Chapter 494: Might Say Something Extremely Stupid

[FROLO]

Staring at the notice now, Sergei felt his heart sink into his stomach.

This was all him.

He shouldn’t have done this.

He shouldn’t have forgotten that he’d been mated and had fallen in love with the one omega who wouldn’t stay out just because it was what Sergei demanded of him.

Now his little wolf was on notice.

The Romanov omega was part of the team that murdered the Solana cartel members, the notice read.

And Sergei felt his heart thump hard in his chest.

Because he knew.

It was his fault.

It would always be his fault.

No matter how much he wanted to blame Boris for what had happened, this was on him.

He shouldn’t have distanced himself from Katya. He should have gone back home. He should have known that Katya was his anchor, and that Katya would always be there.

But Sergei should have wanted peace for his little wolf.

The kind that he thought would come if he stepped back.

Now, a week after the massacre of the Solana cartel members, Sergei knew he had to make a choice.

He knew Katya.

Understood his omega so well.

He knew if he went to Katya and begged the omega to stop...

...Katya wouldn’t stop.

He couldn’t even try to use the mate bond to make Katya change his mind anymore because the omega had weaponized that mate bond the same way Sergei had.

Instead of telling Sergei he was okay and doing better, he let himself get hurt, and Sergei felt the pain.

All of it.

Now that same omega had targets on his back for something that Sergei should have prevented.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, Frolo was tilting toward a different narrative.

A very dangerous narrative.

Sergei and Katya had broken up.

That was what the tabloids and gossip mills said.

And while it was not exactly true, Sergei couldn’t even say that it was false either.

Because when was the last time he’d gone to bed in his Solnyshka’s arms?

When last did he kiss his omega or even cook him dumplings?

When had Sergei sat down to eat Katya’s pepperoni pizza?

Or even the last time he’d played League of Legends with his Solnyshka like a functional boyfriend?

The blanks were valid and showing. But they didn’t make Sergei feel any better about the decision he had made.

It should have been simple.

Step back, save Katya’s life, don’t interfere with Katya’s normal.

Instead, what he got was a boyfriend who hadn’t stopped looking for him.

One who had chosen to get into the world Sergei should have been keeping him away from so badly. And now there was no stopping it.

But Sergei...

He didn’t like it.

The speculations.

So when he was approached by a daring Sierra to clear the air, Sergei took it, even though he knew it was a stupid choice. He knew he’d regret it, but what the fuck was he supposed to do?

"Good morning, Mr. Moskowsky," Sierra greeted him on the morning segment.

The guests who were to be on the show cancelled at the last minute when they heard that they would be sitting on the panel with Sergei Moskowsky.

It was probably a rational choice for them because no one wanted to be Sergei’s next victim.

"Hello, Sierra. I have not come here to be asked how I am doing. I only agreed because I need to clear the air about what’s going on between my Solnyshka and me," Sergei said, getting straight to the point.

He knew this was one he would regret and could backfire on him badly, but what the hell, right?

As long as everyone knew to stay away from Katya, all would be well eventually. He was choosing to believe that, however unhinged it was and would always seem.

"Okay. So what happened between you two? The city believes you both broke up, which is why you haven’t been seen together," Sierra said when she realised Sergei didn’t have time for her games.

Frankly, she wasn’t ready to be used as an example for Frolo; hence, she matched Sergei’s tone and demands.

"I fucked up. No, I didn’t cheat. I just... I didn’t go home one day, and the next, and the next. I should have gone home. I knew my lyubim was waiting for me. But I made the mistake of deciding for him.

"I pulled away because I didn’t think he’d want to see me after what I’ve become at the moment. That’s why we haven’t been seen together. And it’s not because my little wolf is packing in nothing.

"I just... I decided and stayed away. Didn’t give him a chance when he deserved the truth," Sergei said in brutal honesty, and Sierra listened.

She had always known this man to be honest about his associations, but this was something she had not expected.

He wasn’t even taking the blame because it was the noble thing to do. He was doing it because he believed it was his fault. It was obvious on his face, and he wasn’t trying to be some good man.

He wasn’t.

"So... You betrayed Katya..." Sierra asked, and Sergei gritted his teeth.

"To my eternal shame," Sergei said, eyes hooded and head bowed.

He couldn’t face that part of himself. He had seen Katya suffer the whole of the last week, and he couldn’t take it anymore. He’d wanted to plan a proper apology, but now everyone was gunning for his beloved.

"We got anonymous tips that you were at Romanov Steel last week... Was it business?" Sierra asked carefully.

She was crossing over into very dangerous territory, but what the hell was she supposed to make of this then? At the end of the day, she had to let herself understand the simple way that things worked.

"No. My dear son handles the business and the empire... including the alliances with Romanov Steel. I... I went there to... To see my Solnyshka," Sergei said sincerely, and Sierra listened.

"I thought... I thought after ghosting him I’d stop by, but I learned that relationships definitely don’t work that way," Sergei said sheepishly, and Sierra dared to chuckle softly.

"So you still love him..."

"I never stopped. I won’t stop loving him... I just... I have to figure out how to earn back the trust I betrayed. No matter how long it takes me," Sergei said, looking into the cameras like he was hoping Katya saw him.

Or maybe that Katya watched the segment.

"I also have a warning for Frolo and anyone out there who thinks they can hurt my Solnyshka while I’m still trying to figure out how to earn back his trust...

"...I’ll paint the streets with your internal organs, worse than I did with your president. Don’t even think of touching what’s mine; the city will pay the price," Sergei said coldly, ignoring the way the crew went silent and stiffened.

He didn’t care, really.

With that, Sergei walked out as he tried to think of what to say to Katya after this.

His Solnyshka would be angry.

Sergei knew it.

But he had to make sure he was safe. It was the only way he could think of since Katya had refused to talk to him the whole week and had ignored his very existence.

Sergei was screwed.

Maybe that’s why...

"I’m sorry for what I just did. I didn’t know any other way to keep them clear of you. It doesn’t excuse my distance, and you don’t have to forgive me. Good morning, little wolf."

The response was instant.

"Where. The. Fuck. Are. You. Vladimir!!!"

Sergei smiled.

At least he was still his Solnyshka’s Vladimir.