Contract Marriage: Married to My Ex-Husband's Alpha Stepfather [BL]

Chapter 197: Don’t Wanna Be Lonely, Just Wanna Be Yours

[SERGEI]

He knew.

He had seen it coming a while ago.

The way that Yaro had come to the office was by pretending to come to take him out for lunch.

The way that Katya had to go home to Alek because of his sudden broken arm, just to come back.

Sergei knew there was something more there.

But he didn’t care.

Maybe because Katya didn’t treat him any differently.

Or maybe because, regardless of the external pressure that was slowly closing in on them both, his Solnyshka had remained committed to his work.

To what mattered.

It was the only reason Sergei hadn’t gone to the senator’s hour and broken his arm.

Because Sergei knew the senator had broken his arm on his own while inside the Senate building. His assistant had done it on his orders. The man had gone in wearing a suit and tie only to come out the back in gym clothes.

It was something that changed Sergei’s perception of the senator, changing instantly.

Before today, Sergei knew Alek was harmless. That Alek cared genuinely for Katya. That Alek would never do anything to stress Katya out.

Yet today had proven otherwise.

The senator was just a knock-off version of Yaroslav. Pretending to smile when in truth he was not denying the way things were happening.

That was probably why Katy had returned to work right before lunch hour.

He reeked of Alek’s blueberry scent, like the alpha was taking his claim. Trying to tell the whole world that Katya Romanov belonged to him.

And Sergei...

He should have just smiled and nodded.

But he saw a challenge.

His son. The senator.

They were challenging him. Pretending to care about what happened. Pretending like everything was alright when in truth they had strayed, judging Katya for what Sergei was doing.

The omega had stayed upright.

Loyal to his relationships and friendships.

It was the only reason Sergei had stayed away.

The only reason Sergei had made sure not to leave a trace of himself in the omega penthouse every night when Sergei went to watch over his omega.

"I’ll give you something to cry about," the alpha swore under his breath, like he was done being restrained. It was a dangerous stance to take, and he knew it.

But Sergei refused to watch Katya be played like Yaroslav had played him for seven years. His omega deserved better.

If they wanted to play dirty, Sergei would remind them how dirty things could get.

"Volkov!!" Sergei shouted from his office, his voice reverberating through the office and past the open office door to the empty executive office.

"Find me everything you have on the senator. Every little thing there is. No matter how insignificant it seems," Sergei said, and Volkov stared in surprise.

The last time Mr. Moskowsky asked for a full background on a person, they ended up dead by Sergei’s hands, and missing according to official reports.

"Sir?" Volkov asked carefully. He could see the rage on the alpha’s face, and he knew for a fact that this could not end very well for him.

Sergei was angry.

With the senator.

This was war.

Volkov didn’t even need it spelled out for him to know that this had to do with the omega on the executive floor. But what had happened during the hours that had gone by?

Sergei left for lunch with his son... And Katya.

To many, it would seem like image management, but Sergei didn’t care for his PR. Many already knew that. He couldn’t even understand the first thing about being good.

He loved his son.

He would give up his life for his son.

But he wasn’t beyond teaching his son a lesson on not messing with that which was no longer his.

And Katya Romanov belonged to Sergei.

Not the senator.

And certainly not his son.

Katya was his.

His to love. His to hold. His to never let go of.

"Should the cleanup crew be ready?" Volkov asked when Sergei didn’t answer him. It was usually the reminder that the alpha dh reached the line that he couldn’t even get out of.

One that he couldn’t cross back, and boy was it something else altogether.

If Sergei killed the senator, Katya would never forgive him.

If Sergei killed the senator, Katya would forever hate him.

Was that something that Sergei was willing to risk?

Then again, Volkov wasn’t the right person to tell his boss that. Sergei most definitely knew it already. Even if Anya came and tried to talk sense to him, they had reached a point of no return.

When envelopes exchanged hands between Volkov and the mad barbarian, a life’s fate was sealed.

The senator was doomed this time for whatever reason.

"Yes," the alpha said, and Volkov knew he had to do something.

The lines that were there to be crossed were far too dangerous. Not just for the city and the nation. But for Sergei himself.

They had barely survived a month of Sergei’s rage after he saw the alpha kiss the omega. If this went through, there was no coming back from it.

And not even Yaroslav, who was always his father’s anchor, would be able to pull him out of the impending wreck.

"Okay, sir," Volkov said, stepping out.

The moment the door to the inner office shut, Volkov raced to Katya’s office. It was almost the end of the day, and Katya had probably gone home.

But damn, had Volkov prayed and begged the deities not to let that be real. Because then there was no telling what the hell the entire city would be waking up to tomorrow.

"What happened?" Rahim asked when she saw how frantic Volkov had gotten.

She knew him enough to have at least an idea, but she had to hear it.

"Is Romanov in?" Volkov asked desperately.

"Yes. What happened?"

"An envelope was requested," Volkov said, and Rahim paled.

"It’s been two years since the last one..." Rahim voiced worriedly.

"Exactly. And it’s not even about the envelope. It’s about the names in there," Volkov rambled.

Rahim stared like this was the end of their working day and probably their days of being paraded as secretaries again.

It had really been a while since they had gone to the battlefield with their boss. Since they had stopped being secretaries and taken up their original identities as the most lethal weapons trained by Sergei himself.

His best warriors.

"Names? In one envelope?" Rahim gasped lowly like she didn’t want to spook her boss.

"Alek and his side. Leon," Volkov whispered, and Rahim paled.

"Go. Now!" Rahim said as she ushered Volkov in the direction of Katya’s door. It was the only way to get out of this.

Because there had really been peace in Frolo for the past two years. The kind of peace that was appreciated by everyone, even if bodies remained dropping.

But there was peace.

And right now, that was at a great risk.

Katya was ready to leave, backpack on his back, when Volkov rushed in like a man who had come for the only semblance of peace Keeling they had right now.

"Volkov?" Katya asked worriedly, staring at the alpha’s secretary.

"I know you have no reason to trust me, Romanov. Not after the first encounter and whatnot over the years. But I need a favor. Please call him.

"You’re the only one he thinks of as a friend. Call him. You will save three lives if you do so. Including him," Volkov said, and Katya stared, confused.

"What?" the omega wondered. He didn’t know what this was about, but he had a feeling it had to do with Sergei. Then again, why the fuck would he even call the man?

"If he leaves the office before you call him... The city will burn. So please," Volkov begged, literally going on his knees.

And Katya stiffened.

The man had never gone on his knees like that. And while it was a little dramatic for him, he couldn’t help what was so serious that even Rahim hadn’t alerted him about it.

"You’re scaring me," Katya admitted when he breathed the distress off of Volkov, which was weird because this was literally the first time he was smelling anything off this man.

"He’s going to kill someone. If not tonight. Then tomorrow. We don’t know when. He hasn’t killed someone with his bare hands since you became friends. You’re all he has. Call him," Volkov begged before he got up and rushed back to his office.

Katya stood rooted to the spot for a moment before he pulled out his phone and dialed Sergei.

He knew it wasn’t his business, but he dialed anyway.

"Solnyshka," Sergei greeted chirpily on the other end.

Sergei Moskowsky was never that excited.

"I... I’m working late tonight and was wondering if you’d share dinner with me," Katya said, like he didn’t even know what he was doing this time.

But even he could feel that something was wrong.

Or was about to go wrong so badly. Granted, he hadn’t asked for details, but Volkov had seemed so desperate if he had to come to Katya as the only friend Sergei had.

"What?" Sergei breathed.

"It’s alright if you don’t want to. I know the rumors today aren’t exactly the best ones. Forget I called, Vladimir. Have a go—"

"I’ll cook..."

"What?"

"I... I owe you a few dinners. I’ll cook for you," Sergei said, and Katya sighed.

"You shouldn’t cook just because you think you owe me. This was a bad id—"

"Please don’t hang up... I just... Can I please cook dinner for you? There’s a kitchen on the floor. We don’t have to use my penthouse..."

"Vlad—"

"Please, Solnyshka."