Chapter 20 - Nikita
My heart is racing with anxiety.
Bardil has gone to get us some pizza, and I'm hyper aware of the seconds ticking past. I don't have much time, but I need all three of us to be available, so I have to wait until the time we arranged. Two more minutes and then I'm dialing.
My hands are shaking, and my stomach is in knots.
Now.
Talia answers first, but Valery is close behind her.
"Are we all here?" I ask tensely.
"Yep, we're all here? How are you guys?" Valery asks. I have the phone on speaker, sitting in the library with the phone held in front of me and my eyes locked onto the front gate of his estate. I need to know the moment he gets back.
"I'm super good. A little anxious, though. I don't want him to catch me on the phone," I sigh.
"It was so amazing to see him at the market last weekend. I can't believe how happy he looked," Talia says.
"Do you guys think it went well?" Valery asks.
"It went really well," I answer.
"Ok, so that was the first step. Now he knows his family still loves him. Do you think it's time to move to the next phase?" Valery asks.
"I don't think we have any choice. We're running out of time before someone's ego explodes and things get out of hand. My brothers aren't going to sit and do nothing for much longer," I tell them.
"I agree. Things are starting to heat up. We need to do something now," Talia adds.
"You're ok with all of this?" Valery asks her.
"I am. I want what's best for my brother. He's a stubborn idiot right now, and we just need to make him see that he doesn't need to be."
We discuss the ins and outs of our plan, setting a time and place, and promising each other that we're all in for the next part, which is going to be the hardest part.
"It's going to work out," I say, trying to sound confident.
"It will, Kit. We'll make sure it does. We won't stop trying until it does," Talia reassures me.
"I'll see you girls soon," Valery says.
We say goodbye, and I end the call just as I see Bardil arriving home. My heart flips several times, but it's relief, not panic. That was perfectly timed.
I hate lying to him, and I hate keeping things from him.
Everything between us has been going better than I could ever have imagined.
But I've come to accept that I simply can't talk to him about his or my family without him shutting down, and in desperation—this has become my only option.
Because I can't wait anymore.
I'm waiting for him at the front door when he walks into the mansion.
"Oh, this is nice, getting welcomed home by an angel," he grins. Then he narrows his eyes, and his smile gets cheeky. "Wait, I get it. You're after the pizza, not me," he teases.
"How did you know? I thought I was being sneaky enough to hide it!" I laugh.
"Mm. I know that look in your eyes. It's the very dangerous line between hungry and hangry, and we're incredibly close to crossing over into a war zone… "
I punch his arm playfully, and he feigns injury, grasping at his shoulder and pretending to almost drop the pizza boxes.
"Not the pizza!" I declare. "Save the pizza! We'll come back for him… Let's get the pizza to safety first," I say as dramatically as I can.
Bardil holds both pizza boxes in one hand and grabs me with the other. He slings his arm around my waist and lifts me, carrying me like a rag doll at his side. I squeal and laugh and wiggle, but really, I have no intention of escaping.
This playful side of him is my favorite. This, and his tenderness. The moments when he bares his soul as naked as truth to me.
It's only happened twice since I met him. And it was the most beautiful thing I've ever seen.
Once, in the shower last weekend after the market… his eyes locked with mine as we shared the most intense orgasm I can imagine. It wasn't just physical. It was so very much more than that.
The only other time I've really looked into his soul is the day we went hiking. It was the first time. Not as intense as last night, but I saw him. I really, truly saw him, and I was the one who pulled away from it.
So much has changed since then, though, and I would never pull away from him again.
Instead, I will fight for him.
And that's why I've gone behind his back to talk to the girls. Because he's worth fighting for. He's worth taking that risk for. All I can hope is that when the time comes, he understands my reasons.
He built a massive fire in the fireplace in the living room, and I spread a fluffy blanket in front of it. Now we're picnicking on the floor with an orange glow licking against our faces.
"You're hungry tonight!" he says in surprise when I pick up another slice.
"It's because of all the excitement last night. And every other night this week. You know it makes my appetite ten times more ravenous," I grin.
"Ravenous. Mm. That word describes you well," his eyes are devilishly dark as he reaches out and flicks his fingers beneath my chin. A playful, gentle gesture.
I throw him a side eye with a narrowed gaze. "Is that so? Perhaps it's just you that makes me that way?" I suggest.
"If it is, then aren't we perfect for each other?" His voice softens.
His question is teasing, but within the words, I sense the genuine need to know the answer. He laughs too quickly to cover it up and then brushes it away by immediately asking another question.
"What do you want to do tomorrow?" he asks. "It's finally the weekend again."
"Oh!" I say excitedly. "I have a plan!"
He laughs at my sudden outburst.
"A plan… Oh, I can't wait to hear it."
"I'm taking you on an adventure this time," I tell him, smug and intriguing.
"Is that so? Well, this should be interesting," he grins. "No one has ever taken me on an adventure."
"Really? No one? How is that possible?"
"People have to want to spend time with you in order to surprise you with plans… "
I scoff. "I bet everyone wants to spend time with you and your resting bitch face is what scares them away," I blurt out, then bite my lip, knowing I've been more cheeky than usual.
The comment is a little too close to home. His anger is the issue I'm fighting to resolve. It's the reason I had to go behind his back to make plans. It is his stubbornness that pushes people away from getting to know the real him. If they knew him, they would love him instantly.
"My resting what… " he scoffs, snorting loud laughter and choking on a piece of pizza. He sets his pizza down, shaking his head.
I lift myself onto my knees and crawl closer to him to take his face in my hands and force him to look at me. I press my thumbs into the corner of his mouth, right where his dimples would be if he had them, then I stretch his lips into a smile.
"See, that's all you have to do," I grin, a mischievous twinkle in my eyes.
He grabs me around the waist and throws me onto my back, lying down over me and pinning me to the floor.
"If you're going to be manipulating me with your fingers, then it's only fair that I get to do the same to you… " he mutters darkly and runs his hand down my side, pushing it between my legs.
I giggle and shiver in delight when he cups his hand over my pussy.
His lips lock over mine, and my body hums with desire.
***
"Are you ready?" I call out, waiting downstairs, impatient, nervous, and anxious.
"I am," he calls back, arriving in the foyer looking as gorgeous as ever in black jeans and a tight black shirt. "So, where are we going? You have to tell me, seeing as I'm the one driving."
"I can drive," I smirk, holding out my hand to take the keys.
"My little passenger princess never drives anywhere unless she has to. Not a chance, darling."
"You don't trust my driving?" I scoff, letting him lead me out the front door.
"Of course, I do. But when you're with me, I do everything for you. I take care of you, I look after you. That's how it works. It's a man's job to take care of his woman."
I pause, my heart skipping several beats. "His woman?" I say cautiously.
"Oh, um, I meant in general. Men take care of women. The world forgot that somewhere along the way. They made it sound like a bad thing for a man to be stronger, masculine, and protective. I was just saying, in general, a man should be looking after his girl."
"I see," I smile quietly, wishing it were less general and more specific. More personal.
He opens the door for me and then climbs into the driver's side.
"Where to, navigator?"
"St Laurent's Square. The restaurant at the water's edge. The Silver Sun. Do you know it?"
"Oh, that is a good choice. They have the best Benedict on the planet there," he nods, agreeing with my choice.
"I think you mean… on this entire astral plane," I grin.
He chuckles and starts the car, and my stomach rolls horribly. I'm so anxious, I'm scared the morning sickness is going to start up again. Please no, not now. If I start puking, he'll take me straight home to rest, and the whole plan will go to shit.
I hold my breath but keep the smile on my face, hoping I don't look constipated or something.
Luckily, he's focused on reversing out of the driveway and doesn't notice my panic and flushed cheeks.
By the time we get onto the main road, I have myself under control.
It doesn't take long at all to get to the square. He's holding my hand when we walk into the restaurant.
What he doesn't know is that Valery booked the entire place out for what my family and his family thought was a private breakfast. Except what it really is… is an intervention.
As soon as we walk in, Bardil's body goes rigid, and his hand squeezes mine so tight it hurts.
"Wait," I blurt out when he tries to turn around and leave right away.
Talia quickly steps into the doorway, blocking his escape.
"Talia, move," he demands.
"No. You are going to stay long enough to hear us out," she says sternly. He spins to face the room again.