Chapter twenty | Ekaterina
"This is so embarrassing." Layla squeals as we enter the bathroom, her cheeks reddening further as she inspects the stain she left in the mirror.
A big angry spot of wine is clear on her neckline, "here." I pass her a napkin and she smiles a little but it soon vanishes as she rubs the stain, her face taking a sadder expression.
My brows furrow as I take a step toward her "what's wrong?" I find myself asking when she doesn't offer any information, "nothing, I just loved this dress." She mutters and sighs, throwing away the useless napkin.
"I'm sure you can buy hundreds of them." I snort but then straighten when I realize that I shouldn't have said that, "you're probably right but it was just special," she exclaims and I raise my brows,
Walking towards her so we're face to face, "well, I'm sure that scary husband of yours can make the new one you'll get special as well." I feign shock as I throw a wink in her direction.
Her expression brightens as a laugh slips out of her mouth, I let out a breath thankful for this change of moods, and when she looks satisfied with herself she turns to me again.
Her brows furrowed as if she's inspecting me, "is something wrong?" She asks gently and I shake my head because nothing is, I just don't know what the fuck is wrong with me, the night was going well, I mean it still is I just—
"It sounds stupid if I say it out loud." I blurt out forcefully holding back the tears that are threatening to fall, "hey, it's okay, you can tell me." She says quietly, shrugging her shoulders, I sigh and contemplate whether or not it's a good idea.
"It'll make me sound jealous okay....it's just when I saw you with your—you know husband, I felt hopeless, forced into a marriage with a guy that I didn't even like and I'm sure he feels the same way about me, it just feels like all my dreams about marriage and my future and everything you know, it just feels like my world is crushed upside down—knowing that I'll never experience that kind of love, it just makes me sad." I let out a breath as the words leave my mouth.
It feels like a weight has been lifted off my chest but then regret sparks through my veins and I wonder if it was a bad idea to tell her, what if she thinks I'm jealous of her? Or worse? That I like her husband or something? What if—
My thoughts come to a halt when she pats my shoulder lightly, bringing my attention back to her, a genuine smile is spread across her face making her brown eyes shine with happiness as she sighs.
And softening my worries a little "I was just like you, don't worry I thought I'd end up with an asshole from the way my ex treated me, I thought I deserved to settle down with someone like that." She says, smiling sweetly as if she's recalling the memory.
"It's different with you." I hurry to say, regretting that I interrupted her but she doesn't look as bothered as I feel so that eases the tightness in my chest, "of course it is, but I'm just trying to prove to you that your mind normally tends to make up stuff that probably won't happen, your world can be flipped upside down in a day, you just said it yourself." She goes on, hope filling her expression.
I sigh and listen as she continues talking, "and also, if I remember correctly, you said you married a guy that you didn't like, is the past tense intentional or did it just slip accidentally?" She raises her brows at me, amusement flashing across her face.
Fuck "I mean—I don't tolerate him as much." I reply and I can feel the heat that's rising up my cheeks "and that's progress itself, Ekaterina, I know you won't believe me but have you seen the way he looks at you?" She asks swiftly and my brows furrow.
"Well, he glares most of the time if that's what you mean." I offer lightly and her face breaks into a grin, "I really like you." She adds under her breath and that causes a smile to uncontrollably spread across my face,
A moment passes and curiosity grows further through my mind, "can I ask you a question?—it's totally fine if you don't want to answer it okay, it's kind of personal." I blurt out, embarrassment clear in my voice.
She shrugs "shoot." I sigh "okay, was your ex similar to my—husband?" The word 'husband' feels fucking weird, her brows furrow as her earlier smile falls, "I don't think Alexander is insecure though, my ex would probably run if he saw him." She replies calmly and I choke on a laugh.
"Was he that shitty?" I ask and she smiles weakly, "you could say, but he kind of changed so at least we have that." She replies and runs a hand through her perfectly styled brown hair.
My brows furrow as I absorb her words "is he still in your life or something?" I ask, not hiding the surprise in my voice,
"Oh, you'd be surprised by how close we are." She replies and her response itself confuses me further, "and Adrian is okay with that? He doesn't seem like the type." I reply honestly, not holding back my thoughts.
She just laughs under her breath and interlocks our hands together as we slowly exit the bathroom, "my ex is Adrian's younger brother, Ekaterina." My jaw drops and her smile widens as we stride toward our husbands.
*:･ﾟ✧*:･
I cough and wipe my mouth as I force the urge to puke again down my throat, I look up to find Alexander staring down at me with a weird expression, I raise my brows and stand up, grabbing the toothbrush as I motion with it in his direction.
Narrowing my eyes when his expression doesn't falter "what?" I ask, anger clear in my voice as I start placing toothpaste on the brush and start brushing my teeth, glaring at him as I do so.
"What did you take?" He asks for the hundred's time and I narrow my eyes as I feel foam escaping my mouth, "I fucking hate you." I mutter through the toothpaste in my mouth but the words don't even sound understandable.
I internally groan and spit out the damn toothpaste, angry by this whole situation, when I wipe my mouth and get out of the bathroom, he follows me.
Now glaring, great we're back to the eye expression, "I didn't take any wrong medicines, Alexander I'm not a kid, it's the fucking food we ate." I mutter under my breath as I slip the tie off my hair and it falls in waves down my shoulder.
"You need to rest." He says quietly, concern slightly flashing across his face that for a second I feel like I imagined it, he walks towards me with a blank expression as he places ibuprofen in my hand, I eye it and raise a brow in his direction.
And just when I'm about to storm away from him, he clutches my arm tightly pulling me to him, fire glistening in his eyes, "you'll tell me what the fuck is wrong with you now, Ekaterina." He grits out and I narrow my eyes.
"I don't take orders from you." I state fiercely, rage boiling through my veins, he runs a hand through his hair and lets go of me, holding up his index finger in my direction, "do you want me to beg?" His annoyed response sends shivers running down my spine.
I raise a chin up and smirk "oh you will." The sureness in my voice is undeniable as I hold back a snarl, anger rising up my stomach, everything Layla told me comes back to me in a second.
And as I recall every word I hold back all the words that are threatening to come out of my mouth, "you're making no sense," he replies nonchalantly, and just when he's about to walk away I don't think as I pull him back and smash my lips down on his.
I am definitely not making any sense, no disagreement on that.
He groans in my mouth and his fingers spread through my hair, fisting it tightly as he pulls me closer, I tug on his neck and he picks me up, pulling my legs around his waist as he walks away, kissing me with a desperation that flows in my blood and reaches into my fucking bones.
When he finally pulls back I take in my surroundings, we're back in our room, great because I wouldn't enjoy it if Vladimir walked inside on us, "you won't ignore me after that." I demand, spilling every unsaid word that has been floating through my mind.
His lips twitch and his eyes flit to my lips before they turn back up, glistening with fire that I'm currently feeling through my body, "is that an order, Sweetheart?" That nickname of his slips then and there and it's making me feel things I would never admit.
"Is it?" I tease him as I raise my brows, my breath calming again, "you're playing with fucking fire, Ekaterina." He groans and pulls me by the neck again, smashing his lips on mine, lust spreads through my veins.
I smile into the kiss way too much that he pulls back, a small smile tugged at his lips as he studies my features, his thumb brushing my cheek, he leans in doing something that makes my body still as his lips brush over my scar,
The gesture is so fucking gentle that it makes me momentarily stunned for a beat before I finally relax into his hold, looking at him with millions of questions roaming through my mind.
And I had a feeling that his earlier statement was correct, I'm playing with fire.