Page 77 of Cruel Russian King
I pressed my forehead against hers and inhaled deeply. When I pulled away I met her eyes again
“And if there’s anything, anything at all, that I can do to make this pregnancy easier…you tell me.”
She looked at me, shyly. “There is one thing.”
I raised a brow. “What’s that?”
She leaned closer, her lips almost touching mine. “Kiss me, husband.”
Possession flared through me like fire. I fucking loved when she called me her husband. My hands slid to her waist as I devoured her mouth. She clung to me filling the air with those breathy, fucking little moans of hers.
I pulled her onto me, to straddle me. I shifted her dress to her waist and slapped her bare ass. She shrieked and pressed against my hard cock as I moaned into her mouth.
In this moment, I knew one thing: Ninel and I would survive together. I would see to it.
Chapter 22 - Ninel
After having dinner with Artyom five days ago, things had been great between us. As promised, he ordered me the car that I wanted and I chose a Mercedes. We also discussed the art gallery I wanted to open, but I decided it would be best to wait until after the baby was born, and he agreed.
He told me that Yegor delivered my credit cards back to Lev and he also returned my phone to me. While I was in contact with my sisters, a part of me was afraid to contact my brothers. Because even though things had gotten better between Artyom and I, that didn’t mean anything had changed between him and my brothers.
But, I couldn't help but feel guilty that as I let the relationship that I had with my brothers slip between my fingers I was trying to build one with my husband.
And the key word here was…trying…
Because Artyom was as controlling as he was possessive. We fought over everything: what I ate, when I should rest, even how many laps I took around the estate daily to prove I was getting enough exercise. Then he brought home classical music and headphones, ordering me to strap them to my stomach so the baby could “enhance his fetal development.” His words, not mine. And of course, he insists it’s a boy, another thing that made me want to rip his tongue from his mouth. As though having a girl first would make him less of a man. It was infuriating!
However, in our bedroom…in his arms, every inch of me was his to command. I needed that escape, those moments to connect with him. But when we stepped back into the world, thatbond fractured. And the distance between us stung and created a hollow ache in me, one that grew daily.
Perhaps I only trusted him in the dark, when no one could see. Behind those closed doors, I could strip away the masks my family had taught me to wear. There, I became my truest self: vulnerable, unguarded, his. Our stubborn wills built the tension, and only there did it unravel. If only he’d meet me halfway out there instead of trying to control everything. I wasn’t one of his men. I was his wife. I wished he’d listen to me sometimes. I hated that I only felt close to him in the bedroom. I wanted that same unity when the sun was up, when pride wasn’t in the way.
But, could I really be happily married to Artyom and cut all ties with my brothers, if my husband insisted on keeping them at arms length?
Katya had told me that Artyom and my brothers did in fact settle the negotiations for our marriage. But, every time I brought up seeing my brothers, he’d tell me he didn’t want to talk about it and then crush his lips to mine, making me forget what I had asked him in the first place.
Now, we sat in his car on the way to his family’s mansion. His siblings would be there as well as my sisters. And I hadn’t seen Vera, Katya, and Mariya since the last time, and I needed to update them. But, Kira comes to visit and stays with me when Artyom has to work late or doesn’t come home until the next day.
When we pulled into the estate that the Rykov family mansion sat on, I saw Tomas, Jaroslav’s driver, and Rocco, Lev’s driver, standing in front of their vehicles, indicating that Katya and Vera were there. Tomas and Rocco were dressed in tactical gear, earpieces snug in their ears. A few other SUVs lingered in the driveway.
Before I could focus on the other cars, Artyom switched off the engine, cupped my face, and pulled me into a kiss.
When he pulled away, his eyes searched mine.
“I wasn't totally honest about today,” he said, his face unreadable.
My heart slammed against my ribs. “W-what do you mean?”
“Your sisters aren't the only ones here…your brothers are, too.”
Instead of relief, a wave of anxiety rolled through me.
“My brothers…are here?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“They need to see you. To make sure you're alive. Stay there. I’ll come around.”
