Page 80 of Hostage of the Russian
“He’s not wrong,” Kostya said, his thumb stroking along her wrist where he’d captured her hand. “You kept biting your lip. Very distracting.”
“I was nervous!”
“You were turned on,” he corrected with that killer smile of his. “There’s a difference.”
The conversation flowed around them as dinner continued, but Azriel found herself caught up in watchingKostya interact with his family. This version of him, relaxed and openly affectionate, was still something of a revelation. Gone was the careful mask he’d worn when they first met, replaced by genuine warmth and an openness that took her breath away.
He caught her staring and leaned closer, his lips brushing her ear. “What’s that look for?”
“Just thinking about how different things are now,” she whispered back.
His expression softened, understanding passing between them. They’d both changed so much from the people they’d been when he’d stormed into her apartment that night. The scared girl who’d been grabbed from her bed was gone, replaced by a woman who knew her worth and wasn’t afraid to fight for what she wanted. The ruthless man who’d claimed her as payment had evolved too, letting down walls she wasn’t sure he’d even realized he’d built.
“Better different?” he asked quietly.
“So much better.” She turned her hand in his, interlacing their fingers. “I love you.”
The words still felt new and precious on her tongue. For months, love had been something she’d been afraid to name, too terrified it would disappear if she acknowledged it. Now she said it freely, savoring the way his eyes lit up every single time.
“I love you too, solnyshka,” he murmured, using the Russian endearment that never failed to make her melt. “More than I ever thought possible.”
“Alright, that’s enough,” Fedya announced suddenly. “If you two start making out at the dinner table, I’m leaving.”
“That would be a first,” Maeve said with a laugh, nudging her husband. “Usually, you’re the one causing scenes.”
“I don’t cause scenes. I end them.”
“By stabbing people,” Lev pointed out.
“Efficiently,” Fedya replied, completely serious.
The conversation devolved into the usual good-natured ribbing that characterized every Nikolai family gathering. Azriel listened with half an ear, content to simply exist in this moment. Tomorrow she would go back to work, continuing to build the career she’d dreamed of since she was a teenager. Next year, she’d take the LSAT and hopefully start law school. The future stretched ahead of her, bright and full of possibilities she’d never dared imagine.
But tonight, she was exactly where she wanted to be.
The evening wound down gradually, couples beginning to make their exits with promises to get together again soon. Kostya and Azriel were among the last to leave, lingering to help clean up despite protests from the staff.
“You know they’re paid to do this,” Kostya said as she carried plates to the kitchen.
“I know. I also know what it’s like to feel invisible,” she replied, thinking of all the times as a child when a kind word or acknowledgment would have meant the world to her. “A little gratitude never hurt anyone.”
He stopped what he was doing and looked at her with such intensity that it made her breath catch. “What?”
“Nothing. Just...” He shook his head, moving closer until he could frame her face with his hands. “Sometimes I still can’t believe you’re real. That you’re mine.”
“I’m real,” she assured him, rising on her toes to brush her lips against his. “And I’m yours. Always.”
The kiss deepened naturally, his arms sliding around her waist to pull her closer. She could taste the wine from dinner on his lips, feel the steady beat of his heart against her chest. When they finally broke apart, they were both breathing hard.
“Home?” he asked, his voice rough with want.
“Home,” she agreed.
The drive back to their house passed in comfortable silence, his hand resting on her thigh while soft music played through the speakers. She watched the city lights blur past the window and marveled again at how much her life had changed. Six months ago, she’d been alone in a tiny student apartment, convinced that was all she deserved. Now she lived in a beautiful home with a man who loved her fiercely, and she was building a career that fulfilled her.
“What are you thinking about?” Kostya asked as they pulled into their driveway.
“Just... everything. How different my life is now compared to what I thought it would be.”
