Chapter 18 - Ninel #2
I thought about it. Every time Artyom had wanted me to do something he'd threaten to be cruel. The only cruel thing he had done was whip Ruslan naked in front of me, so I’d never sneak out again.
“The latter,” I admitted quietly.
Vera nodded, as if she’d expected that. “And when he’s nice?”
My face flushed when I remembered how his hands felt on my bare skin in his car, when we were trapped in the closet of the art gallery and when I woke up in his arms.
“He…takes care of me.”
“Are you afraid of him?” Mariya asked, tilting my chin so I had no choice but to meet her eyes.
“Sometimes…” my voice trailed off. “I’ve never been around someone who can just flip like that. It feels like I’m always walking on eggshells with him. But what else should I expect? Artyom hates me.”
“I don’t think he hates you,” Kira murmured, sliding onto the couch beside me. Her hand settled warmly on my thigh. “I think he’s fighting his own feelings. Artyom has never cared for anyone when they were sick. And yet, when you passed out at the event, he stayed with you.”
My eyes flickered wide at Kira’s words before I quickly masked it.
“Lev told me about that,” Katya said softly. “How are you feeling now?”
“I’m fine. It was just a stomach bug.”
Vera narrowed her eyes at me suspiciously, but didn't say anything. I squirmed under her stare.
“Jaroslav was furious when Artyom refused to take their calls to ask about you. I’m glad you’re okay. They’re going stir-crazy wondering if he’s treating you right,” Vera said.
“And we’re all pissed he fractured the union between our families,” Mariya added bluntly.
“Avit isn’t even speaking to Jaroslav. When he found out Jaroslav had kidnapped Vera, he feared Artyom might do the same to one of us.
Ninel, if we don’t mend the cracks in our faction, it’ll be up for grabs sooner rather than later.
A house divided can’t stand. You have to find a way to talk to Artyom. We need to fix this.”
“Ninel is pregnant,” Kira blurted out.
“Kira! No! How could you?” I jumped off the sofa.
Mariya stood as well, eyes wide. “Ninel, is it true?”
“Kira…Artyom said…” My throat closed up; I couldn’t get the words out.
“Ninel, they need to know. They’ve been where you are, they can help you. Zahkar already killed the sound on the cameras, we’re safe. And none of you are going to say anything to the guys, are you?” Kira’s gaze darted between Vera, Katya, and Mariya.
“If Artyom finds out you know, or worse, the guys, he said he’d sell Kira to the highest bidder. Whatever happens in his house stays in his house.” My eyes danced frantically between my sisters.
“What the actual fuck?” Mariya swore.
Vera shook her head. “He only said that to keep you quiet. He knows you’d protect Kira no matter what. And so will we. We wouldn’t say anything…”
“We won’t…” Katya added softly, then looked at me with a smirk. “But, Ninel…you and Artyom had sex…”
My face grew red, and Katya’s smirk turned into a wide grin.
“That look says you enjoyed it, which means he didn’t force you. Which also means you like him?” Vera pressed.
I exhaled shakily. If I couldn’t be honest with my sisters, then who could I be honest with?
“I do.” I lowered my eyes. “But when he found out I was pregnant, he stormed out of the room.”
“As did Lev!” Katya shot back. “And he came around.”
“At least you two were already on speaking terms.”
“Did he say he didn't want the baby?” Vera asked.
“No,” I shook my head. “Not in those words but he was pissed, and there was nothing but hatred in his eyes.”
“Ninel,” Katya said softly, “Lev admitted that he needed time to think when he heard the news and that's why he walked out. Maybe, it's the same with Artyom. He just needs time.”
“I don't know.” I sighed, “Things between Artyom and me have been…awkward. Ever since we…” I pushed down the lump in my throat. “...ever since we had sex.”
“Why?” Mariya asked.
“I don’t know. I just…” I pressed my fingers to the bridge of my nose, then looked up. “How could I sleep with a man who kidnapped me? And like it? And now…I actually like him!”
There was silence for a few moments. Then Katya and Vera burst out laughing.
“Oh, Ninel…is that all?” Katya said between gasps of laughter. “There must be something wrong with our DNA, because you’re preaching to the choir.”
“She’s right,” Vera chuckled once she caught her breath.
“Men like Lev, Jaroslav, Artyom…they have to wear armor just to survive out there, and they’ll protect the ones they love with everything they have.
But feelings? Admitting that they have the damn things?
It's a constant battlefield for them. Jaroslav said cruel things to me. Lev to Katya. They can take on blood and violence without blinking, but give a Bratva man emotions, and he’ll screw it up dozens of times before he gets it right.
The key is not to listen to his words…but to check in on how he treats you. ”
Katya nodded, her smile softening. “Remember when we confronted Lev about me? He swore he didn’t care, and you told me, ‘Until he stops being an asshole and admits he’s in love with you, we’ll be here for you.’ Well Ninel, we've got you.”
Her smirk returned as she leaned in. “With that being said, Ninel, I want the inside scoop on Artyom.” She wiggled her eyebrows playfully. “Is he as bossy inside the bedroom as he is outside the bedroom?”
I laughed, and so did the others. Over the next two hours, I told them everything, including how sex was with Artyom, and they squealed, insisting they’d send handcuffs and whips as “wedding gifts.” We laughed until our sides hurt, and Katya and Vera shared a few juicy details about their own love lives.
One thing stood out: once their men admitted how they felt, everything improved a thousand times over. I couldn’t help but want that for Artyom and me. They encouraged me to talk to him, to try and break the ice, reminding me that a relationship takes two people willing to make it work.
After our visit, I hugged my sisters goodbye. I felt lighter, happier, and the fog that had clouded my mind was finally clearing. They also insisted that, since everyone knew I was now married, Artyom should hurry up and give me back my phone and credit card so we could all go shopping together.
Once Kira and I returned home, we had dinner and she went to bed while I waited up for Artyom, determined to talk to him. I had dozed off on one of the sofas when the sound of the front door opening and closing jolted me awake.
By the time he entered the room, heading toward his office, I was already standing, waiting. He looked exhausted, a fresh bruise marking his left cheek.
“Hi,” I said hesitantly.
Artyom froze for a moment, then walked straight past me.
“Artyom,” I called, following him and grabbing his arm.
He spun around sharply, forcing me to let go.
“What do you want?”
“I…I wanted to talk.”
“Talk?” he scoffed. “Unlike you, who gets to lounge around all day, I don’t have the privilege. And honestly? I don’t want to talk to you.”
“Artyom, please…think of the baby,” I pleaded.
He laughed, but it was mocking and hurtful. “The baby? The one you didn’t tell me about? For all I know, that baby could belong to any guard on this estate.”
I gasped and shouted, “Fuck you! This is your baby, and you know it! How dare you?!”
Artyom stepped toward me, anger flashing in his eyes, but then he stopped himself. Without a word, he turned and strode into his office.
Tears streamed down my face for the thousandth time that day. My sisters’ marriages may have worked out, but luck clearly wasn’t on my side.
With a heavy heart, I trudged to the bed. I needed to find a way out of this marriage. If not for my sake, for the sake of my unborn child.
And I knew the only way Artyom would let me go is if I disappeared for good.
But, could I live without ever seeing my family again?