Ava
I hardly get any sleep throughout the night. Each time my eyes fluttered shut, Nikolai’s face would emerge from the darkness, just inches from mine, the words he said yesterday lingering in the space between our barely touching lips. I had spent the majority of the night reminiscing about the events of my botched birthday turned wedding day trying to make sense of my current situation. Letting out a disgruntled groan, I turn away from the harsh rays of sunlight streaming in from my windows. Everything was so confusing. My entire life had changed. Everything I knew had been ripped out from under my feet and without an anchor, I had come crashing down into a pile of confusion and uncertainty. Nothing about my life felt real anymore. In the last twenty-four hours, I had gone from birthday girl to wife-to-be, and now I was married to a man whom I barely knew anything about and trapped in his house. Could my life get any worse? The low rumble of my stomach forces me out of my thoughts. I realised then that I hadn't eaten anything since yesterday. Nikolai's words had left my mind in a twisted state long after he left. The mere idea of accidentally running into him after what he said to me was enough to keep me locked up in here forever. I was mortified, and angry with myself for allowing him to have so much control over my mind. I still couldn't believe that I almost let him kiss me. The memory of what almost transpired between the two of us is still fresh in my mind, stirring a fresh wave of embarrassment within me each time it resurfaced. My God, what was wrong with me? The moment his fingers brushed my skin, it was as if every rational thought I had vanished. I spent the night going through every possible scenario of what might have happened if his lips had pressed against mine the way I wanted them to, and yet, no matter how many times I reset the stage the outcome remained the same. Me, beneath him, his lips pressed against my skin. Heat pools between my thighs at the image and I clamp my legs together. Fuck, this was bad. Really bad. I wasn't a believer in love at first sight. As far as I was concerned the phrase was nothing but a lie concocted out of fairy tales for little girls to believe. Lust at first sight on the other hand? That was totally a thing. Which was why I knew my reaction to Nikola was nothing more than lust. It was simply my body's reaction to having an attractive man so close to me. I wanted him to... Make love to me? I shook my head. I doubted that a man like Nikolai knew how to make love to a woman. He probably slept with women and forgot about their names as soon as it was over. I wouldn't be surprised if he did, after all, I knew very few women who would pass up the opportunity to be with someone like him in that way. There was a certain charm someone as handsome and as dangerous as Nikolai, sparked within the female gender that could not be ignored by anyone with a working vagina, myself included. I refused to be one of those women who fawned over him. I had to be smarter, to be stronger and I knew this. Now I just had to wait until my body got the memo. Pushing the heavy weight of the blanket off my body, I forced myself into a sitting position and tossed my legs off the bed, letting my feet connect with the hardwood floor. The coolness from the floor sends a jolt through me, instantly snapping me to full awareness. I drag my body over to the full-length mirror on the other side of the room, and once I'm in front of the mirror, I sigh at my appearance, my lips parting as I stare at the image of a girl I barely recognise. My hair is a tangled mess from a night of restless tossing and turning about in the sheets. Stray strands of brown hair stick all around in different directions away from the bun I had tied my hair up in the night before. My skin looks pale, almost lifeless under the morning light filtering in through the windows. I looked terrible. I was not a morning person. Not by a long shot. And judging by the slight throb in my temple that was not going to change today. If anything, the events of yesterday, coupled with my lack of rest, only worsened my hatred for mornings. I run my fingers through my curls, attempting to work out a few knots, but after a while, I give up. Exhaling, I let my hand drop to my side in defeat. My stomach growls again, and this time, I'm forced to acknowledge it. I strip out of my clothes and head into the shower. The bathroom is almost as big as the bedroom with plenty of space to move around. Steam quickly fills the room as the hot water cascades down my body, soothing my aching muscles. Once I'm finished with my shower, I turn off the tap and step out. A pink towel hangs off the rack, and I reach for it, wrapping it around my body as I pad across the tiled bathroom floor into the bedroom. I head over to the closet, pulling open the doors. I scan the rows of neatly hung clothes in their designated places. When Nikolai told me everything I needed was already here, my brain hadn't processed the fact that he meant my clothes too. Somehow, before I had even gotten here, he had managed to transport my clothes from my bedroom in my father's house into this closet. The initial surprise I had felt yesterday on discovering this had worn off and morphed into gratitude that I at least had something to wear around the house other than my wedding dress. Now that would've been very uncomfortable. I decide to go with a pair of brown baggy high-waisted jeans and a tight-fitted top as my desired outfit. Once I finish dressing up, I run a hairbrush through the strands of my still-damp hair a couple of times until I'm satisfied with the outcome and head downstairs. I'm immediately greeted by the warm smell of pancakes when I reach downstairs. The rich scent fills the air, mingling with a hint of syrup and a touch of something sweeter, drawing me towards the kitchen. When I step inside, I immediately spot Nikolai's five-year-old daughter, Kira, sitting on a stool at the kitchen counter. Her tiny feet swing back and forth above the floor as she concentrates on pouring syrup over the stack of pancakes in front of her. Unlike yesterday she's wearing a bright yellow dress that matches the yellow ribbons securing the end of her braids. A woman with long glossy blonde hair cascading over her shoulder, stands beside her, cradling a bowl of what I assume to be pancake batter in her arm, a whisk in her hand. She's dressed in a white blouse with black polka dots scattered across the fabric. The blouse is slightly fitted at the waist giving her a playful yet refined look. She matches her blouse with a flared skirt with the same pattern. She's beautiful, I think to myself, and as if she could hear my thoughts her eyes collide with mine as I step into the kitchen. She isn't at all what I expect a woman in this household to look like. She looks... normal, happy even and for some reason that surprises me. "Oh my God, you must be Ava!" she exclaims brightly, fixing the bowl on the counter. Kira doesn't look up. She's too busy munching away at her pancakes to bother with my presence. The blonde lady moves until she's in front of me and before I realise what is happening, her arms are around me, pulling me into a hug. Was personal space just not a thing with the people of this household? "Silly me," she says pulling away once she notices that I make no move to return her hug. "You must be wondering who I am." She extends a hand towards me, her smile never faltering, "I'm Katerina but you can call me Kat. I'm Nikolai's my cousin." Nikolai had a cousin? "It's a pleasure to meet you. I thought we would officially get to meet you during dinner last night but you never came down. Was everything okay? I wanted to send a maid up to your room but Ivan said you probably just needed to rest." "Ivan?" "My husband," She clarifies " who just so happens to be your husband's best friend. I guess that makes us a best friend-in-law. I think that's the term, isn't it?" I doubted there was a term like best friend-in-law, but I wasn't going to tell her that. My stomach picks that exact moment to growl again, surprising us both. Kira giggles from her seat and heat rushes to my cheeks in embarrassment. "Looks like someone's hungry" Kat grins at me not missing a beat. She gestures for me to take the empty stool beside Kira and I do without any hesitation. "Luckily I had a feeling that you'll be down for breakfast this morning. I hope you don't mind chocolate chips in your pancakes." She says and my forehead creases at that. "Who doesn't like chocolate chip pancakes?" I reply, trying and failing to sound undisturbed by the fact that there are people in this world who hate chocolate chips in their pancakes. Kat's grin widens "I knew I liked you." She glances at Kira, "Chocolate chip pancakes are Kira's favourite too," She winks at the five-year-old, who nods eagerly, her eyes lighting up at the mention of her favourite pancakes. "They're the yummiest in the world", Kira exclaims, her grin stretching wide as she excitedly shoves another bite of pancakes into her mouth. "They sure are Kiddo," Kat says with a laugh, ruffling the dark curls on Kira's head affectionately. She slides over a fat stack of chocolate chip pancakes in my direction and my mouth instantly waters at the sight. "Priyatnogo appetita", she says, and I stare at her. "It means enjoy your meal", she explains in English, sensing my confusion. "Oh," I nod, then grab a fork. As I take the first bite, the combination of the warm chewy texture mixed with the rich melted flavour from the chocolate chips instantly floods my tongue, sparking an instant wave of delight across my taste buds. "Wow", I moan in between bites. "These are really good,", I say. Kat claps excitedly, the sound echoing through the room. "I knew you'd love them," she exclaims excitedly, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction, "I mean I hoped you would, I wasn't exactly sure how you liked your pancakes so I was really looking forward to your reaction. I blink taken aback by her confession . "You were?" I ask and she nods. I'm surprised how excited she was for my approval. Up until now I never thought people like her needed the approval of others. Guess I was wrong. "Of course I was. Kira's family, she'll eat anything I make, even if they turn out awful." "No, I won't" Kira pipes up from beside me, her face scrunching in disbelief at the insinuation. Kat laughs as she glances down at Kira with a teasing smile. "Yes, you would, because you love me too much to hurt my feelings isn't that right, Zajushka?" Kira rolls her eyes but doesn't surpress the giggle that escapes her. "But you on the other hand. You don't care about my feelings, I mean neither does Niko but that's besides the point." She pauses her brows furrowing slightly, "What I mean to say is that it's nice to have someone around who hasn't tasted my cooking before compliment it." I take another bite from my stack and watch as Kat, dumps a generous portion of thick batter from the bowl she was mixing earlier. She moves with practiced ease, pouring the batter in a circular motion and waiting for the bubbles to form on top before flipping it over. "So..." I begin unsure how to approach the question I intended to ask. I had so many questions about this woman and her relationship with Nikolai. "How long have you and Nikolai been close" Kat glances briefly in my direction "Since we were children. His Mother practically raised me and after my father passed away Niko and his family became the only family I knew." She slips the fully cooked pancake into a plate before dumping another portion of the mix into the pan. "I'm sorry about your father." I say. I couldn't imagine loosing my father. Despite the obvious cracks in our relationship, I couldn't imagine living in a world without my father. She laughs, but the sound holds no humour. "Don't be." She says, "My father was a disgusting bastard who derived pleasure from beating me and my mama. I'm glad he's dead. In all honesty I wish he had died sooner." The bluntness in her words catches me off guard and I'm surprised by the complete disregard in her tone as she speaks of her father's death. Words elude me and I'm confused on how to respond. There's no trace of sadness or regret in her voice, just cold hard truth wrapped up in acceptance. Oh, okay then. I steal a glance at Kira. I wonder if it's okay to swear in front of her. I'm aware that her background probably meant that she was immune to that kind of language but still. Language like that had no business being present in the same room as a five year old. To my surprise and to her credit, Kira remains unfazed. Her eyes are focused on her meal, like she didn't just hear her aunt confess to being glad about the death of someone. Children were anything but stupid and I found it difficult to believe that Kira was completely oblivious to her father's line of work. She had probably picked up by now the kind of man her father was and the nature of the people that surrounded her. Kids were perceptive that way I suppose. Kat flips another pancake and waits for a bit, ensuring the other side is golden to perfection before sliding it onto the now growing stack. I was still trying to grasp how this woman was related to Nikolai. Their personalities were completely different. Whereas she had an overall bright and cherry demeanor, Nikolai did not. They were both differently similar than it frustrated me to no end. I'm about to take another bite from my stack, when a tall blonde man strides into the kitchen. His presence automatically causes my fork to free mid air and I'm unsure whether I should feel alarmed by his presence. My worries was up a bit when Kira, jumps down from her stool and runs up to the man wrapping her tiny arms around his leg. "Uncle Ivan" she squeals excitedly. The blonde man offers her a warm smile, his fingers ruffling the strands of her hair. "You're awfully excited to see me this morning, Zajushka" the man says, his eyes sparking with amusement as he glances down at the doe eyed child clinging to his slacks. So this was Nikolai's best friend. I didn't know what I expected when I heard about him but I expected someone who acted similar to Nikolai. There was a playful air around him, not at all like the kind I'd sensed on Nikolai. He reminds me more of Kat, since both their smiles are easily infectious. Kat's expression softens on seeing her husband, her eyes flashing with genuine warmth at the sight of him. She wipes her hands on towel and walks up to him, a smile stretching her lips. She's shorter than him by a good few inches and I watch as the affection the two share for each other bleed into the room as Kat rises up on her toes to place a firm kiss on his lips. Ivan seizes the opportunity to deepen the kiss, his grip firm on her waist and she smiles against his lips. The sight causes my face to flush with heat and I quickly look away. Kira scrunches her nose and sticks her tongue out at the two of them in a fake barf. "Gross" Kat breaks the kiss, laughing at Kira's reaction, her eyes sparkling with amusement. Ivan whispers something to her in Russian and I watch as blush creeps up her cheek at his words. "YA dumal, ty skazal, chto ne pridesh' k nam segodnya za zavtrakom." (I thought you said you won't be joining us for breakfast) She says and I watch in confusion, tying to decipher what she's saying. "YA net" (I'm not) he says and then his gaze shifts to me "Nikolai has asked to see you."Ava The walls of Nikolai's office are cloaked in a deep charcoal that blends seamlessly into the dark wood design, creating an intense atmosphere. The shelves are filled with all kinds of books, new and old, all turned to the spine. The books are arranged in such precise colour coordination that they look a bit too perfect. The space is much bigger than I expected it to be and I'm almost consumed by its vastness. A large mahogany desk stands at the centre of it all, polished to a gleam with neatly stacked papers arranged on each side, and not a single paper document out of place. A sleek black leather chair stands just behind the desk, its high back giving off an air of authority against the soft glow of the crystal chandelier above the room. Nikolai occupies the chair, matte-framed glasses perched on the bridge of his nose as his pen moves frantically over a document, his brows furrowing in concentration. In the last twenty minutes I've been seated opposite this man
Ava "No" The word tumbles out of my mouth in a rapid fit. I shoot out from my chair, instinctively stepping away from him. A wave of disgust trickles up my spine before sinking its claws around my throat. "No?" Nikolai’s voice is deceptively soft, but his eyes flash with a dangerous intensity as he leans back against his desk. You would think he had never heard the word before with the way he was looking at me. "No" I repeat, firmer this time. "I will not help you kill my father. My God, what is wrong with you? I mean, I knew you were insane, but this? This is a whole new level, even for the likes of you." He leans back against his desk, watching me. He remains annoyingly calm, unfazed by my reaction. "Your father isn't the man you think he is.", My brows furrow as I try to read his expression"What's that supposed to mean?" He steps closer and runs a hand along his jaw, "Your father has blood on his hands, Solnishko, Russian blood to be exact." My shoulders stiffen,
Ava. The devil is real. And he is not a little red man with horns and a fork for a tongue. No, he can be beautiful. A fact I think most people forget. Nikolai was the devil in this scenario, and much like the actual devil, he was the ruler of my personal version of hell. He consumes my thoughts as l lay in bed, tangled in the sheets, our conversation from hours ago - if you could consider it that- replay in my mind. My thoughts drift back to his request in his office and I feel a knot tighten in my stomach at the memory. It was already dark outside, the cool glow of the moon slipped in through my window, casting a dim light across my bedroom floor. I had spent the last couple of hours locked up in here, trying to rid myself of the anger that had now turned to confusion that still burned brightly within me. Nikolai was accusing my father of murdering his brother who just so happened to be Kira's biological father. He wanted revenge for the blood my father spilled and he wa
Ava “Interesting” Kat hums to herself the next day when I tell her what happened with Kira. I shoot her a questioning look and arch my left brow, “What's so interesting about it?” We were currently lazing about by the pool which is something you wouldn't expect two adults to be doing on a Monday afternoon. Kat had insisted that a pool day was what we needed to solidify our bond in best friend-in-lawhood - her words, not mine- and I was too much of a people pleaser to refuse and just sort of went with it. “What is so interesting about it is that Kira doesn't just crawl into bed with anyone after having a nightmare. She only prefers it when Nikolai consoles her and the fact that she went to your room after one is just… odd.” I kick my feet against the water as I listen to her. “There was nothing odd about it.” I tell her, “Nikolai wasn't home, and I just so happened to be the only one awake. I'm sure if she knew that you were awake too she would've gone to you and Ivan’s roo
Nikolai “I need a cell new phone” Ava announces on a sunny afternoon, three days after our last encounter in my office. She looks down at me, determination filling her gaze as she makes her request. I hadn't expected Ava to willingly enter the same room as me after our last encounter. Yet there she was, standing across from me, the sunlight streaming in from the window casting the perfect glow on her silhouette from just the right angle. To say I was surprised to see her again in my office would be an understatement, to say the least, but then again what is life if not full of unexpected surprises and Ava standing before me, dressed in a little red top that hugged her figure, partnered with a pair of black jeans that accentuated her curves would be the most unexpected surprise of the century. We've barely seen each other since our last encounter, and I had convinced myself she was running away from me or, at the very least, avoiding me. I guess I was wrong on both accounts b
AVA Nikolai’s lips are excruciatingly soft and not at all like what I expected them to feel like. When I tugged him down to my lips earlier I fully intended for the kiss he had requested to be just that. A kiss. I never imagined that this would happen. This wasn’t just a kiss. It was earth-shattering, mind-numbing and nothing at all like the kiss we shared at the altar. Whereas that kiss was for show, this one was to show me who exactly I belonged to. And my God did it show me. The feeling of his lips against mine hits me with such intensity that my first response is to pull away. I bring my hands to his chest, fully intending to do just that, but when he nips at my bottom lip and then swipes his tongue against the sting to soothe the ache, lust fills my veins, flashing through me like hot bolts of lightning. Nikolai grasped my throat in his hand, holding me firmly against his body as he devoured my mouth with one stroke of his tongue at a time. Tingles spread across my skin
Ava True to his words, Ivan arrives at my door thirty minutes before dinner, holding a sleek, brand-new model of the latest smartphone in his hands. He hands the device over to me and I take it, examining the shiny black surface. “It’s brand new,” Ivan explains when he notices my hesitation. “They were able to transfer some of your data into it, so I’m pretty sure you have some of your contacts in there. You might even find a few old messages. But unfortunately, they weren’t able to retrieve your phone number since your phone isn’t accessible anymore,” He says, voice light, but I could sense a hint of seriousness behind his words. I nod and press the power button, watching as the device comes to life in my hand. The familiar logo glows on the screen, accompanied by the familiar welcome tune. Relief floods through me as the home screen displays, and I tap on the contacts icon where- sure enough, the majority of my contacts are still there. I scroll through the names, watching t
Ava Cara picks up on the third ring. “Hello?” Cara’s thick Irish accent fills my ear from the other side of the phone, and it feels like a weight has suddenly been lifted off my shoulders on hearing her voice again. “Hi,” I say. A pause and then, “You fucking bitch where the hell have you been?” I laugh, the sound light and full of genuine happiness. I’m glad to hear she hasn’t changed. “I’m glad you’re fine too. Thank you very much” “Don’t you try to act coy with me Ava. Do you have any idea how worried I've been about you? I fucking called your brother, for Christ's sake.” While Cara and I are friends, Aaron and Cara were as friendly as a couple of male geese during mating season. They despise each other, which, in my opinion, doesn't make any sense since I've always thought that they'd be perfect for each other. You know, When they aren't trying to kill each other. “And don’t get me started on your father. The man’s been missing for almost a week now. Nobody can r
AvaThree days.That's how long it's been since my brother contacted me. Three days is also how long it's been since I lied to Nikolai by telling him that I got lost in the art store when I got home and found him looking like he had lost his mind without me. Two days is how long it takes for me to try my brother's phone again. It goes straight to voicemail.I still haven't fully been able to wrap my head around everything Aaron told me. Learning that we no longer shared the same father, and we apparently never did, to begin with, felt like a missile launched in the middle of the desert, unexpected and unpredictable. And as if that wasn't enough, his biological father was none other than Raicán O'Sullivan, the former head of the Irish mafia who wanted Aaron to take his place, and what's worse is that my brother was actually considering joining the Irish mafia as their new leader.It all felt so... jarring. Growing up with Aaron I'd never once considered that he was unhappy with his l
Ava"She was pregnant Ava"Pregnant. Pregnant. Pregnant. Pregnant.The word repeats, over and over again in my brain like an endless chant.My mum...Our mum, was pregnant before she married our... no, my father.Swallowing, I straighten in the log, turning to face my brother. Of all the things I expected him to say, this did not make the top ten. Or hundred. Or thousand.I blink at him, counting down the seconds until he says, gotcha like he did when we were children, and he told me that he saw a ghost in our backyard, and I believed him. But the punchline never comes. “is this some kind of joke?" I ask. I'm surprised at how steady my voice comes out because, on the inside, my mind is racing. He has to be wrong; he just has to be because that would mean....I stare him straight in his eyes and the look I find there tells me that he won't say the words I'm so desperate for him to even if I were to kneel and beg him within an inch of my life.He wouldn't lie to me.Aaron remains comple
AvaThe Uber rolls to a stop in front of a barely standing building. The middle-aged driver glances at me through the rearview mirror, his brows pinching together. I ignore the look he gives me and shove a few bills into his hand before stepping out.The address Aaron sends me leads me to the industrial side of Chicago, where rusting metal fences and abandoned buildings line the quiet streets. Why the hell did he want to meet up in a place like this? The moment I shut the door, the Uber peels away, the roar of the engine fading into the distance, leaving me with nothing but a puff of engine smoke and dust.Coming to an abandoned building in the middle of nowhere simply because my brother preferred it over coffee in a cafe like normal people should certainly count as my top ten biggest mistakes.My gaze scans the area, and so far, it seems safe and normal.Slipping away from Benjamin had proven difficult. I'd asked him to stop at a random art store, claiming I needed to get some art
AvaMy phone buzzes in my pants as soon as I step out of my art history test on Wednesday. I reach for it, my pulse thrumming when I see the unknown number flashing across the screen. I hesitate for only a second before answering, my hand fisting the phone tightly."Hello?" "How are you, Ava?"That voice. I knew that voice. I grew up with that voice."Aaron?""The one and only"It's meant to come off as playful but there's a restrained edge to it. He sounds tired somehow and nothing like the boy I grew up with.Whereas that voice was lighter and always playful, this voice sounded older, wearier—like life had taken its toll on him in ways I would never understand.Why was he calling me? Now of all times. He abandoned me and now he's calling me like everything is just peachy between us when it's not. He knows it's not.I open my mouth to tell him he's an asshole for ignoring me for months and then trying to joke it off like nothing happene
Ava"I want to show you something," Nikolai tells me when I step into the house after a very long day of classes. I'm tired and my feet ache from shuffling between one lecture hall to the other in hopes of learning something relating to the path I chose to walk in life but am now violently cursing myself from doing.Kira throws me a toothy grin from over her shoulder as she's escorted back to her room by Lydia, her nanny, a grey-haired Russian woman with manners as stiff as a stick. She smiles at me politely as she ushers the little girl who'd tumbled into my legs the moment she saw me walk through the door, her tiny fists clutching the fabric of my skirt tightly like she couldn't let go.It took a while for her to notice me when I first came in, but when she did, she smiled at me so brightly from her father's lap that my heart stopped right there in my chest. Is this what it feels like to be missed?I lift a brow at Nikolai clearly confused at what he needs to show me. Today he's dr
Ava"You look different"Cara announces when we meet up later at one of the cafés around campus. The place is buzzing with students even though it's a Saturday and the campus is less crowded than usual.I glance up from the heart shaped design on my latte, shooting her a puzzled look."Different how?"She shrugs, "Just different"That's strange. I hadn't done anything peculiar to up my style this morning. My hair was in a loose ponytail and the dress I wore to the studio today was less than flattering on my figure. It had to be since I knew that it'd be coated in paint whenever I decided to leave the studio today. Which was thirty minutes ago when Cara called to ask if I was free for lattes.Cara tilts her head, deliberately trailing her gaze up and down my body. She looks at me the way a scientist would look at an equation they can't solve, stern and focused and I try not to let it unnerve me more than it already does.I lift the latte to my lips, taking a sip. The heavy creamy textu
Ava."Are you going to the studio?" Nikolai asks me once I sling my backpack over my shoulder. I'm now fully dressed and trying to ignore the lingering heat on my skin from what happened barely thirty minutes ago between us. After running me a bath, Nikolai asked to join me to which I declined with a firm no. When he realised there was no shaking my conviction, he reluctantly left the bathroom with a small pout, eventually giving me the space I required to clean up.After my bath, he hopped into the bathroom while I got dressed. Since it was a Saturday, I didn't have any classes today, but the deadline for my art project was drawing fast, and I was still a thousand steps away from starting it, not to talk of finishing it. I had to be having some type of artistic block. I mean, what else would you call me just staring at my canvas for three solid hours before deciding that the line I sketched wasn't straight enough and redoing the whole thing.I've been going to the studio every day
AvaI wake up to the feeling of my husband's lips dotting wet kisses across my cheeks, down the column of my neck to the base of my throat and then lower.I stir in the bed, my eyes still closed, when I feel his smile against my skin. "I know you're awake, Solnyshko" Nikolai's deep, husky morning voice rumbles against my collarbone, sending goosebumps erupting all over my skin. He sounds so good for someone who just woke up."Open those pretty eyes for me"He drops another kiss on my collarbone, following it with a quick nip. I wince, involuntarily arching towards him. My eyes snap open and I glance down at the head of dark curls brushing lightly against my chest.Nikolai lifts his head, his piercing green eyes colliding with mine. His lips stretch into a slow, lazy smirk as he looks at me, and I can feel the organ in my chest go into partial shock from how gorgeous my husband looks at the moment. A small teasing glint sparks in his eyes when he sees me watching him and my body ten
BearThe new prisoner his father brought was rather chatty, Bear decided after he heard the third knock on the wall on the second day of his exile."Bear?" came the little voice, soft and curious, as always. He'd come to realize that despite himself he actually found her voice rather tolerable. It was a drift from the normal silence that consumed him whenever his father would send him on one of these exiles.He'd grown so used to the silence his father's punishments often left him with that he never thought that he'd appreciate the sound of another person’s voice. Yet here he was, lying against the cold wall, listening to the sound of her timid knocks and hesitant words, almost as if she was afraid he wouldn't answer.And he almost didn't."Bear, I know you're in there. The least you can do is tell me you don't want to speak to me instead of avoiding me"She had him there."Mozhesh' li ty byt' gromche?" he muttered, his voice slightly hoarse.(Can you be any louder)"I knew you were s