Chapter 46
NOVA
Showered and dressed in a soft, oversized cream knitted jumper and a pair of comfortable loose fitting black trousers I’d dug out from the depths of my dressing room, I descended the sweeping staircase.
A figure came into view, standing at the bottom of the stairs waiting for me.
Immaculately dressed in a tailored navy suit, with his dark blond hair swept to the side and the usual impassive expression on his face, he lifted his gaze, and his icy eyes met mine.
My heart jolted in my chest, my thumb rubbing over my bare ring finger. I was so unprepared for a showdown with my fiancé. I didn’t even know where to begin.
“Nova.” He stepped forwards when I reached him, inclining his head in greeting. He made no move to kiss me, which I was beyond grateful for.
Someone coughed discreetly, and we both turned to see Ryker and Jay standing there.
“Alright, Volksy.” My brother pasted on a fake smile. This was so awkward. His gaze flicked to me, then back to Anton. “Uh…I think this is yours.”
He handed my engagement ring to Anton, and I bit down on my lip, feeling my face heat.
Anton said nothing, but I could feel his eyes boring into the side of my head. My brother mouthed Sorry to me and then stepped back. “They’re waiting for you both in the blue room,” he said.
I did my best to keep my gaze away from the gorgeous man standing next to Ryker as I went to walk past them both, but I was stopped by his hand on my arm. He leaned into me, and I was instantly transported back to my bedroom, wrapped in his arms, safe and loved.
“I love you,” he murmured into my ear, too low for the others to pick up, but it still made my heart skip several beats. To hear him say it— It was everything. And at the same time, I was very aware of the fact that my fiancé was on my other side, and we were caught in an impossible situation.
“You too,” I whispered back, and Anton huffed out a breath. No. He’d heard me. Whipping around to face him, I caught the expression on his face. He looked…resigned? Sad? That couldn’t be right, surely?
He gave Jay a wry smile, holding out his hand. “Attwood,” he said.
Jay met his gaze, clasping his hand and shaking it firmly. “Volkov.”
What was happening here?
Anton released Jay’s hand and then held out his arm to me. “Shall we go and face the music?”
“Sign in the tabbed places.” My father slid a sheaf of papers across the table to me, along with a gold Montblanc fountain pen. I stared down at the first page on the stack, my eyes widening as I took it in. Inhaling shakily, I looked up at my father.
“You’re voiding the agreement?”
He gave a clipped nod. “Your services are no longer required.”
My services are no longer required? What did that mean? Did they know about Jay? Was I going to be punished?
“I-I don’t understand.”
“Stop trembling, for goodness’ sake,” my mother whispered harshly from my left, and I swallowed hard, straightening up in my seat.
“We are no longer betrothed.” Anton placed my engagement ring on the polished mahogany surface with a clink.
The diamond sparkled under the low lights.
“A new agreement has been made, and it no longer involves you.” His mouth twisted into the same wry smile he’d given me earlier.
“You’re free to choose your own partner. ”
My mother’s gaze flicked to Anton before returning to me. “Your former fiancé made it a condition of the new contract.” She pointedly cleared her throat. “You are free to choose…within reason. As a Thorpe, you have standards to uphold.”
I gaped at Anton, who gave me a small shake of his head.
Okay. It was something he wasn’t prepared to discuss in front of my parents.
Or his own father, for that matter. I side-eyed the silent, imposing man sitting at the head of the table.
As if he felt my gaze on him, he turned, a humourless smile curving over his lips.
“Due to recent events, we were prepared to make some concessions to our original agreement. As for Igor…” His smile widened, turning genuine, filled with malicious intent. “He humiliated the family and betrayed the Bratva brotherhood, and he will pay the price.”
Well, it seemed as if there was no love lost between the two of them.
“Hurry up.” Tapping the contract rescindment with a manicured fingernail, my mother huffed impatiently. “Do you understand the expense of a discreet solicitor who is prepared to work on such short notice?”
“Elizabeth,” my father admonished, and my mother clamped her mouth shut. He drummed his fingers on the table, letting me know without words that he was just as impatient as her. My gaze was drawn to Anton, who nodded. Exhaling, I picked up the pen and signed.
Anton came to a stop in the doorway. He’d been instructed to join the other men in the smoking room while I escaped to be with my friends, but he’d hung back until everyone else had left the blue room. “The betrothal is over. You are free to be with Attwood,” he murmured.
I swallowed around the lump in my throat. “Thank you. But why? Why did you do it?”
His mouth twisted. “My reasons are my own. At least one of us should be free to choose.”
“What about you?”
“I will do what I must. I am…happy for you both.” He shoved his hands into his pockets, rocking back on his heels. “I think your mother will approve.”
A startled laugh burst from my throat, and the corner of his lips kicked upwards. With a nod to me, my former fiancé turned on his heel and strode away.
“Nova?” Priya appeared in the hallway, gripping a medical bag. “Your mum said you were finished, so I wanted to check up on you before I leave. I’ve texted the instructions for the painkillers to you. I hope you don’t mind, but your mother gave me your number.”
“I don’t have my phone, though.” As far as I was aware, it was still in Bill’s car.
A solid body pressed up against my back, warm breath skating over my skin as Jay dipped his head to my ear. “You do. Ryker recovered it from the car.” His arm slid around my waist, my phone clasped in his hand. “Here.”
A smile spread across my face as I took the phone from him, leaning into his warmth. “Priya? Do you want to join me and the girls tonight? I’d like to get to know my boyfriend’s sister better.”
“Boyfriend, huh?” Jay murmured, amused. Raising his head, he addressed Priya. “No telling my girlfriend embarrassing stories about me, please.”
Priya smirked. “But there are so many to choose from. I need to do my sisterly duty. Nova, I’d love to join you, if you’re sure you don’t mind.”
“Please. If you go up to my bedroom, Liana and Vesper should be there already. I just want to have a quick word with Jay before I join you.”
She nodded and excused herself. When we were alone, Jay backed us into the blue room, turning me around to face him.
Our eyes met, and butterflies erupted inside me.
Then he lowered his head, his lips touching mine.
“Hi.”
“Hi.” I sounded far too breathless already, and his lips curved against mine.
“I can’t fucking wait to make you lose your breath later tonight.”
His low, sexy rasp made me shudder against him, goosebumps pebbling on my skin as he slid his muscular thigh between mine.
Running his hands down my back, he pulled me into him, palming my ass as he kissed me, the pressure of his thigh causing a delicious friction between my legs as he dragged me against him.
When he released my mouth, he swiped his tongue across his lips, and I blinked up at him, dazed and so turned on, sparks racing through my entire body.
Dark eyes met mine. “Mmm. Gorgeous.”
“Jay.” I buried my face in his neck, kissing his warm skin and feeling a growl rumble from his throat.
“Fuck, Nova.” He disentangled himself from me with clear reluctance, stepping back and adjusting his erection as his heated gaze drank me in. “We have duties. Go and have fun with your friends, while I play nice with the crime lords. After that? You’re all mine.”