Volkov

Chapter 16

Maksims POV

The sound of the door clicking shut behind me echoed through the dimly lit hallway. Victor's presence lingered in my mind, but I couldn't afford to dwell on it right now. Raven was at the forefront of my thoughts. The way she had handled him, cool and composed, like a woman who wasn't easily swayed by charm or power. I admired that about her. She was different from the others, and that difference made everything more complicated in the best way possible.

I ran my hand through my hair, trying to shake off the unease that still gnawed at me. My brother had always had a way of pushing people's buttons, but it wasn't just that—it was the way he'd looked at Raven. I knew what he was doing. He was testing boundaries. Playing a game I wasn't interested in. But there was no mistaking it—he wanted her. The thought churned something inside me, a possessiveness I didn't recognize at first.

I couldn't let him have her. I wouldn't let anyone have her.

I pushed the thought aside. There was no time for that right now. I had work to do. My phone buzzed in my pocket, pulling me from my thoughts. I pulled it out, expecting another one of the endless updates from the business side of things. But no, it was a message from Raven.

"I'm meeting you for dinner tonight. No excuses."

I couldn't help but smile at her directness. It wasn't a request, but an order, though it didn't feel like one. More like a promise that I couldn't refuse. I didn't even think about replying; I just typed in a quick response.

"I'll be there."

With that, I slipped my phone back into my pocket and walked toward my office. The day had already been long enough, and my mind felt pulled in different directions. There were meetings and calls to handle, some with my family and some with business partners, but I couldn't shake the feeling that something had shifted. Something had changed between Raven and me, and it was both thrilling and terrifying in equal measure.

As I walked into my office, I dropped my jacket on the back of my chair and settled into my desk, the cool leather of the chair pressing against my back as I started scanning through my emails.

But even the work couldn't distract me for long. I kept thinking about her—about Raven. The way she held herself, the sharpness in her eyes when she dealt with me, and the fire beneath the surface. She wasn't like the others who tried to hide their feelings behind polite smiles. No, Raven was real. She didn't play games. She didn't fake it.

A knock on the door pulled me from my thoughts, and I looked up to see one of my assistants standing there.

"Mr. Volkov, the report you asked for is ready," he said, his voice polite and neutral. He handed me the folder, then left without another word. I didn't take a second glance at the report. Instead, I opened the drawer in my desk, retrieved the bottle of whiskey hidden in the back, and poured myself a glass.

I hadn't planned to drink tonight, but there was something about this whole situation with Raven that had me on edge. My mind raced through the events of the past few days—her beauty, her intelligence, the way she commanded the room without even trying. And then there was the way she had looked at me last night—her eyes full of fire, her touch soft but possessive. She didn't know it yet, but I was already hers. And I would make sure she knew it.

My phone buzzed again, this time with a call. I didn't have to check the number to know who it was.

"Maxim," my brother's voice came through, smooth but laced with something I couldn't place. "You're meeting with Raven tonight?"

I let out a breath, resisting the urge to slam the phone down. "What do you want, Victor?"

He chuckled on the other end. "Just making sure everything's... in order. You know how I like to keep an eye on things."

"Keep an eye on your own business," I growled, my patience wearing thin. "Don't worry about mine."

"Oh, I'm not worried," he said, and I could hear the smile in his voice. "I just want to know if she's... worth your time. You know, she's not like the others. She's a little more complicated. Just making sure you're aware of that."

"I don't need your advice, Victor," I snapped. "I'm perfectly capable of handling my own affairs."

There was a pause on the other end of the line. "I see," Victor finally said, his tone taking on a different edge. "Just remember, Maksim, no one gets too close to the Volkovs without consequences."

I clenched my jaw, the words hitting me harder than I expected. I knew exactly what he was implying. He was warning me, trying to put me on guard, but it was useless. I didn't care what anyone else thought. Raven was mine. And if anyone tried to take that from me, they would regret it.

"Goodbye, Victor," I said coldly, hanging up before he could say anything else.

I sat there for a long moment, the glass of whiskey forgotten in my hand. My mind was spinning, but one thought kept circling back: Raven.

She was already drawing me in, and I couldn't stop it. She had this pull, this magnetic force that made me forget everything else. But there was something more. It wasn't just her beauty or the way she challenged me. It was the way she made me want to be better. The way she made me feel things I hadn't felt in a long time.

But when I woke up in her apartment this morning, her side of the bed was cold. The sheets still smelled of her, but she was gone.

I wasn't sure what I had expected. I had never really stayed the night with someone before, not in the way I had with Raven. My instincts told me it would be different, that she was different. But when I opened my eyes and saw the empty space beside me, I felt a strange emptiness in my chest.

I stayed in bed longer than I should have, trying to understand why it bothered me so much. I wasn't used to this—used to someone not being there when I woke up. I was always the one to leave, always the one in control of the situation. But Raven had a way of disarming me, and I didn't know if that was a good thing or a dangerous one.

What did it mean that I wanted her there? That I didn't want to wake up alone again?

I grabbed my phone and stared at it for a long time. I could still feel the warmth of her skin on mine, the sound of her breath against my ear. The way she had looked at me the night before, all that intensity and desire in her gaze—it was still fresh in my mind.

I wanted to see her again. I had to.

I wasn't ready to admit it, but Raven had become someone I couldn't ignore. Something about her had crawled under my skin in a way no one else had. And I wasn't sure how much longer I could keep pretending that I didn't care.

I didn't need anyone. I had always told myself that. I was the oldest son of the Volkov family. I had power, wealth, control over everything. But with Raven, all that seemed to slip away, leaving me exposed and raw in a way that made me uncomfortable.

But I couldn't help it. I wanted her.

And for the first time in a long while, I didn't know what to do with that feeling.

I took another sip of whiskey, letting the burn settle in my chest. But it didn't erase the feeling. Not completely.

As I stood up, my thoughts returned to Raven, and I felt the pull to see her again, to feel her close. I couldn't stay away.

And no matter what Victor or anyone else said, I wasn't about to let her go.