leonid or Valik to burst in at any moment, but the silence was deafening. The clock continued its relentless ticking, each second a reminder of the time slipping away.