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
Nikolai “I can’t find Ava” Those are the first words out of Kat's lips the moment I step into the living room. Kat stands before me, hands fidgeting, face flushed with what I can only describe as worry as she delivers the news to me. Her husband stands a few steps away, his hands shoved into the pockets of his slacks as he glances between Kat and me. His stance is guarded, like he is prepared to intervene at the first sight of trouble. His brows furrows. He looks worried, probably by the idea of me lashing out at his wife as she speaks. I almost laugh at the thought. As if I would willingly hurt Kat. She was my blood, and even though her words angered me in this moment, I would never willingly hurt her. She was family, after all, and I would never put her in harm's way. “What do you mean you can’t find my wife?” I’m surprised by the level of restraint with which I'm able to say the words. I'm almost sure that the words aren't mine, and if it weren't for the slight wince
Ava There’s only one word I can use to describe the sinking feeling that settles in the pit of my stomach, twisting in my gut, sharp and unrelenting, as it grips tighter around the muscle before releasing it and finding its way upwards to my chest where it sinks it’s vicious claws into the beating organ that resides behind my ribcage. Dread. Dread is the only word I can use to describe the feeling that surges through me at the sight of Nikolai leaning against a black BMW in my school's parking lot. One of his hands is shoved into the pockets of the dark leather jacket he's wearing, the other loosely holding a cigarette. He takes a drag from it, and I watch as faint puffs of grey smoke curl upwards before hitting the dark lenses of the sunglasses on his face and disappearing into the afternoon air. Dissipating like a ghost around him. He is wearing a fitted white dress shirt with the sleeves casually rolled up to just below his elbows, showcasing his forearms and tattoos for an
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