This was going to be my first night out with Nikolai Tarasov. And although I had no idea what to expect, I was glad to finally see the world beyond the gates of the estate.
Could this be classified as a date or what? Where was he even taking me?
I drew a deep breath. “Relax, girl. It’s just some harmless time out. What could possibly go wrong?”
Uh, a lot!a voice answered in my head.Have you not seen a Hollywood movie before? Every time someone says that, something terrible always happens.
Good thing this was reality, then. I had nothing to worry about.
That was how I shoved the negative thought to the back of my mind and headed downstairs.
At first, there was no shift in his expression when he saw me. But when I drew closer to him, I watched his brows slowly and discreetly rise, as if stunned by my appearance.
He was dressed in a sharp, perfectly tailored black suit, with his short dark hair styled flawlessly for the first time. Weird.
Nik’s hair was always slightly tousled, often slicked back with no care. But tonight, it was different—a good different—and if I didn’t know better, I’d think he did that to impress me.
And are you impressed?
Maybe I was.
His gray eyes—cold as ice—were pinned on me as I walked over to him. He stood tall with his hand in his pocket, his posture exuding confidence and power.
He didn’t say anything, not a single word. But his eyes did all the talking, and he wouldn’t stop staring at me. His gaze was uncomfortable at first, but I couldn’t stop reveling in the lust flickering in his eyes. He looked at me like a hungry beast that would jump on me at any time and devour my flesh.
“Katerina said you were taking me somewhere,” I said, my low voice filling the awkward silence.
He cleared his throat, then glanced at his Rolex. “That’s correct.”
“Can I ask where?”
“I’d ask you to trust me, but you wouldn’t,” he said, looking into my eyes.
I shrugged my shoulders casually. “Well, I’m all dressed up for you, aren’t I?”
He was quiet, with a faint smirk tugging at the corners of his mouth. “I guess you are,” he murmured softly.
***
He took me to a sleek nightclub downtown—one of the many he owned across the city. The place was alive with loud music, flashing lights, and frenzied bodies dancing to the DJ’s hypnotic beat.
The air was thick with the scents of perfumes and colognes, blending with sweat and expensive liquor.
He held my hand tightly as we moved through the crowd, our path directed by his bodyguards. We were led up to theVIP section above the dance floor—above the chaos below that almost looked elegant.
It was more peaceful up here—less crowded, quieter, and more private. This section exuded luxury and comfort—adorned with velvet couches, gold-rimmed glasses, and two bottles of vodka chilling in a bucket of ice.
I sat beside him and crossed my legs, the rhythmic thrum of the music vibrating through my body. He swung his arm over the back of the couch, his eyes locked on me.
“What will you have,Dikaya?” he asked, his voice smooth and nearly charming.
I paused for a moment, eyes scanning the environment. The few other people around us were all holding glasses of vodka and expensive liquor—including the women. I wasn’t in the mood to drink, nor did I have any intentions of getting wasted tonight. So, I didn’t mind being the odd one out—I was never the type to be pressured into doing anything I didn’t want to do anyway.
“Food,” I answered, looking right into those cold eyes of his. “The kind that doesn’t come with an aftertaste of regret.”
His lips curled into a faint grin as he raised his hand and snapped his fingers to summon a hostess. A moment later, one approached smoothly, setting down a tray of crystal glasses and a variety of small bites.
I eyed the spread—olives, slivers of smoked salmon, and caviar toasts.
