Chapter 36 The Pinnacle of Happiness
The Pinnacle of Happiness
Nikhail’s veins were teeming with warmth as he woke. Soft rays of sunlight filtered through the blinds. He propped himself up on an elbow, gazing down adoringly at the water fae sleeping beside him.
He couldn’t believe he’d come so close to losing River a few days ago. Even now, when he shut his eyes, he could still see her in Harringdale’s arms. Relive the fear that had coursed through him.
But Harringdale was dead, and River was safe.
Nikhail had spent all day yesterday on a call at the dining room table in the safe house. Attendees had included various members of the military and Representatives, along with the Chancellor.
Ignatia Rose was furious that she wouldn’t have the opportunity to interrogate the rebel leader. Nikhail hadn’t even heard the Chancellor react so poorly when her own son-in-law had been brutally murdered in front of her.
It was possible, Nikhail supposed, that the Chancellor’s anger was less due to Harringdale’s death and more to the fact that her personal assistant, Greta Lawrence, had taken her own life the day after the news came in about the rebel leader.
Before killing herself, Greta had left a note confessing everything.
Her involvement with the rebels, the fact that she’d been feeding them information, and that Gale was her lover, and she couldn’t fathom living without him.
Nikhail thought he’d feel better, knowing who the Black Night’s mole was, but all he’d felt was sadness at the news of Greta’s death. He hadn’t known the woman personally, but he was tired of this. Of death, in general.
At the end of the day, there was more to work, and Nikhail had come to realize how little his job meant to him.
Especially when he was less enamored than ever by the military of the Republic of Balance.
Neither the current leadership, the military, nor the rebels were the right people to fix the mess that was this country.
While Nikhail wasn’t sure what could be done, he knew he could no longer serve in the military.
And so, he’d taken Chancellor Rose’s verbal lashing with pride. He’d gone over all the reports with her and explained that his team was looking into Greta’s background and working to discover just how deeply she was linked to the Black Night. Then, he’d calmly submitted his resignation.
He would stay on long enough to train a replacement, but that was it.
After he’d finally hung up with the Chancellor, River had been there, waiting for him.
They’d ordered in burgers, which they’d shared on the couch.
River had revealed that while Nikhail had been on the call, she’d been talking to some people herself.
Called her hospital and set up a date to return to work next week.
He was so proud of her, and he hadn’t hesitated to tell her so.
Afterward, they’d ripped off each other’s clothes and tumbled into bed, where Nikhail had shown River just how much he loved her.
They had stayed up until the early morning hours.
Even though he’d had River several times last night, Nikhail was half-hard for her already.
He yearned for her in the depths of his being.
He suspected this would always be the case.
She was finally his.
Nikhail trailed his finger down River’s bare arm, which peeked out from beneath the sheets. Her floral tattoos beckoned him, and he traced each one, loving the way her skin pebbled beneath his touch.
He kept exploring her until her eyes fluttered open.
“Morning, Princess,” he murmured, brushing his nose against her cheek before kissing the corner of her lips.
“Morning,” she replied sleepily. “Have you been awake for long?”
“No, I was just admiring the view.” He gazed down at her, a smile tugging on his lips. “It’s splendid.”
Her cheeks flushed. “Oh.”
“Indeed.”
Nikhail captured River’s mouth with his. His cock stiffened at the first moan that escaped River’s lips. She slipped a hand between them and stroked him.
He moaned, and her lips twitched against his. They kissed until they were both gasping for air. Nikhail moved down River’s body, taking his time and worshiping every part of her. They didn’t have to vacate the safe house until tomorrow, and he intended to take his time with her.
By the time he got to River’s core, she was panting and writhing beneath him. Her fingers threaded through his hair as he used his mouth and fingers to bring her to the edge of bliss. She screamed his name as she came, her walls pulsing around him, and he stroked her gently through it all.
Nikhail crawled back up the bed and settled between River’s thighs. He held her gaze, placing one hand on her hip as he slid into her warmth. He moved languidly, each thrust deliberately unhurried.
They didn’t rush towards oblivion. This was a slow, steady ascent. When they reached the cliff, they tumbled over together, and their pleasure seemed to go on forever.
“I love you,” Nikhail murmured when they were done, as he held River to his chest.
“I love you, too.”
His heart swelled. He hadn’t known it was possible to be so happy.
“Move in with me,” Nikhail said later that morning. They still hadn’t left the bed, other than to use the bathroom.
River’s head, which had been resting on Nikhail’s chest, lifted. Her brows furrowed. “Excuse me?”
He pushed himself up, resting his back against the headboard. The sheet fell to his waist. “In Lakewater.” He took her hand, running his thumb across the back of her palm. “Move into my townhouse. Live with me.”
Her lips parted, but since she didn’t say no, he took that as a sign to continue.
“I want to wake up to you every day, River. I want to make you coffee and eat breakfast together and see you off to work. I want to hear about your day while we make dinner, then fall into bed together. I want to spend every moment of my life with you.”
He’d desired that for as long as he’d known her, but for so long, it had felt like nothing but a dream. A fantasy that would never come to fruition.
Not anymore.
She blinked. “But we’ve only gone on one date.”
Nikhail chuckled. He wasn’t sure why, but he found it amusing that after all the “I love yous” they’d exchanged that morning, and the fact that he knew her better than anyone else, that she was hung up on this.
“True, but I think we’ve established that we are doing things out of order.
We’ve only been on one date, but I am certain I want this.
I want you.” Nikhail brought their joined hands to his lips and kissed them.
“Move in with me, River. Be my person. I know there are still things we need to do. My mom will want to meet you, as will my sisters, and my house isn’t nearly as grand as the one you grew up in, but—”
“Yes,” she said, interrupting him.
“Really?”
“Yeah. Let’s do it.” A luminous grin spread across her face. “I’d be delighted to move in with you, Nikhail. And of course, I’ll meet your mom if you want me to. It all sounds amazing.”
Had Nikhail thought he’d reached the pinnacle of happiness before?
He’d been wrong.
This was the happiest he’d ever been.
“Don’t be nervous, little storm.” Nikhail brushed River’s hair away from her neck and pressed a kiss to her soft skin. “They’re going to love you.”
River glanced at the apartment door in front of them, then up at him.
“Easy for you to say. They’re your family.
” She tugged on the hem of her purple sweater.
It was paired with black jeans that hugged her curves.
She looked incredible. “What if they hate me? I don’t know… maybe this was a bad idea.”
“They will love you, because I do.” Nikhail turned River around, putting his finger under her chin and lifting it until she was looking at him.
“I wouldn’t have brought you here if I didn’t think they’d welcome you with open arms. They dropped everything when I called earlier, saying there was someone I wanted them to meet before I go home. ”
Even Laurie was leaving work early to come. Nikhail had talked to her already, told her that even though River was a Waterborn, she wasn’t like the Representatives.
Laurie had promised to keep an open mind when meeting River.
“I don’t know.” River gnawed on her lip ring, twisting her hands together. “I haven’t had time to mentally prepare for this. Maybe we could come back at a different time? Traditionally, parents and I don’t really get along. Especially mothers. I’m not sure—”
The door opened.
“Nikky.” The warm, comforting tone of Calina Galebringer’s voice reached Nikhail’s ears. Even the sound of his family’s nickname for him didn’t stop the smile from spreading across his face. “You’re home. And you’ve brought a friend. Come in, quickly.”
Calina herded them into the apartment before either of them could protest. Like Nikhail’s sisters, Calina was a foot shorter than he was.
Her straight black hair, highlighted with silver streaks, reached past her shoulders and shimmered in the afternoon light.
She was wearing jeans and a pale pink sweater, and she had on a black apron over the top.
Bow before the chef, the apron declared, the text a bold pink. A rolling pin with a crown on top was next to the text. The apron had been a gift from Laney a few years ago.
“Hello, Mom,” Nikhail said warmly, kissing his mother on the cheek. “Sorry it’s been so long since my last visit. I kept meaning to come, but life got in the way.”
Calina waved her hand in the air. “It’s fine. You’re here now. And you’ve brought a friend.”
“Not just a friend.” Nikhail squeezed River’s hand and held her close to his side. “This is River, and she’s the most important person in my life.”
And she was finally his. He could barely believe it.
“Oh, I see.” Calina’s grin widened, and her eyes sparkled. “Then this is a special day indeed. It’s a pleasure to meet you, River.”
“It’s nice to meet you, too,” River said. “Nik has told me so much about you, and I’m so pleased to meet the woman who raised such a wonderful man.”
“And she’s well-mannered? Amazing.” Calina wrapped her arm around River’s shoulder, tugging her away from Nikhail. “I have some refreshments and drinks in the kitchen. Come help me?”
River looked over her shoulder at Nikhail, wide-eyed. He gave her an encouraging nod.
“Uh, sure?” River said.
“Wonderful.” Calina tilted her head towards River. “You know, Nikky has never brought anyone home.”
“Really?” River sounded surprised.
“Not once,” his mother affirmed. “I was thrilled when he called earlier and told me he wanted us to meet you. He didn’t tell me how beautiful you were, though….”
Calina continued speaking as she led River into the kitchen. Before Nikhail could follow them, the door opened behind him.
“Nikky!” Laurie and Laney said in unison as they rushed through the door and threw themselves at him. “You’re home.”
He hugged them both, something inside him settling at being surrounded by the women he loved. His mother, sisters, and, of course, River. “Hey, girls.”
Laurie was the first to pull away. Her black hair was in a short bob, and she wore slacks and a white blouse. She glanced around the apartment. “Where is she?”
“Laur,” Nikhail cautioned. “Be nice.”
“I will be,” Laurie said with a huff. “I just want to meet the girl who has swept our brother off his feet.”
“Yeah,” Laney said, drawing back and looking around the space. “Where’s your girlfriend, Nikky?”
“She’s in the kitchen with Mom,” Nikhail said, and both his sisters craned their necks to look around him, clearly trying to see her. “But just… wait a minute, okay?”
His sisters must’ve heard something in his voice because they both looked back at him.
“What’s wrong, Nik?” Laney asked, always the most intuitive of the siblings.
“Nothing’s wrong,” he said. “I just… River means a lot to me. She’s my whole world, and I hope you can find it in your hearts to welcome her with open arms. Be nice to her, please.”
They both studied Nikhail for a long moment, but it was Laurie who spoke first.
“So what you’re saying is I shouldn’t kick off our meeting by telling her how much I fucking hate Representatives?”
Every muscle in Nikhail’s body tensed. “Laur—”
“Relax, big brother.” Laurie elbowed him in the side. “I promised Krystal I’d be good, and I meant it. Come on, introduce us to your girlfriend. We won’t bite.”
And true to their word, they didn’t.
River emerged from the kitchen shortly after, her shoulders relaxed and a smile dancing on her lips. She held a glass of wine for herself and a beer for Nikhail. They sat side by side on the couch, their thighs touching, as Nikhail introduced River to his sisters.
The three of them got along splendidly, and it wasn’t long before Nikhail had been banished from the couch as his sisters teased him about his meticulous wardrobe. River was smiling and laughing alongside them, and he went into the kitchen.
“Can I help you, Mom?” he asked. “You haven’t sat down since I got here.”
Calina was pulling items out of the fridge, but she turned when he walked in.
“Of course, you can,” she said, handing him the bowl she’d been filling. “Prep these for me, will you?”
Nikhail took in the pile of carrots, onions, and celery. “Finely diced?”
“That would be perfect.” She patted his cheek affectionately. “Thank you, Nikhail.”
He tilted his head towards the living room. “Go, take a break. I’ve got this.”
“You’ll let me know when it’s done?”
“Absolutely.”
He’d prepped many a meal when his mom had been working late after his father had abandoned them.
It wasn’t long before Calina’s voice joined the chorus coming from the living room. Nikhail peered out of the kitchen, grinning as he saw River smiling and chatting with his family. She fit right in, as though she was always meant to be there.
Gods, he was so fucking happy.
Nikhail was dicing the last stalk of celery when a hand lightly touched his elbow. He put down the knife and glanced beside him.
“She’s the one, isn’t she?” Calina asked, her lips twitching knowingly.
His mother had always been observant.
Nikhail’s cheeks hurt from smiling so much, but that didn’t stop his grin from widening. “Yeah. She’s everything I could’ve ever asked for.”
Calina peered into the living room, and Nikhail followed her line of sight. River was sitting between his sisters, the three of them chatting about something on River’s phone.
“She suits you.”
He turned back to his mother. “She’s my everything, Mom. I’m glad you approve, because I don’t plan on losing her.”
Not now that they’d crossed so many obstacles to be together.
When they returned to Lakewater, Nikhail planned to ask River to bond with him. She fit into his life in a way that no one else ever had.
It was as if her soul had been specially designed by the gods to mesh with his. They were two halves of a storm, air and water, and they were meant to be together, forever.
And it was good.