Chapter 10
Chapter Ten
Irina
In a show of trust, Nikolai takes me to one of the nightclubs he owns as a way for me to get to know him better. Possibly see him as less of a murderous Bratva man and more of a man. My savior.
While I did manage to get myself away from Alexei, the fact that Nikolai had been out looking for me is a huge thing.
It makes me feel warmer to him. He’s the only one I can depend on now and I need to make the most out of it.
No more running. I don’t want what happened with Alexei to ever happen again.
“Have you found him?” I ask on the car ride to his nightclub.
Nikolai shifts in his seat. “Alexei? No. The fucker went into hiding. I’m searching for him and when I do find him, I’ll kill him.”
Fortunately, the wounds Alexei gave me were just surface level. Bruising only so I’ll heal soon but I’m still achy, even sitting in the car. A nasty bruise on my upper cheek is partially visible through my makeup. I wasn’t able to fully cover it.
“You just admitted to me that you’ll kill him. I could tell the cops what you’re planning on doing.”
“You could but I believe you won’t.”
He’s right. Not anymore. Not after what I went through with Alexei. How I could have died. How I was beaten.
“Why show me your nightclub?” I ask to change the subject. Alexei is someone I would rather not think about right now.
“Because it’s a place that brings in a lot of revenue for me. It’s a place I spend a lot of time at. Well, before we got married. It will be good for you to see it. You can meet a few of my friends as well.”
“Friends? Like Maksim?”
“Yes. Maksim will be there and a few others. I take it you don’t like him.”
He returned me to you, I want to snap but things have changed now. Nikolai is someone I’m beginning to trust. No use harping on the past.
“He just didn’t leave the best first impression,” I admit.
“Well, you’ll get the chance to talk to him again. Maybe he’ll change your mind.”
We arrive at the nightclub. It’s clearly popular from the long line out front. I can’t even see the end of it.
I shiver in my sheer dress when I step outside.
Nikolai picked it out for me earlier and insisted I wear it, telling me I would look sexy in it.
I didn’t want to refuse, not because I’m scared of him, but because when he told me I would look sexy, a heat had settled over me.
The same heat as when he touched me between my legs. It’s a heat I want to feel again.
Nikolai places his hand on my back and leads me inside the club, walking right past the line. Benefits of being the owner.
“When’s the last time you’ve had to wait in line?” I ask.
“Never.” He offers me a cheeky grin that I can’t help but return.
Nikolai is gentle with me as we walk through the club. Helping to guide me. Pulling me out of the way of people dancing around, flailing their limbs. His touch is soft but noticeable. I couldn’t forget it.
After the Alexei incident, we haven’t spoken about the spanking he gave me. It’s something I think both of us would rather forget. A brand new start for us.
He leads me to the second floor of the club to a private booth. Multiple people are there already. Men and women who look elegant and refined. Adults who party. Who do drugs, judging from the lines of coke on the table.
“You won’t be touching any of that,” Nikolai says into my ear. “The last thing I want is drugs in your system.”
“Are you going to take any?”
“No. I like a clear head no matter where I am. Besides, I don’t want anyone trying to take you from me again.”
My heart clenches for some reason.
“Nik!” Maksim says, standing up and holding a bottle of champagne out to him. “Join us.”
“That’s why we’re here.”
Maksim sets his intimidatingly handsome eyes onto me. “You brought your wife with you. I’m surprised. I thought you weren’t going to take her out of your ivory tower.”
“It’s time Irina sees more of my life. Make her feel welcomed.”
“Of course. Sit, sit.”
Nikolai has me sit down next to Maksim, with him on the other side of me. Sandwiched between two Bratva men. I should feel like I’m in danger and yet, I’ve never felt more protected.
“How have you been?” Maksim asks, pouring us each a drink. Nikolai declines so I decide to as well. I also want a clear head in case anyone tries hurting me. “You know, after…”
“Alexei,” Nikolai says in a flat voice. “Unless you have any information on where he is, I’d rather not talk about that fucker.”
“Got it.” Maksim nods at me. “So, how has married life been treating you?”
“I don’t like you,” I blurt out.
Maksim raises his eyebrows. “All right. Surprising. Why? Most people like me.”
“I like him,” a woman says in a sultry voice, draping her arms around his shoulders.
“Because you work for my husband and I wasn’t happy about that at first.”
“And now?”
I can feel Nikolai looking at me as I give my answer. “Now… Now things have changed. But it’s hard for me to trust.”
“Fair enough. But I can promise you that I’m not like Alexei. I’m always on Nikolai’s side. My dad is a good friend of his as well. They’ve been working together long before I joined.”
“Who’s your dad?”
“Gregor,” that’s all Maksim says. Clearly, his dad is a high ranking Bratva man, otherwise he wouldn’t be so cryptic.
It’s all connected, I realize. Just how much power these men have. It’s still terrifying but I’d rather be on Nikolai’s side than against him.
Nikolai drapes his arm around my shoulders and I find myself leaning into him. It feels good – his touch.
A woman approaches the private VIP area. Her red hair is practically shining in the lights. There’s a sultry way to her walk. Her little black dress doesn’t leave anything to the imagination.
“Nikolai?” she asks, sounding surprised. “I didn’t know you were here tonight.”
“Simone. Nice to see you again.”
Simone doesn’t hesitate to sit on his other side. Sitting a little too close I notice. “I’ve missed you. You haven’t been around the club in a few weeks.”
“I’ve been busy with other work. You get it.”
“Of course.” Her eyes flick to me and narrow. “Who’s this?” She sounds almost… possessive of Nikolai. But that doesn’t make any sense. I’m his wife, not her.
“My wife, Irina.”
“Your wife?” Her eyes practically bulge out of her head. “I didn’t know you had gotten married.”
“You’re my ex-girlfriend, Simone. I didn’t think it was pertinent knowledge for you to have.”
I study Simone harder. She’s Nikolai’s ex. I’m not sure how to feel about that. Of course I’m not na?ve. I assumed Nikolai had past relationships. A man as handsome and powerful as him would. But it’s different meeting one of those past relationships in the real world.
Simone huffs. “It still would have been nice to know you were married. I don’t even know this girl. And she’s clearly a girl, Nik. I mean, she looks so young.”
I shift around in my seat. Suddenly, the sheer dress Nikolai had me wear feels cheap, like I’m a little girl playing dress up in my mom’s closet.
“Irina is not your concern.”
“Why did you get married? I mean, I was waiting for you,” she whines just a little bit. It doesn’t take away from her beauty. Her striking beauty that makes me feel less pretty.
“We were over. And this isn’t a conversation to have here. If you want to talk, let’s go somewhere else. But don’t make a scene.”
“Then let’s go talk.” She stands up and offers him her hand.
Nikolai sighs, turning to me. “I’m going to talk with her but I’ll be right back. Maksim, keep an eye on Irina.
“Got it,” he says.
A flare of annoyance hits me. Why is Nikolai leaving me to talk to his ex? But it doesn’t feel like my place to object.
“I’ll be right back,” Nikolai offers but he still gets up and follows Simone.
“Don’t worry,” Maksim says into my ear, making me jump. “Nikolai doesn’t have feelings for Simone anymore. She was always too clingy. He’s just reminding her that they’re over and they have been for a while.”
That doesn’t reassure me. It only makes me more annoyed. After what I’ve been through, Nikolai should be focused on me and not his ex. Who cares what she wants? What she needs? What about what I want and need?
I was kidnapped only a couple of days ago. I was beaten. I was sold off by my own father. And now, the only man I can trust – that I’m allowing myself to trust – just left me alone in a nightclub where I could get hurt. The bruises on my stomach still ache.
The urge to cry hits me so strong that I know I can’t stay here. The last thing I want is to cry in front of Maksim.
“Where’s the bathroom?” I ask.
“Down there.” He points to a hallway not far away.
I practically run towards it. Fortunately, Maksim doesn’t follow me, giving me time to breathe. I step inside the bathroom and focus on calming my nerves.
I’m just in my head, I remind myself. Nikolai is probably doing what Maksim said: just talking with Simone. But it feels like another betrayal. Like I’m left all alone again. Like I have no one to trust when I was just starting to trust Nikolai.
After composing myself, I leave the bathroom… only to run into a man. He’s young, probably in his twenties. Alcohol reeks off him.
“Hey,” he slurs, walking over to me.
I back away but there’s not much space in the hallway. My spine touches the wall with nowhere else to go. “Hi. If you’ll excuse me…” I try walking past but he corners me. “What are you doing?”
“You’re pretty,” he says, running his hand down my face. I smack it away.
“Don’t touch me.” Not after what Alexei did.
“Come on, baby. Don’t play hard to get.” Despite him clearly being drunk, he’s still able to move faster than me. My achy body is slowing me down. He grabs my waist and presses himself against me and in one quick motion, presses his lips to mine.
I push and shove him but it’s no use. He’s not backing away.
As suddenly as the man kisses me, he stops. But it’s not of his own accord. It’s because of my husband.
Nikolai yanks the man away from me and shoves him into the opposite wall. “Who gave you the right to touch my wife?”
The man’s eyes widen, like he recognizes my husband. “She’s… your wife?”
“Fucker,” Nikolai snarls before he grabs the man by the jacket and throws him to the ground, kicking him in the stomach, over and over and over. I can only stare in horror… and something else. A sense of heat hits me. How Nikolai is protecting me.
It’s sending a flare of arousal through my body.
Nikolai finishes kicking the man and he doesn’t get back up. Maksim comes running over. “You were supposed to keep an eye on her,” Nikolai snarls. “Now, take care of this fucker.”
Maksim only nods.
“Come on,” Nikolai says to me. “We’re going home.”