~ Bella ~I dragged Nikolai arm to get his attention. "You own this place!?" I asked with wonderment.I realized that the manager was looking at me weirdly. I gave her a tight, self-conscious smile and backed away.But then Nikolai did something that hit the deepest strings of my heart.He turned his body completely until he was facing me, his back now to the manager and patiently said, "You were saying something?"For a moment, I couldn't even remember what I'd been about to say.No one else might see it the way I did but what I saw was him completely out everything he was doing at that time on pause to listen to me.And really, that was what he was doing every moment of every time we spent together. He must be incredibly busy yet he was my driver, my bodyguard and also the person making sure I got all the rest I need.I think the manager noticed too because she was suddenly looking at me with even more interest. I blushed."I was asking if you owned this place," I said but I was s
~ Bella ~Nikolai rolled his eyes at my exclamation. Without a word he began to unbutton his shirt. I watched him wide eyed.He undid all the buttons and removed the shirt. He handed it one of the twins. Next, he reached for his trousers.I gasped and whirled around, standing with my back to him. "It's nothing you won't see more than enough of in the future," he called teasingly. It was my turn to roll my eyes. "You're so cocky," I said.I heard belt come undone and his trouser hit the floor. "Are you just going to keep standing there?" He asked behind me."I'm not undressing in front of you," I repeated stubbornly. Suddenly, from the corner of my eyes, I caught movement.He was coming to stand in front of me. I slammed my eyes shut tightly. "What are you doing?" I asked."Open your eyes," he drawled. When I didn't respond, he grabbed my hand and pulled it to himself. I cringed back. I didn't want to touch anything untoward.But my hand met wool instead. I tentatively peeled one eye
~ Bella ~"Nikolai, where are you going?" I exclaimed nervously, holding onto his hand. He was furious, I could tell. I could literally see the blood pounding in his eyes.I'd never seen him look more wolf-like. He looked absolutely feral. If I let him out of the room, he would do some serious damage."I'm going to kill him," he declared in answer to my question. With a loud exclamation, I jumped in front of him and wrapped my hand around his body.Obviously, the him in question here was my husband, Parker Smith. And we might be estranged right now, but the last thing I wanted was for him to be killed!"No!" I exclaimed. "No, Nikolai!"I was viscerally aware of Eva and Eve slipping past us, out the door like wraiths, leaving to give us some privacy. I appreciated that. Another sign of how perfectly trained his employees were.Once they were gone, I snuggled closer to him. "Nikolai! Please stop! I don't want you to hurt my husband.""He is not treating you right!" He shot back. I
~ Bella ~"Nikolai!" I shouted. The more I stared at the picture and the were on the front of the paper, the worse I felt.A wave of nausea immediately washed over me. Black spots danced in front of my eyes. I started falling backwards.Two hands caught me from behind. I found myself leaning against Nikolai's chest. "What's wrong?" He murmured into my ear, practically holding me up. I mustered all my strength to point at the newspapers on the stand.He read the first place. His body stiffened. I could feel it against my body. "We should get out of here," he muttered. "Give me one of those," he instructed the paperman.The paperman was staring from the newspaper to Nikolai's face in shock just like he'd been doing with me earlier.Nikolai huffed impatiently. He grabbed some money from his purse on the table and tossed it on the table and grabbed four different newspapers."Let's go," he said, practically having to drag me back to the car. He tossed the newspapers in the back seat,
~ Bella ~I stood with my mouth hanging open in shock as I replayed the words Parker just spat me in my mind."I want you to pack your shit up and get out of my house right now," he'd said."You don't mean that," I said, shaking my head. "Think again! What do you think that is?" He asked, pointing at the box on the bed. He'd been randomly throwing my clothes into the box. Now I noticed another box on the floor already zipped up and ready to go."You're just going to throw me out?" I asked in shock. "Where do you expect me to go?""Why don't you go to your lover? He's rich enough to buy you a house if he doesn't to take you to his wife. Yeah, he probably won't want that. Who takes a mistress home?"That stung! I couldn't believe he'd just said that to me. He'd inadvertently called me a prostitute and a harlot."Parker, please. Just listen to me for one second. I swear to you that I've never, ever done anything untoward with Nik!"He scoffed. "Nik? Really? You even call each other n
~ Bella ~Suddenly the door to the house adjacent to mine opened and a man and woman came rushing out. They were my neighbors.I recognized them from passing them in the street from time to time but we'd never spoken. They walked up to us and bowed to Nikolai. I was gaping like a fool.These were the people Nikolai had watching me the entire time. They were actually living in the house adjacent to mine!I remembered now that the previous owners had moved out not long after I met Nikolai. He must have bought the house then! Or maybe he bought it and got them to leave?But this wasn't the time to ask any questions. Nikolai brushed off their greeting brusquely."Take Bella to the hospital right this second," he said. "She is injured and needs medical attention.""No! I'm fine," I started to argue. He ignored me completely. "Drag her there if you have to," he said to the couple."Where are you going?" I demanded, reaching out to grab the edge of his shirt."I'm going to pay a visit t
~ Bella ~"What happened, Nikolai? Whose blood is this? Is that-- Is that Parker's--""His blood? Yes," he answered staunchly. He walked around me to the chair he slept in the last time we were here and sat."D-did you... Did you hurt him?" I asked."If you're asking if I killed him, the answer is no. But I introduced him to the same wall you were introduced to," he said without an iota of guilt."Is he okay?" I asked fearfully, wondering what state Nikolai must have left him in.Suddenly, he was on his feet a few inches from me, snarling in my face. "Stop showing concern for that man in front of me!" He yelled.I gasped and cowered back. He whirled around and began to storm out of the room.I ran after him without a second thought. I grabbed him and held on."Nik! Nik, I'm sorry. I'm sorry," I muttered.He calmed down slowly and turned to face me. "He is fine," he said emphatically. I nodded. "I believe you. But you have bruised," I pointed out. I raised his knuckles up. "Let me t
~ Bella ~I woke up to my body feeling extremely sore.I was naked and curled up in a man's arms. That scent. I knew that scent.I breathed in deeply. Nikolai. Why was I in Nikolai's arms?Pieces of the night before began to creep back into my mind.Flashes of naked, intertwined bodies. Memories of inexplicable feelings and emotions.Suddenly, my body was on fire again. I moaned lightly.Oh, god! What did I do last night? It felt like I was watching someone else acting through me in my memories.I'd gone absolutely insane from the moment I kissed his knuckle.What kind of freak got turned on from kissing a knuckle?Oh god! I'd not been in control at all. I remembered a conversation with him somewhere in the midst of the craziness.Something about the full moon heightening our feelings.What kind of explanation was that to give to Parker? Oh god!We were already on the rocks. How would I explain that the very night I left home, I went off and fucked the same werewolf he'd suspected me