Nikolai, the golden son. The one who never wanted the weight of the Orlov name but wore it better than I ever could. He wanted out, always wanted out, but even with his desire to leave, he thought he was above us.
Above me.
But here we are. He has her and I don’t, so I guess there’s some truth to it.
I drag a shaky breath and let my weight sink back into the pillow.
I didn’t expect her. Didn’t expect to care about her. She was meant to be a pawn, a way to expose the De Lucas secrets and make her father sweat. Instead, she sliced into me.
The way she looks at me, suspicious but still seeing something worth saving—it’s infuriating. Addicting.
She surprised me. She made me want.
But that’s the problem. Wanting in this world is weakness. And weakness gets you dead.
I let my eyes close, every muscle in my face taut with the truth I’ve been circling since the first time she smiled at me.
I can’t let her leave here alive. My family will kill me if I do.
I have to tell them what she told me about her brother—that he plans to change the way Dante is running business.
Chapter 58
Aurelia
The water is warm, steam curling around us and fogging the mirror above the sink. Nikolai sits on a stool beside the tub, grey sleeves rolled to his forearms, his hands steady as he runs a cloth down my shoulder.
It should feel humiliating, having him tend to me like this, washing me like I’m some fragile thing. But his touch is careful in a way that makes my chest ache.
Should I have slept with Nikolai a few hours ago? No, probably not.
But I can at least say Itriedto kill him. I mean, I hardly lifted the knife, but at least I considered it.
He hasn’t mentioned it since, so I’m still waiting for that conversation.
It was probably a bit too drastic for me to consider. I know that.
I only knew Adrian for a week, and he grew into someone I trusted and cared for. Does it mean I am being too harsh with my disdain for Nikolai?
Possibly.
But no matter how much I learn about who he is, it will never change the fact that he has to die in order for me to escape—and for Enzo to fix our father’s mistakes.
“Are you always this gentle?” I whisper, half to break the silence, half because I need to know.
“Only with you,” he says simply.
My heart skips. I don’t want it to, but it does.
The TV show he put on plays faintly in the background, the familiar lines and laughter making the moment feel almost… normal. I catch myself smiling once, and when I glance at him, he’s already watching me. Always watching me.
“I told you I’d show you the capabilities of control and submission, Aurelia, and I intend to do so. I thought you might handle the control better to start.” He switches languages, but I don’t think he means to, continuing, “Znay, chto, khotya ya i yavlyayus’ naslednikom beskonechnoy vlasti, ty budesh’ imet’ vlast’ nado mnoy, yesli zakhochesh’.” He resumes cupping water to spread it down my hair.
“I’m sorry I tried to stab you. I probably shouldn’t have.”
“You don’t have to apologize, malyshka. I love your fire, especially when it’s directed at me.”
I’m surprised by his willingness to forget my attempt on his life, considering I stabbed him once and attempted to cut his throat another time.
