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81|Ramp It Up
Last Updated:
2025-02-21 04:17:07
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Reckless Hearts 82|All The Money In The World
"Speaking of decorum," said Elena, crinkling her nose in disgust at Andrei and Holly. "This little thing you have will have to end when you and Veronika tie the knot. We do not approve of mistresses—""I'll say it one last time— I am not marrying Veronika!" Andrei announced calmly. Holding Holly's hand up possessively, just in case he wasn't clear enough, he continued, "This is the woman I intend to build a life with. Nothing you or my father say will make me change my mind.""Let's all enjoy the meal; we can discuss logistics later," Nikolai suggested, trying to take control of a rapidly deteriorating situation."I don't think so," Vladimir pushed back, insisting there was no better time than the present to conclude their marriage negotiations. "There's nothing to negotiate," Andrei growled, staring him down. Seconds stretched into a minute, and then some, with neither Andrei nor Vladimir backing off, the tension in the room growing so thick it was almost suffocating. "Vlad!" Vero
Last Updated : 2025-02-21Reckless Hearts 83|A Debt Owed Is A Debt Repaid
"What does a girl have to do to get your attention?" Veronika asked, placing her arms over the railing as she paused beside him. Andrei turned slightly to look at her, his eyebrows shooting up, surprised she'd chosen to lead with that, given their relationship."So?" she pressed, beaming at him as if it was the most natural thing in the world.Andrei looked her up and down, taking her in—from her Marilyn Monroe-inspired hairstyle to the classic Hollywood red dress hugging her slim frame to the snow-white fur coat hanging loosely around her shoulders. She was an attractive woman, no doubt. But knowing what he knew about her, her dazzling looks and megawatt smile only made his skin crawl, and he wanted nothing more than to pull out his gun and shoot her dead. Not for Iris this time. But for being a nuisance. He didn't know how else to drill it into her pretty little head that they would never be a thing. The million little fires in his heart burned for one woman, and Veronika wasn't th
Last Updated : 2025-02-21Reckless Hearts 1|A Win-win
"Absolutely not! We've talked about this, Papa!" Andrei Ivanov grunted irritably as he lowered his towering frame on the burgundy camelback sofa in the den of his ancestral home in Glen Eagles, north of Rock Castle. Surprisingly, Pavel, the Ivanovs' longtime butler, dressed in a dark suit and not a hair out of place, remained unfazed by the tension in the room. The same way Andrei's father, Nikolai, sat unperturbed behind his vintage desk as he gazed back at him, "Yes, you will cancel your flight." Massaging his temples to stave off a looming headache, Andrei explained—yet again—why he couldn't cancel his flight the following evening, citing every excuse he could think of. When that didn't work, he doubled down and lit a cigarette, taking long, deep puffs before addressing his father again in a much firmer tone, "You've known about my move to Moscow for a while now. It's happening, with or without your approval. I suggest you get on board fast!" "I'm sorry, but I can't do that," Ni
Last Updated : 2024-11-04Reckless Hearts 2|Where People Find Wives
"Oh, you do?" Nikolai arched his brows in amusement."Yes, I do!" Andrei retorted. It was all lies, of course. He didn't have a girlfriend. But his father didn't need to know this. "How am I supposed to explain Veronika to her?"Nikolai shrugged carelessly, asking, "Why have I never met this mystery girlfriend?""You've never met any of my girlfriends," Andrei reminded him, suddenly glad he'd never made the mistake of bringing women home to meet his father. Who knew keeping his love life under wraps would work in his favour someday?"Your PA is always your plus-one at company events, and you've never been photographed with a woman before. I find it strange that you've never mentioned a girlfriend.""Strange or not, I'm not marrying Veronika. So call off this damn thing.""Who is she?" Nikolai ignored his outburst, his eyes narrowing suspiciously. "And how long has this thing been going on?"Andrei took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of his nose, surprising himself with how easil
Last Updated : 2024-11-04Reckless Hearts 3|Coming Up Roses
While a glum Andrei sat with his lieutenants in one of the highly sought-after boxes at the Mirage, pondering his father's offer, on stage, under the dazzling spotlight, Holly Marie Anderson had none of his ninety-nine problems.In fact, life was going swimmingly for her. And why wouldn't it? After all, she was the star of the show, and the only reason the theatre was packed to capacity for the second night in a row. Drunk on the awe and adoration of her fans, Holly had one job and one job only: to deliver yet another jaw-dropping, heart-thumping performance. And that's precisely what she did. To say she was on fire was an understatement. Hell, she'd spent a tough three months preparing for the show and survived countless hours of gruelling practice sessions and dress fittings before embarking on a whirlwind press tour. In the twelve weeks leading up to this moment, Holly had lived and breathed Juliet, so much so that sometimes she was terrified she'd have a hard time letting go of
Last Updated : 2024-11-04Reckless Hearts 4|Her Final Bow, Her Last Plié
What everyone had imagined would be a quick visit to the ER ended up being a week-long bed rest in the orthopaedic wing of the Mediclinic in Glen Eagles for Holly.When she wasn't consulting with some specialist or other, she found herself entertaining an endless stream of visitors—from family to colleagues to the management team at the Royal Dance Institute. Cooper was pretty much a permanent fixture in her private ward, and her only source of updates about work. When he casually announced the show was on a break following her injury and faced a possible cancellation, Holly naturally felt terrible for everyone, especially him. He'd wanted the show as much as she did, and had worked just as hard. To see all their hard work go to waste was gut-wrenching. So, she tried to steer their chats away from work. But somehow, they always circled back to the show and, of course, Lola.Rumours had begun to swirl at the Institute. Half the corps was convinced she had maliciously stepped on Holly'
Last Updated : 2024-11-04Reckless Hearts 5|Ripped In Two
Devastated, Holly turned to her parents, silently pleading with them to pull her out of her never-ending nightmare. But, like her, they had no idea how to fix her. So she grabbed her mini crossbody bag, dazedly left the room, and wandered down the sterile corridors and out of the building, leaving her parents to discuss her upcoming surgery, physiotherapy, and all the other treatment plans Dr Evans thought were necessary but would never help her return to the stage.The crisp winter breeze was a shock to her system as she hobbled to one of the benches facing the hospital's entrance. She pulled her long cashmere cardigan closer and wound the heavy woollen scarf around her neck. She was so grateful that despite the short notice, her mom still had the foresight to stop at her townhouse in Morningside Mews and get her some warm clothing. Holly dug out her phone from her bag and fiddled with her knee brace as she scrolled through the less than thirty contacts. Half were family, including
Last Updated : 2024-11-14Reckless Hearts 6|As Tempting As A Siren Song
Back at her childhood home in the heart of Glen Eagles, Holly headed to her room. She hadn't slept there in years and hadn't stepped inside in just as long. Confronted by old smells and the lingering ghosts of her younger self, she didn't know how to feel about being back here. So she simply stood there, unsure what to do, until she felt her mom's arm encircle her shoulders."Everything is still the same, exactly how you left it," Lois said as she propped the crutches against the wall just inside the door. Her mom meant well, and her words were supposed to comfort and reassure her. But it was that exact 'sameness' that filled Holly with dread and helplessness. The room was the same, but she wasn't. She'd changed, and all in a single afternoon, her dreams destroyed by Dr Evans' announcement—'But you can't dance anymore.'"Go on," Lois gently pushed her inside the room.The smell of ambitious hope her fifteen-year-old self had held onto all those years ago hit Holly with the same inten
Last Updated : 2024-11-14
Latest chapter
Reckless Hearts 83|A Debt Owed Is A Debt Repaid
"What does a girl have to do to get your attention?" Veronika asked, placing her arms over the railing as she paused beside him. Andrei turned slightly to look at her, his eyebrows shooting up, surprised she'd chosen to lead with that, given their relationship."So?" she pressed, beaming at him as if it was the most natural thing in the world.Andrei looked her up and down, taking her in—from her Marilyn Monroe-inspired hairstyle to the classic Hollywood red dress hugging her slim frame to the snow-white fur coat hanging loosely around her shoulders. She was an attractive woman, no doubt. But knowing what he knew about her, her dazzling looks and megawatt smile only made his skin crawl, and he wanted nothing more than to pull out his gun and shoot her dead. Not for Iris this time. But for being a nuisance. He didn't know how else to drill it into her pretty little head that they would never be a thing. The million little fires in his heart burned for one woman, and Veronika wasn't th
Reckless Hearts 82|All The Money In The World
"Speaking of decorum," said Elena, crinkling her nose in disgust at Andrei and Holly. "This little thing you have will have to end when you and Veronika tie the knot. We do not approve of mistresses—""I'll say it one last time— I am not marrying Veronika!" Andrei announced calmly. Holding Holly's hand up possessively, just in case he wasn't clear enough, he continued, "This is the woman I intend to build a life with. Nothing you or my father say will make me change my mind.""Let's all enjoy the meal; we can discuss logistics later," Nikolai suggested, trying to take control of a rapidly deteriorating situation."I don't think so," Vladimir pushed back, insisting there was no better time than the present to conclude their marriage negotiations. "There's nothing to negotiate," Andrei growled, staring him down. Seconds stretched into a minute, and then some, with neither Andrei nor Vladimir backing off, the tension in the room growing so thick it was almost suffocating. "Vlad!" Vero
Reckless Hearts 81|Ramp It Up
When Andrei and Holly stepped back into the Polo Bar, Nikolai and the Petrovs were about to dig into their entrées. Unbothered by Roman and Elena's enraged glances following them to their seats, Andrei played the part of a man in love to a tee as he helped Holly settle in. Whispering sweet nothings to her, he removed her coat and held out the chair for her, making sure she was comfortable beside him, before calling a waitress to bring them menus. "Maybe you should tone it down a little," Holly suggested for his ears only as she browsed the selection of entrées. "Everyone looks uncomfortable." "I think we should ramp it up," Andrei disagreed. And ramp it up, he did, as he leaned into her and they browsed the menu together, his arm hanging loosely over her backrest. Hard as he tried to keep his hands to himself, he couldn't resist the urge to run his fingers on her sheer sleeves. The hint of her skin was doing all kinds of things to him— "What are you in the mood for?" Holly aske
Reckless Hearts 80|All The Broken, Messed-Up Pieces
"You've truly lost your mind," Holly whispered as she spun away from him. "How the hell would that even work? I can't be anything to anyone, and you, more than anyone else in my life, know exactly how fucked up I am in the head, Drei. I cut myself when I can't cope. The only constant in my life is the intrusive thoughts living rent-free in my head. What good would I be to anyone when I'm so damn broken?" "Oh, Baby," Andrei said, reaching for her and kissing her forehead. "Don't you see? None of that matters to me. I want all the broken, messed up pieces of you. I want them all, even the ugly, scary ones—" "No, you have to find someone else," Holly said as she pulled away and began pacing again. "I am not marriage material. I don't want a husband and kids and the mansion!" Baffled by her response, Andrei asked, "Why not?" "Because it's all so mundane, boring, and ordinary. I'm not meant for any of that." "Is that what you think?" he asked, slowly approaching her. "That marriage—n
Reckless Hearts 79|Reign Supreme
For several seconds following his bombshell announcement, Andrei could swear he could hear a pin drop as a wave of stunned, heavy silence rolled through the room, sweeping them all up in its tense embrace. Then, as if a sorcerer had waved his magic wand and awakened them all from a deep slumber, it was pandemonium. Roman led the charge, bellowing his outrage at Andrei's blatant disrespect. All the English he knew flew out of the window, along with his composure, as he switched to Russian, promising swift retaliation if Nikolai dared to go back on his word. Not one to be outshone, Elena joined the fray and took a page from her husband's book, screaming at Andrei to get his shit together. "Your marriage with Veronika is going ahead as planned, with or without your say-so!" she fumed in her native tongue, pointing her blood-red talon-like fingers at Andrei. Firmly on their parents' side, Vladimir and Zhakariy threatened the Ivanovs with unprecedented violence if they didn't
Reckless Hearts 78|Paled In Comparison
Clutching several gift bags in one hand, and holding a Kelly bag and a walking cane in the other, Holly was the epitome of beauty and grace in a classic black dress, matching satin pumps and a burgundy coat draped around her shoulders. Her long hair, pulled away from her face in a French twist, and the minimal jewellery she'd chosen, tied her look together beautifully, giving her an air of timelessness.She nervously glanced around the room, scanning the sea of unfamiliar faces. Relief and something Andrei wanted to believe was joy flashed in her eyes when her gaze finally settled on him, her big, unrestrained smile warming up the room. As he sat there, unable to believe she was truly there, and not a figment of his imagination, Andrei couldn't help but think how all the peonies he'd sent her over the years—and he reckoned he'd sent her over a thousand since he saw her first show two years ago—paled in comparison with her. Hard as Andrei tried to resist the pull, he couldn't. So, he
Reckless Hearts 77|Throw In The Towel
Traffic to The Empress was a breeze, and Andrei was at the hotel before everyone. He threw his car keys at the valet and headed to the Polo Bar on the second floor. He shrugged off his coat and sat in one of the Wingback chairs facing the masonry fireplace, appreciating the tasteful decor as he thawed out in front of the fire. On a typical day, the space doubled as a conference room for corporates or a wedding reception venue for smaller crowds. Today, it was specially transformed into an intimate setting for the supper with the Petrovs. "Can I get you something to drink, Mr Ivanov?" asked one of the waitstaff assigned to their party, handing Andrei a leather-bound menu. Before he could order his usual bourbon, his father strolled in with Pavel at his side. "Where is the mystery girlfriend?" he asked after they hugged and Pavel helped him out of his coat. Good question, Andrei thought as he pulled out his phone to check if Holly had texted him. "So, where is she?" Nikolai pre
Reckless Hearts 76|But The Flowers
After briefly chatting with Holly and confirming they were still on for supper at The Empress, Andrei hunkered down for another hour and worked through Aero's financial statements before calling it a day, not bothering to check up on a sulky Monique on his way out. Ever since he put her in her place, ending all her involvement in his personal life—from being his plus-one at company events to performing personal-related tasks for him—she had become a little harder to deal with. Today, she was especially combative, sniping at him for the most minor tasks he asked of her, as if he were an inconvenience and not the man who paid her salary. Monique was one slip-up away from being shipped to one of their overseas offices. "Boss!" she ran out of her office now when she saw him stroll past, her Marc Jacobs stilettos clicking furiously on the gleaming floors. "What is it, Monique?" Andrei asked, shaking off her hand. The only hands he wanted on him were Holly's. The only smile he wan
Reckless Hearts 75|So Damn Depraved
Weak as a newborn calf, Holly crumpled to the floor, holding her head in her hands as she pressed her clammy back on the cool, tiled wall. Angry didn't even begin to describe her feelings. She was mad as hell, not only at Russel and Naomi, but also at herself, because in her desperation to protect Andrei, she'd unknowingly allowed Cooper to get away with his crimes again. How many other women would he hurt because she was too much of a coward to stand up to him? How many more women would he break because she'd chosen love over her gut instinct? Still reeling from shock, Holly stumbled to her feet and returned to the VIP booth, her head pounding louder than the EDM music shaking the walls. She found Russel and Naomi snorting lines of coke on the coffee table, not in the least shocked or surprised. She wasn't the only cokehead in their circle; drug use was common. "Here, have some," Naomi offered, throwing a stainless steel snuff bullet at her. "It'll take the edge off." With
