Page 96 of Cruel Promise

“This isn’t about work, Nik.”

“Nikolai.”

“Whatever. This is about the party I’m throwing at my club, and I want you to come.” He flicks his eyes to Ava. “Both of you.”

“There’s always a party at your club. It’s called a club,” I say.

He snorts. “You’re no fun.”

“What kind of party?” Ava asks.

I shoot her a look. She can’t be seriously entertaining this. She shrugs, and it dawns on me that yes, she is entertaining this.

“A wild one,” Dimitri says with a dark grin.

“That doesn’t sound good,” I remark.

“Yeah,” Ava agrees. “I’ve been to your club before, Dimitri, and you left me there. I don’t exactly trust you.”

“But you trust your husband?”

She hesitates, and it’s like a knife to my gut. I know I haven’t earned her trust, but it still stings to be reminded of that. To be reminded of all the shit I’ve done to her.

“I trust him more than you,” she says finally. I give her a look that tells her everything I’m feeling—how I want to kiss her until I leave her breathless, how I want to make her mine in every way possible.

Ava flushes and turns back to Dimitri. “So, I have no desire to go to your party.”

Dimitri pouts. It’s childish, but I know girls fall for it when he does it. Fucking pretty boy. “Come on. Both of you will be there. Ava, you won’t be in danger with Nikolai literally looming over your shoulder the entire time. You’ll be safe, trust me.”

“We’re good,” I growl.

“Well …” Ava starts to say.

“Well, what?” I ask.

“I mean, it would be nice to get out.”

“You’re going back to school now. You get out all the time.”

“I know. But that’s school. This is something different. Maybe …”

“Maybe what?” I ask in a softer tone, consciously aware of Dimitri watching us.

“Maybe it could be a good way for us to do something fun together. A way to bond.”

She is so fucking stunning, standing there before me with her large, innocent eyes and hopeful expression. She’s really trying. By some miracle, she has decided to make the most out of our situation instead of running.

She’s been going back to Yale for the past week, and every day, she’s returned. I know the long train ride is tiring, but she does it anyway.

If Ava is trying, then I need to try, too.

“All right,” I finally say, shooting a glare in Dimitri’s direction. “But you better not make me angry.”

Dimitri holds his hands up in surrender. “It’s just a party, Nik. No one’s going to be making anyone angry.”

AVA

The party isn’t really a party but just another night as Dimitri’s club.

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