Marcus felt the weight of those words punch him square in the chest. Guilt gnawed at the edges of his conscience, a cruel reminder of the lives lost in the tangled web of his creation."I didn’t—" he started, but Sergei held up a hand."Spare me your excuses, Marcus" Sergei's voice dropped an octave, cold and cutting. “You know how I despise lies.”He lifted from his seat, using the table as leverage as he straightened to his full height.“Three of my men died because of you.” "I didn’t know—""But you should have." Sergei’s voice was a low growl now. "You had one job — bring me guns. Good guns. And yet you sent my men into battle with weapons you swore would work. Faulty guns, Marcus. You armed my men with death."If this were any other conversation and not one that determined his life or the life of his daughter, Marcus would’ve pointed out how dramatic Sergai was being. He hadn’t known that the guns he’d delivered to the Volkovs would be faulty. He hadn’t anticipated that any of
AvaKira’s birthday arrived sooner than expected, and, for the first time since I arrived at the Volkov mansion, something other than guards filled the halls.Kira wasn’t the only child running around these halls.As promised, Tyler asked Emma’s parents if she could come. It takes a fair amount of convincing on my part, but they eventually agree — but with one condition. They insist on having one of their own personal bodyguards present at the party.I try to reassure them that it isn’t necessary, that the estate was secure and safe but their insistence makes it difficult for me to refuse, Their minds are already made up, and when I tell Nikolai about the arrangement, he isn’t exactly thrilled about the possibility of having someone not on his security team scout his estate for potential threats. Eventually, I get him to change his mind and he allows them to bring one bodyguard. No more.With how insistent Emma’s parents are about not leaving her alone, you’d think they would’ve at le
AvaI wave goodbye to Tyler as she settles Oliver and Emma into the backseat of the sleek black car that came to pick them up. She waves back at me, offering me one last smile before she closes the door. Their car pulls into the driveway, its red taillights glowing in the dim evening light, and I stand there, arms wrapped around myself, watching as it disappears into the night.The living room is empty when I step back in. Kat and Ivan had retired early to bed and Nikolai had gone to put Kira to sleep shortly after I escorted Tyler outside.My footsteps echo off the walls as I make my way to the Kitchen and when I step inside, I drag my gaze along the stacked plates sitting on the sink and the empty glasses right beside it.The party lasted longer than planned; normally, I could easily get a staff member to help clean up, but most were off duty, and those who weren’t were too busy tidying up the party decorations.Seeing no other option — or maybe I was just looking for a distraction
AvaWhen my phone chimes in my pocket, alerting me of a notification three days later, my entire body goes numb as I stare at the words on my screen that seem to drown out the careless chatter all around the hallway.It’s a text.But it’s not just any text, no, it’s the kind of text you don’t expect to get on a warm Tuesday afternoon after trudging back and forth between classes all morning. It is also the kind of text that makes my heart stop beating in my chest and nausea rolls through me, twisting my gut painfully.Unknown: We need to talk. Meet me at the cafe on the 5th. Tell no one. Love Dad.My grip tightens around my phone and a chill runs down my spine, curling at the end as I reread the words displayed on my phone screen.It wasn’t a normal text message a daughter hoped to get from her runaway father after he disappeared for two months. It didn’t hold any hint of casualty, or at the very least, formality. It was cold, straight to the point and if it weren’t for the last two w
AvaMy mother had a saying. The world is an unpredictable place.It was a generic saying. One I knew that she was not the first to say but one she repeated often enough for me to align the saying with her name.However, it isn't until this very moment that I understand why she said it so often.I spot him before he sees me. He’s seated in one of the seats at the far end of the cafe which was partially covered by one of the dim lights of the cafe and a red brick wall that shielded more than half of his body from the window opposite from him.The world was indeed an unpredictable place, I realized for the second time in the last ten minutes.One minute, I'm prancing between classes, wondering what’s the difference between Renaissance and Baroque art, and the next, I'm inches away from the man, who’d been my only parental figure for more than half of my life.The seat he’d chosen was tucked away within the shadows of the restaurant and despite the movements of the staff, one still had a
AvaThe words hit me like a slap, the coldness of them slicing through the tense atmosphere between us. For a moment, I can’t breathe, can’t think. I just stare at him, my father, who has never once been anything close to the man I needed him to be."Money?" I repeat, the incredulity dripping from my voice. "You... need money?"That's why he came back? Because he needed money? Not because of anything else.I already knew his reason for coming back had to be something big but this… this felt extremely underwhelming and yet not entirely surprising.“While I was gone,” He begins, running his fingers through his greying strands. “I made some bad decisions. Found my way into some debts.” His words are hurried as if he's trying to make them sound more reasonable. "Look, I’m not asking for much, just enough to get me out of this mess."I blink at him “And how much exactly is enough?”He hesitates, “Thirty grand”Thirty Fucking grand?“I know this might sound bad…”“Might?”“Some really bad p
Ava It all happens so fast. The room erupts into gasps and screams. Chairs scrape back as people fly from their seats towards the exit. Someone drops a spoon. And the entire cafe dives right into chaos.It takes no more than fifteen seconds for the entire place to empty out, leaving only Nikolai, my father, and me standing in the deserted café.The silence that follows is one that feels as suffocating as it looks. My heart thunders in my chest, and I can feel the tension crackling in the air like an electric storm. Nikolai was here. But how? He wasn't supposed to be here. I hadn't told him where I was going to be and the timing feels too calculated to be a coincidence. Nikolai’s gaze doesn’t leave my father as he steps closer, standing until he’s by my side. He uses his free hand to move me behind him, allowing his body to act as a shield between me and the man whose brown eyes resemble mine.The air around us thickens, the kind of heavy, dense silence that comes right before a st
AvaI struggle at first, my body refusing to give in to him so easily.I lied. His words ring in my head over and over again. If you died so would I.How could he say that so easily? He couldn't possibly have meant that, could he? But the way he'd looked at me as he said those words told me that he did. He meant every word. Another teardrop rolls down my cheek, the wetness mingling with our kisses, and Nikolai pulls back for a second, capturing the next and the next one after that until the tears are no more, and then he captures my lips again. I have no idea why I'm crying or why the tears can only be soothed by his kisses.Maybe it was because, after all this time, someone was finally seeing me, or maybe I was crying because, after all this time, it was him who was seeing me. There was something about the way Nikolai kissed me that made every blood vessel in my body come alive. The way his body pressed against mine as he cupped my face, kissing me harder and making me forget ever
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
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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