The temptation of my brother-in-law-Chapter 186 - One Hundred and Eighty-Six

Chapter One Hundred and Eighty-Six

Alicia’s POV

I couldn’t stop shaking.

Sophie sat beside me on the bed, her arm around my shoulders. Alessandro stood by the door. Marco paced near the window. Signora Moretti held my hand.

"You need to breathe," she said gently. "Slow breaths. For the baby."

The baby. Right. I put my hand on my stomach.

Malachi knew. He knew about the baby. Had flown across the world because he knew.

And Zhao... Zhao had tried to take me. Would have succeeded if Malachi hadn’t shown up.

The thought made my stomach turn.

"I need to leave," I said. "I need to go somewhere else. Somewhere they can’t find me."

"Where?" Marco asked. "They found you here. They’ll find you anywhere."

"Then I’ll keep moving. I’ll—"

"You’re eight weeks pregnant," Alessandro said quietly. "You fainted twice last week from stress and malnutrition. How long do you think you’ll last running?"

He was right. I knew he was right. But the alternative was staying here. Waiting for Zhao to try again. Waiting for Malachi to come back.

"What do you want to do?" Signora Moretti asked.

"I don’t know. I don’t know anything anymore."

Sophie spoke up for the first time since the attack. "He saved us." Her voice was small. Scared. "That man. Malachi. He killed those people who were trying to take you."

"I know."

"He said he loves you."

"He doesn’t know what love is, Sophie."

"Are you sure? Because he looked pretty terrified when he was holding you. Like he thought you were dying." 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

I closed my eyes. Remembered the feeling of waking up in his arms. The relief on his face when I’d opened my eyes. Then the hurt when I’d told him to leave.

"He’s dangerous, Sophie. You don’t understand what he’s capable of."

"But he didn’t hurt you. He could have taken you. Could have forced you to go with him. But he left when you asked him to."

"Only because—" I stopped. Because why? Why had he left?

The old Malachi wouldn’t have. Would have thrown me over his shoulder and carried me out. Consequences be damned.

But he’d listened. He’d walked away.

"He said he’d give you space," Sophie continued. "That he’d leave if you wanted. Isn’t that what you wanted?"

"Yes. But—"

"But you’re scared he was lying. That he’ll come back and take the baby."

"Wouldn’t you be? If you knew what he was? What he’s done?"

Sophie was quiet for a moment. "I’m scared too. But I’m also scared of that Zhao person. And Malachi’s the only one who seems like he can stop him."

Alessandro cleared his throat. "She’s right. Like it or not, you need protection. The Morettis can provide security, but Zhao Wei is operating on a different level. He has resources. Connections. He’s not going to stop."

"So what? I just accept Malachi’s help? Let him back into my life?"

"You accept his help dealing with Zhao," Marco said. "That doesn’t mean you accept him back into your life. Think of it as... a business arrangement."

"With the father of my child."

"Yes."

I laughed. It came out bitter. "Nothing about this is a business arrangement. He wants control. He wants to own me."

"Does he?" Signora Moretti asked gently. "Or does he want to protect you? There’s a difference."

"Not in his world. In his world, protection and possession are the same thing."

"Then make it clear they’re not. Set boundaries. Tell him exactly what you will and won’t accept."

"And if he ignores them? If he decides to take what he wants anyway?"

"Then we’ll deal with it. But Alicia, right now, you have a more immediate problem. Zhao Wei wants you. He tried to take you today. He’ll try again tomorrow. Or the next day. You can’t run forever."

I knew that. Had known it from the moment I saw Zhao’s men in the bedroom.

Running wasn’t working. Hiding wasn’t working.

I needed a different solution.

"If I agree to work with Malachi," I said slowly, "it’s temporary. Just until Zhao is dealt with. Then he leaves. For good."

"You’d have to tell him that yourself," Alessandro said.

"I know."

"And he’d have to agree to it."

"He will. He promised."

"Do you believe him?"

That was the question, wasn’t it? Did I believe Malachi Blackwood when he said he’d leave me alone?

No. Not entirely.

But I believed he’d keep me safe. Believed he’d destroy anyone who threatened our child.

And right now, that was what I needed.

"I’ll talk to him," I said. "Set terms. Make it clear this is temporary."

"When?"

"Tomorrow. I need tonight to think. To figure out what I’m going to say."

Signora Moretti squeezed my hand. "You’re stronger than you think, my dear. You’ll find the right words."

I hoped she was right.

I didn’t sleep that night. Just lay in bed staring at the ceiling, thinking about everything that had happened.

Malachi had looked different. Older. More tired. Like the past few weeks had worn on him the same way they’d worn on me.

But he’d also looked dangerous. Deadly. He’d killed three men in that room without hesitation. Without remorse.

That was the man I was afraid of. The one who could turn off his emotions and become a weapon.

But he’d also looked terrified when I’d woken up in his arms. Had let me go when I’d asked. Had promised to give me space.

Which version was the real Malachi?

Or were they both real? The monster and the man who loved me existing in the same person?

My phone buzzed. A text from an unknown number.

I’m staying at a hotel twenty minutes away. When you’re ready to talk, call this number. - M

Of course he’d found my number. Probably had found it weeks ago.

I stared at the message. At the proof that he was close. Waiting.

Part of me wanted to throw the phone across the room. Wanted to ignore him. Pretend he didn’t exist.

But I couldn’t. Not anymore.

Because whether I liked it or not, Malachi Blackwood was the father of my child.

And I needed to figure out what that meant. For all of us.

I typed back.

Tomorrow. 2 PM. The estate. You come alone.

The response came immediately.

I’ll be there.

I set down the phone. Closed my eyes.

Tomorrow I’d face him. Tomorrow I’d set boundaries. Tomorrow I’d figure out how to accept his help without losing myself in the process.

Tomorrow.

Tonight, I just needed to survive the fear.

The fear that he’d take over. That he’d control everything. That I’d lose the freedom I’d fought so hard to gain.

The fear that part of me still loved him. Still wanted him. Still missed the way he made me feel when he looked at me like I was the only thing in the world that mattered.

That was the most terrifying part.

Not that he was a monster.

But that I loved the monster anyway.

And I didn’t know how to make that stop.