Page 93 of Scarred (Russian Sinners 2)

“Bye, Nikolai,” she greeted me and I could tell she was smiling. “Don’t stay up too late tonight caring for Olivia.”

I shook my head and ended the call. Life certainly worked in mysterious ways.

Chapter Thirty-Six

Olivia

Ilaid next to Tasha on her bed and was barely two pages in when I noticed she was out. I smiled seeing her sprawled, dead to the world. I covered her little body with the blanket, placed a kiss on her forehead, and quietly left her room.

Nikolai spent some time with us before the bedtime story but then he got another call and left us to it. Once out of Tasha’s room, I wondered whether to go downstairs or upstairs. I already had a shower and wore a long silky nightgown. Whoever shopped for my nightclothes totally believed in nightgowns and I didn’t want to be roaming the house wearing only that with security guards.

Hearing a glass clinking, I leaned over the rail and found Nikolai in his little mini-bar area making himself a drink. He was shirtless, wearing only his pajama bottoms. I decided to go join him since he was alone. I tiptoed barefoot down the stairs ensuring there were no guards roaming around.

“All the guards are outside.” Nikolai’s voice had me whipping my head back into his direction. I didn’t realize he heard me nor seen me since his back was still turned to me.

“How did you see me?”

“I don’t have to see you to sense you, malysh.” He spoke softly and turned around.

Slowly approaching him, his eyes never left me. He seemed strangely tense and tired.

“Are you alright?” I observed him as I leaned against the wall and he handed me his drink.

“Yes. Would you like some bourbon?”

I accepted the offered glass and took a little sip. The drink was smooth, rich as it went down my throat.

“Thank you,” I mumbled as I returned the glass.

“Want your own glass?” he asked. There was tension rolling off of him.

I shook my head in denial.

“Nikolai,” my voice was a whisper. “What’s the matter? Did something happen?”

He took a drink of his bourbon and placed the glass on the counter.

“No, nothing happened.” His hand wrapped around the nape of my neck, a signature move that would forever remind me of him, and pulled me into a hard kiss. I tasted alcohol on his lips and his tongue. When he stopped, we both found ourselves breathing heavily, our eyes locked. He could tell me all day long nothing happened, but something happened for sure.

He must have realized I didn’t believe him because he started talking. “We were able to bring Malcome down. All his illegal connections and sales came to light, his accounts were frozen but he fled the country before the feds arrested him.”

“Oh.” There was relief that spread through my body. Without his power, he couldn’t force the marriage or make my mom miserable.

I could imagine Nikolai’s frustration that Malcome slipped through his fingers. If I had to guess, Nikolai probably never failed.

I wrapped my arms around him. “They’ll get him. You took from him what he valued most. Money and power.”

“No, Olivia,” he gritted through his teeth. “He valued you the most.”

“You are wrong. He doesn’t care about anything or anyone as much as he cares about his money and power.”

Without it, Malcome was nothing. Just a sick, old man that nobody would give the time of day. This probably meant my father won’t get the money to pay back treasury funds he stole. Good, maybe he would finally get his payback too. I never thought myself a vengeful person until now.

“I won’t let him get to you,” Nikolai’s words were a solemn promise.

Placing my palm on his cheek, I spoke softly. “I know. And thank you for doing this. If it weren’t for you, I’m afraid my future wouldn’t be very long.”

“Do you wish to go back to your normal life?” His voice was slightly anguished and my heart hurt at the thought of not being around him. “Once we determine it is safe.”

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