Page 8 of The Red Room

“Apologize,” Nik demands and gestures to me.

“For what?” the man scoffs. “I didn’t do anything.”

Nik takes the final step in front of him, leaving no room between them. The thick wires of his neck bulge. His casual stance is now stiff and threatening. “I will not ask you again.”

“Nik, it’s fine. It was just an accident.” I attempt to diffuse the situation by placing my hand on his back.Fuck me, even the muscles of his back are tight in places I’ve never felt. “It’s not a big deal. I’m fine.”

The man gives Nik a devious smirk. “You heard your cow. She’s fine. Now back the fuck—”

Nikolai cracks him in his windpipe and sweeps his leg, toppling the hefty man into the bar. Strangled coughs wheeze out of him, but Nik isn’t finished yet. He forces his cheek on the wooden surface and weighs down his neck with a strong forearm. “Alek. The wellvotke.”

Alek nods and slides an unmarked bottle down the length of the bar until it lands at Nik.Well vodka? He’s going to kick his ass and pour him a drink?Courtney and I stare at the fight unfolding, both our eyes gaping as much as the man doing his best to breathe under Nik’s grip.

He bites off the cap with his teeth, takes a swig, and begins pouring the bottle all over the man’s face. Flailing arms. Kicking legs. It doesn’t matter. Whatever the man does proves pointless, and he only becomes further soaked in the nostril-stinging liquid. I gasp. The sheer unforgiving fury in Nik’s eyes, the same eyes that were soft and caring. They’re gone. These eyes are black and savage.

Nik removes something from the pocket of his slacks and holds it over the man bathed in vodka. “Last chance,” he says and grins something deadly. His eyes. The gold is almost gone, save for the small shimmering band around the startling black. He snaps the lighter in his hands and blue flames lick the air. “Apologize to Natalia.”

Everyone around watches in horror. Everyone, of course, besides Viktor. No, he seems to be amused by this little show. Entranced by the performance playing out in front of him.

“You’re fucking crazy,” the man stammers out.

Nik brings the lighter inches from his face, the heat from the flame sure to be warming his skin. “That’s right I am. And she is the last woman you’ll disrespect in front of me. Now, before I cook you like a fucking steak, apologize.”

He’s unhinged all right. And fucking dangerous judging by how easily he took this man down. There’s something about Nik, though. Something alluring, even when moments from scorching someone alive. He’s not doing it for himself. Certainly not for his club. No, he’s risking the front doors of Völk closing permanently to defend … me. As ridiculous as it sounds in my head, in some weird, fucked up way, it’s sweet.

“I’m sorry!” he screams, his breath making the lighter flames dance.

Nik tightens his hold on the man’s throat. “She has a name, you fucking swine. I’m sorry, Natalia.”

He wastes no time and parrots Nik. “I’m sorry, Natalia!”

A satisfied smirk crawls along Nik’s face. His deadly, unforgiving, beautiful fucking face. He lets go of the whimpering man on the bar, and when he stands, vodka drips from his shirt and cheeks. “Get this piece of shit out of my club,” Nik shouts above the music. Two bouncers rush to the bar, hook their arms into his, and drag him to the front doors.

“That was … fuckinghot,” Courtney says in my ear and gives a lustful sigh. I do the same. She’s not wrong. What I just witnessed Nik do was insane. Borderline illegal, but incredibly fucking hot. The air in the club tightens, inducing a chokehold on me and those around waiting for Nik’s next move.What do I say to him?Thank you for defending my honor and nearly committing murder simultaneously? Two birds with one bottleof alcohol? There’s no way he would’ve gone through with it. Not in a packed club full of witnesses. I want to believe he was bluffing, but I remember the look in his eyes. The rage seemingly taking over and how his lips curled into a sinister grin. Maybe … maybe he would’ve actually done it?

What’s really troubling is the question I can’t seem to answer. If he did kill him, enjoy doing it, even, would I have cared?

FOUR

“Let’s go getyou cleaned up,” Courtney says and leads me to the bathroom.

The music dampens behind the door though the mirrors still vibrate my own reflection. The smooth, silky hair I entered the club with is now matted to one side while the other is frizzy and unkempt. Dirt sprinkles my cheeks like freckles, and there’s a distinct smudge in my lipstick.

“You all right?” she asks, handing me paper towels from the dispenser near the sink.

“Kind of. Maybe. I don’t know, Court. We should probably just head home,” I sigh more than say. Truth is, I don’t know how to feel right now. What Nik did was horrible, but somehow felt justified … in a sick way.You heard your cow, the man’s words stung, sure, but hurt no more than being shoved to the ground or the embarrassment of lying there in front of the club. In front of Nik.

Courtney shakes her head and closes the distance between us. “Nat.” She puts a hand on each of my shoulders. “That gorgeous man just beat the shit out of a guy that assaultedyou and had the audacity to act like it was your fault. You should be getting him a fucking medal, not questioning whether or not you should run out on him.”

“I know, I know. But isn’t what he did kind of dangerous?” I ask, gnawing at my lip.

She gives a single laugh and her face draws serious. “It was absolutely dangerous. Dangerous for you because now every woman in that club would like nothing more than Mr. Vostik pinning them over the bar next.” Courtney winks and I fucking despise her for it.

I smirk and throw a wad of napkins at her. “What about Wiktor?” My imitation of his voice isn’t a great impression, but still fun to say, nonetheless.

Courtney glances at herself in the mirror, ensuring not a single hair is out of place. “Eh, I haven’t decided yet. He’s cute, sure. A bit bulky for my taste.”

Menacing is more like it. I don’t know what it is, but every time he looks at me, there’s something sadistic in his gray eyes. And when he watched Nik at the bar, the large man struggling under his firm hold, he didn’t look shocked like the rest of us. Viktor seemed to be enjoying it.

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