Chapter 34
CHAPTER
THIRTY-FOUR
NIKOLAI
The city rolls by in flashes of gold and stone as the sun starts to lower over St. Petersburg’s ancient streets.
Sofiya leans her head against the window, her fingers pressed against the glass. We’ve just left the dance studio and are heading back to the estate.
“This city is beautiful.” She sighs. “It’s nice to see people out and about, enjoying themselves. Just living a normal life.”
Her words hit me like a jab to the ribs. I’ve kept her locked away for so long that even the simplest sights feel like a revelation to her. She glances back at me, her expression genuine, and something in my chest tightens.
“One day, I’ll give you a tour of the city.” One day. The words sound empty, even to my own ears. But she doesn’t push for reassurances or ask for a timeline. She just leans back against the seat and smiles softly.
“I’d like that.”
I glance out the window, then back at her, watching as her face lights up, taking in the world outside. What’s the point of ruling the city if I can’t share it with her?
I signal to let the car behind us—the one carrying my guards—know there’s been a change in plans. “Do you like ice cream?” I ask.
Her head tilts, a playful curve to her lips. “Doesn’t everyone?”
“Want to try the best ice cream in the city?”
“Is it… safe? I mean, is it okay for us to be in public?”
Normally, I’d avoid crowded areas, but I have guards with me, and the look on her face is enough to make me take the risk. “It’ll be fine.”
I pull the car to a stop outside a tucked-away ice cream parlor with a bright green awning. It’s not flashy, just a small window and a few café tables where people are clustered, holding cones piled high.
When I park, I type out a quick text to Matvey, explaining the plan and telling them to stay close but make themselves scarce.
I come around the car, open Sofiya’s door, and help her out. I might be a criminal, but I’m still a gentleman in my own way. She smiles, bright and carefree, and whatever hesitation I felt fades immediately.
We step up to the counter, her eyes darting to the menu written in chalk on a board next to the window. “So many flavors. I don’t know what to choose.” Her teeth sink into her full bottom lip, drawing my attention. All I can think about is tugging it free and sucking it into my mouth.
“I’ve never had pistachio ice cream before,” she exclaims.
“That’s because pistachio ice cream is garbage.”
She frowns, narrowing her eyes. “You said this place has the best ice cream in the city.”
My lips quirk up. “It does. But that doesn’t mean pistachio is a flavor that should exist.”
She crosses her arms, tilting her head in mock offense. “I’ll take my chances. And just because you were so grumpy, I won’t be sharing with you.”
The vendor glances at me, his movements stiff, like he’s nervous. I tend to have that effect on people. “Give me a scoop of everything,” I tell him.
He doesn’t even blink, just nods and gets to work.
Sofiya places a hand on my arm, raising her brows. “What are you doing? We can’t possibly eat all of that.”
“You said you didn’t like to share.” I shrug. “I’m not risking you hogging all the good flavors.”
She grins, unapologetic. “You are a madman.”
We’re sitting at a small table tucked against the side of the stone building, the remnants of what must’ve been ten scoops of ice cream between us. Sofiya leans back in her chair, licking the last bit of pistachio off her spoon with a satisfied sigh.
“I can’t believe we ate all of that.” Her tone is somewhere between impressed and horrified.
“We?” I arch a brow. “I had two bites.”
“Liar,” she shoots back, narrowing her eyes. “You were practically hoarding the pistachio.”
“Because it was damn good,” I tease. “I’m a believer.”
She scoffs, a spark of laughter in her eyes. “Next time, I’m ordering. You’ve lost that privilege.”
Will there even be a next time for us? The question claws at my chest—I know there won’t be unless I make a change. The truth is, I’m done pushing away what I want. And what I want is Sofiya—not just for now, but forever.
Fuck. The realization sears through me like fire.
But keeping her means making peace with the Syndicate. She’s already told me she won’t choose between me and them. I need to make that choice for her before it’s not a choice at all. Because a war always leaves losers.
“I have to tell you something.” Her head tilts with curiosity, and I force my next words out even though she might not like them.
“After I sent Roman the pictures of you in the basement, he accepted my deal. Agreed to all my terms, but I turned him down.”
Her brows shoot up, her expression blank, like I’ve spoken a foreign language. “Why? Wasn’t that the point of taking me?”
“Because it meant sending you back, granting you a divorce, and never seeing you again.” I let out a breath and tuck her hair behind her ear.
“I couldn’t do it.”
Her lips tremble, her eyes searching mine. “You’re serious?”
“I’ve never been more serious about anything in my life.”
She rises to her feet, her chair scraping against the ground, and launches herself into my arms, burying her face in my neck. “I stand by my words when I called you crazy earlier.”
I brush a hand over my neck. “You’re not mad?”
“I’m not mad. Maybe I should be, but it means you choose me. Even though it’s costing you the casino deal. But…” Her brows knit together. “I can’t be yours until there’s peace.”
“I know. I haven’t forgotten.”
I’ve been turning this over in my head for days, and there’s only one way forward. If I’m going to prove to the Syndicate that I’m serious about making things right—and about being the husband Sofiya deserves—I have to walk away from the casino deal. Actions speak louder than words. I’ll do everything I can, and then pray they don’t decide to kill me anyway.
She scowls. “How do you know I want to stay with you? Were you going to ask me?”
I grab her wrist, tugging her forward. My voice drops to a low rumble. “No, my sweetness, I’m not going to ask. I think you know I’m a man who takes what I want.”
I’m unsure if she’s going to slap me or kiss me when she surges forward, her hands sliding around my neck. “Right answer, mudak.”
She crushes her lips to mine. The kiss is hot and consuming, the kind that makes everything else fade away. When she finally pulls back, she’s flushed and breathless.
“You make me a very happy man, moya sladost.” I nuzzle her neck, inhaling her skin.
“Don’t think you’re off the hook,” she says, poking a finger at my chest. “You’ve still got plenty of work ahead.”
“Give me a few days to figure things out. I promise I’ll make this right with your family.”
Her eyes search mine. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Anything.”
“What’s the deal with that Igor guy? There were some seriously weird vibes when I interrupted the two of you in your office.”
I sigh, pinching the bridge of my nose. “Igor Bocharov is… complicated. He’s a crooked politician. One that’s very handy to have in my pocket.” I shake my head. “We’ve partnered on a number of projects, but the biggest one is this casino deal. Well, was the casino deal.”
“You sure you’re ready to give that up? Maybe there’s a way you can keep it and make amends with the Syndicate.”
I pause in thought. For a moment, there’s nothing but the buzz of the city around us. Sofiya opens her mouth to say something, but the sound of a revving engine cuts through the air.
The sharp crack of gunfire follows.
Instinct takes over. I tighten my arms around Sofiya and drop us both to the ground, shielding her entirely as more shots ring out.
People scream, the street erupting into chaos. Tables overturn, glass shatters, and my guards move into position, guns drawn, scanning the area.
“Stay down,” I growl, keeping my body pressed against hers.
She’s trembling beneath me, her breathing rapid. “Niko?—”
“I’ve got you,” I promise her. My focus shifts to the street, catching a flash of black—someone on a motorcycle weaving through traffic.
I release Sofiya just enough to grab my weapon, aiming carefully. People are ducking under tables and scattering. There’s chaos all around, but I hone my focus and fire twice. The shots are precise, but the rider swerves, disappearing down a side street.
“Fuck,” I hiss, shoving the gun back into my holster. I turn to my guards. “One of you, follow him.”
Dima nods while Matvey jumps behind the wheel of the car I drove.
I look down at Sofiya, who’s still crouched on the ground, her face pale. “Are you hurt, moya sladost?” I run my hands over her body as my chest tightens with discomfort.
She shakes her head. “No. You?”
“No, but we need to get out of here now.”
I help Sofiya to her feet, keeping her close with one hand, my weapon in the other, as I guide her toward the waiting car.
She climbs in, and I follow, pulling the door shut behind us. Matvey floors the gas, and we speed off. Fuck, I just wanted a normal afternoon with Sofiya, but chaos follows me everywhere.
Sofiya exhales shakily. “Do you know who attacked?”
“No. But I sure as hell am going to find out.”
Her fingers twist in the fabric of her dress, her eyes searching mine. “Is this because of me?”
I run a hand down my face. “It doesn’t matter,” I say finally. “What matters is you’re safe, and I won’t let anything happen to you.”
On the way back to the estate, I call Vadim to update him and arrange for him to meet me in my office. I also message Eva, still in Armenia, telling her to keep her phone close.
Sofiya is shaken, as expected, but she promises me she’ll be fine and tells me to deal with what I need to. Leaving her alone is the last thing I want, but being attacked while I’m out with my wife is nothing short of a declaration of war.
I’m pacing my office when Vadim arrives. His grim expression mirrors my own.
He lowers himself into the chair across from me, his shoulders stiff, as I hit the speakerphone button and dial Eva. The phone rings twice before her worried voice breaks the silence. “Nikolai. What’s going on?”
“You’re on speaker with me and Vadim,” I say, before detailing the attack from start to finish. My chest tightens as I speak, knowing how close of a call it was. If Sofiya had been hurt, I’d never forgive myself.
Vadim mutters a curse, dragging his palm down his face. “That wasn’t random. Someone was following you. They knew where you’d be. This was deliberate—meant to send a message.”
“Did you catch the guy on the bike?” Eva asks.
“Dima tried, but the motorcycle was long gone before he could close the distance.”
Vadim rolls his shoulders. “You think it’s the Syndicate?”
“No. They’d never put Sofiya’s life in danger like that.”
“We didn’t leave things on good terms with the Azerbaijanis,” Eva reminds me.
Fuck. She’s right. “Tural?”
“My contacts tell me he’s furious we dropped them,” Eva continues. “He’s stupid and reckless enough to seek revenge.”
That motherfucker. My fists clench with the urge to smash something. The bastard knows Sofiya is my weakness—I did a shitty job hiding it during our last meeting.
“We need eyes on Tural and his cartel—businesses, safe houses, contacts—everything. Let’s find out what he’s up to before we retaliate.”
“Let me run point on this,” Eva says. “I’m in the region.”
“Fine. But be careful. We don’t know what else he’s planning.”
“Always.”
I release a tense breath. “I need to tell you both something. I’ve made a decision that will change everything.” I lean forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “I’m pulling out of the casino deal.”
Vadim’s eyebrows hit his hairline. “That’s a hell of a pivot.”
Eva lets out a low whistle, but I can sense her smile from the other end of the line. “Any particular reason?”
“I think you can guess it’s about Sofiya. This is the first step toward fixing things with the Syndicate—and proving I’m serious about her.”
Today’s attack was a reminder I can’t put off making peace with the Syndicate. Sofiya is too important to risk, and the longer I keep them on ice, the more tense this situation becomes.
Vadim scowls. “Roman Vasiliev is not known to be a forgiving man.”
“Maybe not, but he’s a practical man, and peace makes more sense. If I show him I’m willing to sacrifice the deal to avoid war and protect Sofiya, he’ll see reason.”
“You’re optimistic,” Eva quips. “But love makes people do crazy things.”
Love? I never said anything about love, but… Fuck. Is that what this is?
Vadim coughs to hide a smile. “When did we start using the L-word?”
“We didn’t,” I snap. Not yet, at least.
“For now, this stays between us. I haven’t told Igor yet, but we need to be ready for the fallout. He’s going to be livid.”
Losing Igor’s political support will hurt, but I’d be lying if I said I trusted him fully. Every instinct tells me to keep him away from Sofiya, no matter the cost.
Vadim gives me a pointed look. “This is everything we’ve spent the last year working for. Are you sure this is the right move?”
“Never been more sure of anything in my life.”