Chapter 5 - Avit
I leaned against the wall outside Sienna’s room, hands buried in my jeans pockets, ankles crossed. I’d traded my usual suit for jeans, a plain T-shirt, loafers, and a blazer, easy enough to blend in around campus. The blazer served its purpose, hiding the guns holstered at my chest.
I could’ve knocked, but after her reaction yesterday, how freaked out she was, thinking I’d hurt her, I decided to wait. No point in pushing her when she already looked at me like I was the devil.
Yesterday, when Wexler told me Dan had touched Sienna, I nearly lost my damn mind.
Then she walked in and defended the bastard, as if she enjoyed flirting with and being touched by him.
Yet, she'd pull away from me, her husband. I wanted to break every bone in his body, but instead, I had him removed from campus and made it very clear that if he ever went near Sienna again, it’d be the last thing he ever did with his miserable life.
I’d agreed to let her attend school in person.
She’d worked for it, and as much as it burned me to admit it, she was right.
If I kept her locked away, I’d be no better than her useless father.
Still, the thought of another man’s hands on her, of him even thinking he could touch what’s mine, had me seeing red.
A feeling that was new to me. I wanted to lock her away from every man in this world. From every man except me.
Fuck! I was losing it.
Maybe it was the sleepless nights spent tracking Jasper’s allies and coming up fucking empty-handed that had me on edge. I’d always been in control of my urges…until now.
I’d never felt this way about anyone before—possessive, territorial—and it was driving me insane. When I touched her face yesterday, all I could think about was how her lips would taste, and I would’ve found out if she hadn’t slapped my hand away.
I’d never had a girlfriend. Relationships were distractions, liabilities. Every woman I’d been with came through a contract—clean, discreet, and silent. There was always a penalty clause for anyone stupid enough to run their mouth about who they’d slept with.
My marriage to Sienna might’ve started as a contract, too, but she was different.
The only woman—besides my sisters, and even that was rare—who’d ever dared to stand up to me.
Any other Bratva man would’ve lost his shit over that kind of defiance.
I didn’t. I respected it. She wasn’t a woman who played games or pretended to be something she wasn’t.
Even knowing who I was, what I was, she still pushed back.
Probably a survival instinct, born from having to raise herself when her mother got sick.
But I didn’t want to keep fighting with Sienna. She’d been fighting her own battles long before I ever showed up. It was time she had a home that didn’t feel like a damn battlefield. It was time she learned what it meant to enjoy the finer things in life…without having to fight for them.
Just then, Sienna’s bedroom door opened, and she stepped out, startled to see me. She was wearing a red hoodie and black sweats with sneakers on her feet. I’d bought her clothes—silks, cashmere, designer labels—but she still chose oversized hoodies and sneakers. Didn’t she like what I got her?
“Mr. Avit, what are you doing here?” she asked, her tone defensive. Her eyes skimmed over me slowly, and when a faint blush crept up her cheeks, she looked away, only to meet my gaze again a moment later.
I'd give anything to know what that cute blush was about. Did she…feel something for me?
I pushed the thought aside.
“Sienna, I don’t want to fight with you. And you don’t have to keep calling me Mr. Avit. Avit is fine.”
She inhaled deeply. “Avit, why are you here?”
“I’ll be accompanying you to class today.”
Her jaw tightened. “Why?”
Because I don’t believe you can find the man behind your father’s schemes, not when I, with all my resources, couldn’t uncover a damn thing.
“We’ve been married, what…two days?” I continued. “And we haven’t spent any time together. So that’s what we’ll be doing today.”
“So unlike most guys who plan dates, your idea of bonding is tagging along with me to class?”
A small smile tugged at my lips. “If I did ask you on a date, would you go with me?”
“Would I have a choice?”
“Yes.”
She tilted her head. “Do I have a choice today in whether or not you come with me?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
Because I don’t trust your weasel of a father to stay away, or to not try manipulating you, when he realizes that I did take his deal and marry you.
“Because the deal was that I allow you to go to school in person. Nowhere did it say I couldn’t accompany you. Next time you make a deal, be precise and leave nothing out.”
“I’ll remember that next time.”
“Good. Now, let’s go down and have breakfast.”
“I’m not hung—” Sienna’s stomach growled, and her face flushed bright red.
“Sienna, look. Yes, we’re married, not in the traditional sense, but this is your home, too.
You didn’t want to purchase anything, so I made the rest of the arrangements.
More furniture will arrive today, and the kitchen is fully stocked.
You’ve worked hard to get where you are; it would be a shame to fall sick while trying to prove a point. ”
Sienna sighed. “Fine.”
She headed down the stairs, and I followed quietly behind her.
In the kitchen, I sipped my coffee, leaning casually against the counter, pretending to scroll through my phone.
Wexler had ordered breakfast: bacon, pancakes, eggs, waffles, and muffins.
Sienna loaded her plate with pancakes and piled on plenty of bacon, washing it all down with a tall glass of orange juice.
When she set the dirty dishes in the sink, I turned to her.
“You can leave them. I’ll take care of it later,” I said, already knowing I’d be irritated if they stayed there.
She pushed up her hoodie sleeves and turned on the faucet, beginning to wash the dishes.
“It’ll take less than two minutes. I usually wash them right away so I don’t forget, since after classes, I dive straight into assignments.
” She placed the clean dishes in the drainer and dried her hands on a towel. “But thanks for the offer. Ready?”
I nodded. She picked up her knapsack, and we headed to the front door, keys in my hand. I went ahead, opened the front passenger seat of one of the SUVs, and she slid in. I made my way around and slipped behind the wheel.
As we pulled out of the compound, she turned to me.
“So…who do I tell people you are? I’m not sure my lecturers would be thrilled with a stranger in their classes.”
“I’ve already cleared it with college admin,” I said.
“Of course you did,” she muttered.
“And as for my identification,” I continued, “just call me Avit. Don’t mention my last name. Say I’m a friend you grew up with.”
“The man who went off on Dan wants me to tell people he’s just a friend?”
“For security purposes, yes.” I kept my eyes on the road. The last thing I needed was anyone knowing Sienna was my wife, or that I was on campus. My family knowing would be the least of my worries. If a rival decided to show up, Sienna or any other student getting hurt was not an option.
“Okay.”
The rest of the ride passed in silence. When we pulled into the college parking lot, we hopped out.
As soon as we stepped into the building, a curvy, black-haired young woman with green eyes linked arms with Sienna.
“Sienna, who’s Mr. Handsome?”
Sienna flushed. “His name is Avit. He’s a childhood friend. Avit, this is Mandy, my best friend. I’ll be right back.”
I watched, amused, as Sienna pulled Mandy a few feet away.
They spoke in hushed tones, though Mandy kept sneaking glances at me, and Sienna kept turning her head.
I noticed the stares of other female students, especially the younger women around Sienna's age, but at thirty-four, there was no way I’d be attracted to women barely out of their teens.
But you're attracted to Sienna.
After their conversation, Mandy hugged Sienna and waved at me. I gave a small wave back.
Sienna took a deep breath, turned around and returned to my side.
“Anything I should be worried about?” I lifted a brow.
“Nope. Nothing. Let’s go.” She avoided my gaze. “I don’t want to be late for class.”
She moved briskly through the hallways, head down, hoodie pulled low. The students barely registered her presence, yet I felt their eyes on me.
And I couldn't help but wonder why she'd make herself so small amongst others when with me, she took up so much space. It wasn't like she was easy to miss. She stood taller than all the women and a few of the guys. Why was she trying to be…invisible?
When we reached the classroom, I expected her to claim a front-row seat, but she slipped into the back corner, and I slid in beside her.
“Is this usually where you sit?” I asked.
“Yes. Is that a problem?” she asked defiantly.
Before I could reply, a man entered the room and set his things on the desk, drawing my attention immediately.
“Okay, class, we’ve got a lot to cover today and only two hours to get through it. As the advanced cybersecurity students, you’ve already completed two of your three coursework papers. In our next class, you’ll get the final one.”
Throughout the class, I watched as she meticulously took notes, answered questions with ease, and explained complex concepts to her peers.
Every time she spoke, the room seemed to lean in, hanging on her words.
She wasn’t just smart…Sienna was fucking brilliant, confident, and commanding, all at once.
I let a small, rare smile tug at my lips. And for the first time in days, I felt a small flicker of hope that if anyone could uncover the alliances I couldn’t, it was her.
Again, I found myself asking, How the hell did Jasper end up with a daughter like her?
Over the next few days, Sienna and I fell into a routine. We met in the kitchen for breakfast every morning. She'd do the dishes, and we'd head to the campus.
I felt as though she was finally relaxing around me. That at least we could be friends. Because being more would make me want to rewrite every rule I had written for myself. And I wasn't sure it was a chance I was ready to take.
Yet, during her classes, I noticed things I shouldn’t have.
The way she straightened her shoulders when she focused.
The furrow of her brow as she typed, the soft bite of her lower lip when she was trying to work something out, the light in her eyes when she finally did.
At night, she’d shower, curl up with her laptop, and lose herself in her studies.
Sometimes I’d bring her dinner, and if I didn’t say anything, she’d be so absorbed she wouldn’t even know I was there.
Sienna Romonoff was…mesmerizing.
She wasn’t just beautiful, with those pale blue eyes and honey-blonde hair; her mind was fucking fascinating.
Her intelligence was what really drew me to her.
I’d never been one for shallow conversations about the weather or the latest car on the market. I needed substance. Someone who was on par with me and would understand things without me having to explain every single detail.
And the more I thought about it, I couldn’t help but wonder if, somehow, I could have that with Sienna.
I felt as though I was fighting a constant internal war where she was concerned.
Because I had to remind myself that she was too young, and I’d agreed to Jasper’s deal to protect her, not to exploit her. Falling for her was not a part of my plan.
I couldn’t cross that line. She was mine to guard. Nothing more.
Yet the more I warned myself, the more I realized that somewhere along the way…in my mind…I’d already crossed it.
One night, while I was finalizing a supply list in the home office, a soft knock sounded at the door. I looked up to find Sienna standing there, wrapped in a gray robe and fuzzy socks.
And fuck me if she didn't look beautiful in it.
I checked the time; it was just after midnight.
“Sienna, why are you still up?” I asked.
She stepped inside, avoiding my gaze, fiddling with the belt on her robe. She looked…nervous.
I rose to my feet, every instinct urging me to go to her, but I stayed where I was. “Sienna, is something wrong?”
Her fingers tightened around the belt of her robe. “Can you stop coming to class with me? Before, people just thought I was weird. Now they think I’m the weird girl with a friend who follows her around like a puppy.”
“And you care what people think?” I asked quietly.
“There are times when I don’t, and sometimes I do. And I'm in the middle of midterms. I just want to focus on my classes and studies. Flunking is not an option. And with everything that has happened recently, it's been difficult to focus.”
She took a small step closer to my desk. “I promise I won’t run. Not when my father’s still in danger, and not after I said I’d help you. You don’t have to keep guarding me.”
“I’m not sure that’s possible, Sienna.” My voice came out harsher than expected.
Didn't she want me around? I thought her view of me had changed.
“Jasper is your father, and scheming runs in his blood. Apples don’t fall far. If you decide to pull a fast one on me, I’d lose my leverage in this situation.”
Which wasn’t true. Finding her wouldn’t be difficult; I already had eyes on Jasper, and he'd be the first person she'd run to, to help him escape his fate. But since my visit to his apartment, he’d been keeping his hands clean and his head down. Just as I knew he would.
But if I were being honest with myself, I genuinely liked spending time with Sienna. She didn’t look at me like the monster she once said I was. Being around her was a breath of fresh air from the endless talk of everything Bratva.
I wondered if this was how my brothers felt with their wives.
Then I reminded myself…Sienna wasn’t really my wife. This was an agreement. A redemption, maybe. A chance to quiet the nightmares of my parents’ deaths and Ninel's kidnapping. If I saved her, maybe they’d finally stop.
“Avit, please. I'm used to staying in the shadows, being ignored. Having you there is like having a huge spotlight on me. It's nerve-wracking for someone like me. This is important to me.”
And then she looked up at me, her eyes soft and trusting and I knew I'd cave.
I wanted to give her what she wanted. I wanted to trust her. Wanted her to keep looking at me the way she did.
I nodded. “Fine. If this is what you want, I’ll grant your wish…but on one condition.”