Sofia.
I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and made my way to the bathroom to wash my face and freshen up.
I glanced at the mirror meeting my puffy slightly red-rimmed eyes and reddened cheeks, my hair untamed and dark shopping bags under my eyes.
And my neck.
A light purple bruise adorning it, provoking me to wince when I skimmed my fingers on it too hard.
Crying before sleeping was absolute shit and the bruising on my throat was even worse.
I looked like a raccoon high on crack.
After combing my hair through the rough tangled mess that it was. A loud knock resonated from the other side of the door, my eyes snapped to its direction feeling my hand grip the counter with force.
I didn't want to be bothered and for sure shit didn't want to see them.
The damned three.
"дорогой, you need to wake up now, please," Anne's soft heavily accented voice contained my attention through the door reminding me of the plans that the trio set in place.
(Dear)
Taking me to their home.
"Okay, I'll be out in a second," I said loud for her to hear.
Tying my hair in a bun, I wore the white sneakers that they left for me in the room and made my way out of the long hallway to ascend the stairs.
As I lifted my eyes, I caught sight of Anne. She smiled warmly but did not expect me to smile back at how shocked she looked when I did.
They weren't going to ruin my damn mood too.
I was kidnapped not dead for fuck's sake.
She ushered me into the kitchen to find Nikolai on one of the stools typing away on his laptop not acknowledging my presence and it was good. A great thing actually, the further they stayed away, the better.
Taking the stool further away from him he snapped his eyes to mine for a millisecond. My widening as I witnessed his hazel orbs replenish with pain, distress and remorse.
I averted my eyes to Anne after she asked what I wanted. Serving myself some lunch, I dove into the food forgetting about the longing eyes that seemed to not stray away from me but deeply relished in their attention.
I took my last sip of the apple juice my glass contained and took my plate and empty glass to the sink to wash them but as I put them in the sink.
A calloused yet soft hand grabbed mine. Gods, whey were they so damn veiny and rough? I unexpectedly, raised my eyes to meet his hazel ones gulping as I watched his ringed hand softly grab mine.
I had a thing for strong veiny hands, you see.
Gods, that sounded dirty.
"Let me do it instead, my love," Nikolai muttered with a small smile yet his eyes still conveyed that unwavering pain and guilt.
My heart slightly stung at the genuine and pure hurt painted on his face. Shaking my head I pulled my hand away from his hoping to erase his hot touch from my skin.
I stubbornly mumbled not wanting or needing his help, "I can do it myself."
Slender fingers tilted my head to meet his eyes that were zeroing in on my neck. Shit. I held in a breath.
"I-I need, fuck, to put some bruising cream on your neck. Kitten, would you let me please? I'm so sorry for loosing control. I-I really didn't mean to hurt you. And I would never hurt." He implored, sadly, his eyes casted downwards not meeting mine, his pained voice made feel bad.
Fuck, he looked like a wounded puppy.
Feeling slightly rueful even though he was the one that hurt me. I could tell that he didn't mean to. No person wanted to hurt you looked like this. Regretful and guilt struck.
Plus, I hated how I didn't like the pained look on his face. So fucking much.
Grabbing ahold of his face with both my hands to have him look at me. Eyes soft and full with emotion. I ran my thumbs over his cheek bones making him lean into my touch.
I reassuringly whispered meaning every word, "Look I'm alright, Nikolai. It's just a little bruising, trust me, I've had worse." A nervous chuckle left me at the end. Damn, why was comforting people so... Awkward?
Realizing what I had said, my eyes widened as I looked up at the frown and set of his jaw on that pretty face of his.
"What the fuck do you mea-" cutting him off I distracted him by saying, "How about that bruising cream?" I muttered, nervous and icky not wanting to be interrogated.
It wasn't like I was going to say anything other than that. It was a mere slip up and I didn't like talking about my past.
It hurt too much.
It reminded me of things I wanted to forget.
_
_
_
I heard multiple footsteps alarming me of the presence of someone. Raising my head from where it laid between my hands, I huffed out a breath and met the small smiles on Nial and Nadei's faces as they greeted me.
"Hello, baby girl. Sleep well?" Nial was the first one to talk to me.
Meeting his soft brown orbs that shone with adoration, my heart clenched at the delicate yet intimate look deflating my once sour mood.
"I slept well." I monotonsly uttered trying to act fool at the way his smile made me feel. Fucking butterflies. The good kind of butterflies.
And don't get me started on the nickname.
"That's good, baby girl, did you have something to eat or do you want me to make you something?" I heard him hopefully mumble.
He cooks, well, that's surprising.
"I already ate," I grumbled bored with his attempts at getting me to talk and feel.
Emotions were so tiresome.
"Okay, well then do you know where Nikolai is, baby?" He asked not paying much attention to how dry my answers were,
As I lifted my head to glare at Nial opening my mouth to answer just as Nikolai strode into the kitchen holding a tube of bruising cream.
"Speak of the devil and he shall appear," I almost snorted at Nadei's gruff deep voice resonating through the closed space with a bored tone.
Their eyes swiveled to mine.
Carelessly, pushing the hair that came out of my bun from my face. I mindlessly took my hairband off to braid and tie my hair up tighter and higher humming SKZ's MANIAC as I did.
I heard a low growl and a few curses in Russian.
What the...?
Nadei held Nikolai by his collar, he glared daggers to barking words at him, "Что, черт возьми, случилось с ее шеей?"
(What the fuck happened to her neck?)
Shit.
"I didn't mean to hurt her, brother. You know that I'd never hurt her, it was a mistake," Nikolai mumbled defeatdly his hands limp at his sides not bothering to fight against his brother's grip.
Realizing that Nial was crouched down in front of me, he touched the bruise with his fingertips to softly inquire and I pulled back slightly conscious.
"Darling, is he telling the truth?"
I nodded sightly surprised by how he didn't just blindingly believe him without hearing my side of the story. It made respect him. It hard finding an honorable, smart decent man these days and traits as simple as these were a lot.
They gave you an insight into a person.
Taking a deep breath I unwaveringly met his brown hues, "He didn't mean to hurt me, it was an accident," I sighed out.
Hearing me my hopefully soothing words, Nadei loosened his grip on his brother but still glared at him. His milky white hands flexed at his brother's shirt collar. He looked ready to kill.
For me.
But why the hell did I like that, though?
"Let go of him, Nadei, I said that he didn't mean to," I stated trying to get him to understand the situation.
"Yet he did hurt you!" Nadei wildly barked. I could've sworn that he shook me in place. His voice sounded strained and gutteral.
I hopped off the stool making Nial do the same and hold my hand in his, I looked up to meet the smile on his lips but his eyes were showing their tangible anger. His grip on my hands gentle as ever.
Gods, help me.
I tried to smile at him reassuringly and pulled my hand from him making my way to Nadei and Nikolai.
Standing in front of Nadei next to Nikolai that was refusing to meet my eyes, sighing irritatedly with Nadei's heated and angry jade gaze burning holes into his brother's guilt filled hazel ones.
I brought my hand to put it on Nadei's chest shocking myself at how steady the action was and dare I say, soothing.
He briefly looked at me, eyes softening as I pleadingly asked, "Nadei, just let go of him, he really didn't mean to hurt me."
Nadei lost his grip on Nikolai to trace the bruise much like Nial did and said, still mad, "He should've been careful-" casting his brother a sour look he continued caressing the bruised skin softly. "He fucking hurt you."
Nikolai dropped his head shamefully.
I shook his hand making him look at me and said assuring not wanting to complicate this any further. "I know you didn't mean to."
He perked up, my eyes slightly softening at the look of absolute relief on his face but failed to notice how truly sorry he still was.
Hesitantly, bending down at the knees to plant a kiss on my forehead, the other two watching our exchange with keen interest.
"I'm so sorry my love, I'd never hurt you. I don't know what came over me and I just--" Nikolai profusely apologized.
He's adorable, when flustered.
I facepalmed mentally at my inner thought.
Cutting off his blabbering by placing my hand on his mouth. "I said it's okay. Just don't let it happen again," I humorously stated but cringed afterwards.
Kissing my palm, Nikolai gratefully stated, "You're a fucking angel, moya lyubov'," a soft blush tinted my cheeks at the action.
Sitting down on the stool, Nikolai, gestured for me to tilt my head up for him to put the cream on the damaged skin smoothly and tenderly running his soft fingertips over my skin.
When he was done, he softly leaned down and my heartbeat aspired as he planted kisses all over my neck making pleasurable shivers run down my back discerning how I didn't push him away.
Their touch was truly intoxicating.
Despite that, I reprimanded my nefarious heart for feeling that way. So welcoming of their love and care. Gods, I was truly, wholeheartedly damaged.
The buzz of a phone pulled us out of our awkward staring, Nadei took my hand without a word, the others following suit trekking to the main door.
Opening the door the guards cast their eyes down greeting the trio. Nikolai strode into the black matte Range Rover L opening the back door for me and Nadei.
"Let's go, brother," Nial announced noting my discomfort.
Gods forbid I let their looks and nice warfares get to me.
I was not going to be another case of Stockholm syndrome. There were enough of those to last us a lifetime on dark romance books.
My eyes glided elsewhere to Nadei that had his phone clasped in his hand typing ferociously on the screen, a frown etched on his face making me almost reach out and smoothen the crease between his dark furrowed brows.
What the actual fuck?
Okay, I blamed it on my period that was due in a few days. Goddamn hormones.
I couldn't afford to sympathize with these fucking triplets and I shouldn't even give a fuck about their existence, Yet I did.
Losing myself in my contradictory thoughts, I drifted off to sleep. Not knowing what was awaiting me.