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85|What's It's Come To
Last Updated:
2025-03-02 02:38:33
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Reckless Hearts 86|All The Rooms In Her Heart
Following their grand escape, Andrei was in no state to drive back on his own, so Holly decided to ride shotgun with him, with Eric following behind in his car. They didn't talk much on their way to Forrest Creek. Andrei was lost in thought, his rage showing itself in his reckless speeding as they zoomed through the night. Holly had never been afraid of speed. But tonight, after their close call with the Petrovs, she found herself grabbing onto the edge of her seat, terrified that Andrei would lose control and hit a traffic light. Or worse, a concrete barrier and the car would spontaneously burst into flames, taking them out in a blazing inferno."Slow down," she said, touching his arm when they had another close call, almost rear-ending a family sedan cruising in front of them. Andrei grabbed her hand and kissed her palm."I'm sorry," he said, and Holly released a long breath she didn't realise she'd been holding when he decelerated, his rage seemingly leaving him the more kilomet
Last Updated : 2025-03-02Reckless Hearts 87|Seen And Wanted
Holly stood there for a beat, gulping down the nervous lump in her throat because she knew exactly what Andrei was asking of her. A small part of her—the one still ruled by her head—told her this was a terrible idea. Spending the night with him would lead them nowhere good. At best, it would leave her with a gushing wound in her heart that no amount of Band-Aids could ever cover up. At worst, six feet under, her body riddled with bullets. "No," she decided, making up her mind then and there. Tonight, especially after their violent confrontation with the Petrovs, was supposed to be the last she saw of Andrei. Their agreement was one date and one date only. Spending the night would create unnecessary complications. "I don't think staying the night is a good idea," she said, surprised at how steady her voice was, even though there was nothing firm about the butterflies somersaulting in her tummy. "What are you afraid of?" Andrei asked, pressing her against the counter and sending
Last Updated : 2025-03-02Reckless Hearts 88|Third Place Is For Losers
As Holly lay spreadeagled, clutching the edges of the counter for support, with Andrei covering her with the warmth of his body, she could finally scratch 'wild, passionate sex' off her bucket list. While she was still recovering her breath, she had another epiphany—it was never about the act, but the man. And now that she'd had a taste of what it felt like to wholeheartedly give herself to Andrei and let go of all her inhibition, she was terrified she'd never be able to walk away from him as planned. She'd always want this feeling…like she was on stage again, soaring to newer heights— Andrei moved away from her, and she heard him softly pad to the guest bathroom. When he came out a moment later, she'd thrown on his dress shirt. A smirk tugged at his lips as his eyes slowly travelled up her body, lingering on her mouth. "You shouldn't have gotten dressed," he murmured, inching his way to her, his movements slow and deliberate. "I'm just going to take it right off." Holly swallo
Last Updated : 2025-03-02Reckless 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 : 2024-11-14
Latest chapter
Reckless Hearts 88|Third Place Is For Losers
As Holly lay spreadeagled, clutching the edges of the counter for support, with Andrei covering her with the warmth of his body, she could finally scratch 'wild, passionate sex' off her bucket list. While she was still recovering her breath, she had another epiphany—it was never about the act, but the man. And now that she'd had a taste of what it felt like to wholeheartedly give herself to Andrei and let go of all her inhibition, she was terrified she'd never be able to walk away from him as planned. She'd always want this feeling…like she was on stage again, soaring to newer heights— Andrei moved away from her, and she heard him softly pad to the guest bathroom. When he came out a moment later, she'd thrown on his dress shirt. A smirk tugged at his lips as his eyes slowly travelled up her body, lingering on her mouth. "You shouldn't have gotten dressed," he murmured, inching his way to her, his movements slow and deliberate. "I'm just going to take it right off." Holly swallo
Reckless Hearts 87|Seen And Wanted
Holly stood there for a beat, gulping down the nervous lump in her throat because she knew exactly what Andrei was asking of her. A small part of her—the one still ruled by her head—told her this was a terrible idea. Spending the night with him would lead them nowhere good. At best, it would leave her with a gushing wound in her heart that no amount of Band-Aids could ever cover up. At worst, six feet under, her body riddled with bullets. "No," she decided, making up her mind then and there. Tonight, especially after their violent confrontation with the Petrovs, was supposed to be the last she saw of Andrei. Their agreement was one date and one date only. Spending the night would create unnecessary complications. "I don't think staying the night is a good idea," she said, surprised at how steady her voice was, even though there was nothing firm about the butterflies somersaulting in her tummy. "What are you afraid of?" Andrei asked, pressing her against the counter and sending
Reckless Hearts 86|All The Rooms In Her Heart
Following their grand escape, Andrei was in no state to drive back on his own, so Holly decided to ride shotgun with him, with Eric following behind in his car. They didn't talk much on their way to Forrest Creek. Andrei was lost in thought, his rage showing itself in his reckless speeding as they zoomed through the night. Holly had never been afraid of speed. But tonight, after their close call with the Petrovs, she found herself grabbing onto the edge of her seat, terrified that Andrei would lose control and hit a traffic light. Or worse, a concrete barrier and the car would spontaneously burst into flames, taking them out in a blazing inferno."Slow down," she said, touching his arm when they had another close call, almost rear-ending a family sedan cruising in front of them. Andrei grabbed her hand and kissed her palm."I'm sorry," he said, and Holly released a long breath she didn't realise she'd been holding when he decelerated, his rage seemingly leaving him the more kilomet
Reckless Hearts 85|What's It's Come To
"What just happened?" Veronika stammered, staring at her parents helplessly. "Why doesn't he like my gift?""He's allergic to dogs," Andrei answered coldly as they watched Vladimir bundle the puppy back inside the box and hand it to one of the waiters, making it his problem."What do you mean he's allergic to dogs?" asked Veronika, her bewilderment palpable."Exactly that. Papa Ivanov is allergic to dogs. That's why, growing up, Andrei and Aleksei never had any pets, well, dogs at least," Holly added fuel to the fire, earning herself a deadly scowl from the mother and daughter duo. "You would know this if you were fit to be Andrei's wife!" "You!" Veronika glared at Holly, pointing a finger at her threateningly. "Calm the fuck down," Andrei said, pushing her hand off as he led Holly to one of the free armchairs in front of the fireplace. "Aren't you going to check on your father?" she asked, throwing a wary look at Veronika and Elena.Andrei shook his head. "Pavel's got everything u
Reckless Hearts 84|Deeply Misled
They stayed on the balcony for some time, staring at the shadowy outline of the stables and hills in the distance and the clear night sky, the howling wind filling the silence between them. Holly tugged her cashmere coat closer, glad she'd grabbed it before stepping out of the Polo Bar. The temperature had dipped even lower while they were inside. Not totally unexpected. The weatherman had predicted unusual snowfall in some parts of the country tonight. "Brrr!" she squeaked, her teeth chattering loudly when another gust of icy wind slashed her face, snatching flyaway strands of hair from her French twist. She pushed them back behind her ear as she glanced at Andrei, wondering if he had a built-in thermal source. He seemed unfazed by the blistering cold. "I'm sorry I dragged you into this," he said when he caught her looking at him, flicking an unlit cigarette between his fingers. "You must regret coming, and honestly, I won't blame you at all if you want to leave." Holly crossed
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
