Chapter 14 #2
Before I could overthink it, I reached for my phone.
As the line started ringing, I hesitated because I knew exactly what kind of world Alexei had stepped back into the moment he walked out that door.
I pictured him surrounded by his men, conversations hushed and controlled, every word carrying weight, and for a second, I almost ended the call.
He answered on the second ring, and I froze.
“Lucia.” My name came out of his mouth first, low and certain. It wasn’t the voice he used for business, not sharp or distant but carrying a soft weight. “Are you okay? You’re alright?” The concern in his voice was palpable, and it startled me.
“I…” I paused, forcing myself to keep going before I lost my nerve. “I’m sorry to bother you—”
“You never bother me. You call me whenever. Any time. For any reason.”
I smiled and glanced down, feeling my heart stutter a bit. “I wanted to ask you something.”
There was a brief shift on the other end, the faint sound of movement, and then his voice lowered further, quieter without losing its edge. “You can ask me anything,” he said. “What is it?”
I drew in a small breath, my fingers brushing the edge of the counter as I spoke.
“I was thinking about making dinner,” I said.
“I didn’t know if you’d want that… or if you’d rather have something brought in.
I didn’t know if you’d prefer the staff to handle that?
” The line went silent after that, and I worried I’d overstepped.
“You want to cook for me?” he asked finally, slower this time, like he was working through it.
Confusion filtered through me as I stared out the window. “Yes. You’re… you’re my husband, and I’d like to prepare a home-cooked meal for you. If you’d like.”
There was a pause, longer than the first, and for a second, I thought I had misread everything, that this wasn’t something he wanted, that I had, in fact, crossed a line I didn’t understand yet. Then he exhaled, long and steady, and when he spoke again, something in his voice had shifted.
“I’m sorry I’m not alone right now,” he said, and I could hear it then, voices in the background, the muted presence of other men. “I wish I was home… with you.”
I felt a blush steal over my cheeks hearing him say that.
“But I want that, Lucia.”
I stilled slightly at the sound of his voice saying my name.
I could picture him saying it against my ear as he thrust into me. I closed my eyes, my body heating and shaking at the memory of Alexei claiming me.
“I want you to cook for me,” he continued, his voice rougher now, like he wasn’t holding it back the same way. “I want to come home and know you’re there. I want to eat something you made with your hands. Just for me.”
Something tightened in my chest at that, something warm and unfamiliar, and once again, I thought about that little boy in those photos. I wanted to see him smile like that, a smile that showed he was truly happy.
“I didn’t know if you’d think it was unnecessary,” I admitted.
“Nothing you do for me is unnecessary,” he said, and there was no hesitation in it.
I could hear movement more clearly now, the low murmur of voices shifting, and I expected him to pull back, to fall into that colder version of himself, but he didn’t. Instead, Alexei’s tone sharpened just enough to carry, enough that anyone close to him would hear it clearly.
“If they’re listening,” he said, “let them. What do I fucking care if they hear me with my wife? Let them hear how good I have it.”
That caught me off guard. It wasn’t just what he said but how easily he said it, like it didn’t matter who heard, like nothing about this was something he needed to hide.
“I’ll be home by dinner,” he continued, his voice lowering again, meant only for me now. “And Lucia?”
“Yes?” I said breathlessly.
“Once we’re finished with dinner, I’m going to bury my face between your thighs and eat my dessert.”
I didn’t know what to say to that, didn’t know if I could even form the words. I was wet, ready, and needy, and I knew the rest of the day, all I would think about was Alexei making good on that promise.
There was a brief pause, like neither of us was ready to end our conversation just yet, and then he spoke again. “Lucia?”
The way he said my name made something in me tighten. “Yes?”
“Naden' platye segodnya vecherom. Bez trusov.”
I exhaled, loving the sound of his Russian, his voice deep and gruff. I didn't understand him, but that didn’t matter. I could have come just from hearing him talk to me.
“Wear a dress tonight. No panties.”
The line went dead after that, leaving me standing in the quiet kitchen, but the silence didn’t feel the same as it had before. I lowered the phone slowly and set it on the counter, my hand lingering on it for a second before I moved.
It was barely after lunch, but I started to gather what I needed without hesitation, pulling ingredients from the fridge for the osso buco, setting everything out in front of me.
The familiar rhythm of cooking came back easily.
I wanted to make this dinner special. I wanted to take my time in hopes I could see that smile on Alexei’s face once more.
Once I had everything laid out, I smiled as I decided to make homemade bread for dinner. As I started baking and as everything came together, this place started to feel like a home… even if just for right now.
By the time the bread was baking and the osso buco was simmering, filling the air with rich, savory scents, I realized something had shifted without me noticing. I wasn’t just trying to adjust to his world anymore. I was starting to find my place in it.
And when he walked through that door tonight, I wanted him to feel it.