Chapter 265: The Things We Do For Love

[ALEK]

He’d missed lunch with Katya again.

"I’ll make it up to you, little rose," he messaged instead as he stared around his desk. He had been stuck here for days, stuck between going home and keeping himself in the fairly secure building.

At least from the Bratva, because they wouldn’t be able to get into the Senate building anymore.

Maybe it was a good thing he wasn’t on Sergei’s hit list because otherwise he’d already be beaten and out there at the mercy of the man who made people disappear for fun.

"You haven’t gone home in a week, Alek," Leon said as he looked at his friend.

The senator was hiding in the Senate building. It wasn’t even a secret anymore.

To the public, he was just working hard, but his assistant knew otherwise.

"They want me to delay the building permit on Moskowsky Construction. I have tried to delay it, but you and I both know Sergei will eventually start asking questions.

"A delay by three days is common. But if today ends without me approving that permit, he will know. Sergei is not stupid. Yet if I approve it, Katya will be hurt. They’re already following him," Alek sighed tiredly.

He was trying his very best, but since he’d gotten into it with the Bratva, he’d never had peace.

The Bratva was supposed to be his solution to the Sergei romance situation. Instead, he’d managed to push Katya into staying late hours at work, waking up earlier for work, and whatnot.

Their relationship was practically dead.

Yet even then, Katya still believed they could work things out. Katya still texted occasionally, asking how Alek was doing, how the day was going. He understood how hard it was, and that was what Alek hated the most.

He had the perfect omega, and he couldn’t even maintain the relationship because his jealousy had driven him into the stupidest decision of his life.

"What if you tell Katya the truth? The last time you lied to him, you know how that went. Maybe trust him this time, and you will still have your relationship with him because clearly, he doesn’t want to let you go.

"He loves you. You know it too," Leon reasoned, and Alek let out a groan.

He knew what Leon was onto was valid, but how many times was he supposed to give Katya the same excuse about the Bratva? What was he even to say to that when things didn’t even seem to be working right?

"He is the Moskowsky Chairman," Alek reminded, and Leon sighed.

"Exactly. He approves of everything that happens in that company. You think he doesn’t know that the permits for Moskowsky Construction have been delayed by four days?

"If you’re not careful, he might start thinking that you hate him and are using this to punish him," Leon said, like it was the only realistic approach right now. And frankly, he wasn’t even wrong.

Alek knew they had spent much time with Katya after the return from the Bratva.

They had tried.

But shit wasn’t working.

Yet Katya held onto him, keeping him steady through it all.

Katya was there for him even if Alek was the one putting the distance, and at some point, Alek was going to have to decide.

He was painfully aware of that, too.

"They’re here again," Leon said as he looked outside the window.

"Who?"

"Kenzo and his men," Leon said, reminding Alek that the Bratva was always watching.

What was he even going to do without coming off as an asshole?

"What should I do, Leon? I can’t delay the permit any further. And if I don’t, Katya will be in danger. If I delay it, Katya will think I’m against him.

"What kind of a conundrum is this?" Alek groaned frustratedly as he walked to the window where Leon was.

He looked outside the building, and he could see them too.

There was no escaping the Bratva, and gods, he couldn’t even bargain his way out of this.

Especially since the only reason the Bratva had accepted him as one of them was that he had convinced them he wanted Sergei destroyed.

His own jealousy was costing him his sanity, and he couldn’t even hide from that shit anymore.

"Deny the permit," Leon said, and Alek looked at him like he was insane.

"You do know the consequences of that, right? You’re asking me to deny and not delay. That is dangerous for Katya," Alek reasoned.

Leon grabbed his arm before moving them from the window like he was afraid that Kenzo and his men would hear them from the thirteenth floor. It was hopeless, damn.

"I have an idea. You might not like it, but it is the only way to keep Katya safe and to keep your life, especially with the Bratva already stalking you," Leon said, and Alek looked at him curiously.

He had reached his wit’s end, and there was no visible way out.

He didn’t know a route that would end with Katya safe from the Bratva. Because Alek knew that even if the Bratva killed him, they would still torment Katya for the rest of his days.

"What is it?"

"The barbarian," Leon suggested.

Alek glared at his oldest friend.

"You’re crazy. You want me to be targeted by two sets of psychos?" Alek asked, frustratedly as he ran a tired hand through his hair. There was no realistic way out of this.

Much less that barbarian who had been the reason he got himself into this damn pickle.

"Listen, Alek... use the rep that man has to protect Katya," Leon argued, and Alek didn’t understand a word.

"What the fuck is that even supposed to mean?"

"If you delay the permit, you will be costing yourself everything. But if you deny it, you save Katya’s life," Leon said, and Alek sighed.

"How does that connect with the barbarian?" Alek asked.

"If what you’ve been saying about the barbarian loving Katya is true—"

"Don’t even go there. You know he loves him. The fucking city knows it too," Alek said possessively.

He’d made so many terrible decisions because of his jealousy, and he wasn’t about to depend on Sergei to help him protect his omega.

He refused to let that happen.

The world could wait, but he wasn’t about to sacrifice whatever was left of his dying relationship to hold onto Sergei.

"Sergei won’t let anyone hurt Katya. You know that. The city knows it like you said. So, what are the chances that he won’t let Katya find out about the denied permit?" Leon argued, and Alek burst out laughing at the ridiculousness of all this.

What the fuck were they even talking about?

"You’re crazy."

"Think it over."

"No. Katya is too intelligent not to have noticed that the permits have been delayed. To depend on Sergei for that is just not worth it. Besides, it’s not like there is any option for me at the moment," Alek stated with a tone of finality.

"What will you do then?"

"I’ll approve the permit."

"They will kill you."

"That’s better than seeing Katya hurting because of me."

"Your philanthropic idiot," Leon sighed before he walked out, leaving Alek in the office alone.