Chapter 12 - Ninel
As soon as the library door closed behind us, Kira pulled me into a hug and I wrapped my arms around her. We held each other for a few moments before pulling away.
Her fingers twisted together. “I didn't expect to find you here. Why are you here?”
“Artyom and I are married.” I tried to keep my tone casual.
Kira gasped. “What? When?”
“A little over three weeks ago. But, he's still in negotiations with Lev.”
I didn't want to get into how he kidnapped and the threat he used. Kira looked panicked as is. Maybe, if she thought it was mutual on both sides she wouldn't be worried.
She nodded slowly. “How has he been treating you?” she whispered.
My mind ran back over the day. I hadn’t expected to say it, but the truth slipped out anyway. “He’s been treating me well.”
Possessive? Absolutely. Controlling? Without question. But he hadn’t locked me away in a dungeon, nor laid a hand on me in anger, nor tried to force himself on me.
“Ninel, are you sure?” Kira pressed. “I’ve lived with Artyom my whole life. I know what he is, and ‘nice’ isn’t even in the same dictionary as his name.” She bit her lip.
Her concern shown made my heart swell. It also made me miss my other sisters and their affection.
I took her hand and squeezed it gently. “Kira, you do realize Artyom isn’t just Bratva, right?
He’s a faction leader. If ‘nice’ made the first ten words to describe him, he wouldn’t have survived long enough to keep his men in line. ”
She gave a small nod, but the worry didn’t leave her eyes.
“I promise,” I added. “I can handle Artyom. He hasn’t forced me to do anything I don’t want to do, and he hasn’t lifted a finger to hurt me.”
Her silence told me she still wasn’t convinced, so I told her about today…about the flea market, the art, the welding, the petting zoo. The whole strange, unexpected tour he’d given me. When I finished, Kira just stared at me, stunned.
“Artyom…my oldest brother…did that? For you?”
I laughed at the disbelief carved in each word. “Yes, he did. You have met Lev and Jaroslav, right? Badass Bratva men who melt like butter for their wives?”
Her laugh joined mine, and she nodded.
“I’m not saying Artyom is melting at my feet…”
But you want him to…
“…but things aren’t bad between us.”
A genuine smile curved across Kira’s face and she pulled me into another hug before pulling back.
“Is it wrong that I’m glad you’re married to him?
I’ve always worried my brothers’ wives wouldn’t like me.
But if you’re with Artyom, you’ll have respect from Yegor’s and Zahkar’s wives too.
So if they mistreat me I can come to you about it. ”
“You think your brothers would choose women who’d treat you poorly?” I asked, surprised.
Kira hesitated, then shook her head slowly. “Not on purpose. But after the vows are said, things change. People change. Masks fall off.”
Before I could respond, Artyom stepped into the room.
“Ninel, Kira, join us in the lounge for drinks.”
Kira stood immediately and left without a word. I rose as well, turning to face him.
“You’ve put your siblings in a horrible position with their sisters and my brothers,” I said, unable to hide my frustration.
Artyom lifted a brow, his voice calm, face blank. “My sisters placed themselves in that situation. Whatever’s happening now is merely the consequences of their choices.”
“You really don’t care about anyone but yourself, do you?” I snapped.
“When emotions override logic, Printsessa, people end up dead,” he said in a matter-of-fact tone. “I don’t have the luxury of caring for anyone when the lives of my siblings, and the strength of my faction, are in my hands. I do what must be done.”
You heard it from his own mouth. He doesn't have the luxury of caring for anyone…that includes you.
“But you…”
“Printsessa…” His voice dropped to a stern growl, igniting sparks between my thighs.
After having his hands on me all day, my body feels achingly deprived. Is that why I’m reacting this way? It doesn’t make sense.
Especially since he doesn't care about you.
He extended his elbow.
“Take it, Printsessa,” he commanded. “I'll officially introduce you as my wife to my siblings.”
Reluctantly, I slid my arm through his. He covered my hand with his and my heart raced, finding a warped sense of comfort by his touch.
I knew if I didn’t do as he said, he would probably send them away and never let them return. But if I played his game, if I followed his rules…maybe he’d let them visit, especially Kira. Because I did miss them, and having them visit would be better than sitting at home alone.
When we entered the lounge, Artyom stopped.
“Let me introduce you to my wife. Mrs. Ninel Rykov.”
One by one his siblings came up to me and kissed me on the cheek welcoming me to the family.
Zahkar, Kira and I sat on the sofa sharing a bottle of wine.
“So, Ninel…how is life treating you?” Zahkar asked uneasily.
I looked across at Artyom and Yegor. Artyom's gaze bore through mine. Yegor sat his back facing me but every muscle in him was tense as he spoke softly to Artyom who remained stoic.
When I turned back to Zahkar I wore a smile on my face.
“Well…let's see. I get to live in a big beautiful house. I have more clothes and accessories than I can possibly wear yet Artyom seems to keep buying me more. He also bought me a painting I saw at a gallery a few days ago and some art supplies so I could start back painting.”
I could see the stress lines fading from his face. As we continued to chat the tension eased and we were laughing and chatting like we used to before. I'm glad that Artyom allowed them to stay, but after an hour I began to yawn and my eyes felt droopy.
Artyom rose from the bar stool and gently pulled me to my feet.
“My wife's had a long day. I'll get her settled and I'll be right back.”
I barely had time to wave goodbye when Artyom whisked me out the lounge and to our bedroom.
“My siblings won't drop in unannounced again.”
Then he turned and left.
I sighed. We had such a good day today.
What did you want? A good night kiss?
Yes.
I sighed again. I changed my outfit and pulled on a silk night gown that reached mid-thigh. But, as I climbed into bed sleep never came. I tried closing my eyes, willing myself to sleep but it was useless.
My mind drifted back to my time spent in the lounge with Zahkar and Kira. Since my siblings knew we were married, and his knew too, I wondered if he'd be willing to host a family gathering. Did we really have to wait until the negotiations were over?
I knew asking this of Artyom would come at a cost, but after spending time with his siblings today, I missed mine more than ever, especially Mariya.
After throwing on a robe, I made my way downstairs to the office, hoping his siblings had left so I could speak to him. I was about to knock when shouting cut through hallways from the other side of the door. I cracked the door to listen.
“Artyom, call Lev! Tell them you have her! You’re already married!” Zahkar pleaded.
“No. I want them to fucking suffer for what they did! For making me look like a fool, not just in Bratva, but to everyone else!”
“You know the brotherhood won’t accept her until you do the negotiations,” Yegor stated. “And since Lev doesn't know she's married to you I know you haven't started them yet.”
Wait. He hadn’t started the negotiations? My family didn’t know we were married? He lied to me.
My heart shattered into a million pieces, the jagged edges drifting through my body as an unbearable pain tore through my soul.
Just when I thought…that maybe…
I shook my head. I refused to let what he did affect me. This is who he is. He'd been manipulating me from the start to get whatever the fuck he wanted. Every nice thing he did was because he wanted me to submit to him. So I'd be the wife he wanted.
I wanted to storm in there and tear into him, to give him a piece of my mind. But then it hit me, Artyom had orchestrated this single-handedly. Seeing Yegor and Zahkar trying to reason with him only made their differences painfully clear.
If I barged in now, I’d probably ruin any chance of them persuading him to let me see my family. So, swallowing my anger, I held back and retreated to the bedroom, frustration coiling in the pit of my stomach.
But, in the bedroom, I paced. The more I thought about the lies he fed me the more rage oozed from my pores. What right did that manipulative asshole have to keep me away from my family? I was a Safin by blood! Rykov only by name! God! I hated him.
I stormed back into his office, expecting to see his siblings but they weren't there. He was sitting behind his desk, papers in front of him. He glared up at me.
“So you haven't started the negotiations with my family?
They don't even know where I am and that we're married?!” I shrieked, my breathing ragged.
“You're a controlling, manipulative bastard who wants revenge because Katya and Vera chose love instead of staying here under your tyranny! You blame them for not wanting to be around you and not yourself for pushing them away?!”
My fists clenched at my sides.
In two strides he was in front of me, fury contorting his face.
“In Bratva, we have rules, Ninel! Laws we obey! Your brothers know it, so does Vera! They broke the rules, and they deserve every damn thing coming to them!”
“At whose expense, Artyom?! Fine, be pissed at them! But what about me? I did nothing! I’m only twenty-three! You stole everything from me!”
“I could give you everything your brothers did, and more, Printsessa!”
“Then give me my family! Every night Vera and Katya still crawl into bed with their husbands! They may be worried, but kidnapping me, forcing me to marry you isn't going to tear them apart! I’m the one paying for their sins! Send me home!”
His eyes darkened. “This is your home, Printsessa!”
“Stop calling me that! I’m not your printsessa!”
“You are whatever I say you are.”
“I’m not your fucking toy, to bend to your will!”
His eyes softened slightly. “You’re already bending, Printsessa. Don’t you see?”
His finger traced the choker at my throat before grabbing my chin roughly. Before I could pull away, his lips crushed against mine. I moaned, caving to the hunger I’d been trying to deny throughout the day.
He devoured me, hard and fast. Effortlessly, he lifted me onto the desk, spreading my thighs, pressing his cock flush against my already wet panties. His hands gripped my ass, mine clawed at his hair, pulling him closer. He growled deep in his throat, and my fingers tightened more.
Time froze around us.
The harder he kissed, the more I wanted him…
The man who kidnapped me…
Who forced me to marry him…
Who lied to me…
Who hated my family…
Who…hated me.
My fingers moved from his hair and pressed against his chest desperate to resist, but he didn’t budge. I turned my head, pleading.
“Artyom…stop…please…”
He paused, his lust filled eyes pulling me in once more. He stepped back, and I slid off the desk, breathless, furious with myself.
Quickly, I exited the office and headed back to the bedroom.
This couldn’t happen again. Ever.
My mind knew the truth. He was the enemy.
But, my body?
It still needed time to figure it out.