A Fated Night

by Kay Loren

  “Just tell her and have her sign it all away,” Sergei said.

  “I don’t know what to tell her first, that Tatiana will be staying with us for a while or what Carlo and I discussed,” Nikolai said with a forced laugh.

  Chapter Thirty- Two

  “I got you a few pairs of these,” Nikki said holding up several pairs of black leggings and then reaching into one of the brown shopping bags and pulling out a few cashmere sweaters. “Just comfy things that your body can adjust to as it grows.”

  “I picked out a few dresses for you,” Svetlana smiled and showed Audrina the various dresses in different lengths, styles and colors. There was a yellow button one that caught her eye.

  “And we got you some underwear, bras, tank tops and oh, a jean jacket,” Nikki said showing off everything. There was enough clothes in the large bags that would be considered a whole wardrobe.

  “Thank you guys,” Audrina smiled looking at all the clothes that were displayed neatly on the bed. “I know it must be hard to shop for a pregnant woman.”

  “It’s actually really fun!” Svetlana smiled. “It’s like dressing a doll.”

  A quick knock rapped on the door before Alek entered the room with some bags in hand.

  “Hey,” He pressed his lips together.

  “What are those?” Nikki gestured to the bags he placed on the floor.

  Alek glanced at Audrina and then said, “Tatiana’s. She is going to be staying with us for a little while.”

  Audrina did not say anything. She wasn’t sure what she thought about it. Her stomach was slightly cramping and it took all her strength not to just fall to the bed and sleep. Her stomach had been cramping all day now that she thought about it.

  “Why? And why this room?” Svetlana asked with her arms crossed over her chest. “There is a lot of rooms to choose from. Why this one?”

  “I have no idea,” Alek sighed exasperated. “I just take orders, not ask questions.”

  “You can stay in my room with me or the one next to mine,” Svetlana said turning to Audrina. “I can keep my eye on you.”

  “No,” Alek stated giving Svetlana a stern look . “Nikolai wants Audrina in his room.”

  Audrina beamed inside although her face remained impassive. She was excited to share Nikolai’s room yet she could only begin to wonder why Tatiana was going to one, stay in the house, and two, in the room she had been in for the last few days.

  “I’ll help you move your things in a minute,” Alek said turning his attention to Audrina. “Let me just bring Tatiana’s stuff.”

  “There’s more stuff?” Nikki asked. There were already five bags in the room.

  “Yes,” He sighed. “She crammed her whole damn house in ten bags in less than half an hour.”

  “Is Nikolai back yet?” Audrina asked, hoping he was back after being gone most of the day.

  “No,” Alek shook his head. “He most likely won’t be home until the late night.”

  Audrina frowned and glanced at Nikki who returned her expression with a reassuring smile. Nikki had assured her that they always came home.

  “Why don’t Svetlana and I help you move your things into Nikolai’s room?” Nikki suggested.

  “I will help her,” Alek stated sternly.

  “You’re busy enough it seems and we’re not doing anything,” Nikki said.

  Alek scratched the back the back of his head, considering her offer. He looked down at Tatiana’s luggage and sighed. “Fine. Thanks.”

  Svetlana let out a gleeful cheer and gathered up the clothes on the bed with Nikki. When Audrina tried to reach for a bag, Nikki and Svetlana shooed her away and insisted they carry everything to Nikolai’s room and for her to just follow along.

  “Hey Alek,” Audrina said after Nikki and Svetlana left the room and right before Alek was leaving as well.

  “Yeah?” Alek said with furrowed brows.

  “Do you know where my bag is by chance?” she asked. “The one I had when I came here? Or if I brought it. I mean I had it the night I was in the hotel…”

  Alek let out a deep breath. “I think Nikolai has it put away somewhere.”

  From the way Alek said it, Audrina assumed that there was no way he was going to give it to her if she asked. She would just have to ask Nikolai when she saw him.

  “Okay,” she pressed her lips together.

  Alek gave her a small smile. “Do you need anything out of it? Makeup or something?”

  “No,” she shook her head. “I just wanted to know if I brought it.”

  Alek gave her a reassuring smile and then glanced out the door. “I don’t think she’ll stay long.”

  “Tatiana?”

  “Yeah,” he nodded. “I can only imagine how weird it must be to have her stay here. Let alone down the hall where you were staying but she insisted on being close to Nikolai’s room.”

  Audrina bit the inside of her cheek. She had so many questions as to why Tatiana was here in the first place and why she wanted to stay nearby Nikolai. But the only thing she could say was, “It’s not my home.”

  “It is your home,” Alek stated. “You’re with Nikolai now. What’s his is yours.”

  Audrina smiled at Alek’s statement yet it could not persuade her that that was how Nikolai felt. She had only been here a few days and everyone was more than welcoming, but it was not her home.

  “Alek!” Tatiana’s voice could be heard booming from somewhere in the house.

  Alek rolled his eyes and sighed exasperated. He rubbed his face with both hands and let out an annoyed groan. “Believe me, she will not stay in this house more than three days.”

  Tatiana’s voice called out again. This time more forceful and louder causing Alek to make a motion that he was going to choke her if she called again. Audrina stifled a giggle.

  “You should go before she comes up here.”

  Alek agreed with a nod. “I’ll make sure you’re settled in to Nikolai’s room when I finish up.”

  Audrina nodded and watched as he hurried down out of the room. She looked around the room she had been staying in making sure nothing was left of hers.

  Olga entered the room with a basket in hand. Her round face was screwed tight in a scowl and she huffed upon entering but her face softened a bit when she saw Audrina in the room.

  “Bed,” Olga pointed to the bed and the basket she set down on the floor with new sheets.

  “You’re changing the sheets,” Audrina stated. Olga was not fluent in English but she could make out a few words.

  Olga nodded with an eye roll. “Tatiana. Want clean.”

  “She wants the room clean.”

  Olga nodded and went straight to work on stripping the bed of sheets. Audrina instantly went to help her and Olga accepted, clearly wanting to be out of the room before Tatiana came in. She helped Olga place the new, blue bedding onto the queen sized bed. The color reminded her of the bed in the hotel. It was the last thing she remembered before Gino had drugged her.

  Bile rose to her throat again and her eyes burned with the threat of tears. She felt as if the walls of the room were caving in on her and soon found herself running to the terrace to get fresh air. She felt Olga’s hand on her back as she dry heaved over the iron railing. Tears ran down her face as the incident with Gino replayed in her mind.

  “Audri!” she heard the familiar voice of Nikki at her side. Nikki wrapped an arm around her back and tried to soothe Audrina through sobs. “What happened? Why are you crying?”

  Audrina tried to force a laugh but she only felt the tears run hot down her face. “Gino... Those sheets… I thought about the other night…”

  Nikki pulled Audrina into an embrace. “It’s okay. Nothing happened. You’re here. You’re safe. The baby is safe. “

  Audrina nodded knowing she was safe. She didn’t know that seeing some dumb sheets would trigger such emotions from her. Nothing happened. Nikolai got me in time.

  “I’m sorry,” Audrina said to Nikki, Olga an
d Svetlana who joined them on the terrace. “I’m hormonal.”

  Nikki giggled and kissed the side of her head. “It’s okay. You want to go rest? Svet and I put all your things in Nikolai’s room.”

  Audrina nodded and followed Svetlana and Nikki to Nikolai’s room after apologizing to Olga. Olga had only waved a dismissive hand and assured Audrina that it was normal to feel high emotions.

  Nikolai’s room was massive! It was nearly the size of her whole apartment. He kept the décor very minimal, keeping a theme of white, gold and grey to match the white marbled floor. The bed was enormous, white and round, propped up on a podium, surrounded by four white pillars and a sheer canopy. Grey pillows were displayed neatly over multiple other pillows matching the thin borders of the white walls.

  A fire place laid on the other side of the wall, directly across from the bed and a large flat screen television sat above that with a grey couch neatly placed in front. Sliding glass windows took up one whole side of the wall illuminating the room in the afternoon’s glow.

  “I know what you’re thinking,” Svetlana chuckled. “All this room and he’s so basic.”

  “His room in his penthouse is much different,” Audrina chuckled.

  “It is,” Tatiana’s voice could be heard as she entered the room. She looked around Nikolai’s room with a smug expression on her face. “His room in his penthouse is all black, gold and marvelous. You’d think he’d do the same décor in this bedroom.”

  Audrina felt a pang of jealously. How in the hell does Tatiana know what the penthouse room looks like?

  Tatiana chuckled lightly and shrugged when she saw Audrina’s puzzled expression. She frowned and produced a handkerchief from her pants as she sauntered up to Audrina. “Oh, darling, what happened?”

  Audrina was taken aback by Tatiana’s gentle touch on her face but then she remembered she must have looked a mess from crying.

  “Hormones,” she replied with a small smile after realizing all the emotions she was feeling were most likely due to the baby in her belly.

  Tatiana nodded and placed the handkerchief in Audrina’s palm. “Crying is bad for baby. Be happy.”

  Audrina smiled. Tatiana’s smile was infectious. She didn’t seem so bad yet Nikki kept a close eye on Tatiana. Svetlana communicated with Tatiana in Russian and it seemed like they got on well after a quick conversation.

  “I’ll only be staying a week at the most,” Tatiana explained. “Work related issues.”

  Tatiana looked around the room again slowly taking in everything. She glanced at Nikki, Svetlana and eventually Audrina before she announced that she was going to settle in.

  “She’s not so bad,” Svetlana whispered. “But Olga said to keep my eyes open around her.”

  “I agree,” Nikki said. “I don’t trust her.”

  “What’s the worst she can do?” Audrina sighed gazing at the bed, imagining herself asleep on the comfy sheets. She really wanted to sleep.

  “Try to seduce Nikolai for one,” Nikki said and then turned to Svetlana. “Not that your brother would go for it.”

  Svetlana shook her head, placing a hand on Audrina’s shoulder. The thought of Nikolai and Tatiana -mingled against one another- left a bitter taste on Audrina’s tongue.

  “If you guys don’t mind, I’m really tired,” Audrina yawned. Her stomach was having a slight cramping sensation again, which she attributed it to overindulging in breakfast.

  Svetlana and Nikki left at once and closed the door behind them. Audrina looked around the room stepping further in to the vast open space. Audrina could see a closet at the end of the room next to the bathroom but she didn’t bother going in. Instead she flung herself onto the bed and felt immediately comforted by the soft sheets on her cheek and the plush feel of the bed under her. Her eyes began to close slowly as she stroked her small belly.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Nikolai could not wait to see Audrina after a long and stressful day. He longed to finish what they started in the pool room after dinner which he made a point to make it on time to. When he walked into the dining room after Sergei, he frowned when he did not see Audrina. Nikki and Svetlana were there with Alek laughing and joking about nonsense.

  Olga quickly came over to Nikolai side and poured him a glass of wine.

  “Where is Audrina?” he asked Svetlana and Nikki.

  “She’s resting,” Nikki answered. “She’s been tired a lot.”

  “Why?” he asked.

  “She’s pregnant,” Alek stated with a chuckle. “Olga and I checked on her about a hour ago. She had some tea and crackers and then fell asleep.”

  Nikolai nodded, content that she at least ate something. He was determined to rush through dinner and then go to her. He loosened his tie a bit, trying to ease the tension from his shoulders.

  “Everything smells amazing,” Tatiana said as she came into the dining room.

  Nikki and Svetlana’s eyes shot up when they noticed what a short black dress Tatiana was wearing. It showed off her beautiful long legs and her alabaster skin but it was far from being presentable clothing.

  “Audrina?” Tatiana asked, looking around the dining room table.

  “Upstairs,” Sergei answered.

  Tatiana nodded and took the seat next to Nikolai. He returned her smile when she beamed up at him but then her smile dampened when her eyes lingered on his neck.

  Audrina…

  Although he did not mind one bit that she had marked him -he loved that she wanted to make her claim- he didn’t want Tatiana to feel uncomfortable either. He cleared his throat and fixed his tie again so the marks would be less visible to her.

  Nikolai could feel Nikki’s eyes burning into him. Every time Tatiana leaned into his space or every time he patted Tatiana’s hand to assure her everything was going to be okay, he could feel Nikki’s eyes scorch him.

  “How was shopping?” Nikolai asked to break the tension between him and Nikki.

  “It was fun!” Svetlana answered when Nikki stayed silent. “I hope Audrina can come next time! We can shop for maternity clothes for her! Remember Nikki, that shop down from Ralph Lauren? They had the cutest clothes for pregnant women.”

  “Yeah,” Nikki nodded picking at her food.

  “They need designers who can make clothes for pregnant women,” Tatiana interjected. “All they can wear are stretchy pants and sweaters. No fashion.”

  “Hopefully when I’m pregnant someone will make fashionable clothes,” Svetlana nodded and began a whole conversation with Tatiana about fashion and Paris.

  Nikolai glanced over at Nikki who was whispering to Sergei. Sergei only nodded and kissed the side of her temple. Nikolai couldn’t hear much over Tatiana and Svetlana’s excited chatter but he did catch the phrase, ‘when can we go home’?

  We…

  He asked Sergei what Nikki had asked when they were conversing moments before.

  Sergei frowned with a shrug. “She’s worried about her job and apartment…”

  “Is her boss giving her a hard time?”

  “No. She just wants to get back to work and go back to her normal everyday life.”

  “She has everything she needs here,” Nikolai stated.

  “It’s not the same,” he replied quickly before Nikki turned back to him.

  Nikolai frowned. He wanted everything to go back to normal too. The whole Michael, D’Amuri and Cathan stuff was stressing him out and having him on edge. He thought it wise to enjoy himself the rest of the night before Michael saw what he had retaliated back with. So many things were going through his mind that he had a migraine from it. He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples with the tips of his fingers.

  “You still have those horrible headaches?” he heard Tatiana whisper to him.

  Nikolai opened his eyes and met her dark gaze. He could only nod.

  “Want me to get you some pain reliever?” she asked hopeful.

  “I’m okay,” he said feeling Nikki’s glare burn into him agai
n from across the table.

  After dinner was cleared off the table, Nikolai stood to leave.

  “Where are you going?” Tatiana and Svetlana asked him at once.

  “Bed. I’m tired.”

  “But you haven’t had dessert,” Svetlana pouted.

  “I’m not in the mood,” he said and walked over to Svetlana and placed a kiss on her head. “Good night.”

  Olga came from the door to the kitchen and already had a small plate of bird’s milk cake on a plate for him.

  “I made your favorite,” she said and pushed the small plate with the marshmallow and chocolate dessert into his hand. “Take it to bed and enjoy it.”

  “Thank you,” Nikolai smiled at Olga gratefully and left the dining room.

  When he got back up to his room, he saw that the lights were dimmed and Audrina lay in the middle of the bed with her hand on her belly and Valdik nestled up close to her thighs. He smiled seeing how peaceful and beautiful she slept. Her breathing was soft and steady and for a quick moment, the thought of her the night back in the hotel flashed through his mind.

  Quickly, he shook the bitter thought out of his mind. She is safe. Here. In my bed. In my home. He placed the piece of cake on the nightstand and sat on the edge of the bed. He tossed his jacket and tie to the side. He hadn’t realize just how tired he was. He reached down to take off his shoes when he felt her stir.

  “Hi,” she whispered.

  Nikolai turned to her with a smile. Her honey colored eyes seemed more vibrant and bright in the dim glow of the room. He laid on his side and faced her. “Hi,” he brought his knuckles to her cheek and stroked her soft skin gently. “Are you hungry?”

  “No,” she shook her head with her perfect nose scrunched up when he offered her the dessert on the nightstand.

  Nikolai kissed the tip of her nose and chuckled when he saw Valdik rise from his spot by Audrina’s thighs and then plop himself down in between the two of them. He scratched behind Valdik’s ear.

  “He’s adorable,” Audrina smiled and smoothed her hand over the dog’s shiny coat. “I think he likes the baby already.”