Chapter SevenIrina

Chapter Seven

Irina

Alexei is gone by the time I wake up the following morning, but his scent and the sensation of his touch still lingers deep in my memory. I lie on my bed, staring blankly at the ceiling as I think back to last night.

Sex with Alexei was way better than I had imagined, way more sensual and passionate than anything I've ever felt before. My clit starts to throb just remembering it.

But I need to remind myself it was just sex, nothing more. I'm attracted to him, but that's a natural reaction. I can't allow myself to feel anything more than lust for a man like him. He's father's enemy—my enemy. Marriage and sex don't change anything.

Huffing out a sigh, I drag myself to the bathroom for a quick shower and to brush my teeth. I find sweatpants in the closet and pair it with an oversized shirt before I go downstairs.

The aroma of freshly made pancakes hits my nose as I climb down the stairs and make my way to the kitchen. Nina lifts her head when I enter and smiles at me. "You're awake." Her eyes dart to my neck and she flashes a knowing smile at me.

I'm suddenly embarrassed she knows I had sex with Alexei last night. I bite my lip and lower my gaze to the bowl of fruit on the countertop. Of course, Alexei and I got married yesterday, but intimacy is just something I didn't expect to enjoy as much as I did.

I wonder if I was loud? I know I was. Fucking embarrassing.

"What are you making?" I ask. I know what she's making, I could smell it from my room, but I'd ask any question to avoid the awkwardness between us.

"Pancakes. Hungry?"

I nestle on a stool by the kitchen island and rub my stomach. "I'm starving."

I used up too much energy last night. I could eat a whole horse right now and still be hungry.

Nina passes me a plate of pancakes, topped with strawberry. She pushes a jar of honey to me along with a glass of milk. "Tell me if you need more."

I nod, licking my lips as I drizzle honey on the pancakes before I start eating. I moan when flavor of the first bite hits my tongue. It tastes good, with just the right amount of milk and sugar. "It's delicious," I say after my second bite.

"If you're groaning over a pancake, I can imagine how you'd react to one of my soups," she brags, flipping a pancake in the pan.

"Are you bragging about your cooking skills ?" Most of the maids and chefs at my father's mansion are humble. It's the first time I'm hearing anyone boast about their cooking.

She shoots an inquisitive glare in my direction. "Is something wrong with me bragging?"

I shrug, popping a grape into my mouth. "No, I'm just not used to it. My mother taught me never to do that."

"We're Russians," she says. "It's in our nature to gloat."

I don't argue because I think she's right. My father is the same way. My mother is Italian, and she grew up in a family where she had to learn to be docile. Something about that making a woman virtuous.

Virtuous woman be damned, I would rather be wild.

I swallow down the grape with a gulp of milk. "So, Nina, how long have you been working for Alexei?"

"Since he was born," she answers. Her tone is indifferent.

"Like since he was a baby?" I need to be sure I heard her right.

She confirms it with a nod. "Maybe before that. I know the night he was conceived, his parents—"

I raise my hand to stop her. My mind is a mess, I'm well aware of what she was about to say. I know because we had a nanny like that, and she always told me how my parents kissed each other from the night they made me. It always grossed me out. I'll throw up if I have to listen to a story of Alexei's parents doing the same.

A cocky grin curves the side of her mouth. "What? Not so curious now?"

"That's not what I'm curious about," I admit. "Alexei is my husband now, I need to know more about him. We're pretty much strangers."

"You can just ask him."

I roll my eyes. "Right, he's totally the kind of guy who would spend hours telling me stories about his life."

Nina's brow knits to show she's not amused by my sarcasm. "What do you want to know, child?"

I smile. "Don't regret asking."

"Speak before I change my mind," she says. She turns off the cooker and shifts her full attention on me.

I tap the island. I have so many questions, but I don't know how many I'll get to ask before she becomes grumpy and dismisses me. If I wanted to, I could use my power as her new mistress to get all I want from her, but I'm not that kind of person and bullying her into giving me answers goes against the friendship I'm trying to build.

"How would you describe Alexei?" I hear myself ask. I didn't give much thought to that question, but I'd seriously like to know regardless.

"He's not as terrible as people think he is," Nina answers easily. "He does what he needs to because of who he is, but the man's got a good heart."

I bite back a scoff. I don't think Alexei and good heart fit in the same sentence. He's nothing but a cruel Bratva boss.

Nina lifts a brow. "You don't look like you believe me."

There's no use lying if she can see through my lies that easily. "To be quite honest, I don't," I answer. "He has a reputation that's far off from what you're describing him to be."

She shakes her head, a bit exasperated. "Listen, child. Alexei is cruel. Even I am terrified of him sometimes and I basically raised him, but he's been through so much. The kid watched his mother die and then kicked out of his home, both by his own father. Do you think he made it all the way to this age by being a good guy? He'd be dead if he hadn't become who he is."

My stomach churns and the kitchen grows so quiet I can hear the chirping of birds outside.

Alexei watched his mother die at the hands of his father? I taste bile rising up my throat because I can't imagine my father being that kind of man to my mother. I wouldn't be able to stomach it, to say nothing of a child having to witness it.

My chest constricts with a pang of emotion. It's weird, but I feel sorry for Alexei. There's no way he'd grow up a normal child after witnessing something so terrifying.

"I didn't know that," I mutter, dragging my fork across my plate. "That must've been hard on him."

She sneers. "Hard? He was never the same again." There's fury in her voice as if even she detests what he went through. "There are many things you do not know, rebenok. Get close to him and find out for yourself, give your marriage a chance."

Get close to him. Find out for yourself. Give your marriage a chance.

For a second, I almost let myself take her advice. I almost want to nod and tell her I'll try, but I don't. This marriage is sham and it'll never be anything more than that. But I also can't deny I want to know more about Alexei.

A part of me wants to comfort him for everything he's been through even though I know I shouldn't. He forced me into a marriage I didn't want to be part of, and he's a cold-blooded killer. A mafia boss who does nothing but terrorize the whole of New York.

I finish my breakfast without saying another word to Nina. I offer to do the dishes but she strongly refuses so I just prop my hip against the kitchen counter and wait for her.

When she's done, she dries her hands, her attention fixed on me. "Would you like me to show you around the mansion now?"

I shrug. I'm a new wife and it looks like I'm going to be here for a while, so I might as well get used to the place. "If you can, sure."

She nods. "I'll show you to the patio first."

I follow her lead around the house. The mansion is larger than I even imagined. There are two dining rooms, two living rooms - with one specially reserved for playing games, and a library as big as a palace.

The place that catches my attention the most is the patio where we got married. It the flowery scent and the picturesque view is heaven. The flowers are especially beautiful when there's a soft breeze rustling them. It's a perfect place to read a book, host a guest over tea, and watch the sunset.

Our last stop is in a room with a large piano and a cello. The piano sits near a glass wall at the end of the room as if whoever owned it liked to bathe in the sunset as they played.

"Wow," I whisper, peering around as I walk inside. There are music notes stacked beside the piano and one tucked in front of it. "It's beautiful here."

And it's quiet. I can almost taste the sadness of this place.

"It belonged to his mother," Nina says behind me. She gives the piano an emotional stare.

I whirl around. "She used to play these?"

Nina nods. "She was good at it. This was the only place where she could find some peace. Alexei loved to hear her play as a child."

I open my mouth to say something, but my chest constricts so much that it is hard for me to speak. "I didn't know… that."

I don't know anything about Alexei or his mother. I know nothing about his pain and the burdens he carries. The only thing I've ever let myself learn about him is his cruelty. Even now, when I'm feeling so sad for him, I don't want to let myself know more. I'll only grow weaker if I do.

"I've had enough for today." My voice echoes in the room. It's large and has almost nothing in it. "I'd like to rest now."

"Aren't you curious?" Nina asks, her eyes following me as I walk to the door.

I stop and give the instruments one last stare. I'm never coming into this room again. "No, I'm not."

I barely make it to the foyer when I hear heels clicking on the marble floors. A woman in an expensive black dress and fur approaches. She's wearing sunglasses. I can't exactly make out who she is, but the scent of her strong perfume fills the air. My eyes water and my nostrils tickle as I fight back a sneeze.

She stops in front of me and removes her sunglasses, exposing bright blue eyes. She scrutinizes me from head to toe as if measuring an opponent.

Who the hell is this woman?

"You're Irina Volkov?" There's a bite of condescension in her voice. It's the same way I imagine an arrogant boss would speak to their employee. I'm not sure since I've only ever worked for my father.

If she didn't look to be in her late fifties, I would honestly assume she had a crush on Alexei. I mean, that is the only reason she'd be rude to a strange.

"Yes." I cross my arms over my chest and square my shoulders. "And you are?"

She frowns. She probably thinks my question is an insult, but I'm only asking because I'm genuinely curious. "I see your husband didn't teach you any respect."

I step back as if I've just been punched in the face. "What?"

"If he bought a new dog, he should train it better," she says, folding her sunglasses.

"I am not a dog, and honestly, if anyone needs to be trained, then I think it should be you." Her jaw drops and my brow lifts. "If you do not tell me who you are, then I'll have you thrown out of this house."

I'm not bluffing, I mean it. Being married to Alexei against my will is one thing, it's a completely different matter when someone treats me with such disrespect.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" she yells.

"Irina Vadim, wife of Alexei Vadim." I bite back a smile, that feels kind of cool to say. "And the lady of this house."

"I am his mother," she retorts angrily.

I scoff. "Alexei doesn't have a mother."

"Stepmother," she corrects herself. "You know what that means, don't you? You'll have to apologize to me."

Ice coats my veins. Literal ice. I just made an enemy out of my mother-in-law on my first day of marriage.

Way to go, Irina.

My throat goes dry and I swallow. "You were rude to me first, and you knew who I was."

"So, you're not going to apologize?"

I would, if she didn't sound so fucking annoying. "Only if you do so, first."

She laughs. "You have no idea where you are, do you, child?" She steps forward and grabs my jaw with her cold fingers. "You're married to Alexei, do you know what that means?"

I don't try to answer. But my fists clench. It's taking everything I have to maintain my self-control.

"The Bratva will swallow you whole, ragazza ." Her long, red nails trail down my throat. "Alexei will use you, and then he will toss you out. That boy is a monster, just like his father."

For some reason, my anger melts away. I've heard stories of Alexei's father and how brutal he was. And not only with people who owed him something. This woman in front of me is a victim. She must've been through so much if she carries this much hate in her heart.

I gently pull away from her grip. "I'm sorry I was rude to you, but I think you should sort out your problems with Alexei, not me."

"You're his wife, his problems are your problems. Surely you see that?" she says bitterly. "As a matter of fact, I'm about to bring hell to you. Alexei, however cruel he is, won't break or bruise you."

My face scrunches up. Is she threatening me?

"So, I'll bring every pain his father gave me to you," she whispers. "I won't stop until you feel everything I ever felt."

Alright, she is threatening me. Instead of the angry retort I'm dying to shoot back at her, I keep my tone even. "I'm sorry for everything you went through here. I really am, but I'll never be anyone's victim. Not Alexei's, and definitely not yours."

I walk away before she can utter anything more. As I climb the stairs, I feel her malicious gaze on me. I can almost hear her promise to break me little by little until I am nothing but a shadow of myself.

Too bad I won't be an easy target.