BWWM: The Billionaire's Marriage of Convenience (BWWM Russian Alpha Male Romance) (Interracial BBW Billionaire Pregnancy Short Stories) by Serena Vale Page B
Authors: Serena Vale
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a certainty – that gave her a fresh chill about the hearing to come.
“… but I have a plan,” he added quietly, withdrawing his fingers. “And I will need your support when the time comes.”
She didn’t have time to ask what he meant. The door to the judge’s chamber opened and she saw Utkin come strolling in, adorned in the same garb as he had been the day before.
He settled into his chair and regarded both her, Alexi, and then Abram. “Be seated,” he said.
They sat as the judge flipped open his notes and reviewed what was written there before looking back to them. “Mr. Fyodorov, you may now make your opening statement.”
Before Abram could speak, Alexi surprised her by rising to his feet. “Your honor, if I may be heard?”
Regina felt a bolt of fear shoot through her as he did so and she quickly tried to silence him, but he waved her off.
“Mr. Romanov, this is my court room… I will not have you turn it into one of your business meetings,” Utkin said, his voice ringing with warning. “We will observe the proper procedures for…”
“If you will indulge me, your honor, I can save Mr. Fyodorov some effort and I can also save you precious time. I would like to confess my crimes and bring this matter to a close,” Alexi said matter-of-factly. “That is what you were most interested in, was it not, your honor?”
Utkin’s face was blank and Regina spared a quick look to Abram’s face and saw a look of complete surprise on his features as well, though he still looked smug. Her mind began to reel again for the second time in as many days, though the first time had been in bed with Alexi. She would have preferred that.
The judge leaned forward in his chair and stared across the room at Alexi as if his gaze could have turned men to stone. “Mr. Romanov… just to be clear… you are in fact admitting to your crimes?”
She tapped at Alexi’s flank and whispered furiously, “Alexi, what’re you doing?”
He silenced her with a gentle clasp her hand. To the judge he said, “I am admitting that I have a connection to my business dealings, your honor… but whether or not I am guilty of any crime… that is for you to say.”
Regina began to rise in her seat, but Alexi put a firm hand on her shoulder and pushed her back into it. The strength that he did so hurt her shoulder but she felt the urgency in his action more. From it she was able to understand a simple truth; He knows what he’s doing .
Every fiber of her professional mind warned her to prevent this from happening. But somehow, she felt the insistence in his grip that the best course of action that she could do was to remain quiet.
“For the record, your honor,” Alexi went on, “what I have to say is going against my council’s advice.”
“Noted,” the judge said, scribbling on his notepad. “Now, what do you have to say, Mr. Romanov?”
Alexi took a deep breath. “Your honor… Mr. Fyodorov represents parties that have stated that I am guilty of swindling… stealing… perhaps one might even say embezzling. Perhaps I am in the eyes of those that have something to lose.”
Regina stayed quiet, listening and watching.
“That I am guilty of something, I suppose is true. But the severity of the crime that they are accusing me of does not match their hatred for me.”
“Mr. Romanov… ,” the judge said, holding up a hand to silence him, “I would recommend that your attorney in this matter be the one to offer these words. Perhaps you have not thought this matter through clearly.”
Alexi nodded. “My attorney is not aware of the true severity of my crimes your honor. And I’m sure that you’re well aware of whom Mr. Fyodorov represents and what it is that they require you to perform on their behalf.”
The judge’s face turned red and Regina feared for a heartbeat that he might actually explode. She gripped the armrests of her chair
“… but I have a plan,” he added quietly, withdrawing his fingers. “And I will need your support when the time comes.”
She didn’t have time to ask what he meant. The door to the judge’s chamber opened and she saw Utkin come strolling in, adorned in the same garb as he had been the day before.
He settled into his chair and regarded both her, Alexi, and then Abram. “Be seated,” he said.
They sat as the judge flipped open his notes and reviewed what was written there before looking back to them. “Mr. Fyodorov, you may now make your opening statement.”
Before Abram could speak, Alexi surprised her by rising to his feet. “Your honor, if I may be heard?”
Regina felt a bolt of fear shoot through her as he did so and she quickly tried to silence him, but he waved her off.
“Mr. Romanov, this is my court room… I will not have you turn it into one of your business meetings,” Utkin said, his voice ringing with warning. “We will observe the proper procedures for…”
“If you will indulge me, your honor, I can save Mr. Fyodorov some effort and I can also save you precious time. I would like to confess my crimes and bring this matter to a close,” Alexi said matter-of-factly. “That is what you were most interested in, was it not, your honor?”
Utkin’s face was blank and Regina spared a quick look to Abram’s face and saw a look of complete surprise on his features as well, though he still looked smug. Her mind began to reel again for the second time in as many days, though the first time had been in bed with Alexi. She would have preferred that.
The judge leaned forward in his chair and stared across the room at Alexi as if his gaze could have turned men to stone. “Mr. Romanov… just to be clear… you are in fact admitting to your crimes?”
She tapped at Alexi’s flank and whispered furiously, “Alexi, what’re you doing?”
He silenced her with a gentle clasp her hand. To the judge he said, “I am admitting that I have a connection to my business dealings, your honor… but whether or not I am guilty of any crime… that is for you to say.”
Regina began to rise in her seat, but Alexi put a firm hand on her shoulder and pushed her back into it. The strength that he did so hurt her shoulder but she felt the urgency in his action more. From it she was able to understand a simple truth; He knows what he’s doing .
Every fiber of her professional mind warned her to prevent this from happening. But somehow, she felt the insistence in his grip that the best course of action that she could do was to remain quiet.
“For the record, your honor,” Alexi went on, “what I have to say is going against my council’s advice.”
“Noted,” the judge said, scribbling on his notepad. “Now, what do you have to say, Mr. Romanov?”
Alexi took a deep breath. “Your honor… Mr. Fyodorov represents parties that have stated that I am guilty of swindling… stealing… perhaps one might even say embezzling. Perhaps I am in the eyes of those that have something to lose.”
Regina stayed quiet, listening and watching.
“That I am guilty of something, I suppose is true. But the severity of the crime that they are accusing me of does not match their hatred for me.”
“Mr. Romanov… ,” the judge said, holding up a hand to silence him, “I would recommend that your attorney in this matter be the one to offer these words. Perhaps you have not thought this matter through clearly.”
Alexi nodded. “My attorney is not aware of the true severity of my crimes your honor. And I’m sure that you’re well aware of whom Mr. Fyodorov represents and what it is that they require you to perform on their behalf.”
The judge’s face turned red and Regina feared for a heartbeat that he might actually explode. She gripped the armrests of her chair
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