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[NADIA]“Mommy!” Tatiana screams at the top of her lungs and runs in the opposite direction.I scrunch up my face and groan so deeply into my throat that I’m confident I scratched myself.Ugh! Not that it matters right now.It’s been two days since we returned to Moscow, and although Tatiana usually never throws a fit unless she’s really determined to make my life miserable, she does today, and I don’t know where I went wrong.Just a few minutes ago, she told me she loved the pancakes I made for her. Then, just when I settled with my books, making sure she was busy with cartoons on TV, she startled me by running to me and screaming for her mommy.I sigh and glance around the living room, trying to figure out how to calm her down. Her tantrums are rare but intense, and they always leave me feeling bewildered. Maybe it’s the change of scenery after our trip, or perhaps she misses her routine.I kneel down and hold out my arms, hoping she’ll come to me. “Tatiana, sweetie, what’s wrong?” I
[DIMITRI]The walk in the park quickly turns into a long and twisted run through the trees. Tatiana’s mood is instantly lifted at the sight of the snow, which is almost everywhere. She runs like a little maniac who doesn’t know what to do with herself. She screams, she squeals, and then she runs back to Nadia, tugging her along when none of the other kids give her any of the swings.But Nadia isn’t any better. She talks to a few parents to let their kids down, but they either ignore her or argue with her—one of them even turns their face away, quite literally, as if that would make her disappear altogether.For a long time, I sit on one of the nearest benches and watch, not wanting to get into the women’s business. After one hell of a stressful day and doing my best to keep the organization running, I don’t feel the need to be part of the useless bickering. I just want to sit, watch, keep an eye on them, and maybe, just maybe, enjoy the chilling breeze that feels like a brutal stab in
[NADIA]Once we get back home, it’s normal once again.Tatiana goes back to chatting and playing and running around the place.I slip into the kitchen to take care of the dinnerDimitri heads into his office and doesn’t come out until midnight.I’m in my room, studying human anatomy in detail.Did you know the small intestine is the longest part of the digestive system, measuring about 20 feet in length in an adult? Way to be small, huh!?I’m way too deep into what I’m reading when I feel something shift in my peripheral view. Reluctantly, I peel my gaze off the book page and turn to face Dimitri, who seems to be sitting on the couch, looking at me as if he can’t help it.There’s no lust, no anger, no thoughts. Just him, looking at me with those insanely dark eyes of his.Without knowing, I swallow, sitting straighter and trying to focus back on the topic I have been trying to understand.But now, as I read the paragraph, the words seem to dance on the page, mocking me, blurring into o
[NADIA]The drive to God-knows-where is long and excruciating. There’s no way we’ll make it back home before sunrise. But of course, that doesn’t bother Dimitri in the least. He simply keeps his eyes focused on the road, driving with the kind of speed that makes me want to throw up.And no, I’m NOT exaggerating this. The asshole is actually driving like a fucking maniac on fire.“Will you fucking slow down?” I’m barely hanging on to the edge of my seat as he takes yet another curve on two wheels.He doesn’t answer, and that just pisses me off even more.I glare at him. Even under the darkness of night, he manages to look like a badass movie star with his stupid windswept hair and his hands gripping the wheel like some kind of male model pretending to be an action hero.Ugh. Fuck Dimitri, seriously.“Almost there,” he announces so breezily, my eyes almost pop out.I can’t help but ask, “Are you even human?”“Unfortunately, yes.”I look outside, the rushing scenery making my head spin.
[DIMITRI]*A few hours ago*I look up from the numbers in front of me and scoff at the man standing at my door.“I’ll be damned!” I drop the file on the desk and head over to give him a pat on the back.Igor smiles, his face healed from the bruises I last saw him with. He winces when I hug him tight, reminding me that he might still be recovering from all those bullet wounds.I back away, looking him up and down. “Are you sure you’re ready to be back?”He shrugs. “According to my doc? Probably not. He says I need bed rest for at least a month more.”“And you think he’s wrong?”“No, I think he’s right. The problem is with me. I can’t sit and do nothing,” his face darkens instantly, and I know exactly what he’s thinking. “Especially when those bastards are still out there. Come on, man. You have to let me help. I can’t just—”Before he even finishes his thought, I grab a gun from the drawer and toss it to him.He catches it mid-sentence and his expression changes so fast, it might give
[DIMITRI]*Present*I knew she wouldn’t take the proposal kindly.Then again, it did feel wrong to me as well somehow. Like something was missing. Like I didn’t think this through. Like it wasn’t… right.I purse my lips and turn my gaze away, trying to understand this confusion in my head. What am I so bothered about? Am I worried that this marriage is a mistake? Or that Nadia isn't the right woman for me? Or that it isn't the right time to propose marriage when my boss and his wife are still almost dead? That every time I look at Tatiana I’m reminded of how incapable I am? That maybe, just maybe, I’m not ready for such responsibility right now?What the hell was it? Wait, or was it all of them?I look back at Nadia and remind myself that a whole minute has passed and she hasn’t said anything except for a “huh.”I lower my head to reach her eye level and wave a hand in front of her face. “Still here? Or did you pass out?”Thankfully, she blinks, and from this close-up, I can see how re
[NADIA]To say he left me speechless would be the biggest understatement ever.I can’t believe he just proposed to me.I can’t believe that after proposing to me he asked me to forget about it—as if I could just wipe it off from my memory and act like it never happened.And I absolutely cannot believe that even after asking me to forget about it, he proposed to me yet again, and this time, asked me to start preparing for my vows?Like what the actual fuck?Is this man insane?Okay, let me rephrase that (we obviously know that he’s insane, there should never be any doubt about it). Has he lost all of his fucking mind?What is wrong with him?I shake my head and pace in my room.No. This is wrong. Nothing about this makes any sense. I can’t marry him? Why should I marry him? I don’t like him. Okay, I tolerate him, but like? Love? No! Not at all. Not one bit. Not one teeny weenie bit. Not at all. Nope. Never ever.I feel like a caged animal in this room. It feels as if all the air is get
[DIMITRI]The moment I enter my apartment, something feels strange.I don’t know what it is, but my gut feeling says something is drastically wrong.Perhaps it’s because the house is too quiet, or even though it’s almost dinner time, neither of the two females in my apartment is anywhere in sight.I frown, unable to help but grow suspicious.I pull out my gun from my waist and press my back against the wall. I look around the living room, the kitchen, and the lobby that leads to the bedrooms but see nothing, no movement at all.My heart pounds in my throat as I make my way down the hallway, each step silent and measured. I pause outside the first bedroom door, listening intently for any sign of life inside. Hearing nothing, I slowly turn the handle and push the door open, my gun at the ready. The room is empty, the bed neatly made, and everything in its place. I move on to the next door, repeating the same cautious process.When I reach the last door, the master bedroom, my gut tighte
[NIKOLAI]Once we finally get to his office, Konstantin takes his seat behind the desk and raises an eyebrow. He looks kind of pissed, but not enough to end me right here and now.He might have the power to do that and carry on with his day as if nothing happened, but I know in my gut he won’t. He made a promise to our parents that no harm would come to me. And if there’s anyone I know who keeps their word, no matter the circumstances, it’s him. My very own, very infuriating brother.“So,” he drawls, leaning back in his chair and propping his legs up on the desk, crossing them at the ankles. “What do you want to talk about?”I don’t sit in the chair in front of me; instead, I start pacing the room. I glance around and find it exactly how our father designed it. Not a single thing has been changed or moved. It’s like walking into a museum of old memories.“I want to challenge Madam Volkova,” I say, almost expecting him to scoff.But he doesn’t. Instead, he tips his head to the side. “Wh
[NIKOLAI]I hang up the phone and stare hard at the ground.“Fuck you, Dimitri!” I growl, clenching the phone tighter and huffing out a heavy breath.The bastard has the audacity to make me responsible for everything that happened to Ana and Ivan. But is it? Am I really the one to blame?I look away, peeling my back off the car and slipping inside.I put my hand on the steering wheel, unable to shake his words from my mind.Shit. If only I had known the consequences of my actions, maybe this day would have never come. Maybe Ana would still be safe, and Ivan would still be breathing on his own, not with the help of some fucking machine.“Fuck!” I punch the steering wheel, growling louder.I turn the key in the ignition and drive away from the motel. I’m not sure if what I’m about to do next is the right choice, but it seems like the only option I have left. I can’t go back to Madam Volkova after my fallout with her, and Dimitri doesn’t seem interested in having me by his side either.I
[DIMITRI]I storm out of the building and light a cigarette, unable to think of anything else.I breathe in the smoke and then blow it out, hoping it will take away the stress pressing on my chest, making my lungs incapable of doing their job.I don’t know what to do anymore. Ana is finally awake, which is good news, of course.But what the hell do I tell her when she wakes up next time and asks the same questions all over again? How do I give her the answers that are sure to crush her?Maybe I’ve developed a new weakness these days—maybe falling in love makes you a fucking weak asshole—but I can’t seem to bear seeing that woman cry. I just can’t.It fucking stabs me right in the throat to see those tears streaming down her face, to see that fear in her eyes that seems to linger around her whenever she asks about Ivan.I take another big breath of smoke and then drop it, crushing it under the tip of my boot.“Fuck!”My phone rings just then. I thank God for the fucking distraction and
[ANASTASIA]“Mommy!”One word, and my heart shatters into a million pieces.Before I even turn my gaze to the door, warmth floods through me, and tears well up in my eyes.My little girl comes running into the room, her dark hair pulled back in a ponytail bouncing with every step. Her eyes are sharp, excited, and filled with so much love. Her face is a canvas of every emotion I’ve ever seen her wear in my entire life.I don’t even realize it, but my arms open on their own, my chest aching to feel her little heart against mine.But just when I think she’s about to jump onto the bed and throw herself into my arms, she stops and stands there with her hands behind her back, her little legs fidgeting as she looks up at the doctor, her small eyes seeking some kind of permission.I suppose the last two months have changed a lot. My daughter, who used to storm in and out of any place she wanted, now suddenly looks afraid of hurting me.Tears race down my face. I wipe them as quickly as I can,
[ANASTASIA]“How long was I out?” I whisper, lips trembling. “How long was I unconscious?”Lena, now standing in front of me, looks like the words are stuck in her throat. She swallows thickly and squeezes my hand, a sad smile playing on her lips.“Two months,” she says, but it feels like she’s talking about someone else. “You’ve been in a coma for two months.”This can’t be true. It can’t be.Tears burn my eyes. My heart feels like it’s on fire. “What the hell do you mean by that? How can I be… how is that even… I can’t… I mean… this can’t be…”I don’t even know what I’m trying to say, but I know I don’t believe her.Frustration grates beneath my skin. “Just call Ivan. If he says the same as what you’re all saying, then I’ll believe you. Just call him, Lena. Where is he anyway? Shouldn’t he be here? Sitting next to me, taking care of me? He promised he’d never leave my side again. He promised, Lena. He fucking promised.”“I know,” she sobs, wiping her face with the back of her hand.
[DIMITRI]A week later, we both sit in the car and stare at the huge gates ahead.“This is it, I guess,” she says softly, for the first time not so eager to talk about leaving.It’s strange how the last few days changed everything. They changed me. Who would have thought an asshole like me could ever fall for an angel like her? Nadia is an angel. She’s the most beautiful, pure-hearted, a little fiery, but the best of the angels out there. In fact, if you ask me, she’s the only angel out there.My angel.I let out a sigh. “Yep. This is it.” I turn to look at her and can’t help grabbing the back of her head, pulling her in for a kiss. A long, deep, and passionate kiss. I don’t think I’ll ever get enough of her—her lips, her body, everything about her. “I’m going to miss you like hell.”She grins, her pale blue eyes twinkling, her stubborn blonde curls escaping the trap of her knitted cap. “I’ll miss you like hell too. In fact,” she brushes her nose against mine, “I think I’m going to mi
[NADIA]I’m not sure what to say.And if I look like someone who has been slapped across the face with a hand as cold as ice, then maybe I do look like that person, because apparently, I feel like that person.Every word coming out of Dimitri’s mouth is like slap after slap.But not in a bad way, of course. More like a slap of surprise. Or shock. Or whatever I’m feeling right now that has no name.“What did you say?” I can’t help but ask. There’s still a chance I heard that wrong. Never before has Dimitri talked about my Uni of his own free will. So, to think he not only brought it into the conversation but also seems happy about it is a little hard for me to believe.He gives me a look—of course, he does—but doesn’t try to argue. “I said you’re going back next week. They’re expecting you to continue your semester and sit for the final exams.”“But what about my attendance? I’m way behind—”“It’s been taken care of,” he says, but the smug look on his face is scary as hell.I tilt my h
[DIMITRI]I should’ve known my words would get twisted like that. And of course, it would end up hurting my woman in the worst way possible.But God knows that wasn’t my intention. I just have a crude way of speaking and often forget not everyone can take it. It’s an old habit, one I need to work on changing.I cup Nadia’s face, wiping her tears with my thumb. I should be comforting her after everything she just blurted out, but instead, I can’t help it—I start laughing. I can’t stop until she looks up at me like I’ve completely lost it.Her eyebrows snap and her lips upturn in a deep frown. “You think it’s funny?”“No!” I shake my head, meaning it, but laughter simply bubbles out of me. I turn around to take a breather, and when I think I’m in better control of myself, I turn back around to face her.Only to find her gone.Whatever lingering smile on my face dies right away. “Nadia?”I glance toward the door and see her rushing out of the room.“Shit!” I bolt after her down the hallw
[NADIA]After getting another round of hot sex out of our system, with both stayed sprawled out on the carpeted floor of his office, with me using his arm as a pillow.I sigh. “I can’t believe the kind of stamina I suddenly have.”Dimitri chuckles, the deep sound vibrating through my entire body. “And I can’t believe I get to make love to a woman without her screaming within five minutes how she can’t handle someone like me.”I turn over my stomach, resting my chin on his chest. “Really?”“Yep!” He says, casually, entwining my fingers with his and kissing the tips of each one. “You’re the only one to never have complained about anything. Not even my ugly face.”“Hey,” I shush him, placing my finger on his lips. “Never say that again.”He quirks up a brow. “Why? You want me to say I’m fucking beautiful instead.” He rolls his eyes.“You ARE beautiful,” I say, more stubbornly because he seems to be in the mood to not take me seriously. I can tell. I sure as hell can. “Sure, you have scar