FIFTEEN

NIKOLAI'S POV:

The sun had barely started peeking through the thick velvet curtains when I felt it soft, warm, and alarmingly snug. My eyes peeled open to the sight of a pale arm curled tightly around my waist.

Her fingers, dainty and relaxed in sleep, were fanned across my abdomen like she belonged there. And as if that wasn’t enough, the second thing I noticed was a sharp, painful hardness pressing against the fabric of my briefs.

Great.

How did this even happen, I just hope she couldn't feel it.

I winced, closing my eyes again and exhaling through my nose. I tried to will it away, but it throbbed in protest, unbothered by my internal scolding.

Her scent was everywhere. Sweet, earthy a mix of lavender and whatever she used on her skin, maybe cinnamon I don't know.

And the damn pillows I had used to mark a line between us? On the floor. All of them. Betrayed by inanimate objects. How did the even happen? The damn pillows were supposed to help keep us apart, but now they were on the floor.

I turned my head slowly. Her face was peaceful, her lips slightly parted. They looked so soft and kissable.She looked… innocent. Untouched by all the complexities tangled between us.

I hated how beautiful she looked, how easily she had melted into this home, my space, like she belonged. As if the last week hadn’t been a blur of anger, silence, and awkward interactions.

And what I hated most were this strange thoughts about her. How her lips would feel against mine, how my hardened self would feel against her touch.

I needed to get out of here, before I do stupid things that I won't be able to stop my self from doing.

I carefully lifted her arm off my body, slow and deliberate like I was disarming a bomb. She stirred a little but didn’t wake. Once free, I sat up and glanced down at my obvious problem. I ran a hand through my hair, muttering under my breath.

"Fucking perfect," I groaned, swinging my legs over the side of the bed. I really don't need a repeat of this morning, but I don't even know how long my family members would be here, maybe for a week or so.

I really don't want to endure this for a week. This is pure torture.

I grabbed a robe from the chair nearby and threw it over myself, tying it loosely around my waist. The marble floors felt cold under my feet as I made my way out of her room and down the hallway to mine. I didn’t look back at her. I couldn’t.

If I had looked back at her smooth and calm face, I would have ended up back on the bed, and that's the last thing I wanted to do.

Inside my room, I yanked the robe off and headed straight for the shower. I didn’t even bother checking the water temperature as I turned the knob all the way to hot. Steam filled the air instantly. I stepped into the stream, welcoming the scorching cascade that hit my skin.

My thoughts tangled like the water running down the drain.

What the hell was this? A wife I didn’t ask for. A marriage built on coercion. A woman who showed me nothing but indifference. And now she was sleeping next to me like she’d been doing it for years.

My heart wanted to punish her and her family for what they had done to me, but my body, my stupid body had it's mind of its own. It wanted her. Wanted to touch her. And I didn't want that.

The water did little to cool the throbbing ache between my legs. I leaned a hand against the tile, pressing my forehead into the warmth. This was getting out of hand. My body reacted to her like she was some sort of drug. I couldn’t let it happen. I couldn’t let her under my skin.

I need to control my body around her, she's not to be trusted. I don't need my body craving someone who's not to be trusted.

Eventually, the ache subsided. Not completely, but enough for me to regain composure. I used that moment to shower, wash and scrubbed my body.

I toweled off, quickly dried my hair, and slipped into a charcoal gray T-shirt and a pair of black sweatpants. Comfort was the only priority today.

I don't plan on going to work today, I'll work from my home office. And everything else would be done online or through calls. I can't leave my family alone with Katie.

Once dressed, I stepped into my office down the hall, a sharp contrast to the chaos of my mind. Everything in here was orderly. The furniture was dark wood, polished to perfection.

My desk, large and commanding, was stacked with neatly filed reports. The bookshelves were organized by genre and color. It was my sanctuary. Working takes my mind of things, fixes my troubles.

I closed the door behind me and walked to the window, pulling the blinds open. Rain from earlier had left streaks against the glass, but now the skies were clearing. The mansion grounds looked immaculate, as they always did, thanks to the staff. Kate had even started adding her own touches to the garden.

Just like mother had always done. They both took tending the garden as their priority. They treated it like they would treat a child.

I couldn't forget how Katie had ran out yesterday under the rain to save her precious garden. She did that without second thoughts. Just like Mother.

Kate.

Her name in my head made me clench my jaw. I couldn't get her out of my head for even one minute.

I turned away from the window and took a seat at my desk. My laptop blinked to life. Emails lined up in numbers. Most of them were updates from my executive team, legal correspondents, and the Voss Corporation board. One in particular caught my attention: the Toronto acquisition.

I opened the message and skimmed through it. Everything was progressing. The final documents were ready to be signed and sealed. I typed a response quickly.

To: Douglas Renner (Legal)

Subject: Toronto Acquisition

"Send the final draft as an email, and then the hard copy should be on my desk, in my office by tomorrow. I’ll review and sign them once I come in to work tomorrow. Push the press release till after I’ve gone over everything personally. I want zero leaks."

I hit send, leaned back, and pinched the bridge of my nose.

This was the life I knew. Business. Control. Order. And yet, ever since she arrived, everything had felt a little tilted. Like my world had shifted half an inch to the left.

Like she had taken control of the world and shifted to her own liking. She is always on my mind 24/7, and I couldn't get her out of my head.

A soft knock interrupted my thoughts.

"Sir?" It was Pia.

"Yes? Come in." the door opened slightly, and Pia walked in, head lowered to the floor.

"What can I do for you, Pia?" I asked her.

"Madam Della had asked me to tell you breakfast would be ready in about thirty minutes, and she asked if you needed coffee or tea."

"Tell her I'm fine, and I can brew my own coffee in my office. And I'll be down for breakfast when it's ready. She needs to stop worrying." I said to Pia.

"I'll rely that back to her, Sir." she said, nodding her head a little and walking out of the office. I remembered, she's the one that had followed Katie to the mall, her picture was taken alongside Kate too.

I went back to work, reading the my emails and doing a few reports, Jeremy hadn't call yet with something, that means today would go pretty good with no issues at the office.

A second later, my phone vibrated at the end of the table, the caller ID showed Jeremy. Well, there goes nothing. I picked the call and placed it on my right ear.

"Morning Jeremy, anything issues?" I asked.

"Morning , Mr Voss. Lucas had just showed me your email concerning the Toronto acquisition and we're working on it, it would be on your table by tomorrow morning. I take it you're not coming to the office today." He said.

"I'm not, Jeremy. Is this why you called me?"

"No, no sir. The file on Miss Rhea Valdez had been brought back, and it looks like she's in New Orleans and is engaged now. And also, Mr. Raj wants me to setup a meeting between you too, he said he has a deal to discuss with you and you would love it. He has been trying to get a whole of you but to no avail." Jeremy spoke all in one breath.

"Take a breather, Jeremy. Drink a glass of water too. Sure, set up the meeting with Mr Raj, I don't know how he got my home contact, he has been phoning me ever since and I kept on ignoring him. Toss the file on Miss Rhea Valdez into the bin. I don't care anymore."

"Okay, sir. That would be all for now. I would call if any issue arises." He said, and the call ended.

I really need to take care of Mr. Raj as soon as possible. He's a complete ass and a crazy person.

I closed my laptop and walked out of the office, heading down for breakfast.