Chapter 31
NIKA
We spend two more days at the farm. Daniel recovers enough to get out of bed, though the doctor insists he stays off his feet as much as possible. I take a lot of hikes with Gabe and we discuss our Greek problem endlessly.
But like all good things, it doesn’t last. The house feels jittery the night before we’re set to drive back to Paris for the Dragons meeting.
Gabe’s on edge. I figure I’ll distract him the best I can, maybe use my womanly wiles against him to take his mind off what’s coming, but instead I find a dress laid out for me on the bed that evening just before dinner.
“What’s this? You’re picking out my clothes now?”
“For tonight I am.”
I hold it up. Light and airy, attractive but modest, more suited to a cocktail hour at a high-end restaurant than anywhere within twenty miles of here. “Do you have some kind of erotic roleplaying in mind?”
He laughs at that. “Later maybe, but put that on for now. We have a meeting.”
“With who?”
“You’ll see.” He leaves the room and I don’t have much choice. I get dressed, end up going light on hair and makeup. He’s waiting for me downstairs in a lightweight linen suit, looking like the sexiest country gentleman I’ve ever seen in my life. He kisses my cheek and tells me I look perfect.
We take the BMW into the village center. It’s quiet around here, and the car draws some attention. We’ve been avoiding coming here, but I guess it doesn’t matter anymore since we’re going back to the city in the morning. He parks near an old tavern, gets out, and offers me his arm.
“Taking me out to dinner?” I say as he leads me inside. It’s dim and cool, a traditional French cafe that’s probably older than the entire United States.
“Something like that.” The hostess seems to recognize him and gestures straight toward the back.
There’s a modest dinner crowd and many of them glance up as we pass.
The attention is polite and curious though, not hostile at all.
Gabe strides through confidently and only pauses when he approaches another section of the building, a private room tucked around the corner and blocked off with curtains.
I think for a moment we’re in the wrong place. A man and a woman are sitting at a table big enough for twelve. He’s tall and brutally handsome with dark curly hair and deep crystal blue eyes. His gaze is piercing, like he’s trying to pick me apart.
But the woman beside him makes me stop in my tracks.
She’s younger than him, closer to my age, and wearing a cute navy dress.
Her hair is thick and dark, and her build is small and delicate.
Despite that, I can immediately see some of Gabe in her: the same nose, a similar eye shape, the same skin tone.
She stands, beaming happily, and comes around the table.
“Hey, big brother,” she says, giving Gabe a tight hug.
I watch in shock as Gabe hugs her back. “Good to see you, Allie. I want you to meet my wife, Nika.”
Allie throws her arms around me. She’s an inch smaller, but her grip is iron hard. “Fantastic to meet you! Welcome to the family. I’m sorry it took us so long to come see you two, but you know how it is.”
“Nice to meet you too.” I laugh in pure surprise and look at Gabe questioningly. He’s grinning back at me. “I didn’t think I’d get a chance to before the big finale.”
“About that.” The man speaks, his voice low and calm. He’s got an air about him, powerful and commanding. Allie goes over to stand at his side, and the way she looks at him almost makes me jealous. It’s pure, blissful adoration. “Things have changed.”
“Nika, this is Massimo Cardone.” Gabe gestures at the Dragon casually.
“Call me Mass. Everyone does.” He protectively puts an arm around Allie’s shoulder and I bet he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it. “The situation isn’t exactly ideal.”
“Come on, let’s sit down and eat.” Allie gestures for us to join them. “I know this is a surprise, but hopefully it’s a good one?”
“A good one. I’ve been wanting to meet both of you.” I take a seat beside Gabe. Mass pours us wine from a bottle at the side of the table.
“Truth is, there’s no point in pretending like I’m not involved anymore.
” His expression is difficult to read. His affect is flat, borderline non-existent.
I can’t tell if he’s angry, bored, or disinterested.
Probably none of the above. “Zohran declared his allegiance and I believe he dragged the others to his side as well. I was hoping trying to remain neutral might sway them, but I was wrong.”
“Leave it to a Dragon to change the rules,” Gabe mutters, sipping from his glass.
Mass inclines his head. “Yes, I suppose you’re right.
” There’s a tense moment, then Mass waves a hand toward the door.
The waitress arrives as if summoned and he rattles off a dinner order for everyone, not bothering to ask if it’s acceptable.
When that’s done, he pours more wine all around and sits back, brooding quietly.
I get the feeling he doesn’t play well with others.
Allie fills in for him though. Where he’s distant and difficult, she’s warm and effusive.
She asks me a ton of questions and I like her immediately.
She’s got some of Gabe’s charm, though she seems much softer, much more normal in a strange way, even though she’s married to one of the most powerful men in the world.
But inevitably, despite Allie’s best attempts, the conversation drifts back to business after the food arrives.
It’s all traditional French dishes from around the region: roast duck, chicken thighs, creamy sauces, various vegetables.
“Truth is, Artyom’s got too much support,” Mass says, glaring at his plate as he eats methodically.
“Zohran’s managed to convince the others. Which leaves us in a bad position.”
“I’ve been thinking about that.” Gabe touches my hand. “Nika here has some intelligence on the Greek. She thinks he’s got a weakness for gambling and games.”
Mass’s mouth pulls down at the corners. “Yes, I’ve seen that in him, though it’s not widely known.”
“I have an idea. Let’s call it the beginning of a plan.”
“Tell me.”
“Not right now. We should enjoy the meal first before getting into the ugly stuff.” Gabe brightens, leans over, and kisses my cheek. “Good, right?”
“Good,” I confirm, not sure what he’s playing at, but I sense a reluctance to talk about his ideas in front of me.
Allie swoops in and changes the subject. She asks about growing up in L.A. and tells me some stories from her childhood. “It wasn’t easy having two much older brothers. Gabe was such a pain in the ass. So damn bossy.”
I pretend to be surprised. “No, not my husband. That can’t be right.”
“I don’t like where this is going,” Gabe mutters unhappily.
Allie cackles and relates the time Gabe tried to ground her, which didn’t go well, and ended up with them getting into a minor pranking war.
She put soap in his toothpaste and he hid all her pillows for a week.
Dominic ended up brokering a truce when Allie threatened to literally stab Gabe if he didn’t back off and apologize.
“Siblings can be hard,” Mass grumbles, which is basically all he has to offer. The man seems like a robot sometimes.
But dinner goes smoothly. When we’re finished, Gabe stands and invites Mass to smoke a cigar outside. The men disappear, drinks in hand, and I watch them go.
“You’ll get used to it,” Allie says quietly.
“To what?”
“All the secrecy. You’re going to be a Dragon’s wife, right? Secrets are a fact of life in our world.”
“Gabe doesn’t keep things from me.” But I get an uneasy feeling. Why did they walk off like that? And why didn’t Gabe want to talk about his plan?
“Of course not! My brother would never!” She beams at me and refills my glass. “I know he comes off hard sometimes, but he cares a lot. Maybe he cares too much. He made some mistakes in the past, and I think this whole Dragon quest is his way of atoning for that.”
“He’s a good person. Maybe a little lost.”
“Are you trying to help him find his way back?”
“I don’t, I mean, I couldn’t—“
Allie laughs at how flustered I feel. “It’s okay, you know. I can tell you two love each other.”
“Love?” My cheeks start burning with embarrassment.
“Ah crap, you haven’t said it yet, have you?”
“No, I mean, our relationship is complicated.”
“Obviously. Dragon. But I’ve known Gabe my whole life, and I’ve never seen him look at a woman the way he’s looking at you.
It’s like he needs your approval for everything he says and does.
I’m not even sure he realizes he’s doing it, but whenever he opens his mouth, takes a drink, moves an inch, he’s looking to you. ”
“Doesn’t always feel that way.”
“Probably not, but trust me, he’s doing it.”
I take that in, sucking my teeth and staring down at my fingers. Do I want Gabe to love me? And do I love him? A strange flutter fills my belly at the thought and I wonder if that’s the answer. If it’s really that simple.
“Can I ask you something? How do you handle being married to a man like Massimo without getting trampled?”
“Patience. Backbone. A lot of yelling. There are ups and downs like any relationship, but in the end, we’re partners and we love each other. All this other stuff, the job, the expectations, it’s all on the outside. Him and I are on the inside, no matter what. Does that make sense?”
“Yeah, I think it does,” I say quietly, chewing it over. “I think Gabe’s starting to treat me like that. Like we’re both inside.”
“Exactly! It’s good, I promise.” She raises a glass. “Here’s to falling for a Dragon.”
“He’s not a Dragon yet. I don’t want to jinx it.”
“If I know my husband and my brother, those two are working out some elaborate idea that’ll inevitably either kill us all or put Gabe on the throne. So don’t worry, either we’re dead or we’re winners. Cheers!”
I lean against Gabe on the drive back to the farmhouse. It isn’t far, but he takes his time through the dark rural roads. He smells like smoke and I wonder what he talked about with Massimo. I haven’t asked, and I get the feeling it’s probably better if I don’t.
He parks out front. The lights are out. His guards are off in the woods patrolling. I turn to him as the engine stops and darkness falls on us. Moonlight makes his eyes shine.
“I like your sister.”
“Yeah? She likes you too.”
“Did she… you know… mention anything?” My heart quickens and I feel weirdly nervous. “About what we talked about, I mean?”
“No, baby, she didn’t.” His smile is knowing. He shifts and leans in, fingers trailing into my hair as he pulls me to him. He kisses me. “Were you gushing about how much you want me all night or something? It’s weird, you know, she’s my sister.”
“No, asshole.” I push him back, glaring at him, heart racing. Shit, god, this is so stupid. I don’t even know what I’m thinking.
I should tell him. Say the words. I love you, I fell for you, I want this.
But I’m afraid of how he’ll react. The meeting is tomorrow evening, and I don’t want to distract him too much.
What if he doesn’t say it back? What if he breaks my heart and ends up getting himself killed because I was stupid and couldn’t keep my mouth shut?
“Nika,” he says softly, his perpetual confident smirk fading into concern. “What’s wrong?”
I love you. I love you. I love you and I’m afraid to say it.
God, open your mouth. Tell him.
Say the words.
I love you.
“Gabe…” I catch my lip between my teeth, feeling sick with worry and fear and excitement.
But instead of opening my mouth—
I lunge forward, kiss him, and start unbuckling his pants.
What the hell am I doing right now? He grunts in surprise as his hands graze along my body.
I get his belt off and tug his slacks forward.
He lifts his hips and groans into my mouth as I stroke his cock with both hands over his boxer briefs.
He’s hard already, and god, I love his dick, I love the way he makes these noises—
I love him.
So say it already.
Instead, I tug his underwear off and take his cock into my mouth.
He moans as I suck his swollen crown. I lick his slit, rolling my tongue around, hollowing my cheeks.
I stroke his shaft with one hand, sucking and sliding up and down, and oh my god, I’m sucking his cock instead of saying I love you, but shit, it’s too late now.
I whimper, moaning as I let spit roll down his shaft, sucking hard and fast and sloppy, distracting myself, wondering if maybe this is the last chance I’ll get.
To hell with it, to hell with it all. I want him, I love him, but I’m not going to ruin everything we’ve built because I can’t keep my mouth shut.
Instead, I fill it with his dick.
He moans as he grips my hair. He tries pulling me back, but I hold onto his hips, sucking him fast. “Fuck, Nika, I’m going to come, baby.”
I whimper, licking quicker, sucking faster.
“Damn it baby, you’re going to make me come—you don’t want me to fuck you? You don’t want me to fill your pretty pussy up? Oh fuck—“
He loses himself in my mouth. He comes hard and I swallow it, struggling a bit at the volume. I lick it eagerly, pull back with a gasp, swallowing the last bit. He groans, melting back, and buries my mouth with his, likely tasting a touch of his own salty seed, and clearly not caring.
God, I’m so pathetic.
I couldn’t even tell him that I love him.
“I should take you out to dinner more often,” he says with a heavy-lidded smile when I pull back.
I wipe my mouth primly. “Don’t think I’m going to do that all the time.”
“Why not? Don’t pretend you don’t love the way I lose control in your mouth.”
I feel a shiver of excitement. “Okay, I do like that.”
“I know.” He leans in and kisses me again. “Come on, love. Let’s go inside. We’ve got one more night. I want to spend it with you in bed.”
“Yeah? Even after I did that?”
“Especially because you did.” He tightens his grip on my hair before exhaling and releasing me. “Tomorrow is going to be hard, love, but we’ll get through it.”
“I know we will.”
He looks like he wants to say something more, but instead, he pushes open the door and gets out of the car.
As I follow, I notice two things.
First, he called me love, and he did it twice.
And second, I wonder if there’s something he’s holding back too.