✔️ ILLICIT DESIRES | 18 +

Chapter 45

THREE WEEKS LATER

Rita's pov

I was waiting in the courtroom as they brought him in. I got up from my seat, looking at him longingly. Now he was standing in front of me after three weeks, I realized how much I had missed him.

I tried to hide my smile by biting my lip. I hardly held myself back from running to him — hugging and kissing him.

I was happy I could protect him and his brother, but I felt a pang in my heart as I saw the way he was looking at me. He was mad at me. And if looks could kill I would be dead by the man I'd die for.

But I understood his anger, he was mad at me for reporting him. He felt betrayed, but if I was in the same situation again I'd report him again.

He could hate me as long as he was safe. I was actually relieved my plan worked out. Alessi did not harm him or his brother while they were in police custody.

He seemed better. He still had bruises on his face, but I could see they were healing well. His broken arm was in a plaster cast. I protected my man.

I smiled absently — reminding the night I was drunk. Roman said he'd protect his family. And he protected me against Alessi and his brother. He told me he'd kill and die for his family. He fought against his brother to stop him from dragging me to their boss. He risked his life for me. He saw me as his family.

And he was my family. The father of my baby. He was my baby's family. Now I would save him like he saved me.

I would give him all the power he needed to protect us against Alessi. I was ready to sacrifice my position in society to make him invincible.

My sadness and yearning turned into anger as Antonio and his brother entered the courtroom.

I huffed and was about to walk towards him to kick him in his dick again by using Nicolai as an excuse, when the judge walked in.

Sighing, I stayed put. I didn't want to cause a scene and get the trial postponed again. I wanted my man to be free.

"Mr. Jackson? Would you like to start?" the judge asked Mr. Jackson.

"Actually, Mrs. Volkov wants to do the opening speech by herself," he said to the judge.

"All right," the judge said, nodding his head before looking at me, "please, Mrs. Volkov."

I got up from my seat before taking a deep breath and stepping in front of the judge.

"Good afternoon, your Honor. My name is Rita Volkov, and I want to tell you and everyone in the courtroom what really happened after my husband's tragic death. I got married on March 21st and it ended in a nightmare. My husband and I said goodbye to the guests before retiring to our room, and losing there the man I loved." I heard Roman huff as I ended my sentence.

"I claimed in the report I gave to the police that everyone in the mansion was attacked by armed men, that my husband was killed and I was captured before the attackers blew up the entire mansion to cover up what really happened. Well ..." I said with my head down, gulping, before looking up at the judge again.

"Your Honor, everything I have said in this report is wrong. I was sick as I was giving my testimony. I ... was a drug addict, a junkie. And I was trying to get clean when I married Nicolai. My father, his soul should rest in peace, tried his best to hide my condition from the press as we are a well-known family in Mexico and my condition would have ruined our reputation. I... I also had a seizure on my wedding night. Nicolai was taking a shower as my body started craving for drugs. I got quite nervous as I didn't want him to see the junkie in me. Therefore, I left the mansion to get some fresh air and calm down. After I had calmed down, I went back to the mansion to see my home burning down."