Chapter 6
Chapter
Six
AVA
N ikolai keeps stealing glances at me on the drive home.
It seems I really did surprise him. Honestly, I surprised myself. I, too, thought I would’ve been long gone by now, but Rosemary needed my help, and I knew in my gut I had to get her to the hospital. She went out of her way to save me from those men. Without her, who knows what would’ve happened?
Well, Nikolai probably would’ve happened.
He had his guards following me without me even knowing. That fact sends a shiver down my spine. I knew Nikolai was powerful, but this is the first time I finally understand what that means. I will probably never be free of him.
But I have to keep trying.
My mom would be so disappointed in me if I didn’t continue to fight. She fought my father for years and, for a brief moment, won. But she lost to him in the end. I don’t want to lose myself to Nikolai. I think deep down, it would be so easy to do that.
“If Rosemary hadn’t helped me,” I say, “what would have happened to those men who were harassing me? You said you had your guards following me. Why didn’t they step in?”
He sighs deeply, his hands clenching the steering wheel. “Because I told them not to approach you and just observe.”
Fear settles in my stomach. “So, if those men had kidnapped me, would your guards have let them?”
“No. No, they would’ve gotten involved. It seems Rosemary stepped in to save the day before they could help you.” He shakes his head, a small smile on his lips. “An old woman saving the day. I’ve seen a lot in my life, but I’ve never seen that.”
“You’d be amazed at what women could do.”
He slants his eyes at me. “I guess so.”
I hesitate to ask, but I need to know. “Nikolai … if you’d shown up when those men were harassing me, what would you have done?”
He keeps his eyes straight ahead as he answers. “They wouldn’t be here today.”
“You … you would have killed them?” I whisper. I’m asking because I need to know what kind of man I’m married to. I have to know.
“I would have,” he answers without a hint of shame in his voice.
And now I know what kind of man I’m married to. A truly dangerous one.
Nikolai doesn’t leave my side until we’re back in my bedroom. Once again, he doesn’t take me to his, and I wonder if we’ll ever share a bedroom. That’s the last thing I want because that would mean I’ve giving in to him. I have to stay strong against Nikolai. It’s the only way to survive any of this.
“You are to remain in here the rest of the night,” he orders.
“I know. You don’t want me running again.”
He cups my face, and the act is more gentle than I would’ve expected from him. “I don’t want you running at all. I want you here , Ava. With me.”
“Then why do you keep distance between us?” I’m not sure why I’m asking. It’s not like I want to get to know Nikolai.
At least … I don’t think I want to get to know him. But deep down, maybe I do.
He lets go of my face. “You ask a lot of questions.”
“I haven’t asked them all.”
“What kind of questions do you have?”
I just go for it. “How did you get your scar?”
He straightens, and instantly, I can tell he’s shutting down and pulling away. “A bad man gave it to me. He betrayed me. No more questions,” he adds before I can ask more. “Take off your clothes for me. All of it this time.”
I stand rigid. Before, Nikolai only saw me half-naked in my bra and underwear. I’ve never been fully naked before a man.
If I said no, I don’t think he’d force me to do it. I could yell at him and make him feel horrible for having his guards follow me.
But a man like Nikolai doesn’t think he’s in the wrong. He has power, and he’s used to wielding it. He admitted he would’ve killed those men for harassing me.
Nikolai is not someone I want to test. But maybe I need to.
“If you want me to get naked, why don’t you make me?” I ask.
Once more, he gives me that intense stare that makes my body tingle. There’s that flutter between my legs again. None of it makes sense. I hate this man. I can’t feel anything else for him.
“I could make you,” he admits. “But I want you to do it yourself.”
“Why though? Why is it so important that I’m the one to do it?”
“Because you need to know how it feels. To make yourself vulnerable before me.”
My heart begins to beat faster. “Why?”
He steps closer to me, making me look up at him. This close, I can feel the heat coming from his body. I want to step closer to it. “You’re like a kid—always asking ‘why’.”
“But I’m not a child. I’m a woman.”
His eyes look me over in that dark way of his. It’s both terrifying and strangely intoxicating. “I know you’re a woman. Which is why I want to see all of you. Are you brave enough to take all your clothes off?”
“Only if you do it, too,” I whisper. If I’m going to make myself vulnerable, I want Nikolai to do it as well. Tit for tat and all that.
“I’m in charge here.”
“Are you?”
His eyes narrow. “I’m always in charge, Ava.”
“Then force me to take my clothes off.” I need to know how far he’ll go. I need to know if he’ll truly stick to his code .
A sharp inhale of breath. Never before have I seen Nikolai look so surprised. What other emotions does he have?
His fingers skim the straps of my dress, but he doesn’t push it down. With one last look at me, he drops his hands and backs away.
I let out a long breath. feeling slightly disappointed. If Nikolai had forced me, I could have hated him. But by stepping away, I’m only left more confused. Maybe he is a man who sticks by his code.
“Just don’t leave again,” he mutters then walks out of the room, shutting my door behind him.
My legs are unable to hold me up, and I collapse onto the bed.
What is Nikolai making me feel? And how do I stop it?
A man shows up at the house.
A handsome man, I’ll admit. Dark hair, easygoing smile, strong build. He’s like the poster boy for every school girl crush.
And Nikolai is not happy to see him here.
“Dimitri, I told you to never come here.”
This man—Dimitri—doesn’t seemed bothered by Nikolai’s anger as he strolls on in through the front door. I remain hidden in the doorway of the living room to the foyer, staying back. Other than the staff, I haven’t seen Nikolai interact with anyone else.
Dimitri makes a big show of looking around. “I just wanted to finally see where you live.”
“How did you find my house?”
“Nik, everyone in this fucking city knows where you live. You’re kind of famous.”
“Nikolai,” he growls. “Don’t call me Nik.”
Dimitri holds his hands up in surrender. “My bad. I keep forgetting.”
“I know,” Nikolai says in a deadpan voice.
“So, where’s the wife?”
“Did you come here just so you could meet her? Because that’s not going to happen.” For the first time, I get to see Nikolai’s possessiveness of me in action.
“No. I thought I could come over so we could discuss more business ideas. I have this great one about expanding the heroin I bring into the city. With your help, I think we could really grow it.”
“Mmm. We can discuss in my office. Don’t dawdle.” Nikolai turns toward the opposite hallway from where I am. Dimitri follows until he looks over his shoulder …
… and spots me.
I try to duck back into the living room, but it’s too late. Dimitri has seen me.
“Hello there,” he says, stepping into the living room.
I’m frozen solid. This man works with Nikolai, which means he’s probably just as bad as my husband is. At least with Nikolai, I’m starting to get a sense of him, but Dimitri is a complete stranger to me.
Nikolai storms into the room. “I said you weren’t going to meet her.”
“But I already have.” He extends his hand out to me. “Dimitri Ivanov, at your service.”
Nikolai is watching me intently. I know he’ll be upset if I take Dimitri’s hand.
Which is probably why I do it.
Dimitri’s handshake is firm, and he holds on just a little bit longer than appropriate. “What’s your name?”
“Ava,” I answer, pulling my hand away. I can feel Nikolai’s eyes on me, but I don’t dare look at him.
“A beautiful name for a beautiful woman.”
I feel the heat of a blush rush into my cheeks. “Thank you.”
Dimitri smiles in a way that tells me he knows he’s charming. I shouldn’t trust a man like that. “How did you and Nik meet?”
Nikolai lets out a low sound but doesn’t say anything else.
“We just … did,” I say lamely.
“Oh. How wonderful,” Dimitri responds sarcastically.
“We should go into my office to discuss business,” Nikolai says. “Now, Dimitri.”
“All right.” Dimitri lets his eyes linger on me for a moment, making me feel … I’m not sure what. It’s not the strange excitement I feel around Nikolai. It’s an uneasiness like his kind exterior can’t fully be trusted.
But maybe he could help me. If anyone is powerful enough to help me escape Nikolai, it would be another Bratva man.
“You work together?” I ask before they can walk away. I need to know just how powerful Dimitri is.
“We do,” Dimitri says, only too happy to answer.
“And you are …?”
“I do what Nik does.”
I doubt he’s truly going to tell me. Even Nikolai hasn’t fully told me what he does. It’s probably better that way.
“You work for him?” I nod at my husband. Nikolai is watching me with that intense, unreadable gaze.
Dimitri scoffs. “I don’t work for him. We work together. We’re partners.”
So, then, Dimitri must be just as powerful.
Powerful enough to help me?
“That’s enough conversation,” Nikolai says. “Dimitri, let’s go into my office. Now .”
“Coming,” he replies as a child does. With a wink at me, he follows Nikolai down the hallway and out of sight.
Now, the question becomes—how do I get Dimitri to help me, and how do I ask him for help when Nikolai isn’t looking?
NIKOLAI
“I told you to stay away from my wife,” I snap at him the moment we’re in my office.
“I just wanted to meet her.” Dimitri is too nonchalant as he leans against the wall.
“Well, now you’ve met her, and you never need to talk to her again.”
“Come on, Nik. It’s not like I’m going to steal your wife away.” He pauses. “Though, that would be fun.”
I stare at him until he straightens and says, “I’m joking. Ok? I won’t steal your wife away. I really am here to discuss business.”
I don’t trust Dimitri. Anyone would be a fool to trust a Bratva man. As one myself, I know this first hand.
As Dimitri’s smirk grows, I know to keep myself on high alert with him.
AVA
I don’t take my eyes off the hallway the entire time. When Dimitri and Nikolai finally appear, I know this is my one and only chance to talk with Dimitri. I doubt Nikolai will be too keen to invite him over ever again.
I rush over to Nikolai. “Oh my god. Mrs. Brown is hurt. She fell. Upstairs.”
Nikolai stares at me for a moment before heading upstairs at a fast clip. I only have a few minutes—if that.
I turn to Dimitri, who’s staring at me with a small smile on his lips. “Can you help me?” I whisper.
“Help you with what?”
“Get me out of here. Nikolai forced me into his marriage. I need to escape.”
His eyes widen. “No shit. Wow. Honestly, can’t say I’m surprised. An ugly fucker like that could never get a woman of his own.”
“He’s not ugly.” I don’t know why I’m defending Nikolai. “But that doesn’t matter. I just need to escape. I need to go. Now. Before he comes back.”
“I could get in trouble for this.”
“Are you actually worried about that?”
He pauses, then smiles. “Nope. Not one bit. If Nikolai is keeping you hostage, I’d gladly help you out. Come on.”
Edmund opens the front door for Dimitri … and I follow.
“Ava?” Edmund asks. “What are you doing?”
“She’s coming with me,” Dimitri says. “I wouldn’t try to stop me.” He opens his jacket and reveals a gun in the inside pocket. Edmund goes white.
Dimitri nods at me. “Come along.”
Edmund and I share a look. Am I doing the right thing? Nikolai will be upset that I’m running again, but then, he also bought me, so I don’t think he gets to have an opinion on what I do.
Dimitri opens his car door for me, and I get inside. I spy two men running across the street toward us—Nikolai’s men. But Dimitri drives away before they can reach us.
At the last moment, Nikolai runs out of the house, and I see his expression. Fury … mixed with hurt.
“I can’t believe I just did that,” I say.
“The world is your oyster, Ava. Where do you want to go?”
“My apartment. In New Haven.”
Dimitri’s easygoing smile slips. “Yeah, I can take you there. But I need to stop at my club first. If you don’t mind.”
“Your club?”
“It’s a dance club. I own it.”
“Why do we need to stop there?” I can feel that similar sense of dread spilling into my stomach.
“Because I have a meeting with someone there. Discuss more business and all of that.”
“Can’t it wait?”
“You know, Ava, you asked me to help you, and I am. But I still have my own life, you know? I’ll take you to New Haven, but it’ll have to wait.”
“Right.” I settle back in my seat even though my body feels like stone. “Of course.” It was unfair of me to think Dimitri would drop everything to come help me. This will be fine. We’ll go to his club, and then he can take me to New Haven, where I’ll find my mom’s body and put her to rest. After that, I have no idea. One thing at a time.
“Why did you help me?” I ask.
“Because I thought it would be fun.”
Instantly, I’m on edge. When Rosemary helped me, she was doing it out of the goodness of her heart. But for Dimitri, it sounds like this is a game to him. Like my safety is a funny movie he can laugh at.
I’m not sure how safe I am, but I do know I can’t stay with Nikolai. I just can’t.
Dimitri parks on the sidewalk before a nightclub called Eden . A long line of men and women wait outside.
Dimitri doesn’t bother opening my door for me. He doesn’t even bother to wait for me as I hurry to catch him as he walks for the door. The bouncer out front unclips the velvet rope for Dimitri, and I just barely make it through behind him before the bouncer reclips the rope back into place.
“You were leaving me behind,” I say.
Dimitri glances back at me. “Was I?”
We enter the club.
The first thing I notice is just how loud it is. I can barely hear myself think. The music is blaring through the speakers, and a low thump, thump of bass travels through my body. Men and women are packed everywhere. I can barely walk through the crowd as I follow Dimitri.
And then I lose sight of him.
I try pushing through the sea of bodies, but I can’t find Dimitri. Everything is too loud and dark and chaotic. My anxiety spikes. My vision blurs. My heart pounds so fast it hurts.
I manage to stumble over to the bar and catch myself on it, taking in deep breaths. Where did Dimitri go? Does he even care that he lost me?
The bartender, a handsome young man, sets a glass of water before me. “You look like you could use it.”
“Where’s Dimitri?” I ask.
He stares at me blankly.
“Dimitri?” I repeat. “Dimitri Ivanov?”
“You mean the owner? He’s usually in his private booth upstairs.” He points to a second floor of the club, and sure enough, there’s Dimitri. He’s chatting with a man, laughing and sipping on a drink.
“Thank you.”
The bartender gives me a nod.
I head up the stairs on wobbly legs until I reach the second landing. Before me is a private booth with another velvet rope blocking it off—this one is purple. Men and women lounge around in the booth, including Dimitri.
A bodyguard stops me from progressing farther.
“Dimitri,” I say.
He glances over at me. “Ali, it’s all right. She can come in.”
The guard opens the rope and motions me on through. I remain standing before Dimitri’s private group of friends. They all stare at me curiously. Some of the men give me hungry looks.
So do some of the women.
“Dimitri, you left me,” I say, my voice getting washed out by the music.
“What was that?” he asks.
“You left me!”
“Ah.” He settles back into the booth, his arms around two beautiful women—one a redhead, another a blonde. “Sorry about that.”
“You said you’d help me.”
“Did I say that?”
I stare at him for a second. “You did.”
“Oh, well … sorry. I’m a little busy right now.”
“Doing what?”
The redhead scoffs. “Can you stop interrogating him? We’re trying to have fun here.”
I blink back sudden tears that threaten to spill over. “I just want to go to my apartment in New Haven. You said you’d take me.”
“I never made that promise,” Dimitri replies. “Why don’t you go have some fun? I’ll check in with you later.” But he’s already turning his attention to the redhead.
I doubt he’ll check back in with me at all.
Defeated, I head back down the stairs into the main section of the club. Bodies push against me. Bump against me. Some man even tries grinding against me. I hurry back over to the bar where I know the bartender is at least nice.
I can’t believe I let myself have hope. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted Dimitri. It’s just that he was my only option for escape.
But I know now, never trust a Bratva man. I can’t allow myself to be naive ever again.
A tear slips down my cheek, and I wipe away it in frustration.
“Ava?” I hear a familiar voice ask.
When I look to my right, I see Jason. My friend from school.
His familiar face fills me with so much joy, I hug him without even thinking about it.
“Woah, there.” He stumbles back but hugs me anyway. “Ava, where have you been? You haven’t been to school in over a week.”
“Jason. How my god. You don’t know how happy I am to see you. Please, I need help.”
“Help? What for?”
“I was kidnapped. I’m married.” He frowns as I show him my ring.
“You’re … married? When the hell did that happen?”
“I was forced into it.” Did he not hear me say I was kidnapped? “Please, can you just drive me back to New Haven. I need to go home. Please.”
“Ava, hold on. Calm down. I’m in the city for some fun. I don’t want to just leave right away.”
“Jason, did you not hear me? I was kidnapped! I was forced into a marriage. I need you to help me before he shows up here.”
“Before who shows up?”
“My husband,” I hiss. How is he not getting it? This is urgent. I know Jason is smart. I mean, he goes to Yale after all.
His eyes darken as he finally takes in my words. “What exactly happened?”
“Just get me out of here, and I’ll explain.”
Instead of urgently walking with me out of the club, he slumps against the bar. “I can’t believe this. You’re actually married. And here I thought I stood a chance.”
“What?” I look around the crowded club frantically. Nikolai could show up at any moment. “What are you talking about?”
“I’m talking about me, Ava. Have you really not known how I’ve felt about you these past couple of months. I mean, I thought I made it obvious. Asking you out all the time.”
“For coffee. As friends.”
“No, not as friends. I’ve always wanted to be more than friends, and you’ve gone and married someone else. How do you think that makes me feel?”
I almost slap him. Almost.
“Jason, I was kidnapped . I didn’t want to be married. Please, help me. It doesn’t matter how you feel right now. I need help!”
“Who kidnapped you?” he asks in a tone like he doesn’t believe me. How can he not believe me?
“My father. He killed my mother and kidnapped me, and then Nikolai Petrov, who’s part of the Russian mob, forced me into a marriage with him. There. Now you know everything. Can we please just go?”
He sighs, shaking his head. “I’m sorry, Ava. That story is just too ridiculous to believe. If you just wanted to not be with me, then you should have just told me.”
“We were friends! You’re only my friend!” Somehow, at that very moment, the music turns off, making it possible for the people around us to hear me scream.
Jason’s face is red, and he has a pout on his lips.
The music switches to a new song. The people around us finally look away, allowing me to breathe again.
“I need to get out of here,” I whisper, heading for the front door.
“Ava, wait!” Jason follows me outside and grabs my arm before I can walk away. “Where are you going? We should talk about this. Do you really only want to be friends? I’ve liked you for months. You’re beautiful. Sweet. Have great eyes. We would be a perfect match.”
“Jason, I need to go, ok?” If I leave now, maybe I can make it to the train station before Nikolai finds me. “Do you have any money I can borrow?”
He stares at me for a moment before scoffing. “I can’t believe this. You reject me and then ask me for money? Why don’t you like me, Ava? I’ve spent months being quiet and polite, waiting for you to wake up to how you feel about me.”
“Do you have money? I need to get to safety. My husband will find me and force me back to his house.”
“Maybe that’s what you deserve for toying with my heart.”
I blink at me. My mom was right—Jason does have a crush on me. But I just never realized how much of an asshole he was. I’m literally begging for his help, and all he can think about is himself.
“I have to go,” I say, walking away.
“Ava, wait!” Jason grabs my arms and forces me against him. “Let’s talk about this.”
“Let me go, Jason.” When he doesn’t, I kick him in the shin. “Let me go!” When kicking him in the shin doesn’t work, I land a kick between his legs. That sends him stumbling to the ground.
I take off running.
Jason was no help. The only person who has ever helped me was Rosemary, but I have no idea where she lives. I don’t even know her last name.
Two men step out of the shadows and surround me. “Hey, pretty bitch,” one of them says. It’s too dark out to make out their features. All I know is I’m in danger. Serious, serious danger.
The second man grabs me. “You look rich. Grab her shoes. I’ll take her dress off.”
“No!” I kick at the first man, who tries taking my shoes off. He grabs one before I kick him in the face. He jerks back, then smacks me across the face.
The man holding me rips my straps down, making my dress pool around my waist.
“No, please,” I beg. Leaving with Dimitri was the biggest mistake of my life. It has been nothing but misery. Ironically, I was safer with Nikolai.
The first man gets my other shoe and waves them around. “These are going to get us at least a couple hundred. Get her dress.”
“I’m trying,” the other man mutters as I struggle against him.
“Please, no! Just let me go.”
He tosses me to the ground and gets on top of me. “Stop struggling, bitch.” He punches me in the face.
Everything goes blurry.
Through the blurriness, I think I see Nikolai, with a gun in one hand, grabbing the man off me and throwing him to the ground.
Nikolai shoots the man in the face. The other man begins running, but Nikolai shoots him too.
Then he’s before me, helping me stand up. We stare at each other for a long moment.
And then I throw my arms around him.
After a couple of seconds, Nikolai wraps his arms around me, too.