Nikolai"Why did you decide to open a restaurant?"Ava's question blindsides me a little, even though I expected her curiosity to surface eventually.What happened thirteen years ago was something I never thought I'd be able to tell her and yet I did. Her reaction was nothing like I thought it would be. It came softly, and she looked at me with an understanding I couldn’t quite grasp, gently holding my hand.When I met her gaze, the only emotion reflected was a quiet curiosity that had me wanting to tell her everything she asked. Not a trace of pity in sight.I lean back in my chair, my fingers tapping the table softly as I meet her eyes."My mother loved to cook." I say, "She wanted to open a restaurant when she was younger and if she hadn't married my father I know she would've"Her expression softens, and I feel the slightest sting in my chest. When I was younger my mother was my haven. She was the one person my brother and I could rely on and the only person to show me what love w
AvaTonight has been perfect—almost too perfect. I’ve always believed that nothing could ever be this flawless, at least not without a price and I was right. Because just as the evening was winding down and we were heading home, the car broke down.Apparently the price of a good evening is a stranded night in the middle of Chicago wearing heels that are pretty close to starnggling my feet.I glance over at my husband who is on the phone with the mechanic, his jaw tight and his free hand running through his hair in frustration.That can't be a good sign."How long did he say it'll take for him to get here" I ask Nikolai when he returns to my side on the pavement. He lets out a breath, rubbing the back of his neck with his hand as his gaze meets mine."At least an hour," he replies, his tone rough. He drops his hand from his neck shoving it into the pockets of his pants, "We're going to have to call an Uber"I thought as much.If my legs weren't killing me I would've felt some sense of
AvaWhen we finally step inside the hallway leading up to our bedroom, Nikolai shifts slightly, carefully setting me down on my feet.His touch lingers on my waist longer than what most would consider necessary, but to me, it's nowhere near enough."Thank you" I murmur, my voice soft as I clear my throat, carefully trying to balance most of my weight on my good foot. "For the lift" I clarify, and he smiles. My heart combusts. Fucking dimples. "And for the date"As far as first dates go, tonight was one the best I've ever had, granted it was the only one I've ever had but still, it was amazing. Nikolai managed to check every box on my imaginary list of honourable first date activities, even the ones I didn't know I had.And yes, even with the car breaking down and forcing us to walk home, I doubt any other date will come close to topping this one anytime soon.He nods once, the smile on his lips stretching as his freaking dimples deepen. That's twice in the last forty-eight hours that
AvaWhen I wake up the next day, Nikolai is gone and on his nightstand is a light pink shoebox. A note sits neatly on top of it, the edges crisp. My fingers move before I can stop them, reaching out and lifting the piece of paper from the box. I flick it open and stare at the words sprawled in the unfamiliar handwriting.'Try not to amputate your leg while I'm gone. I’d hate to come back and find my wife hopping around. —Nikola"A smile tugs at my lips as I read the note, and once I'm through, I place it back on the nightstand and retrieve the box to my lap. With one tug at the bow, the delicate pink string that holds the box together falls onto the bed.Inside, a pair of sleek beige pumps nestled on a bed of soft velvet stares back at me.The pumps are gorgeous. They're the kind of shoes that make me feel cautious while tracing my fingertips over the leather, simply because I don't want to scratch it.Nikolai had promised to get me a new pair last night but I hadn't expected him to d
AvaI spend the next day exploring the halls of the Volkov mansion. The library more than anywhere else and by the time it's evening, strange as it might sound, I'm more than excited to see my husband again Except I don't see him.Because he doesn't return. At first, I thought maybe something might have come up to keep him a day longer, but then, I didn't hear from him for the next two days, which only grooms my worry.My thoughts spiral, raging from, did something happen to him? To, What if he's hurt? And then my personal favourite, Why won't he answer his goddamn phone?I do everything I can to reach him. Calls texts, you name It. I try it all, and each time, I'm met with nothing. It's almost as if he just disappeared.By the time the third day rolls out, it feels like I can't breathe. I can't focus on anything else, and I try, my God, do I try to reach him, but as usual, I'm met with the constant automatic voice, which I've come to grow annoyed with, informing me that the number
NikolaiAva returns with a pack of frozen peas, a thin towel and a change of clothes. She places the things she brought by my side on the bed and returns to her position on her knees. On any other day, the sight of my wife on her knees in front of me would've sent me coming in my pants, but the tightness in her lips, the subtle puffiness around her eyes, mixed with the throbbing pain in my ribs makes it impossible for me to get aroused in this situation."Take off your shirt?" She orders and I bite down on my tongue to keep from making a joke on how eager she was to get me naked. Considering how well she'd taken my last attempt at a joke stopping myself before the words slip out seems like the only wise thing to do.I discard the blood-stained fabric of my shirt to the floor a few feet away from her, wincing as the movement pulls at my ribs. Ava notices. Her fingers pause, hesitation flickering across her features before she schools her expression and reaches for the ice pack."Hold
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
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
Hi everyone it has come to my attention that I have never really posted an updating schedule for this book. Now when I first started this book, I used to update everyday. That was because my schedule was more free back then as compared to now. I have a full time job and a part time job in addition to writing and I also attend classes most days during the week. I love writing and because this book has a special place in my heart since it is my first book chapters have been limited to 4 times a week. This will help me give you quality chapters and at the same time keep me from burning out. Of course there will be times where my week will be free and I'll be able to update five or even six times in a week. Thank you for understanding and I'm always available to answer any of your questions ❤️
AvaI don't know what I expect Nikolai's reaction to be after I drop that little piece of information. Anger perhaps. Maybe disappointment. Maybe even both.My hands are still looped around his neck. I'm still touching him, so I guess maybe that's a good sign that he doesn't feel either of the emotions I previously thought he might.Realising I'd spoken too soon, he reaches up and unloops my arms from around his neck, slowly sliding them down until they are by my side and the illusion of touching him is no longer within reach, replaced now by his strong hold around my wrists.“Nikolai…” I start to say. To apologise for not telling him but he stops the words from completely spilling from my lips with a simple squeeze of my wrists.“How long have you known?”It's impossible for me to guess what's going on in his mind at this point. His tone doesn't hold any malice or a trace of anger, just an irrefutable calm laced with a bit of surprise and curiosity.“A while,”He doesn't look convinc
NikolaiMy wife steps out of the shower as soon as I shut the door. She's wet but not in the way I'd like. Not in the way I've thought about for the last nine hours. Tiny droplets glisten her skin, drawing me to the way they fall to the floor despite the towel she currently has wrapped around her body like a fucking armour."Solnyshko..."She gasps before the name is fully out of my lips, spinning around. She sucks in a ragged breath when she sees me. Those big, beautiful brown eyes of hers are wide open, scanning me from head to toe like she can't believe I'm standing in front of her while her fingers clutch tightly to the edge of the plush fabric.“You're back," She breathes, surprised.It's only three o'clock, and considering I stated in my note that I'd be back later in the evening, I can guess why she hadn't expected me to be back so soon.Truth be told, I'm not supposed to be back so early but there's only so long a man can go without seeing his wife, and not want to put a bulle
TRIGGER WARNING: MENTION OF SEXUAL ABUSE APPEARS IN THIS CHAPTER. TREAD CAUTIOUSLY OR SKIP THIS CHAPTER ALTOGETHER ❤️ YOUR MENTAL HEALTH MATTERS.
Ava“So let me get this straight,” Kat says for the second time in the last fifteen minutes. We were currently sprawled out on the floor of the new nursery she and Ivan were still in the process of setting up, taking a break before we started arranging the things we got from the store.Two cups of caramel latte res between us, along with one blueberry muffin and a bag of chocolate chip cookies Kat swore she'd been craving since she woke up and would literally die if she didn't have.“You saw your father yesterday, did not tell Nikolai about it even though you knew that going to meet him alone was a stupid idea, but then Nikolai shows up, shoots your father, takes you home, and you both confess your undying love for one another and then you have mind-blowing sex.” Nodding, I take about of my muffin and let out an approving sound at the taste, “That seems about right." I say, "Except for the part where we confessed our undying love for each other.”"You should have. You care about him.
Ava I was sore. So fucking sore. But in a good way. In the best way. In the I just got my world rocked by my husband multiple times in one night, and it was the best feeling kind of way. Here's something no one tells you about sex. It's good the first time you try it but even better the second and the third and the fourth but maybe not so much the fifth. By the fifth, I wasn’t sure if I was still breathing or just floating somewhere between reality and oblivion. I somehow managed to remain tethered to this world by the sound of my husband's voice and the way his fingers traced every inch of my skin like his hands were made for the act alone. By the time I woke up, though, I realised that although my upper body hummed with pleasure, my lower region begged for mercy. Now, you might be thinking, why the hell would I go five times in one night, especially since I just lost my virginity said night? The answer was quite simple really. Nikolai. Freaking Nikolai and his stu
Hi 👋🏾 Interested in getting more behind-the-scenes insight and special sneak peeks?Then join the official readers group on F@c3b00.k. Simply search 3thel's Romance Haven and click J01n now to start ❤️
NikolaiI don't sleep.I can't sleep.My fingers trace lines slowly down her shoulders, to her back and then back up again. She looks so peaceful. So devastatingly beautiful that I almost can't believe it.She'd been so beautiful when she called my name as her release swept through her and even now, wrapped in nothing but the sheets and moonlight, she looked like something straight out of a dream. My dream.She didn't back out. No matter how many outs I'd give her she didn't back out. She wanted me. Touched me like I was the only thing that could save her. Looked at me like she was already falling in love with me, like I was with her.And how I was falling. Desperately and without the faintest bit of certainty for a landing.Squeezing my eyes shut, I stop my absent-minded movements and reopen them.Her hair splays out on her pillow and I toy with the ends softly, twirling a strand around my finger before letting it go. How can a person be so perfect?It doesn’t make sense.Not with e
Ava. “Try me.” A second passes, and a shaky breath escapes my lips. Nikolai’s breathing comes out in steady pants above me as my body hums with the aftershock of what could have been my orgasm. When he doesn’t move, I roll my hips once more against his erection, and his gaze grows wild with need. And then he snaps. He cursed in Russian, his grip tightening in my hair before he was on top of me. Kissing me. Devouring me. I gasp when he rips his mouth away, but it soon turns into a moan when he starts to suck and nibble on my neck. My hips roll, and hot pressure starts to build inside me when I feel his erection. My body goes still, and He lets out an amused sound when I feel the head of his erection nudge against my entrance. “Not so mouthy now, huh?” I want to hit him for teasing me, but I can’t move. He’s big. Really big and a part of me, no, scratch that; all of me is pretty sure he’s not going to fit. Nikolai must sense my hesitation because his teasing expressi