Ava
Fuck
I hurl my clothes onto the bed, one piece after another, yanking them out from the bag Kat had packed for me.
They were dresses, skirts, blouses, pants, and even tank tops, but none of them was what I was searching for.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
She didn’t pack me a nightgown. Not even a t-shirt or anything remotely comfortable to sleep in. Of all the things to forget, how in the world could she forget that?
Water drips down my body from my still-wet hair, pooling on the hardwood floor at my feet in tiny puddles as frustration burns my chest.
I’d made a beeline for the bedroom the moment I stepped into the guest house desperate for a hot shower to wash off the stress of the day.
Now here I am, freshly showered with a towel clinging to my damp body as I glare down at the mess of impractical clothing scattered across the bed.
I let out a harsh breath and tug at the knot of my towel, its damp edges clinging uncomfortably to my skin.
What the hell was I going to do now?
Sleeping naked wasn’t an option-the biting Russian cold made sure of that.
My phone dings with a notification from its spot on the bedside table, where I had left it to charge. My gaze shifts to the glowing device, and I release an annoyed huff before biting the inside of my cheek and crossing the room to the device.
The text was probably from Cara. I had messaged her before stepping into the shower, letting her know that I’d be gone for the entire week because Nikolai had popped up out of nowhere and whisked me off to Russia to attend his childhood best friend’s wedding.
Aaron hadn’t messaged me yet. Which was strange because I thought that he’d be the first person to message me once I arrived. My brother was currently in London and even though we hadn’t spoken yet on the phone because of his work schedule, we made it a habit to text each other at least once a day.
I told him about my marriage to Nikolai when I first reached out to him last week. As expected, he was angry with our father for what he did to me and promised to come see me once he got back to Chicago.
I hadn’t heard a word from my father since he went missing and I assumed Aaron was the same, although I wasn’t sure. Aaron and my father had always been close and if there was anyone on earth who probably knew where my father was hiding, it’ll most definitely be my brother.
A million times, I had thought to ask him if he knew anything about our dad and where he could possibly be hiding and a million times, I had chickened out. Not because I didn’t care or I was protecting him but because it was better for me not to know. I wasn’t ready to face my father just yet for all the horrible things he’d done to me and potentially to Nikolai and Kira.
I grab my cell phone from the nightstand and unlock the device with one swipe of my thumb on the screen.
I have three new text messages. Two from while I was showering and one from just seconds ago.
I open the first one which is from Cara.
Cara: Are you serious? You’ll be gone for the entire week? What about your art project?”
“Shit,” I mutter under my breath. The art project I’m supposed to turn in at the end of the week. I completely forgot about that. I rapidly tap my fingers on the screen shooting her the only response I can think of.
Me: I’ll figure it out when I get back.
Her reply is almost instant,
Cara: You better. You know how tough Mr Benett can be with this sort of thing.
Cara: Also send me cute pics of you with your hot hubby at the wedding.
I mentally roll my eyes. Only Cara would remind me to keep up with my project and then immediately switch gears to taking wedding photos with my “hot hubby” as she so delicately put it, in the same breath.
Me: Stop calling him hot
Cara: I’ll stop once he stops being hot.
Cara: Whose wedding did you say you were attending again?
Me: His childhood Best friend Tatiana
Cara: And she asked you to be her bridesmaid?
Cara: Interesting.
Me: What’s so interesting about it?
Cara: it’s just interesting is all.
Cara: Talk to you later, babe. Unlike you, I have a class tomorrow at eight and I would love to get my beauty sleep.
Me: Whatever. Talk to you soon
Cara: Later Babe
The text is from Tatiana. My finger hovers over her name for the briefest second before I tap on it.
It’s the bridesmaid schedule she promised to send me along with a quick text that informs me to send her any questions I might have after going through it.
I open the attachment, my brows furrowing as I scan through the details on the screen.
Every pre-wedding event is timed into the schedule. From fittings to rehearsals and other pre-wedding events that I hadn’t considered would be on the list.
There’s even a breakdown of who’s supposed to be at which events, complete with notes on attire and hairstyles that were expected of each of the bride’s maids along with the bride during each day. My eyes land on tomorrow’s planned event.
Spa Day: 10 AM. Bridesmaids and bride only. Location: The Orchid Room. Come dressed in comfortable loungewear or robes, no makeup (lipstick and lip gloss can be allowed but must not be bright). Hair down.
I let out a soft groan as I read through the instructions.
Was I really ready to be locked up in a luxurious spa room with a bunch of girls I didn’t know, and the bride’s over-controlling maid of honour slash sister breathing down my neck? No, I most definitely was not. But I made a promise so I was going to stick by it no matter how painful it might sound. Besides, Tatiana seems nice which is unexpected because I swear she’s trying to use me to piss Nikolai off. Although I’m not sure.
Me: Can’t wait.
I type up my response and close her text message. It’s a lie, of course; I can wait. I can probably wait forever and still not feel an atom of excitement but I obviously can’t say that. So I settle for ‘can’t wait’ because it’s the only phrase that accurately represents the opposite of how I’m feeling.
She doesn’t respond and I assume that she’s already gone to bed.
Kat’s message is the last one I read. They are three in total
Kat: Hi
Kat: So it looks like I may have forgotten to add a few of your things to the bag. The good news, though, is that I’ll be there by Wednesday with the rest of your things.
Kat: Until then you might have to Borrow something from Nikolai to wear. Sorry
Me: I can’t believe you forgot to pack my nightgown, Kat.
Her reply comes almost instantly.
Kat: It’s only for a couple of nights. I’m sure Nikolai wouldn’t mind sharing a shirt or two 😉
Heat rushes to my face at the implication of her text. It was easy to pretend that what happened between Nikolai and me on the plane was nothing more than a moment of weakness on my part once we got off. His lips on my skin had been hot and oddly comforting in a way I can’t explain. There was something about the way his hands moved over me, firm yet gentle, that sent shivers racing down my spine and while I was adamant not to face what had happened between us just yet, even I have to admit that he is my only choice.
My phone pings again and I look down to see a text from Kat on my screen.
Kat: Talk to you later, Hubby’s calling 😉
I toss my phone back onto the bed with a huff.
So much for having everything sorted out.
My eyes flicker toward the door, a sliver of light visible under the crack. Was Nikolai even back yet? I knew that Tatiana was probably at her house by now since she promised to text me once she got home but I had no idea if Nikolai was inside yet.
For all I know he might’ve gone off to somewhere again.
Guess there’s only one way to find out.
I let out a slow breath, tightening the knot of my towel as if it would somehow brace me for the awkward encounter ahead. The damp fabric clings to my skin, and I shiver but it’s not from the cold.
This was not where I envisioned my evening going. According to the makeshift schedule I had concocted in my brain while I was in the shower, I am supposed to be curled up in bed, asleep by now but no. Because not only am I still slightly wet, I have no clothes to sleep in and I’m being forced to ask my husband for his so that I don’t freeze to death.
Pushing back the annoyance prickling at my nerves, I draw in a steady breath and head straight for the door.