Chapter 21 #2
Vera stands and walks the length of the room, tapping her chin as if trying to come up with the right words.
“It's like this. Aria, she was a hacker. She is a hacker. Mikhail loves her, but she became head of cybersecurity here alongside Aleksander. Harper,” she shakes her head, “she's the best marksman you could imagine.
She outshoots any of those guys. Literally any of them, Lydia.
Aleksander didn't necessarily know that when he married her, but she has become a powerful member of this group.”
Ahh. “Your knowledge of emergency medical response, I could imagine that comes in handy here.”
I shake my head, feeling uncertain. “What do I have to offer?”
“What do you have to offer? You're brilliant. Nikko told me that you were the one who figured out that your fiancé was a fraud. Nobody else knew that. You did, though.” She sighs.
“My point is this. You won't just be a pretty little thing meant to be set on a pedestal and have babies.
You'll be a very active member of this family. They will lean on you… hard.”
I nod slowly, reassured. “That helps,” I say, feeling a bit of relief.
Vera smiles. “Nikko has been texting me for an hour. If you're ready for bed, let's look at the wedding details tomorrow?”
“It's hard to believe it's coming so soon. We put it off, and we were planning a month, but everyone’s in agreement we need to move this up. But yeah, I’m good.”
Vera stands up.
“Go to your husband. I'm sure Viktor and Nikko are done soon. I need to find my future husband too,” I say with a laugh.
Vera leans over and gives me a hug. “I love you, Lydia,” she says softly.
I hug her back, warmth spreading across my chest. “And I love you.” Maybe one of the best parts of all this is that I might get to know my sister a little better.
Vera leaves, and I start my hunt for Viktor.
It's dark in the hallway as I look around for Viktor. The distant roll of thunder catches my attention.
Wandering the halls of his home—our home?—I feel a sense of foreboding. Everything is dark, moody, and the thunderstorm outside these windows doesn't help. I pause on the landing of the stairs, staring out an oval-shaped window into the night.
Lightning strikes overhead, lighting up the yard below. I pause, my heart skipping a beat. What is that down there? What is that?
I strain my eyes, thinking it must be Viktor, for some weird reason, taking a walk in the rain. But then, when the clouds shift, allowing more light to illuminate below, I realize it isn't Viktor or even one person but several. I stand up straighter, my heart beating faster.
There are half a dozen men with weapons outside this window, surrounding our grounds. Oh my God.
“Viktor! Viktor!” I can't stop my voice from shaking. I need to see him; I need to see him right now. “Viktor, where are you?”
My voice is shaky despite my best efforts to keep it steady. When I get to the landing, he pokes his head out from the den where Nikita lies. Of course, he's with Nikita. That makes perfect sense. I blame the stress for not figuring it out sooner. I’m so foolish.
He's immediately at attention, ready to kill.
I run to him, and he quickly gathers me in his arms. The immediate feel of his hand on the back of my head and his other hand around my waist makes me breathe easier, if only for a moment. “What is it? What happened?”
“People outside with weapons. Lots of them! Are they going to attack?”
“Where?” he snaps, running to the window to look. “Oh. Damn. I'm sorry, Lydia. Baby, I should've told you. Those are the men I called in as backup. Our guards.”
I swallow. “Of course. The guards. God, I'm so dumb.”
“Don't call yourself dumb. I don't want to hear that again,” he says gently, though there's an element of steel in his voice that reminds me exactly what it feels like to be under his command.
“They are here overnight, even in the rain?”
“Of course. They'd stay there through a snowstorm or a blizzard. They're here to protect you.”
Not us, I think to myself.
“Okay, that makes sense.”
He kisses my cheek. “I’ll tell you next time. Are you going to bed? We’ve had a long day. I'll join you in a few minutes. Did you have a nice visit with your sister?”
“I did, but we need a lot more time to catch up. I hope we can get that.”
“I'll do whatever it takes. If she has another job to go to, I'm happy to travel so that you can visit her nearby, if it's feasible. Same with your mother.”
“But they need you here—”
He smiles. “And you're needed too, but most of the time, what you'll be doing for us can be done remotely.” He bends over and kisses a little curlicue on the corner of my temple. I love it when he does that. I think over what Vera has said, what she's revealed.
He's known me and wanted me for a very long time. And maybe that should freak me out. Maybe it's just a part of who he is, who we are as two unconventional people.
“You’d do that for me? Travel so I can be with my sister?”
“Of course,” he says warmly.
“I would love that, thank you.”
His lips meet mine, and I'm instantly aroused, instantly malleable and molded to him.
I lick his tongue, savoring the thrill of his moan.
It feels like lighting a match when I kiss him back.
I run my hand down the length of his front, relishing the feel of his muscles, his hard abs, his bridled, unfathomable strength.
He kisses me again. “I have one more dose of medicine I'm going to give Nikita, then I'll join you. Why don't you get some rest. It's been a long day.”
He's not wrong. Part of me wants the assurance of him next to me in bed more than anything now. I follow him back to the room beside Nikita. I bend over the top of her head. “You're such a good girl, and I am so proud of you,” I whisper to her. “Get some rest now.”
His eyes meet mine when I rise. I love her.
I try to puzzle out how I feel about being a member of this family. It isn't just my husband's family anymore, but my sister's, too. Joining with the Romanovs is an excellent decision for all of us. Even my mother will be better off.
Not that you have a choice, a little voice in the back of my head says, but that voice is getting quieter.
I walk softly over to the dresser, my hands roaming over the folded clothing. It's all so beautiful, and it fits me so well. The smallest of luxuries, but I cannot take it for granted.
I open his drawer beneath mine and bury my head in the clean, folded white tees. I inhale deeply. They smell like him, invigorating and manly.
It's a little chilly tonight with the thunderstorm rolling in, but I’ll be warm in his tee. I steal one from the drawer.
A little golden key beneath his tees catches my attention. Huh. I eye it thoughtfully before I put it back. It looks like a small key you might use to open a desk drawer.
I strip off my clothes, feeling the cool air on my skin, and toss them toward the laundry basket. They fall to the floor.
“Good one, Lydia.” I shake my head and walk over to pick them up. I'm about to put them in the hamper when I look at the door again. I step over to it, curious. I feel like Alice in Wonderland. Something tells me I'm going to turn this handle and find myself upside down.
I take a deep breath and slowly turn the handle, curiosity and a touch of dread swirling within me.
The door is locked. Huh.
Strange.
I try the handle again, but it doesn't open. Not sure why I do because if it didn't open the first time, it definitely won't the second time.
The key… there was a key among his T-shirts. What if I… I walk over to his drawer and remove the key; my movements are hurried because I know I shouldn't be doing this. It's what he calls snooping.
He's against it, but dammit, I'm going to be his wife. He shouldn't have locked doors from me.
I walk back to the door and slide the key into the lock.
My heart races when it fits. I push the door open and stare for a moment before I realize what I’m seeing.
My hand covers my mouth in disbelief.