Vik by Belle Aurora

39

Nastasia

Vik was pacing.It should have annoyed me. It normally did annoy me. Today, however, I gave him a pass.

From the way he was muttering to himself, snapping his eyes closed, then opening them only to lose focus, anyone could see he was stressed out.

All the time and preparation. Months of planning. Days filled with anxiety, normally ending with sleepless nights. Thousands of ideas. Hundreds of hours of research.

The pressure was on. It all came down to this.

Maybe we were a little hasty. I blamed myself for that, and if I were completely honest, it made me sick when the gravity hit on what we had done.

Had Vik hesitated?

Yeah.

Did I then rant for a solid hour about him not believing in himself and his brand?

I sure did.

Had I pumped him up enough to buy a building that needed quite a lot of work, instantly regretting all the hype I shot at him?

Uh huh.

One hundred percent.

To lay it down, we put almost everything we had into a spectacular property. It was simply too good to pass up. And because of that, we kind of, sort of, did not have money for just about anything else. Which was why I was watching from the top of the stairs with a gentle hand on my basketball-sized belly as Vik paced in our foyer.

When the front door suddenly opened and Mina rushed inside holding a large square of cardboard in her hands, Vik rolled his eyes. “Jesus Christ, wifey. You really cut it down to the wire.”

Mina, knowing exactly why Vik was being more abrupt than usual, offered him a kind smile and said, “Look at you, wearing a suit and looking all professional and stuff. You look handsome.” She dragged in what she was holding and let out a strained, “And for your information, you can’t rush perfection.”

Vik was not impressed. “Perfection, huh?”

I began to walk down the stairs just as Mina shot him a look that said he was being ungrateful. Her hand came to her hip, and she jerked her chin toward the mock-up. With unbridled confidence, she uttered a cool, “See for yourself.”

When Vik simply stared at it and did not move, Mina clicked her tongue and waltzed over to the huge square, now leaning against the wall. Without preamble, she removed the protective sheet of cardstock and stepped away, revealing the poster for what would be our business.

From behind the two of them, my light gasp had Mina turning back to face me, but I just couldn’t take my eyes off the piece of art she created.

Mina was right.

“It’s perfect,” I said in complete awe of this woman who had come so far. I moved in closer to Vik. “Utterly flawless.”

But Mina said nothing. It wasn’t my praise she was after.

Vik stared at the poster. He stared at it a long while. And from beside me, I could almost feel Mina holding her breath.

When Vik finally spoke, it came out strained. “It’s uh…” He cleared his throat, then began to nod solemnly. “It’s perfect.”

Mina’s face transformed with her sunny smile. The exhale she released was long and noticeable. “Good.” Relief lined her features as she muttered weakly, “Good.” As if snapping out of her stupor, she shook her head and stated, “I have to go.” She was already walking toward the door before she turned back, stalled a moment, then said to Vik, “Stop stressing out. You’ve got this.” When he didn’t respond, her brow bunched, and her firm, “Okay?” sounded near threatening.

Vik made a face and shrugged, bored-like. “Okay.”

“Good.” Her smile returned with enthusiasm. “Get that money.”

The exact moment she closed the door behind her, Vik shook his head. “We’re not ready for this.” He reached into his pocket for his cellphone. “I’m gonna cancel.”

And my stomach twisted.

My sigh was purely internal, and as I approached my fiancé, who sometimes doubled as a big, fat baby, I placed my hand over his, stopping him from making the call. His eyes snapped to me, and his brow bunched in irritation, but I knew better.

Vik wasn’t angry at me.

He was angry at himself for being insecure. He hated that he was nervous. Those nerves made him cynical.

My fingers closed over his. My tone was butter-soft. “I have never met a man who put so much of himself into his work. I’ve been around business my whole life. First with my dad, then again with my brothers, and it was all very clinical. If it took off, it took off. If it bombed, the idea was abandoned. Start over, rinse, and repeat.” My gaze softened on him. “You, however, put your heart and soul into this project. Every detail has your personal touch. You cut a vein and bled your ideas onto paper.” My chest ached to see the doubt in his eyes. “That’s how I know you’re going to succeed. You haven’t given yourself the option to fail.”

Vik closed his eyes, squeezed them tight, then lifted his hands to rub the heels of his palms into his sockets, revealing just how much this was affecting him.

“You’ve worked so hard. You’re so close.” I stepped into him, and he focused on me as I placed my hand comfortingly at the side of his neck, looking into his blue eyes, beseeching, “Don’t give up now.”

“What if…?”

“No” was my instant reply.

“But….”

Jesus. This guy.

“No,” I reiterated bluntly. “You’re not going down that road, and neither am I. You aren’t the quitting kind, Vik. If today doesn’t work out, we’ll try again. If that time doesn’t work out, we’ll try once more. You know why? Because eventually, someone is bound to see what I see in you, and once they do, they’ll know you’re a success wrapped in a bad attitude.”

He snuffled out a soft laugh at my poor attempt to lighten the mood, and, like a miracle, I watched a small spark of determination alight in his eyes. My responding smile was soft. The longer I looked at him—really looked at him—the harder my chest squeezed.

God.

I loved this man.

I loved him so damn much.

He never hid his emotions from me, no matter how trifling they were. His pleasure was so readily shared. His doubt, his sadness, his pain, however, I wore as my own, a personal affront to the person I was.

And as he took in a deep breath, shifting his focus to my swollen belly, I watched his expression turn tender and warm. He’d done that a lot lately. What normally followed was Vik taking my hand and dragging me to the bedroom, undressing me, then laying me down and placing his body flush against my own as he spoke softly to the child growing inside me.

He talked about anything. Everything.

His day. Why he preferred two percent over whole milk. The state of the economy. How important it was to focus on your health, both physical and mental.

The longer he spoke, the more I became aware of what he was doing.

It was a “dear diary” of sorts. Letters to his former self. Things he wished he knew as a kid. Things he learned on his way to manhood.

I listened in soundlessly, feeling a little like an interloper, but the way he pressed into me spoke of the safety and refuge he felt by my side. Of all the doubts I had, there was no denying that when we embraced, our bodies entwined, we were home.

That was the takeaway.

Sometimes, home wasn’t a place. Sometimes, it was person.

And I found home within Vik’s loving arms.

To anyone else, Vik’s little talks to my belly might have seemed like incessant rambling. To me though, it was insight. And right now, he had that look. The same one he wore every time he needed a moment with his child.

It was funny how a simple glance could make you feel so loved, so cherished, that you thought you might burst from it.

Any other day, he could drag me back upstairs. Any other day. But not today.

The need for him to stay goal oriented was imperative. With gentle fingers to his neatly trimmed beard, I scratched lightly, bringing him back down to earth as I reminded him, “But none of this can work without capital. We need money, and you’re going to secure it. Right?”

Zero hesitation. “Right.”

And as I watched him watch me, a somber moment passed as I realized he would never truly understand what he meant to me.

Pride filled me. It washed over me, leaving me heady. I was in awe of the man he’d become. All I wanted to do was lose myself in him. So, I did. I stood on my tiptoes, slipped my arms around his neck, and touched my lips to his. When his muscular arms circled my body, those big hands splayed across my lower back, he returned my gentle kiss greedily, and even after all this time, I fell a little more.

That was important.

Most people thought once you fell in love, that was it. The highest of the high. And for some, it was, but it didn’t have to be.

The goal was to fall in love with someone who kept you falling.

I was one of the lucky ones. I had that. And I was grateful.

He had no idea. Or maybe he did.

I was so proud to call this indomitable man my own.

Right then, as we lost ourselves in each other’s lips, the doorbell rang. But Vik didn’t pull away from me, not immediately. He slowed the kiss until the action had ceased, and he simply ran his lips over my own. We gently parted, and when we both moved to back away, he wasn’t ready to lose the connection, moving to rest his forehead against mine in a highly intimate move that made my stomach shimmy.

When the doorbell rang the second time, it was time. I cupped his stubbled cheeks and smacked an eager kiss to his lips before retreating with a small smile. As I walked toward the door, Vik peered down at my swaying ass and bit the inside of his cheek before reaching down to cup himself through his slacks while shaking his head slowly, his hooded eyes holding a promise of more to come later.

And my core clenched, sure to hold him to that promise.

Lord. The way he looked at me… he did wonders for my self-esteem.

I gave him a second before I opened the door, and when Sasha stepped inside, looking flawless in a light-gray suit and pastel blue shirt, I smiled, moving forward to press a kiss to his cheek.

He glanced down at me, frowning. “You look… good.”

These men. I swear.

“And that makes you—” My brows rose at his sour expression, holding back laughter. “—mad?”

My brother’s face softened marginally. “Of course not.” He glanced down at my belly. “How’s he treating you?”

I rolled my eyes. “You know it’s a girl. I told you it’s a girl. She’s a girl, Sash. You’re getting another niece. Deal with it.”

He forced back a smile, knowing he was goading me. “We’ll see.”

As he began to move into the living room, which had been set up for this meeting, I called out to him. He stalled and turned back to face me. My mouth opened, but nothing came out. Expression subdued, I took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Go easy on him. Please.”

My brother gave nothing away, just turned and entered the living room, sliding the doors closed behind him. And my chest ached viciously.

I wanted to be in there. I wanted to hear what was going on. But I also knew Vik needed to do this alone.

So, I did what any self-respecting woman would do.

I eavesdropped.

I put my ear to the door. And immediately wished I hadn’t when Sasha let out a heated, “Let me get this straight. You bought the building next to my club. You want to set up a rival bar next to my place of business, my bread and butter. And you want me to invest in it?” A pause. “Tell me why I shouldn’t pop you one right now, Vik. ’Cause I gotta tell ya, I’m tempted.”

Vik’s responding, “Well, of course, it sounds bad when you put it like that,” was all I could take.

Okay, so this started well.

Yeah. Nope. I can’t.

It physically hurt, but I turned and forced myself to walk away.

For fifty minutes, I sat in the kitchen by myself as my future husband worked on convincing my brother that this was not an investment opportunity he wanted to pass on.

For fifty minutes, I remained strong.

But by minute fifty-one, my body felt hot as anxiety took hold. I couldn’t stand it any longer. I had to see how it was going.

So, I did what any self-respecting woman would do. I snuck into the dining room and took the long way around so I could hide in the shadows of the curtains and eavesdrop. And when I got there, I moved the drapes just enough so I could see Vik, and the moment I saw him, my stomach plummeted.

He looked mildly irritated. “This wasn’t how it was supposed to go. I’m not even done yet. You don’t even have the stats.”

“I don’t need them” was Sasha’s cool reply. “I’ve heard enough. You’re done.”

My lips parted in shock.

Was Sasha really so callous that he wouldn’t even hear Vik out?

My chest panged. I expected better.

How disappointing.

But confusion washed over me the moment Vik said, “You don’t have to do this, Sash. Our past has nothing to do with this. This is business. I don’t want your charity.”

Wait. Did that mean what I thought it meant?

I glared at the man who knew how much we needed this money.

What was he doing?

Yes, we did want Sasha’s charity. We so did.

Please help us.

We’re poor.

As Sasha leaned back on the sofa, he peered out the window and began to speak. “Charity? You know something I don’t, Viktor?” He turned his head to face his friend, and his brow quirked. “Are you telling me I’d be throwing my money away?”

“No, it’s not that—” Vik started, and Sasha began to nod, cutting him off partway.

“Good. Because I’m offering three hundred thousand at ten percent.”

My own mouth rounded in silent shock as Vik’s expression slackened.

That was a lot of money. More than we needed.

Sasha moved to rest his ankle on his knee, seeming disinterested as he stated, “And I expect to see a return on my investment. Maybe not in your first year, but soon after. So, if you’re expecting charity, you can curb that notion right now. With me as partner, you’re going to work harder than you ever have in your life.” Sasha looked at his friend and laid it down. “Listen. Coming from someone with a bit of experience in this area, let me offer you some advice.” His amber eyes held no emotion as he shrugged lightly and spoke bluntly. “You’ve got an idea. That’s all. A good idea. Even stupid people get those once in a while.”

Oh no.

This better not be going where I thought it was.

If my brother was going to shut Vik down, I was going to rush out from my hiding spot and kick him right in the balls. My stomach began to ache as I eavesdropped from the shadows.

The way Vik’s brow pulled down tugged at my heart strings.

Sasha went on. “Now, it’s up to you to make sure it doesn’t get skewed. It’s up to you to make sure your idea doesn’t get compromised. This is the idea that sold me. I want what you’re promising. Not some watered-down, budget-conscious version of that idea. Building a business is hard, okay? The first couple of years are the worst. I think you’ll find that good ideas like this cost more than just money. It’s a commitment that has to come first.” I couldn’t help but notice the way my brother’s expression turned faraway. “It is time away from your family. It’s missing out on important events. If you’re reliable to your business, you’re unreliable to everyone else. It is… solitude. Some days, you’re going to feel like a god. Others are going to be so bad that you’re going to want to sell.” He took in a gentle breath. “Do you feel me?”

I couldn’t be sure, but from where I was standing, I could have sworn Vik looked at Sasha differently. As if he understood him a little better. His response was mild. “I feel you.”

“Good.” Sasha stepped closer to the poster. “This is really well done.”

“Yeah,” Vik agreed. “You should ask Mina about doing one for Bleeding Hearts.”

Sasha’s brow pulled down at hearing Mina’s name and quickly changed the subject. “What do you plan on calling this place?”

Vik did not stutter. “The Red Square.”

Sasha chuckled.

Shit.

Was that a good chuckle or a bad chuckle? I couldn’t tell from here.

My heart began to race at the very same time my gut twisted. This was nerve-wracking.

“Going with a Russian theme?” Sasha’s lip twitched, and I stopped breathing altogether. He remained silent for a moment before he said, “I like it.”

“I thought…” Vik cleared his throat and spoke again, this time with confidence. “I thought we could collaborate. Being that the bar would be open earlier than Bleeding Hearts and wouldn’t have an admission fee, we could offer half price entry to those who want to go from the bar to burlesque. The ultimate goal would be to have patrons start their night at The Red Square but end it at Bleeding Hearts without it costing either of us a loss.”

Sasha’s eyes narrowed in thought. After a moment, he nodded in agreement. “We’ll need to hash it out.”

“We have time,” Vik returned with cool conviction, and from my place in the dark, a slow smile stretched my mouth, and I hugged myself.

He was a natural. I could already tell he was going to be great.

And from the way Sasha observed him closely, he could too.

“Congratulations,” uttered Sasha, holding out his hand to Viktor. “You’ve got yourself an investor.”

Vik blinked down at that outstretched hand a long moment before he slapped it away and threw his arms around him, hugging him tightly with unspoken gratitude and brotherly affection. And while Sasha did not return it, he did allow it.

My heart remained a melting pile of goop in my chest. And as I observed the heartwarming scene in front of me, I thought on what my brother had said earlier.

Sasha was right. Building this business would not be easy.

It would mean time away from each other. Coming second for a while. Being supportive when all I wanted to do was scream at the top of my lungs.

But we would make it work.

This was Viktor’s dream, and nobody was more deserving than him. If that meant sacrificing a small part of what we had to bring it to fruition, I’d eagerly give whatever was needed. No question.

And while we seemed to do everything out of order, we always got there in the end.

We simply took our time in getting to where we were going, taking the scenic route.