Chapter 10
Nikolai
I spent three days away from the compound.
Away from her .
The first day was fine, it was routine. I went to a few warehouses to check inventory. We’ve been low on our machine weapons, but China came through with their Grade A machinery. Just in case China didn’t make their shipment deadline, we received one thousand cases of wolfsbane weapons from Spain.
It’s for backup.
However, Spain has been cutting down on our shipments lately. Something about feeling cheated and they want more of a profit margin. The time for negotiation is long past gone, their shitty deal is a them problem, not mine.
I’ll visit their leader after the wedding.
The second day was even better. Nothing truly excites me more than making money.
That’s why I met with Sergei and our partners to go over some business plans regarding the nightclub we’re opening in a few months.
Downtown Moscow has been booming over the last few years.
It will be the prime location to open. We plan on making this a franchise, placing a club in all major cities in Europe.
After we evaluate our success, we will look into some real estate in America.
Specifically in New York. I could ask Ms. Sleeping Beauty what’s the top-notch places for a club there. She would know since she’s in the entertainment industry. Hell, she may even have access to prominent people for me to meet and make deals with.
Either way, I know how to get what I want.
Though she could make it easier for me.
The third day was somber. Most of the day felt as if there was no feeling in my fingers and toes. I felt numb. Cold. Dead.
I holed myself up in my penthouse, staring into space, my eyes unable to focus on one object. I played with Helana’s and my rings most of the time, reflecting on how our wedding was. Our ceremony was in the rolling hills of Tuscany.
She was radiant.
If I concentrate hard enough, I can almost smell her scent. Roses. Since Aspen has been dropped into my life, Helana’s scent has been slowly fading away from me.
At the top of the fourth day, I find myself back at the compound. My father personally summoned me here today.
“Avoiding your wife?” my father asks, sitting in his lounger.
I sit across from him.
“I had business to take care of.” I dust off invisible lint from my pants.
He smirks around the rim of his glass. By the smell of the room, I can tell he’s drinking vodka. I can practically taste it from how strong the scent is.
“You’re being a busy body, Nikolai.”
I shrug. “I’m being me. I had shit to do and I got shit done.”
He bobs his head. “Don’t be a coward, your wedding is next week,” he says, his tone firm .
“We needed space.”
I rub my hands together in front of me. Aspen has me feeling as if I can lay this world to waste if she commands it so. I needed time to recenter myself. To focus.
“Close it. Now.”
I bite the inside of my cheek. “That’s why I’m here.”
“Good.”
We spent an hour going over the details of my wedding day.
Apparently, most decisions were made by my mother and Viessa.
The only input from Aspen was the style of dress she would like to wear.
She never actually picked her wedding gown.
My precious bride must still think this will be a sham of a marriage. I can guarantee her it’s far from that.
My father and I go over the prominent families that will be in attendance to witness this union. Quinn and her father will be there. Although I hate to rub this in Quinn’s face, I have no choice. Her family is one of the six prominent families needed in attendance.
We also discuss security details. There will be a photographer, but no pictures will be published. My family is very adamant at concealing our identities. People outside the Bratva only know our family’s name but not us individually.
It keeps us all ghosts. It keeps us all safe.
Since Aspen is a celebrity, her picture being pushed out to outlets, even among the underground, could bring unwanted attention.
Besides, tying her name to mine publicly could cause her more danger than good and I can’t have that.
She’s already a wild card, I can’t add more to my plate when it comes to her.
Though no one reported her missing all this time .
Interesting.
When I’m done with my father, I find myself in her room.
Her chest rises and falls to a perfect rhythm.
I’ve been sitting at the foot of her bed in a chair for the last four hours. Just watching her and allowing her signature scent to wash over me.
Vanilla and jasmine.
The logs in the fireplace crackle and the light from it dances across her face, highlighting her beauty. The warmth from the fire cuts the biting chill of this winter night. When I asked one of the servants to bring more logs, they protested, saying that Aspen likes the temperature this way.
That may have to change in the very near future. Unpopular belief, vampires can feel the sharpness of the cold. I’m not a fan of low temperatures, moving forward she’ll learn to be comfortable with the heat.
She’s a restless sleeper. She moves positions every hour. Covers on one minute, off the next. I realize I like watching her like this, in her vulnerable state. Something about not seeing her in her tough state makes me feel more protective of her.
Only I will ever see her this defenseless.
“No, please no.” She jerks in her sleep.
I stand, ready to fight whatever is haunting her in her dreams.
“Roman? No, please don’t. No. No—”
I’m by her side instantly, shaking her shoulders to wake her. With her eyes still closed, she starts to fight me.
“Aspen wake up.” She continues to wrestle me in her sleep. “Aspen! ”
She jerks awake, blinking away the now built-up moisture from her eyes.
“What-what are you doing here?”
Hanging my head, I let out a sigh. “You were having a nightmare.”
She scrambles to sit up right, placing her back to the headboard. I raise my hands in mock surrender. She doesn’t trust me yet, I’ll give her that.
“Why are you here?”
“Watching you.”
“Like what you see?”
I shrug.
“What do you want?”
Oddly, you.
I don’t say that. I don’t even respond. I let us sit in silence with her looking at me, me looking at her.
She breaks first. “This was her room?”
I break our eye contact, tightening my jaw.
“Your wife’s.”
“How did you know?”
“There’s journals in the desk.” She juts her chin forward to the desk on the other side of the room.
I take a step back, running a hand over my face.
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
“You don’t have to—”
“I know. I want to.”
Her voice is the softest I have ever heard from her. I don’t know how to digest it .
She brings her knees to her chest, cradling them. “I’ve lost people too. I may even lose my brother.” She lets out a deep sigh before she continues. “I’m saying I know how it feels to lose someone you love.”
“He will be released.” There’s a lump in my throat, I swallow hard, forcing it down. “When we get married, we will let him go. I will uphold our agreement.”
“Agreement?” She scoffs. “It was coercion. You expect me to trust you?”
“What other choice do you have?” Fuck. My question came out harsher than what I wanted it to.
She bites her upper lip. “And there it is.”
I furrow my brows. “What?”
“The truth of it all. For a second,” she shoots out of the bed, tilting her head to the ceiling. Huffing out a breath of frustration, she continues, “for a second, I forgot I was a prisoner. Held against my will. I forgot I’m sitting next to my fucking kidnapper.”
“I didn’t kidnap you. My father did.”
“Tomato, tomahto. You and your father might as well be the same damn person.”
“I didn’t want this either, but here we are.” I straighten to my full height, matching her energy. “We are getting married in a week. You need to learn how to get along with me.”
She rounds on me, standing on her toes to get as close as she can to my face. “Or what?” She seethes. “What do you have planned for me if I don’t?”
I let out a deep breath. It was not supposed to go this way and yet it has .
I move closer, invading her space like she did mine. “Are you going to run away?”
“And go where?!” She laughs, bitterly, leaning back on her heels, crossing her arms. “You have my brother. I’m in Moscow with no phone, no money. How will I leave?”
“You didn’t have any of those things when you jumped out that window,” I challenge her. Smirking, I point towards the now fixed bay windows. “But you could try.”
“How far would you let me go before you sick your shadows on me?”
She glances at the window, contemplating, scheming, forgetting her place. That’s by my side. Always.
I use a shadow tendril to raise her chin for her eyes to meet mine. “Not far.”
Resigning, she asks, “why even ask, Nikolai?”
Great question.
The better question is, why does my name sound so good coming from her mouth?