Chapter Three

Samuel

Ismile when I hear the hesitant knock on the door. “Come in,”

I call out, knowing only Natalie would knock so gently. I’ve been expecting her since Isabel left about half an hour ago. I’m in the room E-Z gave me when I got here. Mikhail—my other uncle—is sending men for us within the hour. I told him not to be in a hurry. It’s important for Ivan to rest as much as he can. I want to focus energy on my wife—who apparently doesn’t know who I am. Surely if she did, she would have approached me on her own. I’ve been biding my time. She’s gorgeous, being married to her won’t be a hardship by any stretch of the imagination. She seems calm and free of drama, unlike her friend. I shake my head, pushing thoughts of Isabel away. The girl is infuriating. There’s no other way to explain it. I need calm in my life. There’s no way Isabel would bring it to me. She’d constantly push my buttons. That might sound fun on the surface, but it’s not what I like.

“You wanted to see me?”

Natalie asks, her cheeks flushed red. She seems uncomfortable, but there’s a gleam in her eye. She’s interested in me. I can tell by the way she’s quietly sizing me up when she thinks I’m not noticing. It also doesn’t escape my attention how she’s brushed her hair until it shines. She looks beautiful. Isabel could take some notes from her. Although the doctor did look quite beautiful. There’s something to be said about a woman who doesn’t try to impress anyone with her looks. She’s naturally gorgeous.

“Hey, Natalie. I was thinking it’d be a good time for the two of us to get to know one another.”

“It would?”

she questions, walking deeper into the room.

“Of course it would. Come sit with me. I think it’s past time the two of us spoke, don’t you?”

“I didn’t think you would want to talk to me to be honest.”

“Why? You’re beautiful. Surely you know that.”

“You think so?”

she asks, looking shy and scrumptious. She nervously holds her hands in her lap. The movement causes her breasts to push together, deepening her cleavage which is exposed in the V-neck of her top. I never thought scrubs could be sexy, but she might make me change my mind. Come to think of it, the doctor looked pretty good in scrubs, too. She looked good enough to catch Ivan’s attention. Ivan enjoys women, but they come to him. He rarely gives one attention first. He never flirts either. It’s not his style. He was flirting heavily with the doctor.

She sits beside me. I throw my arm over the back of the sofa. It shouldn’t feel awkward but fuck, it does. Part of me is wishing I hadn’t asked for her to come see me. It’s probably because I really resent being married. I instigated it, but I don’t have to be happy about it.

“I do,”

I answer, remembering what she asked. “Do you know who I am, Natalie?”

“Should I?”

I smile. She seems so innocent and unsure of herself. She reminds me of Angelina. Yet, somehow, it’s not as appealing as I thought it would be …

“I’m Samuel Levkin, sweetheart,”

I finally respond. Her eyes dilate. I proceed to bend down, capturing her mouth in a kiss. Our tongues slide against one another and when she whimpers, giving herself over to pleasure—I ignore the fact that this feels all wrong. I might not want to be married, but I am.

I can’t go back.