All the confidence I fell asleep with disappears minute by minute within seconds of me waking up. The flight attendant is the one to wake me, warning me we land in twenty minutes. He lets me know it’s a little after seven in the morning and that while it is chilly now, it will warm up within a few hours.
It takes less than half the time it used to for me to put my hair in a French braid. Getting dressed, I smooth down the skirt of the chiffon halter maxi dress I’m wearing to please Ivan. It goes up to my neck and down to my ankles. The pretty coral, pink, and purple chiffon compliments my skin, and the cinched belt at my waist shows my curves without screaming them. I hate that it’s sleeveless, though, so I grab a thin pink chiffon jacket to go over it.
Walking into the cabin, Ivan doesn’t even look up when I say good morning. I buckle into a chair at the attendant’s request with a sinking sensation in my stomach.
The ice is back, he’s cool, no touching or looking my way on the drive to his house from the airport. I get out when the chauffer opens my door only to realize too late that Ivan isn’t. The car pulls away without Ivan saying a word.
Weary, I turn back to what looks like a set for a PBS period drama. Not a castle exactly, but definitely not a house. The place is enormous, even the freaking door is huge. I’m still taking it all in when a woman comes outside wearing an old-fashioned maid’s uniform. She’s young, maybe early twenties.
“Ma’am.” Odd, it sounds like she’s saying mum. “Are you coming in? Mr. Volkov says I’m to see to your needs while you’re here.”
For a heartbeat, I imagine walking away. Ivan would follow. He wouldn’t let me get far, and maybe while he was dragging me back he’d talk to me. Only I don’t want to, not really.
I hate the whole manipulation thing, and with whatever the hell is happening right now it would add to his stress. As angry as I am with him, I don’t want him stressed any more than he is. I nod and follow the woman.
Walking inside, my jaw drops in awe at the large grand entryway. I didn’t know wood could be shiny, but the wood on the walls is a dark golden color gleaming under the massive crystal chandelier.
“Would you like me to show you to your room or the drawing room? I can have cook prepare tea.”
“I just want to lie down for a bit.” I’m getting overwhelmed, between this place and the way Ivan was behaving. I just want to hole up.
With a nod she moves t
o the stairs. The stairs are stunning, carved in such rich detail I can’t imagine the time it would have taken to do it. I shake my head as I take in the oil paintings along the walls. This whole place is something off a movie set.
We’re on the second-floor landing, when a woman appears.
I have no doubt who she is. Caramel skin, jet-black hair and eyes, she looks like a Bollywood actress walking off a poster.
“Well, well, well, you are not at all what I imagined. I had no idea Ivan has a thing for fat birds. No wonder he’s not interested in me.”
After the last day, I am in no fucking mood. Ice settles over me, a lesson learned from Ivan. “Ivan isn’t interested in you because you’re a bratty child and he doesn’t play with children. He prefers women.”
Turning away to follow the maid, I don’t give her another thought.
Mishka grabs my wrist; her eyes are on my ring. “You’re a whore and you don’t deserve him.”
I yank my arm back. “Ivan loves me. He’s going to marry me. You need to get over it and get on with your life. I get it, he’s gorgeous and every woman who meets him falls a little in love with him, but Ivan knows what he wants. There is not a single doubt in his mind, ever, there is no changing his mind. He won’t stop until he gets what he wants. He wants me and I’m not going anywhere. If he had wanted you, he would have had you already. Don’t go away mad, just go away.”
Without a look back, I follow the maid to the third floor and into a massive bedroom with a sitting area in front of a fireplace as big as I am.
It isn’t easy, but over the next few hours I work on an acquisition I’m hoping will appeal to Ivan. I wimp out and have breakfast and lunch in the room. I’m starting to wonder if Ivan is ever coming home when he walks through the door.
“Is she okay?”
He goes still. “Who?”
What? “Your mom.”
Another freeze before a small nod. “Yes. I’m going to have a shower. Dinner is in a half hour. You look fine, no need to change.”
I stare after him in helpless wonder of what the fuck I’m supposed to do.
Not another word to me until he’s dressed and at the door. “Christina, come.”
I toss my laptop onto the desk. Did he really just order me like I was a fucking dog? “Why bother? What the fuck is going on with you? There is no way in hell anyone looking at us would think you even like me, let alone want to marry me. No, tell them I have a headache or something, jet lag. I don’t care—”
Fury stamped across his face, he grabs me by the arm and yanks me off the couch. “You are coming down to dinner. We had an agreement, damn it. I haven’t turned my life upside down for you to chicken out now. Do not push me or I’ll carry your ass downstairs. And when we come back up here, you will receive a punishment unlike anything you have ever known.”