Chapter 76ArielWe stared at each other longingly, none of us making a move even though we desired one thing—to be together. "Are you no longer interested?" I asked shyly and shifted my weight to the other foot."There has never been a time that I haven't been interested in you. I've always been drawn to you from the first time you bumped into me in front of your father's study and splashed that hot coffee on my suit," A smile crept to my face and my cheeks heated up with a blush. "I thought you couldn't stand me,""True, I couldn't stand you because you acted spoilt, but your feistiness also turned me on. And when we began to live together properly, I realized that you were more than the spoilt and superficial girl I thought you were...""I'm not superficial," I clicked my tongue and looked away. A soft chuckle emanated from his lips and he raised his hands in surrender. "I'm sorry about that. But I discovered that you had more layers that were veiled by the brattish exterior tha
Chapter 77ArielUnlike Dmitri who advanced toward the Father's mansion with so much poise, I rather dragged my feet across the interlogged ground; my heart pounding with apprehension.Instinctively, he reached for my hand and entwined our fingers, then bent slightly so his mouth was at the same level as my ear. "Are you anxious?"I nodded vigorously as my lips took a momentary vacation at that point. Fortunately, he understood my predicament and gently pulled me closer to himself. "Don't worry. Your parents won't do anything to you. They are just concerned about your health, that's all," He assured me confidently. My fingers trembled even though he was holding them firmly. "But I made them scared. I didn't even pick up their calls," I managed to say. "It's fine, sweetheart. Everything will be alright, just take a deep breath," He advised. I did as he said and began to count slowly from one to ten. Gradually, the yoke of unease slipped away and I gathered some level of confidence
Chapter 78ArielI was so sure that my eyes would fall out of their sockets if Guilia continued to throw in these huge surprises."Hold up, Guilia, you can't leave. You haven't even told Vladimir about it?" The pitch of my voice rose to a scary note that could draw the attention of anyone around the hallway.So she placed her finger on my lips and they clamped shut immediately."He's not to know about the pregnancy because I don't want him to. I've already made a grave mistake by making him the father of my unborn child when I knew he didn't care, I wouldn't worsen the case by letting him know about the fruit of our misdeed," She replied with tears pouring down in torrents from her eyes.I cupped her cheeks and dried the tears with my palm, my heart swelling with compassion for her. I wished I wasn't married so that we would go to Paris for me to take care of her, but it wasn't possible.The only way Dmitri could let me go with her was if I told him about the pregnancy and seeing how
Chapter 79DmitriA burst of adrenaline pumped through my veins when I met Armen in front of the club that housed our hidden torture hole. Though he was known for always wearing a blank look that masked his true feelings, I couldn't help but notice the uncertainty lurking behind that veil."Where's the motherfucker hiding?""He isn't hiding, boss. He's in your office... Seated on your chair, even," He muttered and blocked me from opening the door."What's the matter? Do you think I'm going to lose my senses over a man who doesn't have control over his addiction?" I chuckled confidently and shrugged. "I took care of his father and I'd do the same to him if he tries to mess up,"He wasn't bothered anymore as he gave way for me to go in. The club was quiet with fewer customers since it was afternoon, and I preferred it this way because I didn't want Ivanov's scream to fill the club when people were partying even though they might have gotten used to it already.Armen pressed some button
Chapter 80ArielI dialed Dmitri's phone for the umpteenth time, but I was given the usual annoying response that he wasn't reachable. I clutched tightly in frustration to my cell phone and palmed my forehead."Where could he be?"It was past 9 pm and he wasn't here. For someone who left the house early this morning without greeting me goodbye, he surely should have called me to fill me up on details.The worry laced with anger that was growing in my stomach slowly dissipated when Liora who was earlier attending to her homework tugged at my shorts."Isn't Daddy coming back home tonight?" She asked innocently.She had gathered more weight as she enjoyed gobbling everything the cook prepared, but I still managed to hoist her into my arms."He will return, baby. Just give him some time. I guess he's very busy with work," I slowly placed her head on my shoulder and patted her head gently. "It's just that I miss him and we haven't been together as a family. It's either you're not around o
Chapter 81ArielI'd barely made it to our bedroom where I intended to take two pillows and retire for the night in the guest room when I felt him standing behind me."What are you doing?" He panted breathing heavily down my neck. The words he said to me earlier replayed in my head, sapping me of any energy I had to reply to him. The only thing that would make me feel better was lying down to sleep and I wasn't going to let him rob me of that. So I ignored him and strolled into the room, picking up the pillows I needed and then I bumped into his buff frame, my lips colliding with his left nipple. My grip on the pillows loosened and they slipped off my hands. With my heart pounding against my ribcage and a rush of dopamine messing with my brain, I allowed my lips to graze his dark hard nipple. "Ariel, you're teasing me,"Slowly, I recoiled, getting a grip on my body while mentally beating up myself for being so weak all the time. "I'm sorry for teasing you. Goodnight," I dashed ou
Chapter 82Ariel"Come, let's go take a shower," He urged me on.My body was limp from the sexual workout we had engaged in and then he picked up our clothes and carried me in his arms, marching confidently toward our bedroom.He pushed the door open and headed straight for the bathroom. I tugged at him to put me down after we entered the shower cubicle and then he turned on the heater while I rested against the wall.His fingers played the strands of my disheveled hair and a lazy smile crept up to my face. "Why do I feel like we aren't just going to have a shower?"He wiggled his brows playfully and furrowed them while tapping his chin as if in thought. "It depends on what you want, but if you ask me, I want more than just some droplets of water running over my skin. I want to bury myself inside of you," He replied, my body coming alive once more.If I thought that I was exhausted, his words showed me that I wasn't."You don't get tired, don't you?" I faked a frown even though I deep
Chapter 83ArielI sat up with all traces of sleep disappearing from my eyes. "You're leaving for Russia?" My voice was raspy as I was completely bewildered."That's the only way to solve this. I won't sit back and allow someone to take away what I've worked hard for years. I was given this position because I merited it, not because I was my late father's favorite. Even Vladimir understands this," He replied blankly.Filled with despair, I latched onto his hands desperately. "Then why don't you speak with Nikolai? There must be something he wants from you,"He withdrew his hand slowly from mine and shook his head. "I'm not going to do that, Princess. It will only cause more harm than good,""Can't you put your pride aside and think about your family for once? Liora was so worried when you didn't return and we are just beginning to bond as a family. Does being Capo mean more than us?" I threw the questions without thinking, peering at his stoic expression that he used as a facade to ke
Chapter 98ArielTWO MONTHS LATERI stood before Dmitri with the priest holding a book in his hands. A petal dropped from the canopy of flowers that was used as a roof to shield us from the harsh rays of the sun.And Dmitri beamed at me with the brightest smile I'd ever seen as we renewed our vows to each other in the presence of my parents, Vladimir, Liora and a few important Bratvan members.He reached for my hands and squeezed them tenderly, peering into my eyes. "A year ago, I was bittered by the fact I'd be getting married to a woman whom I barely knew anything about. We met for the first time unconventionally and your sassiness strengthened my dislike toward the idea of marrying you. I continued to console myself with the fact that the alliance would help solidify the gang and our trade, but what I never knew was that the marriage was arranged to make me a better version of myself,"His voice cracked as he paused and I began to wonder when he became this emotional.I leaned clos
Chapter 97DmitriAriel should have been here with me to say goodbye to the last phase of our trauma, but her body suddenly started acting up this morning, and after what happened three days ago, I admitted her for a general body check."Wait, Dmitri," Anya's raspy voice stopped me from taking any further step out of the ward.She'd be locked in here until the psychiatrist decided that her mental health was back to normal. At least, it was better than living in guilt for the rest of my life.I spared her a backward glance, my eyes roving through her pale face. How did I go from being madly in love with this woman to feeling nothing for her?"What do you want from me?"Her hands had to be chained to the metal rail of the bed after she made two attempts to escape from her ward this morning. I couldn't have her doing more damage to my family so the doctor and I decided on forcefully restricting her to a place."I'm sorry," She sighed, running her tongue over her lips. "Can I have thirty
Chapter 96Ariel Anya smirked. "Who else do you think it was?"Dmitri's eyes shimmered with tears. "I loved you so much, Anya. Why didn't you just tell me who you were?"She sunk her ass on the edge of the chair and shrugged. "I was scared that you'd break up with me if you found out so I faked my death. The plan was to watch you from afar and make sure you were alright. I didn't want a woman whom I couldn't control to be around you so I sent Margaret to watch over you, fortunately, she was indebted to me,""Don't you think you need to visit the hospital? Who sends a woman to fuck their man?""I do," She flashed her teeth vilely. "The plan was going smoothly until you decided to get married to this bitch and fall for her. I couldn't bear it anymore and then I thought to come back and get my man. It's that simple,"Dmitri paced around the room in frustrated struts, while drawing in shallow breaths to control his anger. "I have a question for you, Anya, and I want you to answer me trut
Chapter 95ArielIt was another chill morning for me to experience different kinds of emotions while everyone went about their day peacefully. The worst part was that I couldn't follow Dmitri around as I wanted.His work was just too violent and unsafe and we couldn't tell the next enemy who'd waylay us and use me as bait.The drama playing on the television was too chaotic for me to follow so I turned it off flippantly in a bid to head out. Maybe take a stroll or stop by Cake Treats.The doorbell rang twice and I abandoned my initial plans, hurrying off to get to the door. I placed my eye on the peephole and my heart skipped a beat.Overcome with trepidation, I dashed back to the sofa to get my phone to inform Dmitri about Chiara's visit, unfortunately he wasn't reachable.Back in Chicago, we had a safe house where we'd hide if anyone was in danger, but I couldn't make assumptions and raise an alarm when I wasn't sure of her identity.At least she was here, and I'd get the opportunit
Chapter 94DmitriMy knuckles met on the wooden frame of the door and then I halted for a while, impatiently waiting for the permission to come in. Nikolai and I had never related to each other as brothers so I didn't have access to his house.We fought a lot when we were younger and while I thought that we'd grow out of the resentment we bore for each other, it tripled when I found him banging a girl I liked in high school.I was met with silence so I knocked again and my instincts urged me to open the door. The door gave way and I strolled in, quietly taking in the features of his mansion.I didn't even know he had a mansion here in Seattle.Giggles and murmurs resonated from the staircase to the living room where I was. Then he appeared behind her, spanking her ass while she blew a kiss at him.She froze when she noticed my presence, her eyes bulging in surprise. Nikolai trained a smirk at me, clad in a long black robe that he didn't bother to tie up.His face was quite red, his li
Chapter 93ArielAnger and jealous tears streaked down my cheeks as I palmed my face; my raging hormones spurring the roller-coaster of emotions that rode through me.I quickly wiped the tears off my face when the door made a creaking sound.Shit! How could I have forgotten that Dmitri would be returning home soon? Not wanting him to find me in this embarrassing position, I dragged my panties up to my butt and kept the dildo back in the drawer, leaving the frame on the desk.In hasty and sad strides, I pushed the door open and he waltzed in, his dark orbs scrutinizing my face meticulously. My emotions chose to betray me at that moment as tears welled up in my orbs again."What's wrong, Ariel?" His voice was so soft and soothing."I don't know. I missed you so much," The part where I missed him was partially the truth, but I couldn't tell him that I was grieved about his past.He cupped my cheeks, his thumb wiping off the tear that hung around my eyelid. "I missed you too," He replied
Chapter 92Dmitri "Shoot them," Enzo's gruff voice resonated in the darkness and I lurched forward, falling flat on my stomach as more shots were fired above me. Nikolai single-handedly cleared all the guards that came with Enzo and then the light flickered on. Dead bodies were littered around the room, some of them stacked upon each other like a pack of cards. A deep pain-filled groan caught my attention and I found Enzo, holding onto one of his thighs, the same one I'd planned to explore my artistic carving skills on. A black vest was flung at me and I put it on quickly. As I crossed over to him in slow and calculated strides, he cowered, his body trembling visibly while blood seeped out from the bullet wound on his thigh. "How the mighty has crumbled," I mocked him, reveling in his fear. He flitted his gaze around and the light dimmed in his eyes when he realized that no one was coming to rescue him, just the same way he'd made me feel some moments ago. "Please," His lips qu
Chapter 91DmitriIt was one week already and I was yet to believe that Ariel was in love with me, just as I was with her. My lips stretched wide with a grin spreading over my face; a light chuckle cracked from my throat. Fortunately for Vladimir and me, I wasn't in the driver's seat or our lives would have been under threat without how I was chuckling nonstop. Vladimir spared me a glance, his brows arched. "What's wrong with you man?""I'm in love again, brother. Never knew it would happen this soon," I declared, pressing my knuckles. I was sure that if we weren't on a mission, he'd have parked the car to the side and drilled me of all the details. "Fuck that shit, Dmitri! What did she do to make you this excited about love again? I thought you just wanted a physical relationship with her,""It's hard to not fall in love with a woman who's everything to you. She's carrying my child,"This time he couldn't help but step on the break and floor the gas. "How did that happen so fast?
Chapter 90ArielThe rays from the bright incandescent bulbs fixed on both sides of the room jolted me from my sleep. At least, I wasn't feeling exhausted anymore and my vision wasn't blurry.Forgetting that a cannula was fixed to the vein on the back of my palm, I sat up abruptly and passed a paranoid glance around and realized I wasn't in my room. This wasn't even the queen-sized, plush bed I enjoyed sleeping on every night.It wasn't that the bed wasn't comfortable. I mean it was bigger than the size of most beds in each ward, and maybe a little birdie might have told the nurses whose wife I was, but I wasn't just comfortable being here.Then my mind flashed back to the reason I was here and Liora who was earlier staring at the window, spared me a glance and came to me with a huge smile plastered on her face."Mommy, you're awake. I'll go call, Dad,"I grabbed her arm in shock before she could take another move. "Your father is here?"She nodded with a sweet smile. "I called him on