Page 47 of Fixation

He tried to see it from her eyes. His room was a bright blend of white, beige, and grey. White large and plush sofas in an L shape, beige wallpapered walls, grey cushions, grey rugs, and a black coffee table and side tables. Black and gold accessories were scattered around. Even the paintings on his walls were black and white. The only pop of colour in the room was the dark purple throw on one corner of his sofa. The fireplace in front of them had a massive TV on the wall above it. Overall, it was warm and comfortable.

He and his brothers never brought the women they dated home. Their home, wherever they resided, was their sacred place. Him bringing her here, sitting with her like this was far from normal for him. Yet, it felt so very right.

“You were telling me what your favourite food is,” he prompted.

“I love ravioli in pesto sauce.”

He smiled. “Alright, then, that’s what we’re eating tonight.”

He made a quick call to the kitchen and then looked at her. “Aren’t you going to ask me what my favourite food is? That’s how this getting to know one another works, you know.”

“I already know,” she said. “It’s meatpelmeni. I read it in one of the magazines I found in your library.”

His heart lifted. “See, I knew you were curious about me.”

“I think by now it must be obvious.” She looked at her hands, looking so adorably shy.

He stroked a finger down her pinkening cheek before lifting her chin up. “I feel the same about you, you know. This between us has erupted all of a sudden, and now it’s taking me under. I think about you all the time. I was honest when I told you that I feel stronger and healthier with you around. I don’t know what this is between us and where it will lead us, but I want to give it a chance. Would you want that as well?”

She exhaled. “Yes.”

His spirits lifted. He’d heard her voice when he had been brought to the hospital. Even then, he’d responded to it, and her. He had noticed her the first moment he’d opened his eyes after his attack and found himself back home. Even back then, his reaction to her had been intense. And later, with each interaction, her effect had only intensified. Reina Singh was a smart, sexy, and fearless woman. He enjoyed talking to her, enjoyed watching her changing expressions, enjoyed being around her, and absolutely loved how strongly he was attracted to her. That one morning by the pool hadn’t been enough. He wanted more, so much more.

“So, what exactly ispelmeni?” she asked.

He grinned. “My late adopted father introduced us topelmenithe night we landed in Russia. It is dumplings stuffed with meat and so many flavours. I tasted it that night and was floored. It’s been my favourite since then. Eating it feels like days spent with him, talking to him, spending time with him, and learning from him.”

“He sounds amazing.”

His chest warmed. “He absolutely was. I miss him so much. We all do. The whole world talks about the three orphan boys who became the richest men on the planet; only we know how,at one time, we had so little. But now, with God’s grace and the kindness of a wonderful man, we’ve been given a legacy, one we will fight hard to keep.”

“Tell me about your childhood,” she asked. “What was it like? Where were you born? Where did you grow up?”

She sounded so curious about him. He and his brothers were very private men. Details about their childhood, the orphanage where they had grown up, and how Alexander had adopted them were very private. News outlets across the world would pay a whole lot of money for this information. And that’s why, they never discussed these things with anyone, especially not a woman they were interested in. However, with Reina, for the first time in his life, he wanted to open up.

He stared at her for a long moment, and then he finally began, “I don’t know where I was born. Rishikesh, most likely, since I was left there on the steps of the orphanage where I grew up.”

“None of those magazines I read mentioned that.” She sounded genuinely confused over how such a crucial detail of his life was missed.

“I know.”

There was a knock on the door, and a team of his staff entered with their food. They set it all on the coffee table in front of them. She opened the cloche on her plate and smiled at the ravioli and the garlic bread beside it.

“This looks delicious, thank you.”

He smiled. “My pleasure. I could bring out the vintage wine, but I think my doctor wouldn’t like me drinking as yet.”

She laughed. “You’re quite right about that.”

They ate in silence for a while until she looked at him. “I’m sorry I asked about your childhood. You don’t need to tell me. I’m sure it’s something you and your brothers wish to keep private, that’s why it’s not in the public domain.”

Her thoughtfulness further validated his decision. He could let her in. Hewantedto let her in and give her a glimpse of his life.

“I think I can trust you,” he said. “After all, I did trust you with my life.”

She laughed. “You didn’t exactly have a choice in that.”

“But I do have a choice right now, and I’m choosing to trust you. Anyway, about my childhood—to be honest, there’s not a lot to say and most of it is not very interesting. Life was quite hard. We grew up poor, but the orphanage wasn’t bad. It was run by some kind-hearted people who actually cared about the kids there. Although, some of the kids were very nasty. It was survival of the strongest, you see. Anyway, from a very young age, my brothers and I, and…” he shook his head before continuing, “We all used to sleep in the same corner of the room. We bonded with one another very early in life and learned to depend on each other. We chose one another over everyone else and protected each other from the other kids. My brothers…” he paused, “My brothers are my chosen family. We listen to each other and always have one another’s back. They are my everything,”

---