AVA
I believe you have something that belongs to me. His words linger in the air for only a second before gasps erupt from the audience. My heart hammered against my ribs, and I blinked at the intruder in disbelief. His? What was he talking about? My gaze finds my father. He stands frozen, his lips slightly parted and eyes wide with shock as he looks at the man who called himself Nikolai. “What is going on Marcus!” Alessandro roared, his rage-filled gaze fixed on my father. His face filled with rage. A smile peaked at the corner of the intruder’s lips as he shoved his hands into his pocket. “It’s quite simple, Alessandro. You’ve been played.” Played? As if snapped from a trance My father looked up, his gaze finding mine amid the chaos. Remorse clouded his features. “Forgive me, Ava.” my father says, giving me an apologetic look. My brows knitted together as a slow wave of dread settled at the pit of my stomach, “What have you done?” “It was a long time ago.” He began, his voice heavy as he continued. “The Russians, they had kidnapped you because I was running late with their shipment. Do you remember?” How could I forget? The three days I had spent locked up under the Russians remained the single most traumatic experience of my twenty-one years on earth. “I begged for them to return you to me. I begged them to spare your life but they refused to see reason. They said that if I didn’t bring the shipment as agreed, they would kill you. I had to do something. I had just lost your mother; I couldn’t lose you too.” My heart sank, No. Please don't tell me he did what I think he did. “Nikolai’s father decided that the only way he would let you go and forgive me was if I agreed to a contract.” “What type of contract, father?” I bit out, my hands trembling at my side. “Ava…” “What type of contract?” I repeated, my voice rising. He hesitated, “The contract stated that you will be married to Nikolai on the day of your twenty-first birthday.” My breath hitched in my throat and my eyes widened as the realization of what he was saying sunk in. “You sold me twice.” His silence was the only response I needed to confirm my suspicion. The final restraint I had held on to snapped. “How could you!” I demanded, my pulse pounding loudly in my ears. I couldn’t breathe. My father, the man I’d trusted with my life, had sold me to not one but two of the most dangerous men in the city. “You were just a child. I didn’t want to do it but my hands were tied. If I had refused they would’ve killed you on the spot. I couldn’t do it. I’m so sorry, Ava… if I could go back and stop myself from making that deal, I would. I didn’t mean for things to end up this way.” He turns to Nikolai, “And you. You're not supposed to be here. You're supposed to be…” “Dead?” Nikolai interjects, a sardonic smile creeping onto his face. “Come on now. You, of all people, should know that it'll take more than a miserly fire to keep me dead.” He tilts his head to the side, narrowing his eyes as he accesses me. “And you must be Ava. My, aren't you a sight for sore eyes,” he says, the words dark and twisted coming from him. I shouldn't find the way he says that attractive. I know this but yet I can't stop the slight flush his compliment brings to my skin. He starts to walk towards me but Antonio doesn't let him get within an inch of me. “I wouldn't take another step if I were you.” He growls roughly. He squares his shoulders, straightens his stance and forces me behind him, acting as a barrier between Nikolai and me. “You have no idea who you're dealing with.” Antonio seethes. Nikolai studies Antonio for a moment, his gaze flickering with a hint of amusement as he leans back slightly on his feet and raises a brow. “Don’t I?” In one swift motion, Antonio pushes me towards his best man and draws a sleek black pistol from his holster, aiming the barrel squarely at the centre of Nikolai’s chest. Nikolai tsked and stepped closer to the muzzle of the gun. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you”, he mused, using his index finger to tap the end of the barrel lightly as if it were a toy rather than a weapon. “Try me.” Antonio retorted, his grip tightening around the handle of the gun. “I suggest you leave. Whatever deal you and her father had before is considered void as far as I’m concerned, nothing is owed to you.” “On the contrary, She is owed to me” Nikolai replied smoothly, a dangerous glint forming in his eyes. He taps the barrel of the gun once more. “I suggest you put that thing away and listen to what I have to say.” Antonio's jaw tightens but he makes no move to drop his gun. “Like hell, I will. You can't just stroll in here and make demands. Last time I checked, the Russians don't make the rules around these parts. We do." The corner of Nikolai's lips tilted up in a smug smirk as he arched a brow. “ Is that so? Perhaps you would reconsider once you've heard what I have to say.” I arched my brow. I didn't understand what his angle was, and neither did anyone else, so it seems. At first glance, there was nothing about Nikolai that struck me as the kind of man who acted on instinct. A man like him wouldn't just storm in here without having some type of card up his sleeve and it appears that I wasn't the only one that thought so. “That's enough Antonio.” The sound of Alessandro's voice cuts through the air, slicing the tension between the two men. “But Father,..” “Put the gun down, Antonio,” but he makes no move to do what his father says, “Now”, Alessandro barked. Antonio's fingers flexed around the trigger of the gun, his jaw tight as he maintained his defensive stance. Nikolai's gaze drops to Antonio's finger still hovering over the trigger and a mocking grin spreads across his lips when he sees Antonio's hesitation “I suggest you listen to what the old man says.” he says, his voice even, “Unless, of course, you prefer to be the reason your father loses his only daughter.” Alessandro stiffens and Antonio's laughter echoes off the walls of the chapel “Nice try” he sneers, switching the gun to his other hand “But my sister isn’t even in the country” “You're right,” Nikolai chimed without missing a beat, “Your sister was supposed to be in France today. In fact, her plane just landed except," he pauses, a maniacal grin curving at his lips, "she isn't on it. Antonio’s laughter faded instantly, morphing into a look of disbelief. His eyes widened as the reality of Nikolai’s words settled in. “You’re lying” Antonio shot back, but the tremor in his voice betrays his uncertainty. I glance back and forth between the two men. “Am I?” he corked his head to the side, “I can assure you that you won't think so once you've checked your phone.” As if on cue, the sound of phones buzzing filters through the air. Alessandro was the first to retrieve his cell phone, and I watched as his face paled at whatever was on the screen. “What is it?” Antonio asks, his grip on the gun wavering as he senses his father's reaction. Alessandro's hand shook as he held the phone in front of him, the light from the screen illuminating his strained expression. “it's… It's a video of Clara,” he says then looks up at Nikolai, “He has her.” Antonio's expression shifted from disbelief to burning rage as he stared at Nikolai. “How dare you. If you touch so much as a strand of hair on my sister's head, I swear I'll…” “Careful now. You'll want to think twice about what you say next. You wouldn't want something terrible to happen to your precious sister now would you?” Antonio clenches his jaw, his face taut with the force of his rising anger. “Drop your gun and step away.” He clenches his fist, the tension in his shoulders tight as he takes a deep breath, and then he tosses the gun to the side. It clatters against the marble floors, echoing through the now-silent church. “Excellent choice.” Nikolai grinned, a predatory glint dancing in his eyes as he glanced in my direction. It wasn’t the first time we had made eye contact during the entire ordeal but it felt different. My heart slams against my ribcage as I watch him slowly make his way up the altar. He stands in the position Antonio had stood in barely seconds ago. Antonio steps away just as his best man releases my arm from his grip. Nikolai extends his hand, a silent offer, urging me to take it. I don't. “You’re delusional if you think I’m going to marry you.” the words are out of my lips before I can stop them. My shoulders tense and a gasp escapes my throat when I find him directly in front of me. He lifts a finger, dragging the digit along the side of my neck, the motion cool and deliberate before resting his finger on my jaw. My breathing shallows as he grips my chin between his thumb and index finger, tipping my head back until our eyes meet. And I stutter. His eyes were the most remarkable shade of green I had ever seen. Like a magnet, they seemed to pull me in, sucking me into their depths until all I could see was the darkness that lay underneath. He smiles, his lips curling upwards in a grin, but it’s devoid of any warmth, “I don’t recall giving you a choice,” he leans in, his nose grazing mine until his lips brush my ear causing tingles to erupt all over my skin “You’re mine Solnyshko” Solnyshko? What did that even mean? And why did it sound so familiar? My head throbbed as I tried to piece together why everything about this man struck me with a sense of familiarity. “I don’t belong to you” I retorted, trying my best to keep my breathing and mind under control. I must be going insane. Why was I pissing him off? A smart person would know that pissing off a deranged mafia boss-especially one who was currently holding the daughter of another mafia boss hostage- was a terrible idea. But here I was doing exactly that. His gaze drops to my lips and my body grows rigid. He grins. “Let’s fix that shall we,” he says, then lowers his hand and steps away, releasing me. I stumbled back, blinking rapidly as I struggled to process what the hell just happened. He shifts his attention to the priest who stood as a silent spectator to the guns and war that had threatened to break out in his church. “Finish the ceremony,” he commanded, voice thick and stripped of the teasing tone he held moments before. The priest hesitates, his eyes widening as he opens his mouth to protest, but before he could utter a word Nikolai draws his pistol, aiming the barrel at the center of the priest's forehead. The priest swallows nervously as his gaze darts up to the gun being pressed into his forehead. “F-fINE I’ll d-do it j-just put the g-gun away please.” he stammered his voice trembling. Nikolai's smile returned and he lowered his gun, satisfaction gleaming in his eyes. “Good choice. Skip straight to the I dos, and if you try anything funny I won't hesitate to end you.” The priest nods quickly, obviously distraught by his near death experience. “Um…Do you, Ava Blackwood, take this man Nikolai Volkov as your lawfully wedded husband?” I open my mouth fully intending to protest but the words die in my throat when I catch sight of my father from the corner of my eyes. “On one condition.” I state, my voice steady as I look up at the man whose maniacal smile has once again vanished. “What is it?" “If I do this you have to protect my family from the Morettis. My father and brother. “Ava…” my father starts to say but I glare at him, shutting him up. “As much as I hate you right now. I'm not ready to lose you yet. You might think I'm doing this because I still feel obligated to protect you but make no mistake father, this will be the last time you will ever see me.” I turned to Nikolai, “ So do we have a deal?” Something shifts in Nikolai's expression tethering between the lines of intrigue and amusement, “You want me to protect the man who sold you to save his neck?” I nod, already regretting my decision, “if it means you'll protect my family I'm willing to do whatever you want.” His lips tip up in a smirk, “whatever I want?” His gaze darkens, “are you sure about that?” there was a dangerous edge to his question and my chest squeezes. Nodding, I respond. “Yes” my voice trembles with my answer despite my best efforts. Nikolai tilts his head to the side, examining me with an intent look in his eyes. “Very well,” he says after what feels like hours and relief courses through me and I feel the tension roll off my shoulders. “Thank you” The ceremony continues and when the priest asks me again if I take Nikolai to be my husband, there is no hesitation in my voice when I say I do. “With the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife, you may… um you may kiss your bride.” Nikolai dips down and captures my lips in one fluid motion. I start to pull away but he doesn't let me. Grabbing my hip firmly with one hand, he pulls me flush against his rigid planes of his body. A whimper crawls up my throat. It's soft and barely audible but it's there, and he hears it. He makes a sound at the back of his throat, in between a growl and a groan and it goes straight to my center. I placed a hand on his chest, my lips hesitant as I tried to mimic his movements. In case it isn't clear, I haven't kissed many men in my life. I've only ever kissed three actually and two of them were before high school so I doubted I could count them in my list of conquests. His hand cupped the back of my neck, pulling me closer and swallowing the sounds that threatened to escape him. His tongue parts my lips and I moan at the way he tastes. There's something about this kiss. Something that makes me feel like the entire world was going to tilt off its axis if his lips ever left mine. Which is crazy to think because just seconds ago the man I'm admittedly enjoying kissing had threatened to end the life of an innocent girl. I pull away, ending the kiss abruptly. Nikolais lips hover over mine and our gazes meet only for a brief second. My heart hammers against my chest as light puffs of air escape my lips. I shouldn't have liked that nearly as much as I did. A hint of desire flickers in his irises, igniting something inside me. He wanted me. The realization sends an unexpected thrill throughout my body. The priest clears his throat and both of us turn to find the priest and everyone else awkwardly staring at us. My body tingles as Nikolai lifts his thumb to the corner of his lips, brushing the stain my lipstick had left on his lips during our kiss. “The bride and groom everybody.” the priest announces stepping back and presenting us to a very stunned audience. I look at the man who was now my husband and my heart plummets. What was going to happen now?Ava I was married. Married. I still couldn't believe it. I was married to a man who crashed my wedding ceremony, declaring that my father had sold me to him when I was only seven. That couldn't have been legal. Oh, and that’s not even the crazy part. Far from it actually. Not only was I married to this crazy person, but apparently, this man was the long-lost heir of the Russian Mafia who was supposed to be dead. And they say weddings aren't fun. I drag my gaze towards the man seated in the driver's seat just a few inches away from me. He sits there composed and unruffled, an effortless control radiating off him like he hadn't just hurled me on his shoulder and out of the church like a caveman seconds ago. There was no denying the fact that the man beside me was the most painstakingly gorgeous man I had ever seen. His chiselled jaw, sharp cheekbones and tousled dark hair framed a face that belonged on the statue of a Greek god. But that still didn't give him the r
Nikolai Volkov “Papa” Kira's excited squeal hits me before I see her. She runs up to me, wrapping her tiny arms around my leg like a vine. It's a habit she's developed recently and one I planned on breaking - eventually. Her small, chubby face beams up at me, and her eyes sparkle with the kind of joy that I've become immune to. I let out a breath, resting my head on her curls. “What are you doing here Kira? You're supposed to be with Lydia” Kira giggles, clearly missing the annoyance in my tone. She's made a habit of escaping her nanny at every little opportunity since we got back from Russia. It was a habit that was becoming increasingly worrisome, considering she was a five-year-old child who thought that every opportunity should be seized to play hide and seek. Shaking her head, she grins up at me, revealing a missing tooth that was still intact when I left this morning. I make a mental note to put a hundred-dollar bill under her pillow tonight because the last thi
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 o
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
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