1 ONE
Nikolai relished the calm, quiet stillness of the house in the early morning. Alone in the kitchen, he prepared and ate his simple breakfast and enjoyed a pot of freshly brewed tea, just the way he liked it. When he was finished with his meal, he put together a breakfast tray for Vivian. Toast with a smear of almond butter, fruit, a small glass of apple juice and a tiny pot of carefully made hot chocolate—he made sure it was perfect for her.
Last night, after bringing her home from the gallery and making love to her again and again, she had been up and down four or five times. He had quickly learned that asking her how he could help only aggravated and frustrated her more. So he had stayed quiet and used touch, a gentle caress of her back or a loving squeeze of her hand, to let her know that he cared and that he was awake if she needed him.
The back door opened and closed. The squeak of wet soles and the tapping steps of Stasi’s paws against the hardwood echoed loudly. Boychenko had taken the dog out to play as soon as he had arrived for his guard shift. It was a routine the two shared, and one he actively encouraged.
But as Nikolai glanced up from the grapefruit he was carefully sectioning, he waved the sharp knife in Boychenko’s direction. “If his paws are muddy, wipe them off. I don’t want to find Vee on her hands and knees cleaning up dirt again.”
“Sorry, boss.” Boychenko winced, undoubtedly reliving the memory of Nikolai losing his fucking shit upon discovering his pregnant wife crawling around in the entryway with a microfiber cloth in each hand. “I won’t let that happen again.”
The kid wouldn’t. One warning was all he ever needed. As if to prove his point, Boychenko grabbed a handful of paper towels and managed to get the massive Great Dane to cooperate. When Boychenko was finished, Stasi sauntered over to the oversized island and nosed around in search of food. Nikolai clicked his teeth. “ Nyet .”
The dog grumbled and snorted dramatically before leaving the kitchen. He would slowly make the round of the house, nosing up against each guard until one of them fed him a treat.
“Vivian didn’t sleep well last night.” Nikolai cut out the last few sections of the grapefruit and dropped them into the small bowl. “I’ve already spoken to Ten about keeping the house quiet so she can get some rest this morning. I don’t want her doing anything strenuous today.” Gathering up the rind, he carried it to the compost bin and tossed them into the container under the sink. “And she needs to stay close to the house.”
He didn’t have to say why. Everyone in the family knew what today was.
“I’ll do my best.” Boychenko handed him a clean dish towel from the drawer.
“See that you do.” Nikolai picked up the tray and left the kitchen. When he reached the master suite upstairs, he gently pushed open the door with his elbow and slipped inside the room. The palest gray light washed over the bed and sitting area. I should close the drapes so the sun doesn’t wake her.
“Kolya?”
He froze mid-step and turned toward the bed. Rolled on her left side, she lifted her head from his pillow and blinked sleepily. “What time is it?”
“It’s early.” He placed the tray on the ottoman in front of her favorite chair and walked back to the bed. Easing onto the mattress, he reached out to push soft strands of hair behind her ear. There were still faint red lines on her face from the wrinkles of his pillowcase. “You should go back to sleep.”
“I don’t think I can.” She made a face and rolled her shoulders. “My back is killing me.”
“Show me.” She took his hand and dragged it to her lower back. He pressed on the spot she had indicated. “Here?”
“Yes.”
Certain that asking her to move or rollover would invoke the angry version of his normally sweet little wife, he decided that it was hell of a lot smarter to just climb into bed behind her. There was a time
Nikolai relished the calm, quiet stillness of the house in the early morning. Alone in the kitchen, he prepared and ate his simple breakfast and enjoyed a pot of freshly brewed tea, just the way he liked it. When he was finished with his meal, he put together a breakfast tray for Vivian. Toast with a smear of almond butter, fruit, a small glass of apple juice and a tiny pot of carefully made hot chocolate—he made sure it was perfect for her.
Last night, after bringing her home from the gallery and making love to her again and again, she had been up and down four or five times. He had quickly learned that asking her how he could help only aggravated and frustrated her more. So he had stayed quiet and used touch, a gentle caress of her back or a loving squeeze of her hand, to let her know that he cared and that he was awake if she needed him.
The back door opened and closed. The squeak of wet soles and the tapping steps of Stasi’s paws against the hardwood echoed loudly. Boychenko had taken the dog out to play as soon as he had arrived for his guard shift. It was a routine the two shared, and one he actively encouraged.
But as Nikolai glanced up from the grapefruit he was carefully sectioning, he waved the sharp knife in Boychenko’s direction. “If his paws are muddy, wipe them off. I don’t want to find Vee on her hands and knees cleaning up dirt again.”
“Sorry, boss.” Boychenko winced, undoubtedly reliving the memory of Nikolai losing his fucking shit upon discovering his pregnant wife crawling around in the entryway with a microfiber cloth in each hand. “I won’t let that happen again.”
The kid wouldn’t. One warning was all he ever needed. As if to prove his point, Boychenko grabbed a handful of paper towels and managed to get the massive Great Dane to cooperate. When Boychenko was finished, Stasi sauntered over to the oversized island and nosed around in search of food. Nikolai clicked his teeth. “ Nyet .”
The dog grumbled and snorted dramatically before leaving the kitchen. He would slowly make the round of the house, nosing up against each guard until one of them fed him a treat.
“Vivian didn’t sleep well last night.” Nikolai cut out the last few sections of the grapefruit and dropped them into the small bowl. “I’ve already spoken to Ten about keeping the house quiet so she can get some rest this morning. I don’t want her doing anything strenuous today.” Gathering up the rind, he carried it to the compost bin and tossed them into the container under the sink. “And she needs to stay close to the house.”
He didn’t have to say why. Everyone in the family knew what today was.
“I’ll do my best.” Boychenko handed him a clean dish towel from the drawer.
“See that you do.” Nikolai picked up the tray and left the kitchen. When he reached the master suite upstairs, he gently pushed open the door with his elbow and slipped inside the room. The palest gray light washed over the bed and sitting area. I should close the drapes so the sun doesn’t wake her.
“Kolya?”
He froze mid-step and turned toward the bed. Rolled on her left side, she lifted her head from his pillow and blinked sleepily. “What time is it?”
“It’s early.” He placed the tray on the ottoman in front of her favorite chair and walked back to the bed. Easing onto the mattress, he reached out to push soft strands of hair behind her ear. There were still faint red lines on her face from the wrinkles of his pillowcase. “You should go back to sleep.”
“I don’t think I can.” She made a face and rolled her shoulders. “My back is killing me.”
“Show me.” She took his hand and dragged it to her lower back. He pressed on the spot she had indicated. “Here?”
“Yes.”
Certain that asking her to move or rollover would invoke the angry version of his normally sweet little wife, he decided that it was hell of a lot smarter to just climb into bed behind her. There was a time
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