Chapter 44

Chapter Forty-Four

Ava

I t's such a beautiful day outside, the kind of day you want to soak up as much as possible. The house is busier than usual, with men everywhere. I'm trying not to think about it. I have to think of my babies—my babies—Aisling is as much my daughter as Niko is my son. Would I take her with me if I decided to disappear? Can I take her with me? I doubt I could. It saddens me that Fiona still hasn't come to see her. Viktor was right. Fiona isn't a mother to Aisling. I won't let my little girl suffer—she's mine to protect. I get up from the glider and make my way downstairs.

"Hi, Mary," I say as I enter the kitchen.

"Hi, Ms. O'Brien, are you ready for lunch?"

"Actually, I'm wondering if you could help me with something. It's such a beautiful day outside, and I want to have a picnic with my babies."

"Of course. But the house is on lockdown, so you might want to check with Marco."

I take a deep breath. What has my life become?

"You make something picnic worthy. I'll worry about the rest." I leave the kitchen in search of Marco. It doesn't take me long to find him. "Just the man I was looking for."

"Ms. O'Brien. Did you need something?"

"As a matter of fact, I do. Apparently, you're the only person who can make it happen."

"I could try. What is it?"

"It's beautiful outside, and I would like to have a picnic with my babies." He gives me a questioning look. "You can't be worried. There are more men here than in a darn army base. I'm sure you guys can protect a woman and two babies without incident."

"I'll have to make a call."

"He has no power over me. I can do as I please," I tell Marco.

"That might be so, Ma'am, but he's the boss, and I have orders I need to follow."

"I'll talk to him, but my cell is upstairs. Do you mind dialing yours?"

"Not at all." He takes his cell and dials Viktor. "Yes, sir, everything is fine. Ms. O'Brien would like a word." He hands me the cell.

"Hi."

"Is everything alright? Are the kids good?" Viktor sounds anxious.

"We're all fine. I'm calling because I want to have a picnic with our babies outside. Marco mentioned he needed clearance from you." I look at Marco.

"I'd rather you stayed indoors."

"Viktor, I've been cooped up for nearly three months without complaint. Your babies don't know what sunshine is. You practically have an army here. I don't see how two hours outside could harm anyone. If they can't manage two hours, they aren't the men for the job." He stays quiet. Usually, this is where he shouts, ordering me to do as he says.

"Ava, it isn't safe to be outside."

"This place is a fucking fortress. Make it safe," I snap. I hand the cell to Marco. "I should be ready in about twenty minutes. The nannies will join me. See to it that everything is ready." I order Marco, walking away. I will not let Viktor run my life. I have to stand up to him. He's not my man or husband, and I refuse to be a prisoner in my own home.

Twenty minutes later, I have Niko wrapped in a carrier, snuggled, and peacefully sleeping. Aisling is being held by her nanny while the other nanny carries a baby bouncer. It's amazing how big Aisling is getting. We make our way downstairs, where I hear Marco.

"Everything ready?" I ask him.

"You're the boss," he says with a light laugh.

"How pissed was he?"

He gives me a look that tells me Viktor wasn't happy. But that's Viktor's problem, not mine. "I see. Shall we?" Marco takes the baby bouncer from the nanny and leads us through the French doors, where Jimmy is standing with two other men. I'm not surprised.

"Mary has set up toward the back, still in the garden but closer to the guardhouse." I'm going to say something. "It was the best I could do. Call it a happy medium."

"Fine."

We go outside, and I'm surprised. It's unbelievable the things Mary can get done in twenty minutes, someone's put up a tent, and there's a large blanket with a few toys for Aisling. Of course, I don't fail to see the six men circling the area, but I'm willing to compromise if it means I get to be outside. I suppose it's the cost of living with Viktor.

We've been enjoying the beautiful weather for an hour, and I love it. It's been nice not to worry about anything except watching Aisling play and Niko giggle. Then Aisling starts fussing once Niko falls asleep. The girl is like clockwork. I hand Brenda Niko to put him on the bouncer and take Aisling, not wanting her to wake him.

"Ms. O'Brien, here you go," Grace, Niko's nanny, says, handing me a nursing cover to feed Aisling.

"You can call me Ava, both of you can," I say, looking between her and Brenda.

"It wouldn't be professional," Grace says.

"Well, I demand it. You both have been with me long enough, and I don't like formality." They both look unsure. "The next one to call me Ms. O'Brien will be fired," I tease.

"Okay," they both say. I shake my head.

Aisling is happily feeding when I see Viktor walk toward us. I prepare myself for whatever he has for me. I'm already living in this house to make him happy. I won't let him take what little freedom I have left.

"Do you really have to feed our daughter with the guards lurking?" he asks, approaching me.

"It's the most natural thing in the world. Our—your—daughter was hungry." I take Aisling off my boob and start burping her.

"I would like a moment with Ava," he orders. Both nannies stand ready to go.

"I'm busy, and don't dismiss them," I assert as I try to stand. He chuckles as he helps me.

"Holding our daughter won't stop me from showing you who has the last word." Niko wakes at the sound of his voice, moving his head as he searches for his father.

"You're insufferable," I say, rolling my eyes. "Get your son. He's looking for you." Niko has been lying in the bouncer. Viktor bends down and picks him up. I can't deny that he's a wonderful father. "Let's take them inside," I say and walk toward the house. "Ladies, you can take a break."

"Thanks," Brenda says. One of the guards opens the door as we reach them.

"What would you like to talk about?" I say, reaching the stairs.

"Your defiance."

"You're acting like it's something new." I open the door to Aisling's bedroom to put her down. She's fast asleep. "Is he asleep?"

"Yes."

"Let's put him down before you wake him." We quietly leave Aisling's bedroom and go to Niko's. He lays him down, and we give Niko a minute to make sure he won't wake. "You said you wanted to talk. Go ahead," I say as I close the door. Except he doesn't speak. He pulls me close and throws me over his shoulder. "Put me down, Viktor," I cry, thumping his back ineffectually. He walks to his bedroom and heads in. "What do we possibly have to talk about that we can't do in the hallway?"

He sets me down and kisses me. It's intense, and I'm nearly out of breath when he breaks the kiss. I think he's going to say something, but he doesn't. Instead, he picks me up. I know this is it. I've caved. The more time passes, the more I learn that his way of talking leads to sex. Don't get me wrong, sex has never been an issue with us. But I don't want to resolve all our problems with sex. I'm defenseless in his arms.

"Viktor, you said you wanted to talk," I say as he breaks the kiss to take my blouse off.

"I never said I wanted to talk." He goes back to kissing me.

For a moment, I allow his determination to dictate what happens because it feels good to have him in control. The man knows how to bend my body to his will. The way he touches me. His lips leave a trace of fire everywhere they touch. I wonder if it will always be like this. Will he always have this power over me? But I don't want to think. I want to let him claim me as only he can. I'm going to let him love every inch of me. At the end of the day, there's only one thing I'm certain of. I belong to Viktor, and there's no running from that.