Chapter 6

6

RILEY

I try not to fidget, but it's hard not to. I'm not used to being so dressed up. It makes me feel kind of awkward. I couldn't stop my sister from dolling me up, as she called it. Mona has always had a love for fashion. She calls it art. Now that she's married to Matteo, she has free rein to buy and wear whatever she wants. Our father and brother are no longer around to control us.

"Hey, ladies." A beautiful woman walks into our section. She has on a dress that fits her like a second skin. All of the women who work here are stunning. It's no wonder Nikolai spends so much time here. I push those thoughts to the back of my mind. I don't want to ruin my sister's night by being miserable. "I brought you over a bottle of champs."

"Thanks, Abby," Mona says.

"And a Coke." Abby winks at my sister. She must know that she is pregnant. Her small bump is starting to show, but Matteo also talks about my sister's pregnancy any chance he gets. It's adorable how proud and excited he is that he knocked her up. "Can I pour you a drink, Riley?" She gives me a warm smile.

"I, ah—" I didn't think she knew who I was.

"She'll have a glass," Mona cuts in for me. Abby pours it for me.

"Thank you." I take it from her and try a sip. It's bubbly and burns my nose a little, but it tastes good.

"If you need anything else, let me know." She gives us another wink before she's off.

"She was nice." I take another drink and glance around the club, which is now starting to fill with people.

"Everyone is really nice here." Mona sways in her seat to the music. I try to relax, but my eyes keep searching for Nikolai. Our next interaction is likely to be weird. If I even see him any time soon. Nikolai and I may share the same home, but it's rare that our paths cross.

Mona bumps my shoulder with hers. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," I say for the hundredth time. Mona rolls her eyes at me. I take another big gulp of my drink. Okay, I'm not fine, but I don't want to talk about any of it. Between school and Nikolai, I'm twisted up inside.

"You know we can talk about anything, right?" I can see the worry in Mona's eyes. We have always been close. We're only a few years apart. With our mom having died young, Mona tended to often fall into that role for me. I'm thankful every day for that. Without her, I would have never survived my brother and father. She has always been my protector.

"I know, and when I need to, I promise I will." I give her a genuine smile because I know she'll be here for me in a heartbeat, but I can't talk about something I haven't even fully processed myself.

Nikolai went down on me. Thinking about it, I press my thighs together. I don't understand why he did it. Before that day, he avoided me like the damn plague. Then all of a sudden he's driving me to school and picking me up. He went from being downright rude to me to taking care of me in the blink of an eye.

He'd been concerned about my knees and then asked if I was hurting somewhere else. He knew I was turned on. I guess I'm that easy to read. Nikolai took care of that too. He remedied the ache between my thighs that he caused.

Was it just a heat of the moment kind of thing that we both got caught up in? Or is it something more? These are the kind of questions that keep running through my mind. I mean I've heard sex can be just sex for some people. That they don't form any emotional attachment. It could have meant nothing to him. That thought kills me. I finish the rest of my drink. Sal is there to refill it for me.

"Thanks." Of all the people who work for Matteo, Sal and I have the closest relationship. He is always assigned to Mona and me for security. Sal is more laid-back than a lot of the other guys. Everyone tends to be so serious.

I take another drink from my fresh glass. I start to move to the music like Mona. My body and mind are starting to relax. Then I spot him. Nikolai is leaning up against the bar. Our eyes lock for a fraction of a second before I quickly divert mine. Heat rushes to my cheeks. I'm sure my fair skin is showing everything, but the club's low lighting might mask it for me.

I can't stop myself from looking out of the corner of my eyes at Nikolai. I'm not sure what he does here. If he is always working or coming to hang out, I'm sure it's a mix of both worlds. When I peek over again, I see Abby talking to him. She says something that makes him smirk. I bite the inside of my cheek, overcome by the overwhelming emotions I feel as I watch him talk with the beautiful woman. One that he surely works with often.

It bugs me even more when he's over there just hanging out and talking. He is incapable of engaging in any conversation with me. He's always barking orders or giving one-on-one responses. He acts like he'd rather die than have a conversation with me.

I first thought he disliked me because he was under the assumption that I was helping out my brother, but he now knows it wasn't true. Also, there is the whole pulling the fire alarm thing, but we should be way past all of that. But nope, he still has a dislike for me, which I don't understand.

He doesn't even know me and he's never put in the effort to try to. But it sure as hell looks like he knows Abby. I know I shouldn't be jealous, but I can't seem to keep the green-headed monster from rearing its head.

"Maybe this should be your last one," Sal tells me before he fills up my glass again. "Or slow it down."

"I'm fine." I take a drink. My sister snorts at me, saying fine again.

I stand, wanting to be on my feet. Mona does the same, and we start to dance together. I don't let myself glance at Nikolai again. I just let myself get lost in the music, swaying my hips to the rhythm.

Matteo comes up behind Mona, wrapping his arms around her. My sister's whole face lights up. It makes my heart clench. I'm thrilled that they found each other. A love match was something neither of us thought we'd get a chance to have.

"We'll be back," Matteo tells us before dragging Mona off. I'm sure he's taking her up to his office.

Sal holds his hand out to me. I accept it, and he spins me around, making me laugh. I have no clue how to really dance, but at the moment, I don't care. It might be due to the few drinks I've had.

"This is going to hurt." I think Sal is next to my ear.

"What?" I ask, but Sal is yanked away from me.

"Nikolai!" I gasp when he pulls his arm back and lands a blow to Sal's stomach. Sal stumbles back a few feet. I grab hold of Nikolai. "What is wrong with you?"

"You're what's fucking wrong with me." He grabs me by the wrist.

"Hey." I pull on it when he tries to get me to come with him.

"We're leaving."

"Am not." I yank harder, but it's useless. He's got a firm hold on me.

"Are you done?"

"Done with what?" This man is giving me whiplash with the way he's acting. He's so damn hot and cold when it comes to me.

"Thinking you're getting your way over mine." I stand on my tippy toes to try and get in Nikolai's face. I get nowhere near it, but that doesn't stop me. Not right now, anyway. I'm sick of his crap.

"That's a bunch of bullcrap!" I shout loudly over the music. Nikolai smirks. "Don't smirk at me, you jerkface!" Then Nikolai does the last thing I think he'll do.

He kisses me.