Page 56

I let out a content sigh as I settled under the steamy water of the shower, letting it fully soak my dark hair.

And as more steam grew around me, I reached for the shampoo—lathering it in my hair as I leaned away from the water for a moment.

Once it was lathered in my hair and I used my shower brush, I rinsed the soap from my hair thoroughly.

Then I focused on conditioner, which I ran through my scalp to the very ends of my strands.

It was almost like I was taking my time, but also trying to rush the process given we're supposed to leave in an hour.

Once my conditioner was rinsed out, I began washing my body—especially my shoulders and back, where any shampoo or conditioner had touched from washing my hair.

After washing and rinsing my body, I turned the shower off and wrapped myself in a towel.

Next, I quickly applied my lotion and brushed out my hair—dropping the towel around me so I could get dressed in the clothes I picked out.

It was simple black dress pants that clung to my long legs and a matching long-sleeve shirt with high-heeled boots.

Of course, I already had my fur coat waiting on my bed, but before I pulled that on I had to quickly blow dry my hair.

I opted for no makeup given I already didn't feel like getting unready hours from now.

I also didn't have enough time to do even a light makeup look.

So chapstick and my skincare routine was the only thing I focused on.

Which only took a few more minutes before I was finally exiting my bathroom—feeling more than ready to go.

"Sevan," I said, noticing her sitting on my bed.

Although, her dark hair was freshly gelled back and her face nearly glistened under the dim lights.

She wore a long black trench coat with matching dress pants—unironically matching me.

Or perhaps I knew of this outfit... and matched mine to hers.

We'll never know.

"You can not just let yourself in," I said, raising a brow at her as I walked closer.

"I'm your girlfriend," she pointed out, sliding her phone into her pocket as her eyes visibly roamed my body.

Very openly too.

"And?" I countered back, feeling my lips twitch up.

Mostly at what she had labeled herself.

I like hearing that word... girlfriend.

"I could have been naked," I purposely said, clearly not being serious with her.

Sevan's lips lifted slightly, "Again, I'm your girlfriend," she repeated herself, running her arms around my waist as I rested my hands on her shoulders.

"And yet you choose to shower and get ready separate from me," I said with a forced pout, "You are hurting my feelings malyshka."

Sevan hummed as she gently squeezed my waist, "I think it hurt mine even more," she murmured, staring up at me, "But you're very... tempting," she added, openly glancing down to my body.

I raised a brow, "Is that so?" I asked her, now kneading my fingers into her shoulders.

Sevan nodded before she could possibly get any words out.

"We wouldn't have been ready in time," she whispered, sliding her hands down to my ass that she briefly squeezed, "And you're still in recovery."

I narrowed my eyes at her, "That means it is up to you to help me feel much better," I purposely said, leaning one of my knees on the bed beside her.

Sevan hummed, now dragging her hand down my leg, "It is," she murmured, briefly squeezing my thigh, "Once you can handle it that is."

I raised a brow, "I can handle it now," I didn't hesitate to assure her, feeling her fingers trail up my inner thigh.

Which naturally made a deep warmth burn in my lower stomach.

"I like this outfit," Sevan murmured, stopping her fingers right where I needed them most.

I hummed almost breathlessly, naturally leaning deeper into her.

Especially when she began rubbing me through the dress pants I wore.

"Sevan," I forced out, my voice breathless and lowered.

"We'll see if you can handle it later," she determined, pulling her hand away.

Which I immediately tugged back, "Now," I commanded her, refusing to let her leave me like this.

"We were supposed to meet Arina downstairs..." she trailed off, glancing down at her expensive watch, "Three minutes ago."

I narrowed my eyes, "You do this on purpose," I mumbled, sliding my leg down from the bed and taking a large step away from her before she could tease me any further.

"Correct," Sevan said as she stood from the bed, "It's not any fun giving it to you when you want it."

I rolled my eyes as I grabbed my fur coat from the bed.

But Sevan had ultimately beat me to it—sliding it up my arms and on my body as she stood behind me.

"I like you in black," Sevan murmured, pressing a brief kiss to my shoulder before she walked past me.

I let out a deep breath, desperately trying to not let her words affect me as I smoothed down my fur coat.

And upon approaching her, Sevan already had the door opened for me—allowing me to walk through the threshold and out into the hallway.

Where my dog's paw clatters could immediately be heard.

I felt my lips twitch up slightly at the sight of them running toward me—watching as they carefully sat down in front of us both.

At least until I snapped two times and bent down to their height.

"You are most perfect," I whispered to them both as I scratched behind their ears.

At least until I noticed Sevan openly staring at me.

"You enjoy staring at me quite a lot," I pointed out in amusement, petting the tops of Misha and Varya's heads.

I could tell they had been bathed by how shiny and soft their fur was.

"Who wouldn't?" Sevan countered back, watching as I rose to my full height.

I hummed, feeling the small smile on my lips grow against my own wishes.

I didn't really know what to say in rebuttal, so I decided to remain quiet altogether.

Aside from briefly kissing Sevan's lips, earning a content hum from her.

Meanwhile, my dogs both managed to tilt their heads in the cutest manner ever—earning a laugh from me.

"Sevan you must say hi to them," I told her, nudging her side slightly.

And my girlfriend didn't hesitate to nod, taking my words seriously despite the amused expression on her face.

"Misha," she mumbled, lowering down to pet Varya, "And Varya," she said, acknowledging Misha.

"You have them confused," I pointed out to her, "I am very offended, Sevan."

Sevan's amusement grew, "Well we can't have that," she determined, now petting Varya again, and this time addressing her by the correct name.

Along with Misha as well, which seemed to satisfy me and my girls to say the least.

"Are we happy now?" Sevan asked, referring to us all.

I smiled contently, "Very happy malyshka," I said as she rose up from her lowered height—allowing me to loop my arm with hers.

And as we walked down the hallway together, my dogs followed closely behind us.

It was a mixture of my heels clicking, their paw patters, and Sevan's loafers softly clicking.

Which earned Arina's attention almost immediately, waiting at the bottom of the stairs with Yuri.

"You are five minutes late," Arina said as we approached them both.

"Zinovia had to finish her hair," Sevan immediately said, smiling slightly when I nudged her.

"We were giving Misha and Varya much-needed attention," I said as Arina glanced over to my dogs—immediately kneeling down to pet them as well.

"I am very excited for you all," Yuri said as he glanced between me and Sevan, "Arina is very excited as well."

"I am not," Arina immediately said as she rose up from Misha and Varya, who sat by her feet, "I do not even like shopping."

"Good thing I have other plans arranged," Sevan determined, naturally making me furrow my brows.

But then again, she did ask me about Arina's favorite interests.

Which consisted of books, Coca-Cola, insulting people, and any kind of dessert.

I assume Sevan figured out plans for us within the past hour.

It is very nice that she wants to impress Arina.

"Should I be worried?" Arina asked, glancing between me and Sevan.

"Excited," Sevan corrected her, watching as Yuri hugged Arina and then me goodbye.

He also managed to hug Sevan as well.

"I knew you were very nice for Via when I met you," Yuri said, which immediately made me glance over to Arina.

"You told him?" I asked her.

And I was less upset about her telling him—I just wanted to be the one to say the news.

"He said he already had hunch," Arina shrugged it off.

I rolled my eyes, glancing back over to Yuri, "Well, da she is my girlfriend," I said proudly, wrapping both of my arms around Sevan's right arm, "Excellent news right?"

Yuri immediately nodded, "I am very happy for you both," he didn't hesitate to say.

Sevan nodded respectfully, "Thank you," she said, using such a foreign word in her vocabulary.

Yuri smiled in response, "Have fun night out," he said as we walked forward with Arina toward the door.

Which was opened immediately for us by my men standing off to the side.

The cold air immediately rushed all around us as we walked outside toward the running SUVs.

And as we all got settled in the backseat, the warm heat from the vents helped fight away the chill we previously caught.

The short ten-minute ride was cozy, discussing various topics—specifically what Arina was learning in school just to get her to talk as well.

Until soon we stopped outside of...

A café?

Odd, but I do not mind it.

It seems as if Arina did not mind it either, although she was as confused as me.

It looked very ordinary.

Old even.

There were the dark mahogany floors and tables—along with couches and the strong smell of coffee.

The lighting was dimmed almost perfectly while soft jazz music played and two baristas stood behind the wrap-around counter.

One was busy cleaning while the other focused on preparing a coffee for the man waiting.

There were really only a few people seated throughout the café—all focusing on a book that they held in their hands.

"Sevan?" I suddenly said, noticing she was walking toward the back double doors.

Where I assume only employees could go.

Yet Sevan walked past the doors anyway, forcing me and Arina to cautiously follow behind her.

"Sevan," I repeated myself more firmly in a whisper-yell.

At least until I openly glanced around.

We are in library?

Very nice historical library with tall arched ceilings, a grand fireplace, and high wooden bookshelves.

It was very beautiful and I am not even all that interested in reading.

"Vau," Arina murmured the word wow in Russian.

And I could tell she was visibly impressed by the hidden bookshop.

Which felt almost rare for Arina.

Nothing ever really impressed her to this extent.

"Grab any book you want and we'll go have dinner in the café area," Sevan told Arina, who nodded almost wordlessly for once as she walked away to begin looking.

I felt my lips twitch up into a smile, glancing over to Sevan—who I lightly nudged before wrapping my arm around her waist.

"This is very nice," I whispered to her, leaning in to press a fleeting kiss to her cheek.

Sevan hummed, "I assume she likes it," she said, turning her head to meet my stare, "It's hard to tell with her."

My smile grew slightly, causing Sevan's stare to briefly divert to my lips, "I think she likes it a lot—more than anything I have given her," I told her, keeping my voice lowered.

"Good," Sevan whispered, leaning in to briefly kiss my lips, "That's really good," she determined.

"Very good," I corrected her as she pulled back from me slightly.

But only to glance over to Arina who seemed to have grabbed a basket to hold all the books she wanted to get.

And even the sight of her this excited made me smile slightly, entirely unaccustomed to seeing her like this.

She managed to grab exactly eleven books to take with us—which Sevan immediately paid for.

Apparently, these are all vintage books.

Which means they're each as pricey as a Saint Laurent wallet.

Arina managed to rack up over two thousand dollars worth of books.

But for Sevan—or even me, that merely felt like pocket change.

Still, Arina seemed to be very grateful, already beginning to read one of the books once we had ordered our food over in the café.

It was such an indescribable moment.

How quiet it was around us while soft jazz played—then Arina contently reading as she briefly flashed us subtle smiles whenever she glanced up.

And then Sevan, who would occasionally squeeze my waist as I leaned into her side—forcing her to try the food I had gotten.

It was nothing special, only pancakes with fresh fruit.

Arina got a croissant ham sandwich with melted cheese—and then a slice of cake and a brownie for after she was finished.

And then Sevan had gotten a cup of coffee and a chicken wrap.

Which I of course stole a few bites off.

"You seem to like my food better than your own," Sevan pointed out as I took another bite of the chicken wrap.

I shrugged, "Anything of yours seems better," I murmured almost insinuatingly, holding my hand over my mouth as I chewed.

"I disagree," Sevan said as she began cutting a bite of my pancakes off, "Yours seems better," she determined, now lifting the fork to her lips and taking the bite.

"You guys are very annoying," Arina sighed as she glanced away from her book that remained open as it laid on the table.

"I don't think Via could be annoying," Sevan countered back, which easily made an amused smile grow on my lips.

"I agree—Sevan can never truly be annoying," I said even if I had called her annoying many times before.

But right now she is not.

Arina rolled her eyes, "You both are very lovey-dovey," she mumbled as she glanced down to her book, "I hate it."

I chuckled slightly, shaking my head at Arina as Sevan began cutting another piece off the stack of pancakes.

Only to lift the prepared bite to my lips for me to take.

Which I didn't hesitate to do, humming as I chewed a few times.

"I liked you both better single," Arina sighed almost dramatically, closing her book as she directed her focus purely onto her food.

"Oh, so you do like us?" I purposely asked her with a raised brow.

Which made Sevan raise a brow, glancing over to Arina.

Who only rolled her eyes, "Only the smallest bit," she mumbled almost reluctantly, "Barely enough for it to be noticeable."

I felt my lips twitch up in amusement, knowing Arina does like us both very much.

I can tell by her subtle glances of admiration.

We might be lovey-dovey, but something tells me she's never truly witnessed such a thing.

Perhaps even with her parents.

I am happy I can provide her with a happy home.

A place where she does not have to be scared.

And I think Sevan will make our home even happier—given she already makes Arina very happy.

I see this as nothing but a very big win.