Chapter 11 – Emika
One wrong move, and I would’ve been wallowing in guilt right now.
The way he’d looked at me that night at the gala, in that dimly lit hallway, thawed my frozen heart. His touch ignited a flame that almost consumed me but certainly awakened something primal within me.
With his lips inches from mine and his fresh breath warm against my skin, I was more vulnerable than he realized. I knew all he had to do was reach out and kiss me, and my heart would melt like ice cream.
At the moment, my pulse was racing, and I could barely catch my breath. I was so close to losing myself in a way that would’ve been rather catastrophic. If he hadn’t pulled away when he did, things would’ve heated up and most probably spiraled out of control.
I’d had no idea how attracted I was to him until that fateful evening. The second I set eyes on him from the head of the stairs earlier that day, I knew I was in trouble.
The man looked good in a tux, so good, in fact, that I found myself fantasizing about being intimate with him. It took everything in me to stop myself, to remind myself of the nature of our contract.
Judging by the way he’d stared at me throughout the party, it was obvious that he, too, found me just as attractive. I knew in my heart that this feeling was mutual, but the strange pull in the hallway only confirmed it.
A part of me was glad that he was jealous after seeing me vibing with another man. His reaction, however rude and embarrassing, was somewhat satisfying. It was proof that he saw me as something more than just a contract wife.
Deep down in my heart, I could tell that I was looking for trouble going down this lane. I had no business being attracted to a ruthless brute like Adrik Tarasov. The man was a cold-blooded killer and a fuckin’ Mafia boss.
Red flag!
He put the “e” in evil, and his world was filled with nothing but violence, death, and destruction. I should stick to the plan—survive for a year and then gain my freedom.
But how was I going to do that when my heart and body were starting to betray me?
It had been three days since the incident at the gala. Yet, I still hadn’t been able to stop replaying the scene in my mind. I couldn’t help wondering what would’ve happened if he hadn’t stepped away.
I thought about the different possible outcomes every single night since that evening. And in every scenario, the end result was always the same. We fucked.
The more I dwelled on what would’ve happened but didn’t, the more my head was filled with illicit thoughts. Even though I claimed I didn’t like the images playing in my mind, I still welcomed and entertained the idea all the time.
And just like that, something started to grow within me—an emotion I only dismissed as lust. It was too early to be craving the man who had me trapped in his life.
Where the hell was all that fire– that hatred and disdain that fueled my fury? Why in God’s name was I starting to feel comfortable within these walls?
This mansion was nothing but a gilded cage, and my days were filled with contracts and coded messages.
As his PA, lately, I’d learned more about his illegal businesses than I intended to. I’d been present in meetings that whispered of crimes and warfare beneath polished words.
Today, we were both working in his office, silent and focused. He was seated at his desk, fingers rattling across his keyboard, while I was sitting on the couch beside a bookshelf.
On the low table in front of me was a stack of files I was sorting out all by myself. Although I was buried in work, I still managed to steal hidden glances at him when he wasn’t looking.
He seemed so focused and so serious that he didn’t even bother noticing me. Not even once. I couldn’t understand why it pained me that he was paying more attention to his computer than to me. This was a stupid feeling, and I hated it. Yet it couldn’t be helped.
Everything was going well. That was until she walked in like she owned the place.
The doors swung open, and at first, I thought it was Adrik’s lieutenant because no one else could walk in here without knocking first. However, when I heard her voice, something sour swelled up inside me.
“Hey, handsome,” she said, striking a seductive pose at the entrance. “Did you miss me?”
My brows arched in disbelief as I watched this tall, beautiful brunette walk into his office. Her hair cascaded down her shoulders in soft waves, and her hips swayed delicately as she moved.
This woman was dressed with effortless confidence, the kind that commanded attention. She was wearing a grey crop top that hugged her frame, but exposed her ridiculously flat belly.
Her mini skirt revealed too much skin, and around her killer waist were a couple of fancy beads. Her high heels clicked on the fine marble floor as she sashayed her way to his desk.
It was like I was looking at a goddess in real time, and for the first time in my life, I felt inferior to another woman. She was tall, gorgeous, and moved like a friggin’ runway model. Maybe she was one.
When she smiled, her eyes sparkled with mirth, and her full lips parted, revealing a glimpse of her perfect whites. Her perfume filled the air—rich and sweet, the kind that could entrance any man in seconds.
Her silver anklets, expensive bracelets, and the pearl around her neck glistened under the soft light.
Again, it was looking at a goddess in real time.
This woman walked past me as though I didn’t exist. Like that wasn’t enough disrespect, she went around his desk and sat on his lap.
The effrontery.
My brows rose even higher, a strange fire boiling my blood. I tried to stay calm and ignore them, just mind my own business. But this woman seemed hell-bent on testing my patience.
She cupped his face in her manicured hands and, right in front of me, planted a hot kiss on his lips.
Okay, that’s it!
Unable to take it anymore, I rose to my feet with a file in my hand, then cleared my throat. “Adrik,” I called softly.
They ignored me and kept kissing. More like she was kissing him. But he let her, so he was just as guilty.
I clenched my jaw, trying so hard to suppress my anger. “Adrik.”
Still no answer.
And then, I snapped, “Adrik!”
That’s when they broke the kiss.
“What?” the lady barked at me.
“Last time I checked, your name isn’t Adrik,” I replied to her, my voice calm and collected.
“Excuse me?” She frowned at the disrespect in my tone. “Do you know who I am?”
“What, your parents didn’t tell you?”
Speechless, she pulled her head back, shocked by my response. Her brows furrowed, accentuating the scowl on her pretty face. She hopped off his lap and snarled at him. “Are you just gonna sit there and your secretary talk to me like this?”
“Secretary?” I murmured under my breath, a soft chuckle falling off my lips. “Look who didn’t get the memo.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What’re you talking about?” She glanced back at him. “What’s she talking about?”
I folded my arms across my chest. “Go ahead, Adrik. Tell her.”
He stared at me with a smug smirk on his face, almost like he was amused.
“Tell me what?” she demanded, then paused for a second as though she’d connected the dots. “Wait. Is she the other woman—the reason why you’re no longer taking my calls and returning my messages?”
“Oh, honey, don’t flatter yourself,” I said, wearing a smirk identical to Adrik’s. “You’re the other woman.” I raised my hand so she’d see the ring on my finger. “I’m his wife, darling.”
She locked her jaw and turned to the silent Adrik. “Fuck you.”
I watched her grab her bag from his table and storm out of the office.
Alone with him, I thought for a second that he was going to be pissed. And boy was I ready to snap back.
He rose to his feet, dipped a hand in his pocket, and began walking over to me. “Well played, little devil.” He chuckled. “You chose the right time to announce that you’re my wife.”
“You mean like you did back at the gala?” I replied, looking right into his eyes.
“Oh, so this was payback then.”
“Maybe.” I shrugged my shoulders. “Or maybe it was just me trying to keep things professional.”
“Professional. That’s one way to put it.” He halted in front of me. “You wanna what I think?”
“You’re gonna tell me anyway, so have at it.”
“I think you’re jealous,” he stated simply.
“Jealous?” I laughed, that awkward kind that screamed denial. “Oh, please.”
His eyes bore into mine, but he said nothing.
“And why would I be jealous?”
“I can think of a few reasons,” he began, stepping closer while I reflexively retreated. “Perhaps because you want to have me all to yourself.”
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I tried to cut him off.
By now, my heart was already racing, and my breathing was becoming shallow.
He continued, “You couldn’t stand the sight of me with another woman, and that’s why you had to ruin the mood.”
“That’s not jealousy. That’s me being professional. These are office hours.” My back hit the wall behind me.
“Yeah. You keep telling yourself that.” He placed his hand on the wall beside my head.
I could barely mask my emotions in such proximity, and Adrik wouldn’t stop staring at me. It was like he enjoyed watching me struggle to stay calm.
He slipped his hand into my hair, his fingers caressing a few strands. “I have needs as a man, you know, needs that Yelena always gladly met.”
I swallowed, catching a hint of what he was driving at.
“Now that you’ve chased her away, I wonder who’s gonna take her place.”
My heart was pounding like a drum, and at this point, I was starting to sweat in awkward places. Maybe I should’ve played it cool and just kept my mouth shut. Now, he was hinting at me taking over his mistress’s place.
Even if I wanted to—which deep down I did—how was I going to meet his expectations? I’d never even been with a man before. So, how was this inexperienced virgin going to compete with someone like Yelena?
It was impossible to match her energy, let alone beat her record.
“Since you’re the reason she left,” he continued, “I suppose it’s only fair that you play her role.”
“I’m afraid that’s not gonna happen.” I swallowed hard against the sudden dryness in my throat. “The contract says no intimacy.”
“You should’ve thought about that five minutes ago.”
Silence.
A bead of sweat trickled down my forehead as my hands trembled. He stared deeply at me, as though he was trying to figure something out.
“I’m sorry I ruined your game,” I said, instinctively batting my lashes at him. “You’ll have to call her back because I can’t play the role as well as she did. You’ll end up disappointed.”
“Why?” he teased, “It’s not like I’ll be your first.”
I looked away at that instant, my eyes dropping to the floor.
“Hold on a second.” The amusement in his tone couldn’t be any more obvious. He lifted my chin gently and finally caught my eyes. “You haven’t….”
Dang it.
I’d never been more embarrassed in my life, and I just wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole.
“You can’t be serious.”
I switched from being ashamed to being all defensive in a split second. “What? You’ve never met a virgin before?” I pushed him back and broke out of the corner he had me trapped in.
He laughed lightly, his gaze trailing me as I headed back to my couch.
“Take a picture. It’ll last longer,” I said, attempting to make a joke out of the awkward situation.
My sudden carefree behavior helped ease the tension in the air. From the couch, I glanced at him. The look on his face wasn’t mockery. It was something else—a mix of hunger and amazement.
What did that mean?
I wasn’t sure.
Or maybe I did, but I just wasn’t ready to face it yet.