4. Chapter Four
Chapter Four
Natalya
M ikhail’s mansion is even larger than I imagined. It looks like it stepped right out of Europe. Italian architecture to be exact. It’s beautiful but it’s also imposing and knowing that I’ll soon be living here with a man I barely know sends shivers up my spine.
“The Italians have done one thing right. They make nice buildings.” He gets out of the car and walks around to my side and opens my door before I can do it.
“Thank you.”
“You’ll be my wife soon. I have to do right by you.” He offers me his hand and I slowly take it.
His touch is all I can think about as we walk into his house. The marble floors make everything look beautiful but also cold. The large foyer is larger than a lot of peoples’ houses. I grew up with wealth but this is wealth to a whole new level.
“The dresses are this way,” he murmurs, leading me down a hallway off the foyer. “I’ll show you the rest of the house after we’re married.”
Married . I’ll soon be married to this man and I don’t even fully know what I’ll be getting myself into. Mikhail could be a lunatic for all I know. I mean, he does want to marry a woman he barely knows because he liked the way she dances. There’s something strange about that.
We pass by a room that has the door cracked open. I sneak a look inside to see that it’s decorated in soft browns and cream. But it’s what’s on the walls that’s stranger.
Objects of some sort. Whips and paddles and –
Before I can see anymore, Mikhail shuts the door. “That’s not for you. At least, not yet. Not until we’re married.”
I’m desperate to ask for more but I can tell Mikhail won’t answer my questions. I’ll just have to wait until we’re married to see what is inside that room.
It only makes me more wary of Mikhail though. I saw whips hanging on the wall. Is it a torture dungeon? I know Bratva men can sometimes torture people for information. I’m sure my father even did it.
But I shudder, thinking of Mikhail doing it in the same house I’ll be living in.
He takes me into a smaller bedroom near the end of the hallway. “One of the guest rooms. I’ll wait to show you the master after we’re married. Here. There are the dresses.”
Hanging in a row on the wall are six different wedding dresses for me to choose from. It’s eerie that Mikhail picked these out, thinking of me. Who exactly is this man that I agreed to marry to save my family?
“Try them on.” He nods towards the walk-in closet. “I won’t look.”
“Thank you.”
Except, Mikhail’s eyes follow my every move as I grab the first dress. It’s like he’s watching for every tiny detail. I feel the urge to step closer to him and sink into his gaze but I hold back. I’m still not fully sure who he is and I need to be careful.
Mom said that he delighted in killing people. There’s a darkness in Mikhail.
I slip on the first dress in the closet and am shocked to find that it fits my size perfectly. It’s a mermaid style, not really me, but I walk out of the closet anyway.
Mikhail doesn’t look away. “No. Not that one.”
“I don’t like it either,” I agree. “But… how did you know my size?”
He leans back on the bench at the end of the bed. His fingers brush his lips as he eyes me over, like he’s drinking me in. “I went into your dressing room. I looked at the sizes of your costumes.”
“You… invaded my privacy?”
“I knew you’d be mine, Natalya. I wanted to get your size exactly so I could choose the perfect wedding dress for you.”
The way he’s so confident knowing that I’ll be his makes me both afraid and excited. He already has so much power while I have none. And yet, I want to sink into his orbit. I want to feel consumed by such a powerful force as him.
I quickly try on the next dress and the one after. Once I try on the last dress, I know it’s the one.
Satin. No lace. It hugs my body perfectly but it’s soft, not tight. It’s classy and elegant and feminine. It feels like the white swan version of me. The innocent part of me.
I know Mikhail is going to take that part of me.
I walk into the room and he sits upright when he sees me.
“That’s the one.” He looks me over like he could eat me right up. I’m worried he might actually do just that.
Mikhail booked the church in advance.
“But you didn’t know I was going to agree to marry you until yesterday.”
“I just had to be safe.” What he really means is that he knew I’d say yes. He knew he’d be a part of my life before I even knew what was going on.
We walk into the church together.
“It’s not the most conventional wedding,” he says. “I would much prefer to have a whole group of guests here to watch you walk down the aisle but I can’t risk your uncle finding us and stopping this. I am going to marry you today, Natalya.”
He keeps my arm under his, holding me close, like he’s worried I’m going to run. I’m not going to run. Not at this point. I have made my decision to save my family and I believe this is how I’ll be able to achieve it.
A priest is already waiting for us. There’s a man seated in the front pew. Otherwise, the church is empty. It is early in the morning so I know there’s a reasonable explanation but it’s still eerie. I really do feel like I’m a lamb going to be slaughtered.
“We are gathered here today…”
The priest’s voice makes me jump. He didn’t even ask for my name. Mikhail must have told him everything already. It’s sort of comforting how take charge Mikhail is. I like not having to make every decision myself. As the oldest of four, I’ve had to be in charge when my mom couldn’t be.
But Mikhail is taking that from me and I’m not mad at it. In a way, it’s sort of nice to have him do things for me. This way, I can follow, instead of lead for once.
Mikhail’s eyes bore into mine. He’s not looking away for anything and neither am I. He’s still a stranger and yet, I feel more close to him than I have any other man.
“Do you, Mikhail Novikoff, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife?”
Mikhail smiles. “I do.”
I can’t help but shiver and it’s not just because it’s cold in here.
“And do you, Natalya Petrov, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband?”
I have no other choice. “I do.”
There. It’s done. I’ve finished signing the devil’s contract.
“I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
Mikahil cups my face and lowers his lips to mine.
I hold still. His lips brush mine so tenderly, I could almost cry.
It lasts just a second before he pulls back.
I’m glad he didn’t full on kiss me. I’ve never kissed anyone before and to have it be before other people wouldn’t have sat right with me.
He smiles down at me, but there’s a dangerous tint to it.
With that kiss, my fate has been sealed.
Mikhail takes me back to his house – well, I guess it’s my house now too – and carries me over the threshold bridal style. His hands on my body feel good. That scares me. That a stranger’s touch could be so electric.
He sets me down once we reach the master bedroom. “This will be your room now too.”
I stare at the bed. It’s large and encompassing.
Mikhail stands behind me. His presence is felt all over my body. “Don’t worry,” he says, bending down to say in my ear. I jump a little. “I won’t take you right now. But I do want to take this wedding dress off you. I bought clothes for you. Take a look.”
I’m grateful to walk into the closet – it means I get a moment to myself.
Mikhail really did buy clothes for me. The large closet is filled with dresses and blouses and skirts.
No pants, I notice. High heels of all different lengths.
Some ballet flats. Beautiful clothes and shoes that must have cost thousands of dollars. All the clothing is designer brand.
“How much did it cost?” I ask, coming back out to him.
“Around forty grand for the whole wardrobe.”
I stumble in my heels. I have spent my fair share of money on clothes but never that much. Or at least, not all at once. Mikhail really does have money money.
“You didn’t need to spend that much on me.”
He approaches me until we’re so close, I can smell his cologne. It’s a subtle scent. Masculine but not overpowering. “I want to. You’re my wife now, Natalya. I want to make you feel at home here.”
“Thank you. Can I talk to my sisters? Call them? I’m sure they’re wondering where I am.”
“Of course. But tell them it’s not safe for Denis to know. For their own safety.”
“Of course.”
“I’ll grab your purse. It’s downstairs in the guest room. I’ll be back in a moment.”
I stand there in the room, waiting for him to return, but he’s taking longer than I thought. So, I decide to go find him. I might as well explore the house that is now mine.
I head downstairs and down the hallway where the guest room is. It’s then that I see the door to the confusing room I saw earlier. The one with the whips and paddles.
I try the door but find that it’s locked. Mikhail doesn’t want me going in there. Why not?
When I enter the guest room, I find Mikhail on the phone, talking to someone. He notices me and tells the person on the other end he’ll call them back.
“I apologize,” he says. “One of my guys had something they needed to tell me. Work takes up a lot of my time. That’s something you should know about me.”
“I understand. It took up a lot of my father’s time too.”
He hands me the bag I packed. “Here. You may call your sisters. I don’t want to keep you from them. But you should know, Natalya, that you can’t see them in person. Not right now.”
“Why not?”
“I don’t want your uncle getting his hands on you. Once he finds out we’re married, he’ll be angry. I don’t want you to get hurt in the process.”
“So, I’ll never be able to see my sisters again?” The thought is a sinking one. My chest feels like it’s being pressed on with cement.
“For now. Until your uncle is dealt with. I’m also dealing with a war with the Italians. We’re always at war.”
“What are you saying, exactly?”
“I may not have time to dedicate to taking your uncle down. Not when I have Nico Bernardi breathing down my neck.”
“Nico Bernardi?”