Beyond Taken (The Beyond Series Book 5)

by Ashley Logan

  His hand stills in my hair and he shifts his head at a better angle to see my face. "Are you kidding?"

  Shrugging, I smile and snuggle back into him; because he loves it.

  "Everyone always told me off for it."

  "Who?"

  "Everyone. My family, my friends, teachers, bosses. All these people say I waste my time and theirs."

  His hand resumes its stroking through my hair and I close my eyes as I listen to his heart again.

  "Never wasted on me Natascha. I would happily live in any world you want to create."

  "I know. You are in all of them, so do not worry. I do not leave you behind even when I think you are dead. I am yours forever too."

  "Thank you for keeping me with you," he whispers as he kisses my head. "Means the best part of me was real somewhere all this time."

  "Always best man to me," I whisper back as the heaviness of sleep calls to me. Kissing his chest, I let his heart lure me deeper into relaxation, but soon it seems to have other ideas. For some reason, his heart had started pounding faster and more strongly.

  "Is okay, Niko?" I mumble, running my hand over his chest before lifting my face to study his. "Heart is going crazy."

  "Yeah," he agrees, wetting his lips and swallowing visibly. "I was... sort of imagining something and I uh..."

  "Were there crocodiles?" I ask with a smile as I settle onto his chest and tidy a half curl from his forehead. I joke, because his face is so serious and his heart is still going nuts beneath me.

  "Uh, no," he informs me with a genuine smile. "No crocodiles."

  He opens his mouth to say something else, but then shakes his head.

  "Tell me! I am so sleepy but I will not sleep when you are imagining secrets!" Poking him in the sides, I make him laugh as he squirms. "I am pleased to find you are so ticklish. I will be using this information against you!"

  Laughing harder, he flips us over and pins me.

  "Mmm. I like this too," I confess as his weight presses into me. "I will definitely be tickling you again."

  Grinning, he kisses me long and slow.

  "I did not forget about secret. You will tell me now?" I ask immediately when he finally releases my mouth.

  Still smiling, he kisses me again. "Of course you wouldn't forget."

  Wrapping my legs around him, I make a sexy pout. "You will please tell me?"

  Kissing my pout, he sighs. "It wasn't so much about telling as asking," he replies, kissing me again.

  "Your heart is bouncing again, Niko. I can feel it through your chest. What are you asking?"

  Taking a deep breath, he sets his jaw and nods. "I was imagining what you might do if I asked you to marry me."

  Staring at him for a long while, I raise my eyebrows. "And? What did you imagine?"

  "About how I would ask you, or how you would react?" he jokes, avoiding my eyes.

  "Both." Settling into the mattress beneath him, I wriggle until I can cross my arms in front of me, then I raise my eyebrows again; waiting.

  Sighing, he lowers himself back to my side and I roll to face him.

  He kisses my nose.

  "I pictured taking you to the blossoms at sunset," he whispers. "And dancing with you as the wind blew them around us. We'd be listening to a recording of you singing You're the One That I Want - because I wouldn't be able to think of a way to make you sing it without making you suspicious, and when the song ended, I'd get down on one knee. I'd tell you that from the moment I first saw you, I'd imagined a life so far beyond my reach that I'd almost decided that once my mission was completed, I'd disappear from the world altogether."

  Brushing a tear from my cheek, he kisses my forehead.

  "I'd tell you that finding you thrown into my world, gave me something more to live for. I was drifting, but you captured my heart with your sweetness and your strength. You found me in the jungle and showed me how to survive the monsters, but you never really saw me as one of them. You peeled off my monster suit and reminded the boy trapped inside, how to love and for that, he's forever grateful.

  "As the blossoms swirled around us, I'd profess my undying love for you and beg you to do the honor of staying in my life forever. As my wife. That I would respect and worship you every day for as long as we both shall live, because you are the one that I want. The only one I'll ever want. And... then I would hold out a nice ring that would be a symbol of my promise to love you forever."

  Sniffing, I wipe my eyes as he smiles at me.

  "That is a very nice proposal, Niko. I can imagine how I responded."

  "Really?" he asks, pressing his forehead to mine. "That's the part I was having trouble with. There are so many options."

  "Like what?" I ask, unable to stifle a giggle at the nervous look on his face.

  A crease forms between his brows despite his smile.

  "Don't laugh," he says, part plea and part warning. "One time I imagined you ripped my heart out and threw it on the ground. All the blossoms and dirt stuck to it. It was gross."

  I laugh a little harder.

  "I do not think I would be so cruel after you had been so brave and vulnerable," I soothe, stroking his face. "I imagine I would have lunged at you and we would fall on ground as I kiss you all over your face while I say, 'Yes Niko, I would love to be your wife!' And you would be happy, but also freaking out, because I had made you drop the ring and it was lost in the blossoms and now we had to find it, or other people wouldn't believe that I had said yes. But when you stopped to think, you would see that it did not matter, because we would know the truth."

  Staring at me a moment, he nods. "Your imagination is much better than mine."

  Sealing my mouth in a hungry kiss, he pulls back and looks me in the eye. "So, you'll marry me?"

  "I already said yes! Was most perfect proposal ever!"

  Grinning, he wraps his arms around me and we celebrate with tender kisses and sweet whispers.

  CHAPTER THIRTY

  When I open my eyes, it's as if we've returned to our ship cabin in only one way - I have no idea what time of the day it is.

  Nikolai stirs next to me, mumbling something sweet as he pulls me closer.

  Patting him on the hand, I lift his arm off me and roll to the edge of the bed.

  "You want coffee?"

  Moaning, he rolls onto his back and stares at my ceiling. Eyes widening as he studies the mural painted up there, he nods.

  "Please. So much coffee. Black." Pointing at the ceiling as I pull on my robe, he looks to me.

  "My roommate - Bruno - you met him yesterday. The big one," I remind him when his blank stare begins to unnerve me. "He paints. I asked him to paint me a jungle. He doesn't know why, but he is very good, yes?"

  Nikolai nods. "Very good."

  "Okay. You watch the jungle and I will get the coffee."

  Heading to the bathroom quickly and then to the kitchen, I feel as though I'm walking on air. Permitting myself a secret twirl in the hallway, I float into the kitchen to find that it's actually lunchtime according to the clock on the stove.

  No wonder I'm starving.

  Tapping my lips, I study the items in the fridge, trying to decide what to offer Nikolai for breakfast. I have no idea what kind of meals he ate whilst on the Moskva-Liis, but at least I can do better than floury apples and half-stale bread. And chocolate.

  The chocolate had made everything better.

  Once away from the big ship we'd had time to assess our supplies in the lifeboat. Water bottles rolled about at our feet and there were tightly rolled blankets that we quickly opened out to cover each other, but the most astonishing thing, was the chocolate bars.

  They were everywhere. All over the bottom of our boat and tucked into hollows in its sides, like a chocolate bar lottery jackpot.

  I'd watched the girls' faces lighting up as they tore into the wrappers, and the looks on their faces as they took their first bites. It was as if the first sparks of life were being returned to them, offering a glimpse of h
ope.

  Nikolai had done that.

  How many boxes of chocolate he must have won over the weeks, I couldn't say.

  Smiling at the memory, I close the fridge and check out Kat's baking tins. There's always something amazingly delicious in there, and that man deserves all the treats I can find.

  I look up to find most of my roommates crowded into the doorway. Clearing my thoughts of Niko, I give them a sideways glance.

  “You people are being strange. Kat, I know I should not be greedy, but can I take some treats from each tin? I cannot decide.”

  “Take whatever you want,” she replies in vague tone.

  “Thanks.” Busying myself filling a plate, I turn to get two cups when I stop again.

  “Seriously.” I point at them all as they remain clogging the door. “Strange. Anyone else want coffee?”

  A jumble of responses gives me the impression that no-one is interested in coffee. Just as I reach for the pot and find it missing, I turn to see it held out by Smith. Taking it, I pour my two cups and hand it back before starting to seal up the baking tins again. As I stack them back on the counter, the weight of their eyes becomes too much and I turn to face them.

  “Okay. What is it?” I demand, looking down at myself. “I remembered to put my robe on. What? Is it my hair?” I ask, running my fingers through it.

  “You’re singing,” Benji says, nabbing a cookie from the plate I’m holding and stuffing it in his mouth as his eyes stay glued to me like everyone else’s.

  “What?”

  “Babe, you’re busy getting breakfast for that man candy you brought home and you’re singing your tits off,” Reeni clarifies. “I have never heard a Guns ‘n’ Roses song sound like that. It’s fucking amazing. Did you shag so much you went deaf? Or was he all you needed this whole time? What the fuck?”

  Feeling my cheeks burning and my heart hammering inside my chest, I raise my chin and curtsy to signal the end of whatever performance I've just given them.

  “I didn’t realize I was singing, but I am not surprised. Nikolai, he...” Shaking my head, I feel sure that I must be even more pink-faced. “We will talk later,” I assure them as I back away with the plate of muffins and cookies.

  “We should,” Kat agrees, nodding as she swipes a stack of letters off the kitchen island and hands me two of them. “Go have your coffee. Warn Nick that we’re all going to just freak him out when he shows his face. We can’t wait to meet him for real, and we are all going to fail miserably at being subtle in our welcome.”

  Tucking my mail under my wing, I nod. “Good call. Thanks. I will sneak him out the back instead.” Grabbing the coffee mugs, I bow out and slip away as quickly as I can.

  Knocking on my own door with my foot, I smile when Nikolai opens it a crack and then all the way, revealing that his jeans are on, but not buttoned.

  "I cannot imagine you in any other type of pants. Did you know this? In my head, you are always in jeans, or no pants at all."

  "Same as real life then," he says with a gorgeous smile as he takes the cups from me while I offload my mail and the plate of baking. Taking my cup back, I sip the black gold as I gesture for him to choose a treat.

  "They are all guaranteed delicious. Kat is a wonderful cook. Hmm," I add, holding up a finger as I swallow my sip. "She also reminded me to warn you that if they see you, you will be slammed with questions until you are forced to run away."

  Chewing his first cookie, he studies it and nods. "I like Kat already. And Bruno. And the one with the eyes that almost bit my head off."

  "Ireeni," I inform him with a grin. "She is one of my favorite people too. They all are. So when you can handle it, maybe sit for the questions and just get it over with so they can all love you too."

  Snorting, he reaches for another cookie. "Will there be more of these?"

  "I will make sure."

  "Good. I'll sit through anything you ask me to, but delicious cookies will undoubtedly make it better." Leaning in for a kiss, his eyes fall behind me and he frowns.

  "Why do you have so much mail? Is it fan mail?" he asks, before shaking his head. "Don't answer that. I don't want to think about it right now."

  Smacking his arm, I turn to view the pile as it lurches sideways. I really have let it get out of control.

  "I have not been very strong in myself for the last few weeks. Months maybe. I have not had the mind to deal with..." I gesture at the pile. "Life stuff."

  "Some of them look important," he says, fanning them and plucking out several official-looking envelopes. Some with eagle stamps on them. He takes a closer look. "Natascha?"

  His tone makes me wince.

  "I know. Is bad. I will open today. Fill out forms. It will be fine."

  "These are from Immigration."

  I nod.

  "This one says Final Notice," he says in a disbelieving tone before running his finger under the words to show me before checking the postage stamp for a date. "A month ago? Fuck!"

  Thrusting it at me, his eyes are all business. "Open it now."

  Doing so with shaky hands, I don't take my eyes off him.

  "It will be okay, Niko. FBI say I will stay. I will stay."

  "They also told you I was dead," he replies in a harsh tone. "Sorry. I can't lose you. Not now."

  "Will not lose me, Niko. Stop being drama boy," I grumble, unfolding the letter and trying to focus on the words.

  Nikolai reads it over my shoulder and is a faster reader than me, because he's already swearing when I read the word 'deportation'.

  Searching his pockets, he curses again as he looks out the door. Grabbing my hand, he pulls me behind him as he navigates easily back to our living room.

  "Hi everyone, I'm Nick. I've got a crisis on my hands right now because the woman I love is about to be deported, but I'll answer all your questions after I make a loud phone call. Excuse me," he says, all in a rush.

  Frisking his coat, he pulls out his phone and scrolls through his numbers as my roommates and I stare at him. Holding the phone to his ear, he looks around, and leans towards me.

  "We should go somewhere more private. But bigger than your room," he adds. "I'm going to be pacing like a motherfucker." Kissing my head, he greets the person on the other end of the phone in a charming enough tone, but by the time I've led him across the room towards the quiet study lounge, he's yelling.

  "First you tell me she's dead and now you're kicking her out of the fucking country? What the hell is wrong with you people?"

  Glancing over my shoulder at my roommates, I give them an apologetic smile, drag Nikolai into the study and shut the door.

  I listen to his half of the conversation as he stalks back and forth, using the extra space to dissipate the fuming anger lines I imagine are radiating off him.

  "You have to."

  "Then get it reversed."

  "Her journal was key evidence."

  Gasping, I cover my mouth.

  "There were copies. Are you telling me all the copies went missing too?"

  "Fuck you."

  "It's right there in black and white. The names. The situation. Don't you 'technicality' this shit!"

  "She was sold. Taken against her will."

  "She was fucked by one of them," he growls. "Did you read the fucking thing, or not?"

  "I don't care if it says she wanted it! How much Stockholm syndrome did you shove down my fucking throat for that? Use the same shit to reverse it."

  Pinching the bridge of his nose, he takes a deep breath.

  "Don't tell me that. Tell me you're going to fix it, and then go fucking fix it, or I'll take matters into my own hands."

  His frown deepens, and his face takes on the expression of a snarling beast.

  "Do you want it to be a threat? Are you recording this to use as evidence against me now? After I gave you everything you wanted and you ruined my life? You owe me this much. I've found her and she's staying. Make it happen."

  Hanging up, he runs his hands thr
ough his hair and paces a while longer until he's calmer, then he takes me in his arms and kisses my head.

  "I won't let them take you."

  Although I know his conversation has not gone as he might have hoped, I believe him when he says this. Sighing, I press my head to his chest a moment before leaning back to see his face.

  "They have my notebook?"

  He shakes his head and pulls me in again. "Only copies. It went missing - stolen from the evidence locker."

  I frown. "Who would steal such a thing?"

  "A lonely thief," he replies with a sad shrug.

  I hug him tighter.

  "I'll give it back to you," he promises. "And the things I stole from your family home in Tallinn. Photo albums. They're yours. I was just keeping them safe. Or they were keeping me safe. I'm not sure which anymore."

  "Thank you," I whisper, feeling an ache in my chest for the man he must have been since we parted. "Can we get them now?"

  "Sure. Although, maybe we should get dressed properly first," he says with a snort as he squeezes my ass through my robe.

  "Mm," I agree. "And maybe shower again. You want to come?"

  Chuckling, he shakes his head. "I like smelling like you. And I probably owe your friends a few minutes of fun after what I just did. You shower and dress and I'll meet you at the coats ready to run. Yes?"

  "Is good plan." Reeling him in, I kiss him softly on the lips and pull him to the door.

  THEY'RE ALL LOOKING at me funny when I arrive in the living room.

  "What is it?" I ask, touching my still-wet hair and frowning.

  "Something on my face?" I'm eighty-five percent sure that I washed properly, but it had been hard not to daydream in the shower about the things I'd done in there earlier with Nikolai.

  "Your face is as beautiful as always," Nikolai says with a grin as he stands and pulls me over to the coats. Reeni gets up and starts getting into her coat too. As does everyone else.

  "What is going on?" I ask, viewing them all with suspicion.

  "We don't want to lose you either, so we're all going down to City Hall," Nina says with a secretive smile as she comes downstairs from her little apartment at the top of the building. She's getting into her coat too.