Madeline

 

It was only another hour’s drive back to the city, plus a little extra to get to Nikolai’s apartment. I would have maybe argued about going to his place instead of mine, but I was exhausted. It had been a long night, a long day, and a long week before that. Besides, if I were really being honest with myself, I didn’t want to argue.

 

I wanted to go home with him.

 

But as we headed towards his apartment, pulling into a lower level garage beneath the building, I found a little bit of dread and sadness working its way through me. I didn’t just want to come home with Nikolai tonight; I wanted to go home with him every night. I wanted more from him than just a one-night stand, and I was sure I had made myself pretty clear about that.

 

I had told him I loved him, more than anything, and while he’d been sweet and held me—even as he killed Joshua and my brother—he hadn’t returned the sentiment. That knowledge burned inside me, twisting my insides, torturing me.

 

I didn’t know what I would do when he tried to let me down gently, told me that, while he clearly wanted something to do with the baby, he didn’t feel that way about me.

 

He parked his car and I let out a sigh of relief. I was ready to be out of the car and into bed. I closed my eyes for a moment, leaning my head back against the leather interior, just taking a moment to breathe in and out. A moment later, my door opened, Nikolai holding it and offering me his free hand.

 

I blinked at him, but offered a shy smile as I let him help me up out of the car. Still holding my hand, he took me to the elevator that led to his floor. On the ride up, he kept his arm around me protectively—or possessively? —until the elevator dinged and the doors opened. Then he escorted me inside.

 

Plopping me down on the comfortable couch, I thought I could sleep right then and there. As though sensing my thoughts, Nikolai told me, “Don’t go to sleep, not yet. We need to get you checked out, make sure you’re all right. Then you can lay down.”

 

Though it was difficult, I forced myself to stay seated up right, waiting for him as he headed into the bathroom. My mind flashed to when he’d taken me in the shower. I’d still been a little sore from our first time together—my first time ever—but I’d relished his touch, been eager for it even. He’d been both demanding and sweetly tender.

 

I didn’t know sex would feel like that, both rough and soft at the same time.

 

Nikolai came back with peroxide, bandages, an ice pack, and a glass of water along with two little white pills. I eyed them suspiciously, but he only smirked at me.

 

“Aspirin,” he explained.

 

I laughed a little at myself, then remembered again how my throat was sore and scratchy. I gingerly touched my neck, wincing as I imagined how bad it must look. How there were probably marks where Joshua had tried to choke me.

 

Nikolai’s eyes turned dark. “The aspirin will help. Here.”

 

He gave me the water and the pills, and I swallowed, though it was difficult going down. Still, I knew he was right.

 

“I’ll make you some tea in a little bit. The water’s boiling now. It’ll help with the soreness.”

 

Before I could tell him I was fine or even try to protest, he fixed me with a pointed look as though letting me know that he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Not on this. So, I remained silent and did as he said.

 

Using a cotton ball and peroxide, he cleaned up the small cuts I’d managed to get throughout the night. Mostly from my struggle with Shawn, I was sure, but I didn’t want to think about that. I looked down at my lap, my face burning. It had been a lot to take in and I wasn’t sure how I was going to cope when Nikolai was out of my life.

 

When he finished, putting up the peroxide and the cotton balls, the teakettle whistled. He went up to get it and I knew it was time for me to go. He’d been so kind to me, but I couldn’t take this, not his sweetness and then him breaking my heart. It would just make it hurt all the more.

 

So, I stood. I made it halfway to the door, telling him, “I should probably go. I’ll call a cab and—”

 

But in what felt like two smooth strides he was in front of me, blocking the door. “Where do you think you’re going?”

 

“Uh, home. You’ve been really kind, but I should—”

 

Again, he interrupted me. “Madeline, you are home.”

 

My eyebrows shot up at that, my eyes widening. “You mean...?”

 

He let out a small sigh, but a smile tugged at his lips as he pulled me into his strong arms. “I mean I love you and I’m going to marry you, Madeline. You belong to me. I thought I told you that already.”

 

I bit my lip, daring to hope. Could he really? Could he love me like that? And then I remembered, the baby. Was this really about me or did he just want to be a daddy bad enough to put up with a little extra baggage like the mother?

 

Hesitant, not sure I wanted to know the answer, I let out a whoosh of air and asked the question that lingered on the tip of my tongue, “But…is it me you love? Or is this all just because of the baby?”

 

I held my breath, worried, terrified of his answer, but when his eyes darkened and he jerked me to him tightly, pressing me solidly against his chest, I released that breath and a moment later, I couldn’t breathe at all.

 

His lips were fused to mine, drinking me in. All the passion in the world was contained in that one kiss, fire shooting through me, embracing me, consuming me. My skin was alight with everything he was feeling—feelings that mirrored my own—and I knew without a doubt that he loved me. Loved me for me and nothing else.

 

I felt as though I could drown in him, consumed by passion.

 

This was it. Here was where I was meant to be, where I would spend the rest of my life. In Nikolai’s arms.

 

 

THE END

 

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