The past two weeks have been… pleasant, dare I say.
Nikolas hasn’t bitten my head off. Well, the only biting he’s been doing is when we’re naked. The man has one hell of a sexual appetite, but I’m getting used to keeping up with him.
Even though it feels ridiculous going to school with an entourage of guards, I tolerate them because the last thing I want is to end up dead in a ditch. Nikolas doesn’t talk much about work, and I don’t ask questions, not wanting to know about the dark side of the mafia.
I haven’t told Annette or Jake I got married. I don’t know why. But until they notice the ring on my finger, I’m not saying a word.
If I’m honest, it’s because it still feels surreal.
Me living with Nikolas. Him coming home to me. Us having dinner together, sharing a bed.
It’s all starting to grow on me, though, and it’s slowly chipping away at the anger I felt.
God, who would’ve thought Nikolas would actually grow on me?
Sometimes it all feels insane, but then there are times where it feels natural as if this is the way things were meant to be.
Like I said, it’s weird.
Looking at my reflection in the mirror, my gaze drifts over the chiffon dress. The light pink fabric bunches around my shoulders then takes the form of a pencil dress, stopping beneath my knees. I’m wearing black heels, a black obsidian necklace, and earrings to round off the look, and my hair’s pinned up in a messy bun.
The corners of my mouth lift. “Not bad, Tess.”
“Not bad at all,” Nikolas suddenly murmurs behind me.
My eyes find him in the mirror, and I watch as he stops at my back, his hands settling on my hips. With his gaze locked on mine, he leans down and presses a kiss to my bare shoulder. “You look beautiful.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, caught off guard by how intimate the moment feels.
The way Nikolas looks at me… there’s so much intensity as if I’m actually precious to him. It builds up my self-confidence, which took one hell of a beating during my first seventeen years of life.
A breath trembles over my lips, the moment tugging at my heart. It makes me feel vulnerable and has me whispering, “Don’t look at me like that if you don’t mean it.”
I’m tugged back, his chest pressing against my shoulder blades. He takes a deep breath of my hair, then says, “Theresa, I never do anything I don’t mean.”
God.
My heart clenches, and a kaleidoscope of butterflies erupts in my stomach. My breath hitches, and panic slithers through me.
What will this man do if I fall in love with him? Will he use it to control me? Will he break my heart?
With the questions swirling in my mind, I pick up my black clutch and force a smile onto my face. “I’m ready when you are.”
“Are you?” he asks, his words carrying a double meaning.
“For Athina’s birthday party,” I add.
Slowly, Nikolas nods, then he steps back so I can leave the walk-in closet.
Well, that was unexpectedly intense.
When we step into the elevator, Nikolas comes to stand slightly behind me, his chest touching my arm. I glance up at him from over my shoulder. When his eyes flick to me, I quickly look in front of me. The moment the doors slide open again, he smacks my ass. “After you, kardiá mou.”
My jaw goes slack, surprise stunning me. Somehow I manage to walk, my heartbeat speeding up.
My heart?
Did he really just call me that?
My insides flutter, and I start to feel even more nervous. Not in a bad way. It’s more like I’m standing on the edge of a cliff, not sure whether Nikolas will bother catching me should I jump.
He said he cares about you.
He hasn’t been as aggressive as when you first met.
Girl, the man treats you like a queen.
Maybe it won’t be the worst thing to fall in love with him. I mean, we’re married.
Still, giving my heart to Nikolas is a huge risk. He can crush it in his fist or treasure it. God only knows what he’ll do with it.
After climbing into the back of the SUV, Nikolas leans over to fasten my seatbelt and presses a kiss to the corner of my mouth before settling back against the seat.
I grip my clutch tighter, trying to focus on the night ahead. It’s Athena’s birthday party and the first time Nikolas and I will make an appearance as a married couple.
“What’s expected of me?” I ask so I don’t screw things up.
“What do you mean?” He turns his gaze to me while reaching for my hand. The moment he pries my fingers away from my purse, he links his with mine.
“Do you expect me to stick to your side? Should I mingle?” I make an awkward face. “Not that I know how to mingle.”
Lifting my hand, Nikolas presses a tender kiss to the back of it. “It’s a party, Tess. Enjoy yourself. Lavish Athina with attention. She’ll love that.”
“Okay.” That I can do.
Loukas brings the SUV to a stop, and I look at all the lights shining on the Stathoulis’ estate. It makes the mansion look more impressive than ever. As we step out of the vehicle, we follow the red carpet into the entrance hall.
“Wow, they went full out,” I murmur, admiring the royal blue and gold décor.
“Remember, my father will expect you to call him mpampà,” Nikolas informs me.
That’s not going to be awkward at all. The last time I uttered those words, my dad was alive.
With my hand in Nikolas’ tight grip, we walk into the entertainment room, where classical music fills the air and people are already gathered.
A burst of sharp laughter sends an apprehensive shiver racing down my spine, and instinctively my muscles tense. Wildly my eyes dart around until I find her.
Irene. My cousin.
No.
What is she doing here? I thought she extended her trip to Europe after she couldn’t make it to my and Nikolas’ wedding.
A fearful hand grips my chest as the past threatens to resurface.
Not tonight.
Shit.
With my gaze locked on my worst nightmare, my breathing starts to speed up, the walls closing in on me.
‘I’ll cut out your tongue…’
“What’s wrong?” Nikolas asks, tugging me to a stop and turning me to face him.
Somehow I manage to force a smile to my tight lips. “Nothing. Just a lot of people.”
He leans into me, and when his lips brush against my forehead, I suck in a deep breath of him, trying to siphon off some of his strength so I can get through tonight.
It’s one thing having dealt with my past, but coming face to face with the monster responsible for my trauma is the last thing I expected tonight.
God, I haven’t seen her in two years, and they’ve been blissful. Why couldn’t she just stay away?
Irene’s high-pitch laugh sounds closer, and I can’t stop myself from moving as close to Nikolas as I can get.
Please don’t let her notice me. Please. Please. Please.
My mind races with ways to get out of the predicament, but before I can come up with a solid plan, I hear, “Well, if it isn’t Theresa.”
No.
God.
My stomach becomes a hard knot of nerves. Unable to smile, because it’s taking everything I have to turn around and face her, my heart hammers against my ribs. When I lift my eyes to Irene’s, who’s easily a head taller than me, and twice my size, my mouth dries right up.
‘Tell your mom, and I’ll cut out your lying tongue and feed it to the dog across the road. I dare you.’ Her fingers tighten around my neck until it’s hard to breathe. ‘Even better. I’ll break your neck. Dead bitches can’t snitch.’
Breathe, Tess. Breathe.
“Sorry I couldn’t make your wedding. It was such short notice,” Irene says snidely. Then she turns her attention to Nikolas, and a seductive smile spreads over her hateful face. “Nikolas, I hope you’ve been well.”
He hardly looks at her, glancing at the other guests before looking down at me. He must feel the trembling in my hand because a frown forms on his forehead, his eyes narrowing on me before they flick to Irene. “Refresh my memory. Who are you?”
She holds out her hand to him. “Irene Drakatos. Theresa’s cousin. The last time we saw each other was at your thirtieth birthday party.” Her eyes fall on me with disapproval for a second, then she looks at Nikolas again. “Quite the surprise, you marrying a Drakatos. I thought none of us were good enough for you.”
Holy shit.
Ignoring Irene’s hand, Nikolas tugs me slightly behind him as he takes a threatening step closer to her. “None of you were until I laid eyes on Theresa. Imagine my surprise when I saw the Drakatos bloodline actually managed to birth a queen.”
The corner of my mouth lifts a fraction, and right now, I feel one hell of a bond with Nikolas… even a burst of affection.
Suddenly we’re moving, leaving a gapping Irene in our wake.
“I can’t believe she’s related to you. One of you must’ve been adopted,” Nikolas mutters, then a smile spreads over his face as we reach Athina.
It’s only when I’m congratulating Athina on her birthday that I realize I didn’t take a Xanax, where in the past I’d pass out from anxiety when coming face to face with Irene.
My fingers tighten around Nikolas’ hand, and I rest my other palm against his bicep as I step closer to him.
He leans down, pressing a kiss to my temple, then whispers, “Everything okay?”
I nod, suppressing the urge to crawl into his arms where I know Irene won’t be able to hurt me.
“I knew you’d look gorgeous in the chiffon dress,” Athina compliments me.
I focus on keeping a smile on my face. “Not half as stunning as you.”
Her gaze drifts over Nikolas and me. “The two of you seem to be getting along better. Dare I hope a peace treaty’s been signed?”
While I laugh, Nikolas looks down at me with warmth softening his eyes. “We’re making an effort,” is all he replies to Athina.
Since saying my vows, tonight is the first time I feel like his wife.
The realization hits hard, causing a wave of emotion to wash through me.
Nikolas makes me feel stronger, and damn… I’m falling for him.
