I showered up, getting rid of the soreness of my muscles. I had never worked out in my life before and exerting my body so much in a single day has taken its toll. I had cramps everywhere.

I heard some voices coming from downstairs. I couldn't recognize them. I mulled over the fact that I should go and check it out because it could be Nikolai's business partner. His business partners were not the kind of people you want to make a conversation with.

But then I heard a shrill female voice.

I went out of the door and stood at the top of the stairwell. Still, all I heard were the voices. I went downstairs and saw a tall, lean middle-aged man with a young blonde woman standing beside him. I could only see their side profiles. The woman turned and I sucked in a sharp breath.

It was Grace Russell, Nikolai's wife-to-be. I know because I had attended their engagement. Her face was engraved at the back of my mind, the sight when Nikolai had slipped the ring on her finger replayed in my head on a loop.

Beside her was Nikolai's father, he looked like him, tall but he was more on the leaner side while Nikolai was broad and muscular. He had dark hair, dark eyes, and a way darker personality to match all of that.

I shifted my weight from one foot to another and chewed on the inside of my cheek. His father had the same dominating and dark aura Nikolai had. Their presence could make anyone a nervous mess.

I wonder if Nikolai got his bluish-grey dreamy eyes from his mother.

They talked incessantly, something about Nikolai not being home. Grace seemed furious, her arms were crossed over her chest, and her lips were drawn back in a snarl as Nikolai's father tried to calm her down.

"You said he wanted me to be here!" she yelled, and I noticed the tears that rolled down her cheek.

"He does... he wanted to be here, he had an emergency, something about the attack on—"

"It's always an emergency!" she frustratedly threw her hands in the air. "He walked out on me two days before our wedding, I stupidly sat there all dressed up in a white gown thinking that maybe he will show up for the wedding and he didn't. He humiliated me in front of our families."

"A shipment worth billions vanished out of thin air, he is the head of the family. He had to do something. Grace, you're going to be a wife of a godfather, better understand your duties and your role right now than expect unreal things from him. He is not an affectionate man, he had never been one, even as a child Nikolai was cold, insensitive," Nikolai's father explained.

I agree that he might not be an affectionate person but Nikolai isn't all cold. The small unexpected kisses on my forehead or my temples or the top of my head were enough proof of that.

"I was not expecting a grand welcome anyway but the least he could do was be here after he stood me up on our own wedding."

Nikolai's father looked drained and tired by now. He massaged his temples and breathed out loudly. "Grace, why don't you go and rest, you must be jetlagged. I'll let you know when Nikolai gets home. One of the guestrooms has been redecorated for you, Scott will escort you to your room."

"A guestroom? Perfect, just perfect!"

"Come on," Scott said to her and she followed behind him.

I suddenly realized I was standing in the way of the stairwell before I could hide or go back to my room, Scott saw me and stilled. He slowly moved to the side, telling me to get inside the door that is beside me and I did.

I slowly closed the door behind me and leaned against it. I looked around the room, I'd never been in here. I have never even noticed this room before. The door was behind the stairwell, concealing it from anyone's view.

There was nothing odd or special inside. Just ruffled sheets and multiple empty beer bottles laying around. It reeked of cigars and alcohol. Definitely, one of Nikolai's men lived here.

I sat on the couch, folding my legs underneath myself. I didn't want to go out and meet Nikolai's fiancée. That's the best thing I could do right now considering that she was going to marry the man, I thought I was in love with but now I don't know what I feel for him anymore. It doesn't feel like hate or love, my feelings for Nikolai were confusing and completely irrelevant now because he was a taken man.

The bedroom door opened and my head shot up in its direction.

Scott... 

The thought that he was only nice to me because he thought that would get him inside my pants swirled in my mind. Resentment coiled in my stomach as he closed the door and stood by it for a few seconds.

He left that night, he left me alone. I called him first but he didn't pick up. Nikolai was my second option at that time. Scott was my first thought, my first choice and he didn't show up.

I swallowed and turned my attention back to my lap as I continued playing with the hem of my dress. "What are you doing here?"

"This is my room when I stay over at Niko's place..."

He strolled into the room and shoved a little black box into my face. I looked back and forth between the box and Scott. "What's this?" I asked without even taking it from him.

"Take it!" he ordered.

I rolled my eyes and took it from him. Maybe, Nikolai sent something. I opened the box and my lip parted slowly.

It was a chess piece.

I pursed my lips. "What does this mean?"

He scratched the back of his neck. "I was teaching you how to play chess, remember?"

I nodded and let out a laugh. "I remember and you know what else I remember? That you told me that I wasted your time because I wouldn't sleep with you."

"Look, sweet cheeks, I don't know shit about how to apologize, I have never apologized to anyone before. This is the best I can do because I feel fucking guilty."

"Oh! So, you're here because you feel guilty not because you genuinely wanted to apologize," I squinted my eyes at him.

"Yes, you got fucking kidnapped. Niko went crazy and I felt guilty because we got into a fight and then you almost fucking died, so, there's my apology for that."

I scoffed. "You're apologizing with a chess piece?"

He ran a hand through his hair. "Take it out and look under it"

I fished out the chess piece and saw a ring hidden under it. I took it out too and rolled it around in my finger. It was beautiful. A little heavy but beautiful...

"It's a real diamond" he voiced, looking very proud of himself.

"Did you murder some woman and pulled it off her finger?" I asked.

He furrowed his eyebrows. "No, I bought it. Does it look fucking used? I'm gonna kill that fucking jewelry guy if he had ripped me off."

I shook my head immediately. "No, it doesn't look used, I was just messing with you. You don't have to kill the poor guy."

"So, we're cool now?"

I looked down and sighed before I shifted my attention back to him. "I called you first, Scott. When those men were in my home, you were the first person I called, not Nikolai, you..."

"I know, I made a fucking mistake, so, now are we cool or not? Because this is the last fucking apology you're gonna get from me."

"Fine..." I said dryly.

"Good, now get your ass up from my couch. We're going out for a few hours."

"Where?"

"Niko's orders, now come on," saying that he walked out of the room asking me to follow him.

We went straight to his car parked out front as he drove out of the house. I texted Nikolai along the way letting him know that I was out with Scott and he replied “I know”

I tried hard not to think about Nikolai's fiancée back in the house but curiosity got the best of me as I asked about her.

"Scott, is Nikolai getting married soon?"

The question itself scared me for some reason, my chest burned as white, hot jealousy shot through my veins.

He cast me a sideways glance and smirked, "Why do you care?"

God! I completely forgot how annoying Scott can be.

"I don't, just wanted to know since his fiancée is in his home right now."

"Aww," he said mockingly, laughing out loud. "You still carry a sad little torch for Niko, don't you?"

I crossed my arms over my chest. "No, I don't!"

"Careful, sweet cheeks, your jealousy is showing."

I shook my head. "I'm not jealous, Scott! It was a stupid crush, he was the first man to give me attention and I mistook it for something else but my head is clear from all that now."

He laughed. "Why don't you try something out with me, forget about Niko, his father will make him marry Grace sooner or later whether he likes it or not"

"Why?"

"Political gain, Grace's uncle is the Chief of Staff of the president. That sort of connection in politics is definitely a big win, an advantage for us. Political connections are important, sweet cheeks. How do you think we keep everything we do under wraps."

"Corrupt politicians?" I questioned.

"Exactly!" he answered. "Plus, Luciano Costello is a traditionalist. He thinks marriage is an act of worship. He doesn't think there's anything wrong with forced marriage, because all kinds of marriages are sacred"

I threw my head back. "When does she leave?"

I have no idea why I asked that question. Stupid, stupid Evangeline, you just proved his point.

"She is here to stay till the wedding."

"What?" my mouth hung open. "Then what am I supposed to do? Third wheel Nikolai and his fiancée around the house?"

"Or you could just hook up with me" he grinned.

I grimaced and then looked out of the window without giving him an answer. Scott was a good-looking guy but his personality ruined things for him. If he tried to be more decent than nasty then I'm sure any girl would date him.

Scott just drove around the city aimlessly, like he was just trying to keep me away from the house.

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