Chapter 13
Chapter
Thirteen
AVA
J ason jerks back from the slap, clutching his face. “What the hell?”
“Seriously?”
A few other students walking by notice, but they don’t say anything. Either they can tell it’s relationship drama, and they’re not going to get involved, or they just don’t care.
“What’s your problem?” he asks. “You know what? I know what your problem is. That husband of yours. He’s changed you. You’re not the sweet girl I once knew.”
“You know what, Jason? You’re right. My husband has changed me. I’m not a doormat any longer. I asked for your help, and you didn’t even lift a finger. You just kept blaming me for only liking you as a friend. I told you I was kidnapped, and you didn’t even hear me.”
He scoffs. “Like you’re even telling the truth. Girls like you who end up with Chads are all liars.”
I slowly shake my head. “How were we ever once friends? I don’t even know you.”
“I can say the same about you. And I’m going to be pressing charges. You assaulted me.”
All of a sudden, I start to laugh. Huge, big bellowing laughs.
Jason frowns. “What’s so funny? Are you mocking me? You hit me!”
“I know I did,” I say, as tears of laughter escape my eyes. “It’s just so … funny.”
“What? What’s funny?”
“Seeing you freak out like you’re doing right now. I was literally kidnapped and forced into a marriage, and you didn’t help me, and yet, you think I’m the bad guy. It’s just ironic.”
“It’s not funny,” he growls.
Slowly, my laughs fade. “You’re right. It’s not. But, see, the thing is, Jason, you can press charges all you want. But my husband will protect me from that. He’s going to kill you.” That thought sobers me right up. “If you come after me, you’re dead. And even though I think you’re a mean person, I don’t think you deserve to die. So, if I were you, I wouldn’t press charges.”
He scoffs. “You can’t tell me what to do.”
I take a step closer to him, and he takes a step back. “You met my husband. Do you want to risk his wrath?”
I can see the visible gulp in his neck as he swallows. “Your husband doesn’t scare me.” He doesn’t sound convincing.
“He should. And I think you’re lying. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to get back to New York. Back to my husband.”
Jason’s jaw goes slack. I guess he really didn’t expect me to stand up for myself. There’s no way I’ll tell Nikolai about this. I meant what I said—Jason doesn’t deserve to die. He deserves to be put in his place, but I can’t be the one to do it. It’s not my job.
My life has changed exponentially since I lost my mom, my father betrayed me, and I had to marry a stranger.
There’s no more time for me to feel afraid. I need to make the most out of life going forward. And to start, I’ll need Nikolai to forge a police report for me.
“You need a document stating you were kidnapped?” he asks dubiously after I get back home.
Home. It’s strange. I’m slowly starting to think of this Gothic mansion as my home.
“Yes. It’s the only way I’ll have the proof of why I missed classes. It’s the only way they’ll let me make my time back up.”
Nikolai nods once. “All right. I’ll get that for you.” He turns away then hesitates and looks back at me. “Is there anything else you need?”
I stare at him in shock. The great Nikolai Petrov actually asking me if I need something? I can tell he’s trying. It makes my heart flutter.
“Uh … no,” I say, feeling suddenly awkward. This is new territory for us. We’ve fought, we’ve shared electric, sensual moments, and we’ve even been close to opening up to one another.
But we’ve never been this: nice to each other.
Nikolai looks strangely disappointed that I don’t ask for more but doesn’t say anything as he heads back into his office.
I start to head back into my room then pause. This is what I’ve been doing for a while. Staying in my room because it felt safe. But I want more than that.
For the first time, I pivot, go into the library, pick up a book, and sit down and read. It feels like my life before Nikolai.
It feels nice.
NIKOLAI
Ava came back.
She went to Yale, and she came back. She didn’t try to run. I know it was part of our deal, but still—she chose to come back.
And that makes me feel things I haven’t felt in a long time. Mainly, hope.
I stand outside her bedroom. It’s night, and she must be asleep by now. I push the door open and step inside. She’s tucked under the covers, sleeping. I’ve never seen her face look so relaxed until now.
There’s a part of me that wants to climb into the bed with her. Not to have sex but just to hold her. I’ve had an iciness around my heart for years, but Ava is starting to melt it.
The rational side of my brain says I need to end this here. I need to lock her back up and make her hate me so I can hate her, too. So I’ll never let myself fall in love with her.
But I just can’t do that. I don’t want to lock Ava up. I never have.
I appreciate that she’s a smart woman, and I want her to get her education.
I just wanted her to be mine more, which is why I bought her from her father. I’m a monster.
But I’m trying to be better—for her.
I haven’t gone after Maxim even though everything inside of me says to kill him. I’ll leave him alone to have peace for Ava’s sake.
Everything was so much simpler before her. I fought and I killed and I hurt people because I could. But I can’t do those things to her.
I don’t want to do those things to her.
The urge to get into the bed with her so strong, I have to leave the room before I actually do it. I shut her door and head back into my own room, where, for the first time, it feels lonely.
Dimitri waltzes into the house like he owns the place.
If Ava wasn’t standing right next to me, I’d probably try to shoot Dimitri just for that fact alone. But I keep my composure. I have to try.
For her.
“If I’d known you were coming over,” I say, “I would have told Edmund not to open the door.”
Dimitri cracks a smile. “I know you’re joking, but I also know you’re not joking.” He throws a wink at Ava, and it takes everything inside me not to put my arm around her like a possessive asshole.
Except when he turns to her and takes her hand and kisses the back of it like he’s in an old school romance novel, I can’t help myself. I place my arm around her shoulders and draw her in closer to me.
Ava gives me a flustered look that better be from me and not Dimitri.
“Nice to see you again, Ava.”
“You, too, Dimitri.”
He turns to me. “You know, if it weren’t for my help, your wife here never would have found and saved you from Maxim.”
“Yes, because you couldn’t come help me yourself.”
He shrugs. “What do you expect from me, Nik? I can only do so much. I have a club to run. And speaking of my club,” he says, walking past us into the living room and flopping onto the couch, “I have some exciting news.”
I grit my teeth as he puts his feet on the coffee table.
“That’s rude, you know,” Ava says.
Dimitri blinks at her. “What’s rude?”
“Putting your feet on the coffee table. With your shoes on, too. That’s rude.”
I stare at Ava in shock. She’s becoming more and more bold as the days go on. I’ve never heard her speak to Dimitri like this, but I like it.
Actually, I fucking love it.
Slowly, Dimitri lowers his feet back to the floor. “Sorry, your highness. I didn’t know.”
“It’s common courtesy,” she continues.
“Too bad I was raised by wolves.”
She rolls her eyes.
“Why are you here?” I ask him, crossing my arms. “We don’t have work to discuss.”
“This isn’t about work, Nik.”
“Nikolai.”
“Whatever. This is about the party I’m throwing at my club, and I want you to come.” He flicks his eyes to Ava. “Both of you.”
“There’s always a party at your club. It’s called a club,” I say.
He snorts. “You’re no fun.”
“What kind of party?” Ava asks.
I shoot her a look. She can’t be seriously entertaining this. She shrugs, and it dawns on me that yes, she is entertaining this.
“A wild one,” Dimitri says with a dark grin.
“That doesn’t sound good,” I remark.
“Yeah,” Ava agrees. “I’ve been to your club before, Dimitri, and you left me there. I don’t exactly trust you.”
“But you trust your husband?”
She hesitates, and it’s like a knife to my gut. I know I haven’t earned her trust, but it still stings to be reminded of that. To be reminded of all the shit I’ve done to her.
“I trust him more than you,” she says finally. I give her a look that tells her everything I’m feeling—how I want to kiss her until I leave her breathless, how I want to make her mine in every way possible.
Ava flushes and turns back to Dimitri. “So, I have no desire to go to your party.”
Dimitri pouts. It’s childish, but I know girls fall for it when he does it. Fucking pretty boy. “Come on. Both of you will be there. Ava, you won’t be in danger with Nikolai literally looming over your shoulder the entire time. You’ll be safe, trust me.”
“We’re good,” I growl.
“Well …” Ava starts to say.
“Well, what?” I ask.
“I mean, it would be nice to get out.”
“You’re going back to school now. You get out all the time.”
“I know. But that’s school. This is something different. Maybe …”
“Maybe what?” I ask in a softer tone, consciously aware of Dimitri watching us.
“Maybe it could be a good way for us to do something fun together. A way to bond.”
She is so fucking stunning, standing there before me with her large, innocent eyes and hopeful expression. She’s really trying. By some miracle, she has decided to make the most out of our situation instead of running.
She’s been going back to Yale for the past week, and every day, she’s returned. I know the long train ride is tiring, but she does it anyway.
If Ava is trying, then I need to try, too.
“All right,” I finally say, shooting a glare in Dimitri’s direction. “But you better not make me angry.”
Dimitri holds his hands up in surrender. “It’s just a party, Nik. No one’s going to be making anyone angry.”
AVA
The party isn’t really a party but just another night as Dimitri’s club.
“Why did he even invite us to this?” Nikolai growls as we stare out at the large crowd of people dancing.
“Maybe he was trying to be nice?”
He scoffs. “Dimitri doesn’t do nice. You know that.”
True. I do.
Nikolai and I walk next to each other over to the bar. There’s a sense of calm between us. He hasn’t complained once about me going back to Yale. I still haven’t told him about Jason, which is for the best. And we’ve been pleasant with each other. He hasn’t made any advances on me.
But I do sort of wish he’d kiss me again.
I’ve just been too afraid to ask. The moment Nikolai starts to open up, he shuts it down. I don’t want to push him. The reality is, I’m in a marriage I never asked for, but I’m trying to see the best in it.
Having more freedom has helped. I still don’t have answers about my mom, but I’ve been trying to focus on the positives.
A man bumps against me, and Nikolai glares at him for so long that the man scurries away.
“It was an accident,” I tell him.
“It wasn’t.” He flags the bartender down. “A whiskey. What do you want?”
“Uh, just a glass of white wine.” I didn’t drink growing up. Father was very strict about that, and I never felt the need to drink with my mom.
But tonight, being surrounded by all these people and the loud music, I’ll need a drink to get me through.
“ID?” the bartender asks.
Nikolai stares at the man. “She doesn’t need one.”
“Who—”
“Nikolai Petrov.” That’s all my husband has to say for the bartender to understand.
I’m given my drink without any more questions asked.
“It’s amazing,” I say.
“What is?”
“You. The fact that you can just give someone your name, and everyone knows it, and they know to respect it.”
Nikolai doesn’t smile, but I can see the pride in his eyes. “I’ve worked hard to get where I am in life. I worked hard to earn that respect.”
“Should I be honored that you’re nicer to me than you are to other people?”
“Do you feel honored?” He takes a sip of his drink.
“Yes,” I admit. The look we exchange is heated, and I have to avert my eyes lest I get lost in Nikolai’s.
I grab my wine glass off the bar and take large gulp. I’m going to need something in my system if I’m going to survive tonight.
“You came!” Dimitri says, walking over, two women hanging off his arms.
“We did,” Nikolai responds tightly. “Your parties seem very similar to a normal night at your club.”
Dimitri shrugs. “What can I say? I can’t keep people away. Have fun.” He turns his attention to the blonde and brunette on his arm and completely forgets Nikolai and I are even here.
“He’s absurd,” Nikolai mutters once Dimitri and his harem are gone.
“What do you mean?”
“The way he acts, the women, just everything.”
“I seem to recall you telling me you used to dance with your fair share of women.”
“Well, I’ve changed.” He takes my hand, his thumb sweeping over my ring. “I’m a married man now. And you’re Mrs. Petrov. Remember that.”
“I haven’t forgotten.” The way he claims me with his words sends that spark of arousal back between my legs.
It makes me want Nikolai to claim other parts of me. My lips. Lower. Everything.
“Let us dance.” He pulls me onto the dance floor, taking me in his arms. Nikolai is an actual good dancer. The way he moves with ease is so different from the rigid man I know.
“Maybe you should drink more,” I say over the loud music. “You loosen up.”
“Do you want me loose?”
“I want you to open up to me.”
Nikolai’s eyes darken, and he tightens his arms around me. My body tingles at his touch.
And then the wooziness hits. I stumble back and Nikolai catches me, frowning. “Are you all right?”
“Uh … I must have tripped in my heels.”
He looks me over, then nods. “Come on. Let’s get off the dance floor. I’ll get you a glass of water.”
“I barely drank my wine.”
“You drank all your wine.”
Did I? I don’t even remember.
Nikolai walks me back to the bar and orders a water. The bartender does not hesitate to give him one. I chug the water back, feeling thirstier than I’ve ever been.
“Slow down,” Nikolai advises. “You don’t want to make yourself sick.”
“I’m fine.” Everything feels hot. Loud. Overwhelming. More dizziness hits me. I only had one glass. I can’t be drunk. Granted, I’ve never been drunk before, so I wouldn’t know what it’s like.
But this … this feels different.
“Nikolai,” I say, grabbing his arm.
“Ava?”
“Ava?” another man asks. It’s Jason. He’s back again.
“Oh no,” I whisper.
Nikolai looks between Jason and me, then sets his full intense gaze onto my ex-friend. “I remember you. You go to school with Ava.”
Jason looks Nikolai up and down. “And you’re the husband.”
“I told you to leave it alone,” I tell Jason, which only makes Nikolai tense.
“Leave what alone?” he asks.
Neither Jason nor I answer.
Nikolai stares Jason down. “What am I missing?”
“I didn’t press charges,” Jason says, raising his hands in surrender. “I swear. I didn’t. You don’t need to come for me.”
“Press charges for what?”
“I slapped him,” I admit. “It was nothing. I was just angry.” Why am I spewing word vomit? It just keeps coming out. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want you to kill him.” My eyes zero in on Nikolai’s forearms, and all I can think about is how strong and masculine they look. God, he’s an attractive man.
I grip one of his forearms and squeeze before I laugh. “You’re so strong. I love it.”
Nikolai looks at me funny. “Are you all right?”
I take in his entire physique. Broad shoulders. Strong. Tall. So, so handsome. “I love the way you look.” It comes out before I can stop it, but why do I want to stop it? It feels good to be honest. “You turn me on,” I admit, running my hands down his chest.
“Jeez, Ava,” Jason mutters. “In front of me?”
Nikolai’s eyes widen as he grabs my hands. “You’ve been drugged.”
“What? No, I haven’t. I’m just seeing everything clearly.” Another wave of dizziness hits, but I push it aside. “I need you, Nikolai. I need you.”
“You’re not in your right mind.” He turns to Jason. “Did you drug her?”
“What? No!”
“I don’t trust you. I don’t like you. Just stay away from my wife.”
“It’s a free country. I can talk to who I like.”
Nikolai punches Jason and knocks him to the floor. Jason doesn’t get back up.
A laugh bubbles out of me. “That was so hot.”
Nikolai gently grabs my arm. “Come on. Let’s get you out of here. You’re not safe. Not when you’re like this.”
“But I have you.” I snuggle against his chest. The fabric of his shirt is so soft and warm and smells so, so good.
“You do have me, Ava. But right now, you’ve been drugged, and I need to get you out of here.”
We start to head for the front door, but I slip and fall to the ground and laugh harder.
“Someone’s had a lot to drink,” Dimitri says, approaching us, sans women.
Nikolai whirls around on him. “She’s been drugged. Roofied. She’s not fucking drunk.”
“Woah. Calm down, Nik. I didn’t know.”
“Of course, you didn’t know,” he grumbles, helping me stand back up. “You never know anything, do you, Dimitri? You didn’t know how to help Ava and left her abandoned in your club. You didn’t know how to help me with Maxim even though we’re partners. You don’t know any anything.”
“Hey, this is my club. I invited you here. Show a little respect.”
“My wife got drugged in your club! Someone fucking roofied her.”
“Well, I don’t know who.”
The growl that escapes Nikolai is low and dark and, honestly, terrifying. “I don’t know either, and because of that, you’re the only one I have to blame. We’re done.” Nik starts leading me toward the front door.
“Done?” Dimitri asks, following. “What do you mean done?”
“I mean what I mean.”
The three of us step outside. I’m barely hanging on. Everything is just so loud .
“We’re done, Dimitri,” Nikolai says, holding me up as I start to slip again. “We’re no longer partners. I can’t trust you. And I’ve learned I need to be able to trust my business partners.”
“Is this about your scar?” Dimitri taunts. “Did somebody hurt you, Nik?”
“It’s Nikolai. And if I see you again, I won’t be held responsible for what I do.”
“Are you calling for war?”
“I am.”
“What about peace?” I whimper.
“You could have been hurt if I wasn’t here,” Nikolai says to me. “Fuck peace.” He looks back at Dimitri, who’s standing there, his expression lost and confused. “If I wasn’t holding Ava right now, I’d ruin that pretty face of yours.”
A slow, savage grin crosses Dimitri’s lips. “Well, then. Game on, Nik.” He walks back into the club, leaving Nik and me alone in the cool night.
I giggle and stand on my tiptoes, trying to kiss him. “I need you. Please.” The arousal coursing through my body is so intense; I can barely stand it.
Nikolai’s eyes soften. “You’re not yourself right now. I won’t take advantage of that. Let’s get you home.”
It’s good timing because right at that moment, I black out. The last thing I feel is Nikolai’s arms around me.
I wake up with a pounding headache.
I startle when I see Mrs. Brown standing beside my bed. “How are you feeling, dear?”
“What happened?”
“You were drugged. Mr. Petrov brought you back home. He made sure you were safe.”
I look down at my clothes—my party dress is still on. “Nothing happened?”
“No, dear. I know Mr. Petrov isn’t exactly a good man, but he entrusted you into my care all last night. So, that’s one good thing he’s done.”
I relax back onto the bed. Nikolai saved me. I remember my wine and how I felt afterward. I remember the intense arousal coursing through me. I remember wanting Nikolai so bad I could barely breathe.
“How do you feel now?” Mrs. Brown asks.
“Uh, fine. I have a headache, but I guess it could have been worse.” I could’ve been raped. I could’ve been kidnapped again.
Fortunately, I was with Nikolai; otherwise, last night could’ve been really bad.
Mrs. Brown puts some Advil on the table beside me then leaves.
As I stare up at the ceiling, I’m hit with last night’s emotions.
Most specifically, the arousal.
It was so intense I feel it in my body even this morning. I wanted Nikolai then.
I want him still.
What is wrong with me? If I give myself fully over to him, I can never go back. He’s the man who bought me. I shouldn’t even be entertaining this.
But my hand slips down my body and under my dress. My fingers push aside my underwear, and then I find that perfect spot with my fingers.
My hips jerk up slightly as I touch myself. Rubbing my fingers over my clit, I let my hips roll around. Images of Nikolai fill my vision. His strong body. His stern face that can be so handsome when he just lets himself relax. His hands that encompass my entire back.
I’m attracted to him. There’s no use in denying it any longer.
I press down harder and harder onto my clit. My hips have a mind of their own as they rise and buck around. God, I need him. I need this.
I need release.
I still remember how it felt when Nikolai had me touch myself in the bathroom.
I’ve been too afraid to do it again. Too afraid of what it means that I feel this way.
But I do feel this way.
My breath comes out in pants. I’m close. I’m so close.
The door opens, and Nikolai steps inside.
His eyes zero in on my body. On where my hand is between my legs.
The way he looks at me lights me on fire. I think I might combust right here and now.
Neither of us moves.
And then he speaks.
“Who said you could do that without me present?”