N I K O L A I

Moscow, Russia

Two days later, and sometimes I still found myself thinking about the woman I fucked against the door at the masquerade. She was something else, her emerald gaze haunted me, it wasn't bright like Keira's, hers were dark like a forest, secrets, and agony blotting out the rejuvenating color with their darkness. It was a good thing I hadn't seen her face or asked her name because, after that night, I'd wanted to possess that woman, and nothing could make me break my promise to Keira. Keira was, and would always be the only woman I'd ever allow in my life.

I chanced a glance at my nearly healed palm where Little Wolf had bitten me, fuck she really was a wolf, she knew what she was doing, but then again I was the hunter, and between the two of them, everyone knew the hunter always won. This was a done deal, I had to stop thinking about Little Wolf, she was a one-time thing, and I could only live with the memory of one woman haunting me every second of every day. Besides, today I'd meet the legendary five, and I had to be at the top of my game to look past their façade. They were snakes, all of them, waiting for an opportunity to unleash their venom, and my territory certainly wouldn't take the fall for their rivalry.

Alexei entered my office like he owned the goddamned place, he was the only person who didn't bother with knocking, knowing that I wouldn't put a bullet in him no matter how much I wanted to. We weren't related, but he was like a brother to me, and the fucker knew that without me having to say so.

"They're here," He announced, taking a seat across from mine on the table, leisurely placing his feet on my table. Fucker was indeed pushing his luck and my buttons.

I straightened and turned to face him, moving my eyes between his feet and face, hoping that my scowl would get the message across, "Who?"

"The fucking pentagon," He spat out, lips curling in disgust, "They fucking walk like entitled bastards, tell me when can I crack their skulls open,"

I chuckled at his enthusiasm, spinning the pen between my fingers, "They're supposed to royalty in our world, but I'm going to bring them down their high-horse. They'll bow to me, they'll ask favors from me, and like a villain that I am, I'll answer," He smirked at my words, my own smile matched his as we sat in silence for the next ten minutes, letting them wait downstairs in the VIP room for us.

Power play was everything, and I needed those motherfuckers to see that I was the King here, I owned everything, and they couldn't just come in and try to take my throne away. After ten minutes, Alexei got up, straightened his jacket, and turned to me, "I'll get going now, and entertain them," His lip curled again as his face morphed in anger, and I knew I couldn't take long. I couldn't give The Pentagon a chance to piss him off and then ruin my well laid out plan.

"Go," I flicked my fingers, "I'll be right behind you," He nodded, then left, leaving me alone I silence once again.

After he left, I waited a couple of minutes before I opened the door of the office, and walked through the corridors towards the VIP rooms. Nothing could have ever prepared me for the sight I was about to see, or how everything I ever held as true was going to come crashing down.

But what could I have done had I known that fate was going to be playing a cruel joke with me? Had I known I was about to be backed against the wall, I would've done something, but what could I do?

Seven pairs of eyes turned my way when I opened the door and stepped inside the room, I knew two of them belonged to Alexei and Ivan, and I didn't care about the other four. I cared about one person. Keira. My damnation. My sin. And the woman I'd fucked against the wall. She was here, alive, ruling like a Queen while I was dying every day on the streets, too scared to kill myself, and a corpse to be called alive. Her hair was a darker shade of blonde now, back then it was platinum, white and pure.

Her eyes didn't widen, she looked unfazed, but what did I expect? She was a fucking good actress, she fed me lies for four fucking years, and slept peacefully in my arms, even after knowing that each day she kept lying, she killed me slowly. Killed us.

Keira was my poison, and it'd taken me twelve years to see that, but standing here, watching her unfazed form as they all stood to welcome me, even Alexei—he knew better than to embarrass me— I vowed, I'd ruin her. I'd destroy her, and everything she cared for. Everything she chose over me. I'd run The Pentagon to the ground if it was the last thing I'd ever do.

I was deviant before, now I was vengeful, and Keira just landed on the other side of my vengeance.

Alexei left his seat and stood beside me, Ivan on the other side of me, I relaxed my spine, pocketed my hand, and turned my head up, my gaze landing on another blondie, eyes like Keira's. Was this her supposedly dead twin brother too?

I knew getting answers would be like lighting matches, and not knowing if I'd be able to control the flames, but standing here when I was finally getting them, I didn't want to contain the flames. I wanted to walk through the fires of our ruined love and let the flames choke everything around me. Including her.

The blond guy was the first to approach me, his eyes maniac, a shit-eating grin on his face that already irked me, I supposed that was supposed to be his charming grin. "I'm Kyzer Knight," He stood tall, matching my tall frame, never offering me his hand to shake. He'd heard and, and heeded the rumors, The Pentagon really must be desperate. So fate was finally on my side, I wouldn't hold my breath though, after all, it was fate that destroyed me in the first place.

Knight turned to his right, "This is Keira Knight," Oh, if only he knew I was not only acquainted with his sister, I was married to her. Still was. The wedding ring on my finger burned, and I fought the urge to take it off and throw it in her face.

Keira took a step forward, her eyes on her brother's face, "I think we can introduce ourselves, Kyzer, we're not here for pleasantries,"

Kyzer rolled his eyes, his fucking smirk still intact as he took a step back, letting her take the lead. So she was the Queen here. Fucking great, I was the King, and there could only be one monarch in an empire, and this time it would be me. Alexei leaned closer to my ear, and mumbled, "She runs these bastards; I have to say I didn't expect that,"

Me neither. But I didn't say anything, only nodded.

"We're here for a truce," She began until Alexei cut her off, he was a loose cannon, one I needed to keep myself in check. No one could know about our history, that was my wild card over her, and I'd use it when the time was right. When I'd wreck her life like she did mine. Then I'd kill her for taking away my wife from me, for keeping secrets that were still chasing me.

"No shit," Alexei added, and I didn't stop him, had no reason to, but then I noticed an interesting development.

Another man, the one at the very end took a few threatening steps in Alexei's direction. Well, that was interesting my little wolf had another man to leech off, well not for long. She would be back in my cage, willingly at that. I could be patient, I'd waited eight long years for my retribution.

"I don't think we're here to let the likes of you insult me." He hissed, his eyes blaring with anger. He was the weak-link and I made a mental note of it before he stood in my face, his head tilted back to meet my gaze, "I thought we were here to talk to the man who runs the show, but as it seems, Nikolai, you let your little bitch do the talking,"

"Chernov," I said calculatingly, warningly, he raised his brow in confusion, still holding his ground, "It's fucking Chernov to you," I paused meeting the other set of eyes on me, my fist curling in my pocket, "To all of you. You've already made one mistake, don't make it a second."

I made sure I added just enough threat to my voice, enough to make him take a step back and reconsider, "Is that a threat?"

"Threat?" I chuckled, "I don't do threats, I just act, and the fact that I gave you a warning is more than what I'd give anyone." I turned away and rounded the conference table in the middle of the room, and took my seat, "Now unless you have something of value, I suggest you leave."

The two quiet ones were the first to take their places, their eyes calculating, Keira gave the fucker a glare and took her place followed by her brother, and finally the guy who thought he had the balls to threaten me.

"Let's cut to the chase, we want your drugs off your territory" The black-haired woman spoke up for the first time, her eyes narrowed, and black gaze sinister.

"And why pray tell would I do that?" I leaned back, and crossed my legs, meeting Alexei's amused eyes across the table.

"Because you should know better than to stick your dick in places it doesn't belong in, Chernov." She answered casually, I still didn't straighten my posture, or show any sign of acknowledgment. I didn't want to. I'd already made my decision the minute I saw Keira.

My eyes met Keira's guilty green ones, and I smirked, well tough luck, I'd already had my dick in places I shouldn't have, and it hadn't killed me. Except that this was a new game. New players. But I was still the King.

"What I do is my business. You need my help, I don't, you're in my kingdom, you begged, and I answered." I paused, eyeing everyone, then continued, "I'm done with this conversation, from what I see, you needed my assistance, I don't. So hit me with your best shot motherfuckers, and I'll teach you how the game is played," I leaned forward, holding Keira's gaze, "After I kill you, of course."

I would've missed her intake of breath if I hadn't been paying attention, but I was. No matter how much I hated her now, for being alive when I was dead, for leaving, for lying, for fucking existing. She was no longer my saving grace, she was my poison, and seeing her tore off my last connection with humanity, I'd finally accepted the hunter inside me today; he wanted to play now, and I'd let him. This was my playground, my board, and Keira was no longer a queen, she was a pawn, and she'd taste what being used felt like.

I pushed my chair back, and got up, buttoning my jacket, "Leave Russia by tonight or die. And it isn't a warning, it's a promise. We're done here." I didn't wait for any response, just opened the door, the music from downstairs filling my ears, the events of the day tiring me more than they should've.

I would've been heartbroken had she not ripped it out when she left the last time, now I was just angry, I wanted to make her bleed. Literally and figuratively.

Keira Knight fucked with the wrong man, she ruined the wrong person, and it was time to return the favor.

I knew they were desperate, one of them would follow me out, and I was betting it would be her. She thought she could get to me as she did in the past, well I was no longer that man. The last tie I shared with him, she obliterated it. It didn't take long before I heard steps in the deserted corridor after me, and despite my newfound hatred for her, I remembered them as hers.

She was always there, still inside my head, and it didn't help that we had unfinished business.

Zasha caught my eye in front of my office door, and I knew what I was going to do. I'd never fucked her before, not for the lack of trying on her part, but because I didn't like her, but apparently she was good with customers so I kept her around, I also knew why she was around my office, she was always buzzing around, and as much as I hated her, right now I'd use her to start building Keira Knight's coffin.

"Nikolai!" She gushed, and I didn't bother correcting her, this one time I told myself, turning her around, I crushed my lips on hers, watching as Keira stilled, her eyes on mine as I ravished Zasha's mouth with my tongue. She moaned inside my mouth, her hands going to my dick, and for the first time since I saw her again, Keira showed a sign of emotion, anger. That was a small victory for me, but she didn't know that. Yet.

I watched as Keira approached us, took Zasha's hair in her fist, and ripped her away from me. I didn't say anything, just watched her push Zasha away, and then walked inside my office, knowing that she'd follow me again. It was funny how we'd been apart for so long, we were so different, yet still the same. Keira hadn't changed a bit, still, the same girl I met, at least where her emotions were concerned, but I had, and she was about to find out.

I waited for the door to snap shut, then spoke up, still not facing her, "Unless you're here to finish what she started, I suggest you leave and send her back."

She didn't say anything, but they didn't say silence spoke volumes for nothing, she didn't speak with her words, she spoke with her breathing, with the way she approached me the next minute.

"Niko... don't," Her voice softened as she placed her hand on my shoulder, "This isn't you,"

I turned around, curled my fingers around her wrist, and walked us to the back of the room, pinning her against the wall. "It's Chernov to you," I said in a clipped tone, still holding her hand hostage, waiting for her.

"Niko—"

"Shut up," I paused, hating how I hated my harsh tone with her, "I am no longer the man you left behind."

"Aren't you?" She arched her brow, her eyes stilling on my ring. Fuck.

"No," I answered instantly, ready to shut down any ideas she might be having, "That man loved you, I fucking loathe you."

She leaned forward, pivoting my hands that pinned hers above her head, her lips nearly brushing mine, "Lies, if it was true you wouldn't still be wearing our wedding ring, Nikolai."

"This?" I raised my hand, smirking, "This used to remind me of the moments I had with my wife because I wanted to hold on to her memory, but you ruined her memory for me, and for that, I'd never forgive you."

"But I am her!" She nearly screamed, and I suppressed the urge to smile. She still let me bait her after she'd heard what I'd done. After she'd seen me kiss another woman like it didn't mean shit.

I leaned down, trailing my nose down the column of her neck, "No, you're not. You're not the woman I married, my wife is dead." I straightened, my fingers tightening around her throat. "All you are, little wolf, is a woman I fucked against the door,"

All I wanted now was to break her as she broke me.

Every lie she told would be paid in blood. I'd avenge every vow she broke, and I'd break her right back for it.

She was mine, and her leash was made of her own secrets, except now she was no longer the master of her weakness. I was.

Finally realizing the threat, her eyes tightened, the greens shone like a sinister serpent, and I felt my own anger roaring beneath the surface, ready to be unleashed like a storm in its glory, and leave chaos behind. "I'm hunting you, little wolf; don't let me find you again,"

Her eyes narrowed at the threat in my tone, "And if you do?"

I tightened my grip on her throat, not stopping when I watched her left eye twitch a little. "Then I kill you," and just like that I ceased all contact with her and left her standing in my office, ready to talk this through with Alexei.

I'd answer his questions, but I won't tell him that Keira Knight was my wife, it was our little secret, and it'd stay like that until I'd kill her or she killed me.

♤ ♡ ◇ ♧

I love this chapter in this book! Who else loves angry Nikolai?

Thoughts on Nikolai? Keira?

The story's about to get real intense, so hit me with your theories!

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