Page 8 of Dancing With Delusion

Nik approaches me from behind, and her eyes flick there, almost relieved when she sees him and not Vivian. Or maybe it was my father she was expecting.

“Don’t you have anything to say to me?” she asks through gritted teeth, her tone laced with enough venom to kill a grown man on the spot.

I throw my keys on the side and sigh, suddenly very aware of how exhausted I am. “I’m not doing this now, Victoria.” I run my hands through my dishevelled hair. “You were the lunatic who made a scene in front of some of the most dangerous men in all of London and Russia. Now, go and fucking calm down, and maybe we can talk about this like two sensible adults.” I’m drained, and right now, I can’t tolerate any more crazy.

She eyes the replacement vase on the side and looks at me with her eyes full of fire. I arch my brow. “I would consider your options very carefully, Victoria. Remember the last time you broke things.” I move towards her, noting how her breathing hitches and her eyes fill with lust. She glances side to side, like she’s a caged animal planning her escape, but I’ll be damned if I reward her behaviour tonight, and I’m certainly not going to chase her down.

Stuffing my hands in my pockets, I lean into her ear before whispering, “Goodnight, Victoria.” I move around her and make my way into my office, slamming the door.

Tori

Istare at the closed office door, unsure of what to do or how to feel. Nik shifts in the doorway, catching my attention, and I feel my cheeks redden as embarrassment finally catching up with me. Words Marcus would often spit in my ear are buzzing around my mind, telling me I’ve gone too far this time, making me doubt my actions.

I hate the way Dmitry looked at me with . . . nothing. He gave me an empty look laced with disappointment. I subconsciously rub my hand over my chest where there’s a dull ache from Dmitry’s rejection. My adrenaline is dipping back to normal levels, leaving me shaken and weak.

I glance at the stairs. I haven’t slept alone since I killed Marcus. We’ve also not gone a day without sex, and I realise now that maybe I’ve come to depend on it. The thought makes me shudder. I haven’t depended on anyone my entire adult life, and most of my childhood, come to think of it.

I take a deep breath and shake out my shoulders. I fix Nik with a stare that I hope hides my inner turmoil. “Goodnight,” I say, then I spin on my heel and head for the living room, gently closing the double doors behind me.

I look around the room with its expensive chandeliers and imported art. The only appealing thing about this room is the large bookcases adorning one wall. And we never come in here. We’re always out for dinner, and when we are here at the manor, we’re in the dungeon or the bedroom.

I sigh out loud. Dmitry’s cameras will have picked me up. He’s probably watching me right now, and he should know I’m equally as pissed at him.

I snatch a blanket from the back of the unused couch and wrap it around myself. I sit for a few moments, wondering if he’ll come in and demand I strip naked and get my backside into the dungeon. When he doesn’t, I lie down on the couch and allow my eyes to drift closed.

I stir, noting the ache in my back as my eyes flicker open. I wince at the sunlight now beaming through the windows. Another thing about this house—there are no blinds or curtains. Dmitry is a big fan of light while I, on the other hand, hate it.

I groan out loud and push to sit up, realising I’m still in the living room on the uncomfortable couch. He didn’t come to get me. I stand, dropping the blanket and staring down at my now crinkled dress. It cost over two thousand and I’d slept in it. I laugh to myself as I head for the kitchen, hoping someone has at least grabbed breakfast.

My step falters when I see Dmitry sitting at the breakfast bar, staring at his open laptop. He’s usually not around for breakfast. Once he’s worshipped my body, which is like part of his routine, he goes off to work.

I contemplate backing out of the room unnoticed, knowing I must look a sight in my creased dress and last night’s makeup. I slowly raise my hand to check my hair, running my fingers through the crushed curls. I’m not sure when I became so worried about my appearance.

I eye the tray of fresh pastries that one of the men must have grabbed first thing, and my stomach grumbles with hunger.

I take a deep breath. Dmitry must know I’m here, but he hasn’t acknowledged me, so I step into the room and take a pastry. “Good morning,” I say brightly. He glances up, arching a brow before looking back to the laptop screen. I fidget uncomfortably, unsure of what to do. “I’m mad too,” I point out.

He scoffs, slamming the laptop closed and rising to his feet. “Dmitry,” I mutter as he heads for the door.

He stops, and his shoulders hunch slightly before he turns to face me. “The fact you don’t even know how badly last could have ended speaks volumes, Victoria.”

“You didn’t even ask why I flipped,” I say, dropping the pastry back on the plate.

“Do you need a reason?” he snaps. “It’s not the first mess you’ve created with your temper.”

I can’t help but feel it’s a dig at Marcus. “Wow,” I murmur, folding my arms over my chest.

“You can’t lose your head with my father, of all people,” he yells, causing me to jump at his harsh tone. “You’ve not only put yourself on his radar in the worst possible way, but you’ve made my life a lot harder.”

“And we wouldn’t want that,” I mutter, rolling my eyes.

He closes the gap between us in two steps, grabbing my chin in his fingers and pulling my face up to look at him. “No, Victoria, you’re right, we wouldn’t want that, because if I unravel, it all turns to shit. Right now, I am the only person standing between you and death. That’s how serious this is. You pull a stunt like that again and I will not be responsible for my actions. Are we clear?”

I turn my head out of his grasp. “Crystal,” I spit, keeping my eyes to the ground. Prick.

“Go and shower. Marshall will be around if you need anything today.”

Disappointment creeps in. “Great, another day staring at the wall.”

---