Page 49 of The Bratva's Arranged Virgin Bride
Chapter 26 - Nat
I woke up, rolling over in the big bed I’d been sharing with Kolya for the last few days since our gallery opening had been such a success. As usual, he was already gone. The battery in my tracker had long since died, and I hadn’t been in the mood to worry about it too much. I had been thoroughly distracted not just by all the work for the gallery, but by Kolya.
Crawling out of bed, I headed to my makeshift studio, standing in front of the latest painting I had started. Despite being consumed by art for the past couple of weeks, I didn’t have any fresh inspiration. Ignoring the most recent canvas, I dragged a fresh one from the pile and began mixing paint to start all over again.
After a few brushstrokes, I really wasn’t feeling it and decided to head out early to the meeting with our artists. Kolya had hired six to start, but now we had ten since the first show had been such a smash. I also had my potters and sculptors, making beautiful knock-off ancient bowls and statues.
They didn’t know anything about where their finished products were going; they were just happy to make a steady paycheck at the work they loved. As soon as I was done lavishing them with praise to keep them motivated, I took the newest stack of paintings over to the gallery with me.
Even though it wasn’t real, I loved the place. I had managed to whip it into shape in a record amount of time, easy when money was no object. Kolya gave me free rein, which gave me much-needed confidence, and it ended up being perfect. Even better than the one I had to give up in Milan. We were raking in money, and I was having fun, just like before.
Except now I knew how things ended, and deep down, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop. It was all a ruse, just like my marriage.
As I began to hang the new paintings, I wondered if I was starting to wish for more. A different ending. A happy one. Shoving those dangerous thoughts aside, I decided it was just because I was having such a good time that I let myself get distracted from my revenge.
But this was better, wasn’t it? Maybe Kolya was getting in too deep and wishing for more, too. He’d practically trembled with emotion when he asked me to move into his bedroom with him. At the time, I thought it was sweet; it had made my heart soar. But that was because I let myself get distracted. A flush of embarrassment with a ripple of desire washed over me as I thought of all the times he made me beg. I’d been more than happy to say or do whatever he wanted, just so he would work his magic on me.
I hated it as much as I loved it. No, I kind of loved it more, which wasn’t good. I couldn’t stop, because he loved it, too. The longer I kept up this game, the more I could twist the knife and make him sorry he ever met me. If I still longed for him after that, I’d have the knowledge that he was suffering worse to help me through it.
As I hung the new artwork, I could see that one of our workers put her all into the paintings she churned out for next to nothing compared to what we’d end up getting. I almost wanted to tell her how everyone raved over the last batch, but that would put the scheme in jeopardy, so I couldn’t.
It made me remember how much I cared about some of my paintings, especially my favorite one. Gone, all of them longgone now, thanks to the husband I was getting far too attached to.
A loud knock at the back door pulled me out of what threatened to be a very bad mood, and I hurried to open it, thinking it was the custom frame guy. When I opened the door, I barely repressed a groan.
It was Visarrion, and while he’d been charming and much more professional when we met again at the opening event, I wasn’t in the frame of mind to deal with anyone. Least of all, Kolya’s enemy.
Except, the enemy of my enemy might just be my friend, right?
I wasn’t really alone. The shops all around me were open, and I had a sneaking suspicion that Kolya kept a discreet guard on me at all times. I wasn’t really afraid of this guy. Why should I have been? He no longer tried to hit on me, and instead seemed to be checking up on his investment.
And Kolya despised him. Maybe I could work with that.
We chatted for a while, and I answered his questions, keeping in mind I was supposed to be an assistant, nothing more. He was delighted when I told him how we were still pulling in money since I’d been opening the gallery for a few hours each day.
“We expect to double what the first show did,” I said. “But you know, you really could have called Mr. Mikhailov for all this information. You didn’t have to waste your time on a visit.”
He smirked, the craggy lines between his brows deepening. “We’re not on the best of terms right now. Or ever.” He laughed as if it were no big deal. “We’re too much alike.”
I didn’t answer, but I doubted they had any similarities past wanting to make a lot of money. Then, he put forth an interesting proposal.
“How would you like to make more than whatever that skinflint is paying you?” He tutted something under his breath about rented dresses and how shameful that was.
The wheels were turning in my head. I didn’t trust this guy, far from it. But he had just outright admitted he wanted to work against Kolya, which was supposed to be my objective, too. Here was my opportunity to get back on track.
“I’m not really sure what you mean,” I said, feigning innocence, all while giving him a look to continue talking.
He made the whole thing seem like he was doing something noble, tired of watching Kolya abuse his underlings, as well as the artists who worked so tirelessly. The bottom line was that he wanted to swindle Kolya, just as he had planned to eventually double-cross Visarrion. The only thing he hadn’t thought of was siccing immigration on him.
Inwardly, I was bristling, and it irritated me that I had any kind of loyalty in my heart for Kolya. Was I that easy, forgetting everything he did to me because of a few weeks of kindness and all those delicious orgasms?
Visarrion’s plan wasn’t a bad one, and it suited my needs. While I was breaking Kolya’s heart, he’d be draining his bank accounts. And then it hit me like a bolt out of the blue that I could divert everything back to me when it was all over, and still get Visarrion kicked out of the country for good.
I could have it all.
Just not Kolya.
Before I could have second thoughts, I thrust out my hand for him to shake. “I can make it all work for you, Mr. Kotlov,” I said with my best subservient voice.
