ARIANA
SHOWING UP TO WORK WITH A wedding band around my finger raised a lot of questions among my staff, especially because the last time they saw me, I bade them goodbye before heading for Papà's funeral.
The girls and I were like friends instead of coworkers. We all clicked, and it wasn't like a normal boss-employee relationship.
That wasn't to say they didn't respect my boundaries or weren't efficient with their work. It was quite the opposite, and I couldn't be more grateful for that.
"Someone tell me I'm hallucinating," Drea, my closest friend of the bunch, said as she flung my door open, barging into my workspace.
Only she would get a pass for intruding.
My workspace was sacred, but she was also my best friend since my college days. In the end, bestie privileges, as she liked to call it, won.
"There's been some buzz floating around. You're freaking married?" Her eyes zeroed in on my engagement ring and wedding band lined with diamonds because over his dead body would Aleksei gift his wife something less than befitting of his status. "Holy duckling, they were right."
I shook my head at her antics. What the heck was holy duckling?
"Deets immediately."
I explained everything that had happened over the week to her, and her mouth dropped open. It helped that Drea knew about what my family did, but she never once blamed me for it. Add that to the piling reasons why I loved her.
"Wait. You mean to tell me that you're married to the Aleksei Tarasov? Like, Aleksei freaking Tarasov?"
I nodded grimly, my lips pressed into a flat line.
"Oh, my God. He's fucking gorgeous, babe." She fanned herself. "And he's stupid rich. He was featured in Forbes' under thirty billionaires' list."
I blanched at her. "Did you not understand a word I just wrote?"
She grinned at me, flipping her brown hair over her shoulder. "You said it yourself. Arranged marriages aren't a new thing in your world. In your case, you got a hottie as a husband, not an old geezer over thirty years your senior. You should be happy."
I probably should.
Aleksei was a better option than most men who'd sought my hand in marriage, but I still couldn't help but feel hatred toward him.
After Papà's death, I could have skipped that fate. Matteo and Enzo would kill themselves before they forced me to marry a man I didn't want to. I was so close to tasting real freedom. Aleksei just had to ruin everything and trap me in a marriage.
"I need to get back to work, Drea. Let's talk after work."
She nodded after reading the note. "I'll see you during lunch. I have a present in my bag that I've wanted to give you for forever, and your wedding just provided the perfect opportunity. Love the new look by the way. The blonde hair looks amazing on you."
I wrinkled my nose at her. I didn't trust the excitement in her hazel eyes. Her gift was something I'd have to scold her for. I could feel it.
She threw me one last wink before shutting the door behind her.
I sighed, getting back to work on my latest dress designs.
*
"There you are!" My assistant's relieved voice called out. "There's someone here to see you," Ava said, walking over to me.
I'd stepped out of my workroom to get some coffee when I wasn't getting any work done. Depending on who visited, I could use the company.
"It's Michael," she told me, probably reading the question written on my face. "Should I tell him to come back tomorrow?" She looked at the wristwatch strapped around her wrist. "It's almost closing."
I shook my head to tell her no.
"I'll send him to your office."
Her heels made click-clack noises on the floor as she made her way down the hallway. I grabbed my coffee and promptly headed to my office.
Michael was already in there by the time I got there. He rose to his feet with a grin, holding his arms open for a hug. I placed my mug on the coffee table before stepping into his embrace.
"My condolences. I would've been there for you if I could. Work got hectic," he said, pulling back from me with a smile.
I returned his smile, even though I was happy that work had kept him away. Michael was persistent, and he'd have forcefully invited himself to the funeral. That was the last thing I wanted. He didn't belong in that world.
Michael was a fun-loving young man with shaggy blond hair, brown eyes, and a killer smile to match. This was his world. He wouldn't survive in mine; a world ruled by blood, drugs, and guns.
I made a dress for his sister for her wedding two years, and we'd remained friends ever since. I was on a first-name basis with his family, too.
"Extend my condolences to your mother as well. I'm sure this wasn't easy for her. Come, let's sit."
I lowered myself into a couch, and he took the one right across from me.
"How was the trip?"
"It was great. My mother took me to this restaurant in Milan..."
We went back and forth like that, filling each other in on what we'd been up to for several minutes.
Michael exhaled after a minute of silence washed over us. "Are we going to address the elephant in the room or what?" He asked.
I arched a brow at him. What elephant was he talking about?
He gestured at the ring on my finger, a frown twisting his face.
Oh. I looked down at the diamond-studded band, twisting it around my finger with my other hand. Maybe I should have taken the ring off before I arrived at work today. This wasn't a conversation I wanted to have with anyone today.
"You're married?"
"Of course, she's married. You lost your chance, Mikey boy," Drea said from the open doorway.
A scowl immediately settled on his face. Michael and Drea didn't get along for some unknown reason, and whenever I asked them about it, they came up with excuses. Drea claimed he was too superficial. Michael said she was too loud. As I said, excuses.
I massaged my temple from the impending headache that was sure to bloom when these two were in a room together, before turning to face Drea who was now making her entrance into my office, a wrapped gift box in her hand.
I narrowed my eyes at the box. Whatever was in it was something I definitely didn't want to see. Drea winked at me, confirming that thought as she handed me the box.
"Don't you have club appearances to make or something? Waddle off," she said, plopping down on the arm of my couch.
"You met me here, loudmouth. If anyone should leave, it's you."
Drea huffed. "We're not done for the day. We have work to do here. You should leave, so Ari can get something done."
Michael narrowed his eyes at her. "You're playing that card now?"
They both knew how seriously I took my work, and they respected that. If he thought I was busy with work right now, he'd leave, and Drea was using that against him.
She flipped her hair over her shoulder. "Yes. Chop chop. As for her husband, he's Aleksei Tarasov. Look him up."
Michael's mouth dropped open. "Aleksei Tarasov? The Russian businessman?"
"Yup," Drea replied smugly, popping the 'p'.
"Have you heard the rumors surrounding that family? He's a criminal, Ari. His family is in the mafia. He's a dangerous man. Did he force you into this?"
Not exactly, but he didn't give me a choice either. Nevertheless, that wasn't something Michael should concern himself with. The Russians were known for being merciless with their killings, and I'd hate for something to happen to Michael just because he stuck his nose where it didn't belong.
"I'm sure you've heard the rumors surrounding my family, too. They're reportedly in the mafia. Do you believe those rumors?"
I felt bad lying to him, but I'd rather lie to him than let him get hurt.
"Obviously not. You cleared the air on that. It's just rumors."
"The same goes for Aleksei. He's not a dangerous man, and he didn't force me to marry him. I'm fine."
As I sent the text to Michael doubt settled in the pit of my stomach. I didn't know how dangerous Aleksei was, and that was a thought that scared me sometimes. What if, just like my father, he changed just like the flip of a switch, and decided to harm me? I knew nothing about his behavior and ticks, after all. The more I thought about our union, the more my pounding headache grew.
The purse of Michael's lips said he didn't believe me. "Are you sure?"
I nodded.
"You may go now," Drea piped in. "We have work to do, remember?"
He glared at her as he rose to his feet, buttoning up his suit jacket. "Very well, then. I'll see you another time. Tell me if he does anything to you." He leaned down to kiss my forehead before straightening again. "Call me if you need anything."
"Ten bucks says he's gonna go home and cry," Drea said after Michael closed the door behind him. "He's had a crush on you for the longest time. Anyway, back to the present I got you. Open it!" She urged me.
I reluctantly tore the wrapper off, watching Drea get more and more excited from the corner of my eyes as I unboxed the gift. I reached into the box, pulling out a red rose-shaped... toy? I paused. I really didn't know what this was.
"It's a rose toy."
I gave her a look that said no shit, and she broke into a fit of giggles.
"A rose toy as in a sex toy shaped like a rose," she explained. "It works wonders, I tell you."
That explained the excitement that was buzzing around her. She wanted to gift me a sex toy.
I huffed out a laugh. That was such a Drea thing to do. I couldn't even be mad at her when she did things like this. She claimed she was severely concerned about my sex life that she resorted to buying me every sex toy under the moon whenever she could.
I had a pile of them in a box in my closet, and they remained untouched. Hell, I didn't even know how to use half of them. Drea didn't have to know that, though. She'd have an aneurysm.
"It can also serve as a decoration on your nightstand. No one will be none the wiser when they see it. Ava recommended it to me, and it has changed my life. Men suck these days. All talk and no action. Ava was just telling me that the last guy she met didn't even know how to work her clit. Can you imagine?!"
I rolled my eyes at her. "It's preposterous."
She burst into laughter when she read my text. "Sarcastic bitch. I'm just trying to help here. I know it's especially harder for you to communicate your needs with a man because of your mutism, so I bought this for you. You can reach the big 'O' at home. Aren't I amazing?"
"Truly you are."
She huffed. "I know you're being sarcastic again, but I'll take that as a compliment. Now, let me work you through using this thing to get the best orgasm."
I sat through a ten-minute lecture on something I didn't want to know anything about, but I was too tired to fight Drea over this. Between the funeral and wedding preparations, I was exhausted for the week. No. The month.
When Drea showed no signs of keeping quiet, I sent her a message. "There's a manual in here for all the information you're offering. You know that, right? There's no need to waste your breath."
Drea mock gasped like she was offended. "Are you asking me to leave? I'm lending a helping hand here, Ari. Make sure Aleksei knows the toy isn't there to replace him. It's just there to assist. . ."
An excited squeal outside my office put a pause on Drea's running mouth. The knob turned, and the door opened, revealing Ava on the other side of the door.
"He's here!" She said, clapping like a schoolgirl.
"Who's here?" Drea asked, rising to her feet.
"Aleksei Tarasov. He's even hotter in person!" Ava gushed, fanning herself with her hand. "The girls are having a field day over his arrival. Do you think he's here to shop for a wedding dress for his girlfriend? Wait. Does he have a girlfriend?"
"Oh, I'm sure he's not here for that," Drea replied, a knowing smile plastered on her face as she turned to face Ava. "Are you going to stake a claim on him or what?"
I huffed at that. Stake a claim on him, my ass. I wasn't a dog, and Aleksei was his own person. He didn't belong to me. Besides, what was he doing here? I didn't even tell him where I worked.
I unlocked my phone to text him and ask why he was here when Ava spoke again.
"I don't know what you two are talking about, but I'm just gonna let you know that Cheryl is all over him like a fly."