Page 19

The next morning I woke up with thoughts already weighing down my head.

Very unusual.

I don't normally think deeply about anything.

Yet, I couldn't stop thinking about Sevan and what her plans involved.

Even as I showered and got dressed for the day in my usual dress and heels with my long silky hair down.

I didn't bother putting on makeup right away, deciding to leave my room and the silence it came with.

The constant thoughts felt like they were eating me alive.

I almost weighed the idea of explaining my true intentions to Sevan.

But I refrained.

I'm looking forward to seeing her next move.

I let out a content sigh as I descended the stairs with Misha and Varya clinging to my sides—already hearing the soft clattering of cutlery.

It must be Yury since Arina is already off at school.

Or Ivan and Nikolai.

Though they were supposed to check on a recent shipment issue.

"Ostatsya," I told my dogs, saying the word stay in Russian.

Which immediately made my dogs sit by the doors of the dining room as I continued to walk in.

I prefer eating without either of them around since they naturally watch you eat in an uncomfortable sense.

I also don't feel like it's fair to let them watch you eat when they clearly want it.

I suddenly halted my steps, raising a brow as my eyes processed the scene in front of me.

Or person.

"Sevan," I said, holding her dark eyes as I approached her at the end of the table.

She wore her usual black t-shirt with baggy jeans and her leather jacket draped over her chair.

Her dark hair was precisely gelled back as usual as her layers of silver chains and bracelets glowed under the lights.

Even the rings on her thumb and middle finger caught the light.

Unnatural knots suddenly grew in my stomach at her presence.

Odd.

"Good morning chispa," Sevan said, setting down her glass of orange juice as I grabbed one of the chairs.

And tugged it roughly by my side.

I always sit at head of table.

I suppose we can sit there together this one time.

"You are in good mood," I purposely said, hoping to see where she was at mentally.

It's a shame she's not more mad.

"A good fucking mood actually," Sevan said as I positioned my chair beside her, climbing over the seat to sit down in the chair.

I raised a brow as soon as Sevan pulled my long legs over her lap, "Good fucking mood?" I emphasized with a narrowed look.

Sevan's lips tilted up slightly, "You want me to be mad about Nazara," she said, grabbing one of the plates to sit in front of me.

I shrugged, "That was the desired outcome," I said as Sevan grabbed one of the dishes of food.

And started making my plate for me?

This won't do.

"I make my own plate," I said, attempting to grab the dish from her.

But Sevan only leaned it away from my grasp, "Not when you're with me," she said, her tone still as calm as ever.

Has she had a psychotic break?

Or maybe she's going through stages of denial?

Did I finally break her?

I hope so.

"I'm taking you to dinner tonight," Sevan said as she sat one of the dishes down, picking up the tongs to grab one of the pancakes.

I raised a brow, "Dinner?" I repeated back to her with emphasis as she set a fluffy pancake on my plate.

Sevan lazily raised her brows, "You said flowers," she pointed out, "You want more effort—so I'll wine and dine the fuck out of you."

I felt amusement grow on my face, "All you want to do is fuck me Sevan," I pointed out.

"I could say the same about you," Sevan purposely countered, her dark eyes finally locking with mine again.

Silence flowed around us for a moment, holding each other's stare with some weird energy growing around us.

Probably lust.

I unconsciously glanced down to Sevan's lips when she leaned closer to me.

"That's all you're really good for right?" Sevan murmured, her dark eyes burning so deeply into mine, "Just a good fuck who can't keep her hands to herself."

I narrowed my eyes at her, feeling my jaw naturally clench.

Sevan suddenly tilted her head, "Am I wrong Zinovia?" she whispered, leaning even closer to me, which left our faces barely inches apart, "Because you're acting as if I am."

I remained silent for once, mostly because I couldn't say she was wrong.

I'm definitely a good fuck that no one has been lucky enough to land.

And I can't keep my hands to myself...

I'm self-aware enough to know both of those things are true.

"Say it," Sevan said, lifting her hand to gently caress my face.

At least until I purposely leaned away from her touch, feeling nothing but annoyed by her presence.

I grunted as soon as she roughly grabbed my neck, pulling me even closer to her than before and leaving our faces centimeters apart.

"Say the words Zinovia," Sevan said, her tone still nothing but calm with me as her dark eyes held mine, "You aren't leaving this room until you do."

I clenched my jaw, staring up into her eyes with nothing but irritation.

"Nyet," I gritted lowly, deciding not to play her games.

Sevan only hummed, her grip tightening around my neck which naturally made me push against her firm stomach.

"We can always do spankings again," she murmured, her dark eyes soaking in every inch of my face, "I'll make sure everyone hears your screams this time."

I bit down even harder, feeling my chest rise and fall with each breath I took.

I'm not supposed to be fucking mad.

She is.

Yet somehow she's managed to turn the tables again.

I fucking hate her.

And I hate that I don't want to even endure her spankings.

Not after last time.

I was always taught to pick and choose my battles.

This was yet another one that I started so I'll leave it be this time.

"I'm an easy fuck," I gritted tightly, purposely digging my nails into her covered stomach that my hands rested on, "And I can't keep my hands to myself."

Sevan hummed in approval, glancing down at my lips—

Before she briefly kissed them.

"Good girl," she said as she pulled away from me, letting go of my neck as she continued making my plate—acting like the last few moments never fucking happened.

"You are psychotic," I said, watching as she scooped fruit onto my plate.

"Psychotic or a psychopath, Zinovia—which one is it?" Sevan asked, setting the bowl of fruit down, "Because I'd like to think you've pushed me to both limits."

I forced a tight smile, "Good," I said as she poured me a glass of orange juice from the pitcher.

"Now it's my turn to push you to the same limits baby," Sevan said, sliding my plate and glass of orange juice closer to me.

I narrowed my eyes at her, "I'm not hungry," I purposely mumbled.

Even if I was quite hungry.

Sevan only hummed, her dark eyes tracing my face, "Eat or I make you," she said, now picking up her own fork to continue eating her food, "I have to make sure my whore eats properly."

"Sevan," I gritted, tugging my legs off of her lap due to what she had just referred to me as.

But she quickly reached down to hold my legs in place, forcing them to remain put across her lap.

"You're mad malyshka," I said, irritation still prominent in my tone, "Fucking say that."

Sevan's lips only twitched up slightly, "We show each other things around here yeah?" she purposely said, her tone still as calm as fucking ever with me.

I let out a rough sigh, feeling my hands twitch by my sides as I tried to contain the reaction she wanted from me.

So instead, I reached up to her face, gently caressing the back of my hand against her smooth skin as our eyes remained locked.

"She wasn't as wet or tight as you milaya," I whispered with the softest tone—watching as her jaw subtly tightened.

Fucking finally.

"You're moya," I murmured the word mine in Russian, eyeing her sharp face, "Something she'll never be."

Sevan hummed, gently grabbing my hand and trailing it down from her face.

Only lower.

"I want you to remember that baby," Sevan said, stopping our hands by her waistband as I drew in a visibly restrained breath, "Because bad girls who can't keep their hands to themselves don't get to touch what's theirs."

I furrowed my brows, especially when she pulled my hand away from her entirely.

"Sevan—"

"Eat your food Zinovia," Sevan immediately cut me short, letting go of my hand entirely as she focused back on her plate.

I felt my jaw tighten, "You don't mean it," I said, suddenly sliding my hand into her lap, "You enjoy my touch very much—you need it."

Sevan's lips only tilted up slightly, "Not as much as you," she countered back, reaching down to remove my hand from her body yet again, "Let's see how long you last baby."

I rolled my eyes, "Fine, I go touch Nazara again then," I mumbled.

Sevan hummed, "You touch anyone and I lengthen the punishment," she said, immediately shutting down any of my future plans, "I can make this worse for you too," she added, suddenly meeting my stare again with nothing but seriousness, "You don't want to see what worse is, Zinovia."

I childishly shrugged, "Fine, I touch myself then," I purposely said, feeling the urge to throw a fit grow so deeply inside of me.

Sevan is just so fucking irritating.

"You've done it before—what's a few more times?" Sevan said, nearly making my irritation grow so much that my body nearly shook.

"Idi na khuy," I said, gritting out the words fuck you in Russian.

"I thought I made it clear that you aren't allowed to baby?" Sevan purposely countered back, her tone still irritatingly calm as she took a bite of her pancakes.

I tugged my legs off of her lap—and this time Sevan let me, relaxing back in her chair as she chewed her food.

Even as I sharply stood from the table and snatched my plate up, Sevan managed to look entirely unaffected—openly eyeing my backside as I exited the dining room.

"Be ready by six baby," Sevan had the nerve to say.

"I hate your fucking existence," I mumbled, walking past the doorway before she could form a petty response.

???????

That evening I was ready as Sevan specified.

Only at six-thirty on purpose.

I was alerted of her arrival almost immediately by my men.

Yet I took longer straightening my hair and perfecting my makeup.

But my outfit held a purpose behind it.

It wasn't my usual dress and heels.

Tonight I wore... sweatpants.

Something I never dared to put on my body.

I like dressing to the nines at all times.

Even when I'm going to sleep, I wear a satin robe and still look presentable enough.

It's about having control over your image and choosing to put in effort.

The sweatpants looked odd on me—especially with the white tank top that I wore.

So I made sure to accessorize with an insane amount of chains, lining my wrists with expensive bracelets and wearing a few diamond banded rings.

It made my outfit at least look better for the point I was proving.

Which is that I refuse to try for Sevan and this forced dinner.

I still wore my usual stilettos, which oddly looked really fucking good.

I hated it.

The point was to piss her off by not looking put together.

Yet somehow I do.

I let out a long sigh, pulling on my white fur coat as I opened my bedroom door.

My dogs immediately followed me out of the room, clinging to my sides as I walked down the hallway.

And I could spot Sevan by the stairs almost immediately, standing with—

Arina?

Blyat.

I suddenly walked faster—immediately making Arina and Sevan both glance away from each other, hearing my heels click much quicker.

Sevan's eyes openly trailed my body as I descended the stairs—eyeing every inch of me with such a predatory gaze.

She wore a black collared shirt and matching pants with her usual shiny loafers—keeping her dark hair gelled away from her bare face.

Meanwhile, Arina looked just as irritated as usual, but for once it wasn't because of me.

It was Sevan?

"I don't like her," Arina said to me as soon as I made it to the bottom of the stairs, approaching Misha and Varya to pet them, "She says you go to dinner."

I suddenly glanced over to Sevan with a narrowed look—who only shrugged in response, unbothered by Arina's irritation.

"Yes, we do dinner," I said, focusing back on Arina kneeling in front of me as she petted my Dobermans.

Arina suddenly glanced up, "A date?" she clarified with a narrowed look, "Dating is bad."

I nodded once, "It is—which is why it isn't a date," I emphasized, knowing I didn't need Arina going around saying such a thing.

"But romantic," Arina said, still weirdly bothered by this, "You get hurt and they throw you arou—"

"Arina," I suddenly heard Yuri call out, quickly approaching us with his noticeable limp.

Which naturally made Sevan tilt her head, eyeing the older man.

"I apologize, Arina is just uh very cautious," Yuri tried to explain, stumbling over his words slightly.

Which earned a narrowed look from Arina, "But mother and fath—"

"Are in a better place—Via will be okay," Yuri cut her short, awkwardly smiling.

I blinked a few times, realizing there was more to her childhood than she led on.

But Sevan appears less confused than me.

She knows something.

I drew in an awkward breath, unsure of how to take Arina's very subtle kindness.

I think this means she cares about me.

Weird.

I awkwardly pursed my lips, suddenly taking a step toward her to reach for her shoulder.

Which automatically made Arina flinch—until I gently patted her shoulder, awkwardness growing around us as we stared at each other.

Until I silently pulled my hand away with a tilted look, suddenly having the urge to learn more about her past.

"I'm Yuri," Yuri suddenly said to Sevan, holding his hand out with a friendly smile.

Which earned a nod from Sevan, "Sevan," she said, reaching out to shake his hand.

But very... gently?

"We leave," I suddenly said, feeling oddly uncomfortable by this conversation.

I don't like Sevan even seeing them, much less speaking to them.

"Yeah, let's leave," Sevan said, nodding once at Yury and then Arina—who still shot her a narrowed look.

Which only made Sevan's lips twitch up slightly in amusement, walking beside me out of the compound—and purposely leaving an appropriate amount of space between us.

At least until we slid into the backseat of the car.

Then she had my legs draped over her lap, running her hands up my legs as she took my heels off.

"I like this look," Sevan had the nerve to say.

I only rolled my eyes, "I never wear it again then," I mumbled, watching as she caressed her hands down my calves, "You know something about Arina."

Sevan lazily raised her brows, "More of an assumption," she determined, bringing my ankle to her lips and placing soft kisses to my skin.

I narrowed my stare at her, "Tell me your assumptions," I said, tugging my ankle out of her hold.

Which earned a long sigh from Sevan as her dark eyes finally locked with mine, "She flinched away from your hand and she doesn't like the idea of you dating because she claims it's bad and you'll get thrown around," she said.

I nodded once almost hesitantly, "Da?" I said, feeling my brows naturally furrow.

"So one of Arina's parents got thrown around and Arina caught some of that backlash," Sevan said, suddenly glancing back to me, "Do you understand Zinovia?"

I nodded yet again, immediately picking up on what she meant.

Domestic abuse is her assumption.

And one of them must have hit Arina?

I drew in a restrained breath suddenly feeling my insides burn.

Blyat.

"You feel it too," Sevan murmured in observation, her dark eyes never once wavering from me, "I guess we aren't the worst fucking human beings then."

I only remained silent, suddenly piecing together so much about Arina's typical demeanor.

It's like she's in fight or flight mode.

Even after her parents, she was homeless too.

I let out a long sigh, feeling the annoying sting of empathy.

"I need Xanax," I said, suddenly reaching for my purse.

But Sevan immediately grabbed my hand, "Let's chill tonight," she said, guiding my hand back to my lap that she laid it in.

I narrowed my eyes at her, "But I want—"

"Well, you're not getting it tonight," Sevan immediately shut me down, tugging my other leg across her lap again.

I crossed my arms over my chest with a dramatic sigh, staring out of the window and away from her.

For the rest of the car ride actually.

Until we pulled up to a fancy-looking restaurant.

"Sevan," I gritted, eyeing the casual clothes I wore.

Sevan only smiled slightly as she slid my heels back on for me, "You chose to wear this baby," she reminded me, guiding my legs off of her lap so she could open her door.

And as soon as the driver opened my car door for me, an empty sigh fell from my lips—tugging my fur coat even tighter to my body as I carefully slid out of the car.

Where Sevan waited for me, walking beside me at an appropriate distance as we entered the restaurant.

Luckily, a reserved table was already waiting for us so I didn't have to stand at the front of the restaurant for too long.

But people still stared.

And I stared right back, which naturally caused anyone to look away.

"So your business in Columbia is concluded?" I decided to ask, sitting across from Sevan as I eyed the menu.

It had only been a few moments of silence between us, but it felt really fucking odd.

So much so that I felt the need to contribute something.

"Yeah," Sevan said, sighing roughly as she closed her menu, "That's what the interrupting call from the executioners was about."

I nodded slowly, realizing she was referring to the call that interrupted our...

Moment on the dining room table.

Which naturally made my jaw clench with restraint and my lips press tightly together.

Along with my thighs.

"You good over there?" Sevan purposely asked me.

I nodded once, "Da," I mumbled, picking up my glass of wine, "Tell me about business."

Sevan lazily raised my brows, "Dario was missing and had us all looking for him," she briefly explained, glancing down to my lips as I sipped on my wine, "But he was found in a hotel room a few days later—coroner said he overdosed or some shit."

I hummed, "Sad," I mumbled unaffectionately.

Life and death—very normal cycle.

"It was fucking messy too, especially with his family and then the funeral planning," Sevan said, shaking her head a few times.

I tilted my head, realizing I was fucking someone in a bathroom and she was...

Planning a funeral?

"You were very close?" I said, setting down my wine glass.

Sevan nodded once, "Yeah, but I told him to put the fucking pills down," she determined, earning a nod from me.

She feels remorseful, but it's clear she's made her peace.

Good.

Easier than her being so obsessed with his death that she goes digging.

Because I made sure Dario was found by someone else before anyone could see him or realize he was poisoned.

The coroner was paid off as well.

"Zinovia," Sevan suddenly cut into my thoughts.

Which immediately made my stare drift away from the wine glass I had zoned off into.

But before I could say anything, our waitress suddenly approached our table.

Or at least I assumed it was our waitress.

It was Nerissa instead.

Blyat.