Tatiana Nikolai's wife is nothing like I imagined her to be. She’s quiet, but not timid, with an air of hesitance she tries—but fails—to conceal from me. I'm not sure how I feel about her just yet. She seems innocent, almost unsure about a lot of things but I know better than to underestimate her. She throws a look over my shoulder catching my eye as she moves. She looks like she wants to tell me something but she bites down on her bottom lip, stopping the words before they could let out. She's hesitating again. I want to know what's going through her mind. Does she suspect the real reason why Nikolai brought her to Russia? The idea nags at me, but I push it aside. That seems very unlikely. From what Nikolai's told me so far about her, she's determined not to help him with his plot to murder her father. If she had even the faintest inkling of Nikolai’s true intentions, I have a feeling she wouldn’t be here. She turns back around and continues to walk In Front of me shakin
Ava Fuck I hurl my clothes onto the bed, one piece after another, yanking them out from the bag Kat had packed for me. They were dresses, skirts, blouses, pants, and even tank tops, but none of them was what I was searching for. Fuck, fuck, fuck. She didn’t pack me a nightgown. Not even a t-shirt or anything remotely comfortable to sleep in. Of all the things to forget, how in the world could she forget that? Water drips down my body from my still-wet hair, pooling on the hardwood floor at my feet in tiny puddles as frustration burns my chest. I’d made a beeline for the bedroom the moment I stepped into the guest house desperate for a hot shower to wash off the stress of the day. Now here I am, freshly showered with a towel clinging to my damp body as I glare down at the mess of impractical clothing scattered across the bed. I let out a harsh breath and tug at the knot of my towel, its damp edges clinging uncomfortably to my skin. What the hell was I going to do
Nikolai The sudden thud of a body hitting a surface snaps my attention toward the door. Ava stands by the door, rubbing her elbow and wincing. Her brows pinch together in discomfort as she presses her palm against the sore spot, trying to soothe the ache. “Ouch,” she mutters, her voice soft and lips forming a small pout. Fuck. Her hair is damp and sticks to her face in wet clumps, which makes her look like the literal definition of a wet dream and a mermaid rolled into one. Water beads trail down her shoulder and I can't help the way my eyes follow the path, tracing it until the droplet disappears beneath the edge of the towel she holds tightly to her chest Trakhni menya (Fuck me) Somebody down there must really hate me to deliver hell to my doorsteps. Because why else would my wife, the object of all my fantasies and the person who's been on my mind since I stepped out of the shower minutes ago, be standing In front of me? She looks like a deer caught in headlights as she ta
Ava I'm used to the quiet that proceeds in the dark. There's something comforting about hearing the sound of my own heartbeat thumb steadily beneath my chest as I stare up at the ceiling. Okay, so that's a lie, and I'm sleep-deprived. The sheets rustle as I turn in bed accompanied by the soft creek of the bed frame beneath me. Moonlight streams through my partially drawn curtains, casting silvery patterns on the wall and half my bed. The smell of spice and leather invades my lungs, distracting me as it has during the last hour. I push down Nikolai's shirt from where it's ridden up on my thigh and let out a loud huff. I close my eyes, willing the stillness and the scent of my husband to lull me off to sleep. Nothing. I peel my eyes open and toss back on the bed. This isn't working. Swinging my legs off the bed, I get into a sitting position and grab my phone from the nightstand. Pushing the power button, I watch the screen come to life in my hands and nearly bite ba
Ava It's official Tatiana’s sister hates me. How do I know this for sure you might ask? Simple, when I arrived this morning with Tatiana by my side, she made it her first mission to stick me with a look while asking her sister who I was. I thought that at least an introduction would make things better, but boy was I wrong. She immediately picked apart my outfit and insisted I wore makeup even though my face was clearly bare. I can't help it if my skin is naturally rosy. That's what happens when you take good care of it. Faina has made it her entire day's purpose to make sure that everybody knows that she's the one running the show. She's been a bitch to not just me but her sister too. I now fully understand what Tatiana meant yesterday when she explained just how much of a control freak her sister is. To be honest, I think she gave me the watered-down version. Because the real thing is so much worse. There were three bridesmaids in total, but with Faina included,
NikolaiMy heart is pounding as I storm into the guest house, having cancelled my meeting with Dmitri only to find my wife curled up on the couch wearing the black shirt I gave her to sleep in last night, a tub of ice cream in her lap. She looks up at me, the rims of her eyes swollen and puffy as she scoops another spoonful of ice cream from the tub In Front of her into her mouth.I set the bottle of Advil down on the coffee table and crouch down In front of her, cradling her face in my hands.“You're back,” she says, sniffling as She leans towards my touch, her eyes closing briefly at the contact.When I got her text earlier, asking me if I could get her a bottle of Advil from the pharmacy, I expected to find her curled up in bed when I got back and not In front of the television surrounded by snacks and pillows with a red nose and puffy face.“What’s wrong Solnyshko?” I ask softly, my heart clenching. I brush a teardrop from the corner of her eye and tilt her chin so that she's look
Ava My head is throbbing. I pop an Advil into my mouth and tilt the bottle of water in my hand to my lips, allowing the liquid to push down the pill. I cringe at the surprisingly sweet taste of the pill on my tongue and set the bottle back on the coffee table beside my half-eaten tub of ice cream. There were only a few spoons left. When Nikolai returns seconds later from placing our sushi order, his dark green eyes flicker to my form perched on the other side of the couch. He frowns and I pretend not to notice while he shrugs off his jacket and sets it down on the armrest of the empty chair nearby. My gaze flickers over his broad shoulders, admiring how the fabric of his shirt strains slightly with each movement. I have to stop myself from salivating when I catch a glimpse of his inked skin beneath his shirt. How did he make something as simple as removing a jacket look so attractive? Nikolai's lips curl into a knowing smirk, the kind that makes my cheeks burn and I q
Ava “What's your favourite Colour?” I blurt out. Nikolai raises a brow at me, the corner of his mouth twitches as though he's holding back a grin. We are currently facing each other on the couch and my legs are curled under my butt. Our sushi order is spread out on the coffee table in an uneven arrangement, the boxes of rolls slightly askew, and a pair of chopsticks precariously resting on the edge of the table. The tub of ice cream and the rest of the snacks I’d devoured during my Emilia in America marathon now sat discarded in the trash along with my hopes and dreams of James being revived for a season four. So far, Nikolai and I have both had a turn and while I've been faithful to the rules and answered his question about my favourite colour without a moment of hesitation- it was pink, by the way - his lips had remained shut when I questioned him about his most embarrassing moment. But then again, I suppose a man of his calibre doesn't just hand out such information eas
Ava "Nikolai" I cry out, just as his phone buzzes in the back pocket of his pants. His lips seers a path of burning kisses into my skin, down my neck and my back nearly arches off the door when nips at my collarbone. One of my legs is slung over his hip and my dress is bunched over my waist as he grips the back of my thigh in one hand, his thumb rubbing slow circles against my skin. "Don't stop", I practically beg, tilting my head back against the door and allowing his lips to work my skin. We are both panting and his erection is pressing desperately against the inside of my thigh, seeking friction. Everything about the way he's touching me sets my entire body ablaze, and I'm mildly aware that his jacket is somewhere on the floor, right beside the little dignity I had when I stepped into his house. His hot breath fans my skin as his lips find the sensitive spot just below my ear, sending shivers down my spine. He rolls his pelvis against my clit, and a sigh of pleasure escapes m
Ava I insist on saying goodbye to Tatiana before we leave. As you would expect Nikolai isn't exactly thrilled at my need to be polite but I tell him that it's rude to leave without at least saying goodbye to the bride and groom Tatiana smiles when she sees us approaching, her expression a one of excitement and pleasant surprise. "Ava," She chortles, standing up from her seat beside her new husband and smoothing a hand down the front of her dress. Even after hours of festivities and celebrations, Tatiana still manages to look as beautiful as ever, rocking that radiant glow all brides seem to possess during their wedding. Except you're me of course. While Tatiana had spent the earlier hours of the evening floating effortlessly around the hall with her groom in hand, greeting close family and friends, I spent my time trying to recall the face of one single guest who attended my wedding. I couldn't. Tatiana was surrounded by people she loved on her big day, while I was surrounded by
Ava “Fucking finally”, Nikolai growls roughly as he grips my face, angling me towards him. His lips slam against mine, hot and utterly consuming. It takes me a moment to recover from the initial force, but when I do, I turn putty in his arms. He pries my lips apart with his tongue then slides it against mine with one quick flick that sends a shiver down my spine. My hand goes to his waist, gripping the edge of his jacket as I tug him closer. My body moves completely on instinct, shutting down all thoughts and pressing myself against him. Nikolai groans low in his throat and a pang of need twists in my gut. His hand moves to the front, sliding between my breasts with deliberate intent until he finds my neck. His fingers wrap around my throat, squeezing firmly but not too hard to hurt A whimper crawls up my throat and my body shudders in response. Until Nikolai, I never thought that I'd be the kind of girl who enjoyed mild choking or any form of choking for that matter, but there's
Ava I'm so fucking stupid. Blood pounds in my ears as my encounter with Faina just moments ago replays over and over in my mind like an endless loop. Tonight I was determined to avoid my husband. Stay away. That was the plan. But apparently plans mean nothing when I let my emotions get in the way. Seeing him with Faina had awakened something inside me. It's one thing to know that they both shared something in the past but it's another to see them so close together. Jealousy claws at my chest, sharp and unrelenting like a knife, twisting until I can't breathe. I hate this. I hate that I care when I know I shouldn't. Throughout the ceremony, I pretended not to notice his heavy gaze watching me. It didn't matter how hard I tried to avoid him; I could always feel him watching me, and for some reason, knowing he wasn't too far away made my heart thump faster in my chest in a way that infuriated me. Images of the way Faina looked up at him flashed in my mind. They'd been so close; h
Nikolai I'm unable to pull my gaze away from my wife throughout the entire ceremony whereas she has no trouble avoiding my gaze. Even now, at the reception, she flits around the room like a vision, effortlessly charming everyone she encounters. Everyone loves her, even Tatiana's grandmother which is a rare occurrence. The old hag hardly takes a liking to anyone but she can't seem to not laugh at everything my wife says. To be honest I can't blame her. We're supposed to be doing the charming together but my wife drifted off my arm the moment we stepped into the chapel and hasn't spoken to me since. She's still angry about our conversation in the car, and to be honest, her little avoidance trick is getting old. I miss my wife, and yes, I'll admit, I shouldn't have listened to her that night. I knew it then, and I know it now, but I'd come out from my bedroom hoping to get a glass of water from the kitchen when I heard her. At first, I thought I'd imagined it, but then it happened a
Ava Today's episode of awkward car rides with Ava features Nikolai, my very sexy, very scary-looking husband who, with a single glance, has the ability to unravel me from the inside out. It's been five minutes since we left the house and my body still hums with delight at the memory of his lips pressing against the back of my neck like he only just did it. I'd been shocked, to say the least, when it happened, but immediately, I felt if the brush of his lips against my skin, any resolve I had evaporated into thin air. I steal a glance at him, admiring his sharp jawline and the way his shoulders flex beneath the fabric of his tux. He looks extremely good today and it took everything inside me not to maul him when I saw him standing outside my bedroom. "Are you okay?" I blink once then twice, trying to regain my composure while simultaneously hoping he hadn't noticed me ogling him. Nikolai decided to drive us to Tatiana's wedding. His hands grip the steering wheel with the kind of c
Nikolai I can't stop thinking about my wife. Her hands on my body, the way her skin flushed with desire when she saw me get on my knees before her in the kitchen. How she looked desperate for my touch. I never considered myself the kind of man who got down on his knees for his lover, but for her, I found myself wanting to worship every inch of her. This need I had burning inside me whenever she was near was maddening. She controls me in ways I'm sure she hasn't even discovered yet. Sure, I've slept with other women, but never in my twenty-nine years on this planet did I ever consider ruining a woman the way I want to ruin my wife. I want to dirty her up, watch her beg, hear her moan my name until she can't take it anymore. I want to break down every wall she has, stripping her bare from the carefully crafted armour she wore around her heart. I need her raw, vulnerable, and craving me the same way I crave her. I spent last night wondering what would've happened if my daughter h
AvaI want him.The realization dawns on me as I lie in bed hours later staring at the ceiling of my bedroom like it holds all the answers to the questions running through my mind.The air conditioner hums softly in the far corner of the room, cool air spilling in from its vents. My room isn't hot by any means but yet a single bead of sweat rolls down my temple, a testament to the inferno burning deep inside my chest as the weight of my thoughts bear down on me, too heavy to ignore. After my little self-pep talk in the kitchen, I slipped into my bedroom where I’d been for the last couple of hours.The events of this afternoon with Nikolai in the kitchen still haunt my mind, and as much I wish I could keep myself in check around him, every semblance of self-control I possess goes fluttering out the window the second he spares me a glance.I turn over, clutching the pillow tightly to my chest. It's dark outside, and if I had to guess, it's probably a little after ten. I didn't bother
Ava You learn a lot about yourself the first time your five-year-old stepdaughter is about to catch you spread out on the kitchen counter with her father on his knees between your legs, Seconds away from eating you out. For instance, I learned how many seconds it takes for me to shove my husband away while simultaneously yanking down my dress and hopping off the kitchen counter all the while pretending that nothing out of the ordinary had taken place. In total, It takes me five seconds. Nikolai falls back on his ass a few feet behind me, laughter bubbling up his throat as he watches my frantic state. “Shut up” I snap, my voice barely above a hiss as I tug my dress down, desperately trying to smooth over the fabric with my hands. “Relax, Solnyshko” Nikolai says, his voice infuriatingly calm. How he can be so calm when his daughter is seconds away from walking in on us? I have no idea. How did we get here? The last thing I remember is wanting to talk to him, but then he kissed me