Chapter 281: Follow You Into Hell, Even If Mine

[FROLO]

Yaroslav was back.

That alone was enough to unsettle everyone at the expo because he had been gone for over six months. No one had heard from him, not even a peep. No one knew what he was doing.

Many just assumed he disappeared from the limelight after Milan betrayed him and his marriage to Katya.

It didn’t even help that no one had seen Milan since the court day.

It was like so much had changed quietly, and with the way some of the bodies that had dropped around Frolo were related to the courtroom back then, it would be a miracle to assume Milan was alive.

Because the Moskowskys weren’t as forgiving.

And Katya Romanov was where they drew their line of kindness.

Hurting Katya was an equivalent of asking for death, most especially from Yaroslav.

The city had seen it more than once during their marriage, and even after their divorce and the mess that was their separation, they still felt the weight of talking about Katya, even if it wasn’t direct.

People still got disappeared, and journalists hunted.

But not a soul wrote about it, because what were they even supposed to write?

The Moskowsky heir who was slandering his own husband in public with the cheating affair, while also killing everyone who spoke ill of the same husband he was not defending in public again?

It was all just a silent controversy, one that raised blood pressures and eventually proved unworthy to risk lives for. That was how everyone had stopped trolling Katya Romanov eventually.

Now Yaroslav was back, right at the time that Sergei had just mentioned publicly that he had a beloved. And even better, or perhaps worse, a time when the senator was associated with the bratva.

It was no coincidence; that much everyone at the expo was aware of.

Yaroslav had always been protective of Katya. Before, during, and even after their divorce.

And Sergei never played when it came to Yaroslav.

This didn’t look good.

Not at all.

"You’re sweating," Katya noticed as Alek fidgeted during the walk around the expo.

His boyfriend looked like he was in hell, and was sweating buckets, constantly adjusting his tie like his world was ending. He also kept looking at Katya’s office, something that Katya didn’t understand.

"Is something bothering you? Do you want to take a break?" Katya asked in earnest.

He knew what this looked like.

He knew there was a chance Alek was panicking because of Yaroslav. After all, Yaroslav had made it obvious that he still loved Katya even if they were no longer married.

And Katya thought it was time for reassurance.

"I love you, not him. You, Alek," Katya said sweetly as he wiped the senator’s sweat with his handkerchief. It was a heartwarming sight, save for the two Moskowskys, who were staring at him as if they were both judging him for his life’s choices lately.

Damn, a man couldn’t even have peace in a Moskowsky building, what the fuck.

"I’m fine," Alek lied, like his palms weren’t sweaty, too.

"Are y—" Katya began, only for Sergei to speak.

"Senator, I hope you don’t mind me stealing my chairman," Sergei said, a courteous smile on his face, as if he didn’t already destroy the senator’s career in the last two days.

Yaroslav was standing a few feet behind his father like a guard dog.

He was staring at Alek as if he knew something that Alek didn’t. As if the world was suddenly disappearing between the two of them, and the only thing left was the warning about how things were happening.

"Of course, Mr. Moskowsky," Alek said, trying to keep himself composed. He looked like everywhere was a better place to be than the Fort Knox he had just sneaked a suit coat into.

Did they know?

Was that why Yaroslav had come?

Fuck, what the hell was he supposed to do?

Maybe he was going to use this chance to leave the expo now that his assignment with the bratva was done, right? It was a shitty thing he was doing to Katya, but damn, he didn’t think there were any other options.

Then again... jealousy...

"I’ll be back, please wait for me," Katya said with a hearty smile before he walked ahead of Sergei.

The barbarian looked at Alek, smirking at him, disregarding the cameras that were in the room.

"Does he know that you went back to the bratva again?" Sergei asked with a slight laugh while cameras clicked on both of them.

It was no secret to the city that they were on opposite sides or even that Sergei was the greatest menace right now. But this wasn’t what Alek had thought would happen when he walked into the most secure building.

For starters, Sergei wasn’t supposed to be at the expo. That was what he had been told, yet the man was there when Alek had walked in. There was nothing proper going on with him at the moment.

Then again, the statement Sergei had made was way more suspicious than Alek himself.

Did Sergei know about the coat?

Was that why he was pulling Katya away?

Had Kenzo really had him smuggle a bomb in the form of a coat inside Moskowsky? What the fuck was going on?

Alek sighed.

He couldn’t breathe.

He couldn’t think straight.

And perhaps that was why he chose to walk out. To leave the expo. Or maybe he just needed to use the washroom. Or maybe he needed to get some air.

And that was an understandable plan.

Until Yaroslav deliberately stood in his way.

Everyone at the expo saw it.

Everyone felt the tension.

Saw the way Alek paused, surprised, and tried to stay composed.

"Hello, Senator," Yaroslav greeted as a waiter passed with a tray of wine. Yaroslav grabbed two glasses from the tray and handed Alek one.

"Been a long time, no? I hear you have been a busy man," Yaroslav smiled at him, but the smile didn’t reach Yaroslav’s face, unnerving the senator even more.

What had he gotten himself into?

"The Senate is always busy, Mr. Gamov," Alek forced out, his throat dry as he looked between the office, Katya, and the man in front of him.

It was like his entire world was about to collapse, and he didn’t even know the easiest way out. Was there even one at this point anyway?

"Of course. But I doubt it’s the Senate that got you all sweaty and wet in an air-conditioned room like this, Senator," Yaroslav said, smiling courteously, and the senator froze.

"What?" Alek asked when he regained his composure.

"Smile, Senator. The people are watching. We don’t want them thinking I came for your head right in the middle of a public expo now, hmm?" Yaroslav said, laughing and smiling a little too widely.

And of course, Alek stared around them with a smile on his face like he was making them understand that this was just a simple conversation.

Was it, though?

"What do you think you’re doing?" Alek asked, his smile still showing.

And Yaroslav clinked their glasses.

"Drink up, Senator. Your shift is just starting," Yaroslav added, like there was nothing else he could say.

"What do you mean, Mr. Gamov?"

"We know the bratva has two people at this expo right now. If Katya gets hurt, Frolo will burn, and you will not even be able to put out the fire." Yaroslav smiled before adding loudly.

"That’s a good proposal, Senator. Of course, Moskowsky will consider it."

Then he left the expo.