Nikolai's pov

She is even more beautiful now.
Her golden complexion shines in the sunshine. Her height reaches my shoulder, which I think is adorable. She had the kind of body that can make men fall to her feet. A lean figure but curves adorn her body in all the right places. Her chestnut brown hair reaches till her mid back. Her face looked so effortlessly beautiful with high cheekbones, full lips and a cute button nose.

Her eyes though are a different story.
The Astrea I remembered had so much life in her eyes that it was almost contagious. But now they seem dull.
What happened to her?

"Astrea?" I asked seeking confirmation, even though I knew it in my heart that it was her.
"Um...yeah. That's me but how do you know that?" And my heart that I forgot I even had broke just a little. Maybe she just doesn't remember me.

"It's me ...Nikolai"
"I am sorry. Am I supposed to know you?" She asked confused
She doesn't remember me ?
I can feel bile rising to my throat and I would have been crying right now if not for the poker face I mastered throughout the years.

"Are you okay?" She asked bringing me out of my daze. I remembered the first time we met. She asked me the same question.

"I am sorry I am getting late for college. I have to go. Maybe a cupcake will make you feel better" she said handing over her cupcake to me before flashing me that beautiful smile of hers and
exiting the cafe, leaving me alone with a cupcake as a proof that she was indeed here.

Why didn't she recognise me?
She was 11 when she was kidnapped.
Surely she couldn't have forgotten me just like that, no?

"Boss. Since when do you eat cupcakes?" Ronan said coming with our coffees in his hands and a smirk which quickly disappeared after he noticed my death glare.

He would be six feet under right now if he wasn't my right-hand man and damn good at his work.

"Shut your fucking mouth. Get in the car and follow the white range rover before I cut off your tongue" I said noticing Astrea getting into her car.

I am not gonna let her slip through my fingers again. I already lost her once but never again. I will have her beside me like before. By hook or by crook.

"Yes boss"

And with that we got into our SUV and followed her car.

...

We are now sitting in my car outside her college.
New york university of law.
It's ironic how she is studying law while I and her family are probably the most highly profiled criminals in all of the world.

"Boss, why are we here?" Ronan asked

"I met Astrea" which brought a shocked expression to his otherwise expression less face.
"Astrea ? as in your Astrea?" He asked hesitantly

That name hadn't been uttered in our household in years. Everyone walks on eggshells around me when it comes to her. They are afraid that they might find their tongue underneath my boot for bringing her name to their lips.

My astrea?
Is she still mine?
Yes, she is.

Just because she doesn't remember me doesn't mean she isn't mine.
She is still legally mine and soon enough she'll accept me in her heart.
And if there is someone else then I will kill him with my bare hands right in front of her.

"Yes. My astrea." I replied

I took my phone and called Pavel, my tech guy.
"Hack into the records of New York university of law and look for Astrea Andino"
"On it boss" he said without questioning

I wait for his call back and soon enough he called
"I couldn't find Astrea Andino but there is a student named Astrea Addison"
"Send everything you can find on her from school reports to medical reports as soon as possible " I hung up the phone before he could reply.

I took the cupcake she gave me and brought it to my lips.
Blueberry. It had always been her favourite.
It did make me feel better like she said. It made me feel closer to her.

But I need the real thing
I need her and I always get what I want and she will know that soon enough.