Nine:
Dove
"This is so exciting cooking with you and my brother," Anastasia chirped in excitement, as she dug out baking ingredients on the top drawer of the huge kitchen we were in. It seemed the kitchen had enough supplies to feed half of America. "It's been way too long because no one here wants any bakes goods when I offer. Everyone here loves red meat more than anything else."
"So why are you taking out baking shit?" Aleksei asked as he caught the bag chocolate chips with ease without so much as a warning from Anastasia who hopped off the counter for the fridge next.
"Because we're going to celebrate our newest family member which means we're baking! You know, like when it's someone's birthday and you get cakes and sweets," she declared loudly as she set the cartoon of eggs onto the counter and looked at her brother with her lips pressed together for a moment before she titled her head. "Do you need an apron too? Or you going to cook in your expensive pair of sweatpants and sweater?"
"Woah, I never said I'll be baking with you,"
"It'll be fun, and wasn't your job to entertain Dove?"
"Technique, it was to just make sure she doesn't do anything crazy and reckless," he corrected with a laugh. "So, what are you making exactly?"
"Well, the other maids have already started to prep for dinner, so I figured we could bake some brownies. It's simple enough and everyone loves brownies in this household," she said with a giant grin.
"Unless you're Gedeon."
"He doesn't like any sweets," Anastasia explained to me before I could ask as she sighs, placing one of her hands onto her cheeks, cupping it. "I mean, who doesn't like sweets? Only a monster wouldn't."
"That's exactly what he is anyways," Aleksei joked with a smile before poking at me with a wink. "Unless his darling little wife serves it to him."
I whipped my head to him the same time their eyes fell onto me. I had been more than fine being quiet, enjoying their company but it had been more apparent they wanted me to join in on their conversation. "Me?"
"It'll be a first gift to your husband, like a wedding gift. We Russians love gifts from their wives. It's a sign of devotion, love, and care that they're on their minds," he took a pause and cocked his head to the side as he stared up at the ceiling. "Though I guess it wouldn't apply in this case, but still can give it a go."
"But don't get your hopes up when it comes to Gedeon accepting it, no offense on you Dove. He's very wary of everything and doesn't enjoy much food anyways, like a child," she laughed, flicking off the idea and turned to me with the same warm smile. It was weird, to be treated with this much kindness. Sometimes, I think it's just a trick and yet each day, she's been nothing but kind. "You ever made brownies before?"
I stared at the tray Anastasia had laid in front of me along with other baking ingredients. "I never baked or cooked in my life."
"Well that's all going to change today if Gedeon is putting you to work alongside me, because I love cooking and baking," she announced with her chest puffed out. "While we bake, I would love to get to know you better. We can take turns doing twenty questions between the three of us."
Aleksei groaned loudly. "I don't want to learn more about you."
"Too bad," she sang, sticking her tongue out. A small tug came in the corner of my mouth to see their interaction. It was so much like when Mother was alive, and it made me feel warm to see their bond so strong, despite what kind of things they do for a living. She tapped her chin before snapping her fingers. "Okay, what's your favorite season? Start with something basic and go from there."
The next hour consisted of baking, learning how to measure properly, and getting to know each other. We decided it was best if we all did our own trey to make a small competition and appease each other's intake on how sweet they wanted it. Their bickering between sibling rivalry to make the best brownies and sabotaging one another when the other wasn't looking. Nicolai had come to give me a rather murderous look as he passed, but when Anastasia called to him, his eyes would soften just slightly before ducking away. As we sat, waiting for the brownies to finish cooling in their state of the art looking quick freeze fridge, Aleksei nodded at me.
"Dove, now it's your turn," Aleksei pointed out.
I took a pause, trying to think of a question. I had finally started to get more use to talking without needing permission. I hummed, swinging my legs as I twirled my finger around my hair. My hands started to finally stop aching now, which meant it was only a matter of time before I could unwrap it without the ointment Anastasia had been applying for me. "Okay, what's your favorite type of flowers?"
"Flower?" he asked with a frown.
"Yeah," I gave a curt nod. "My favorite are hydrangeas."
"Would it be basic if I said roses?" Anastasia asked with a laugh.
"You enjoy planting and gardening, Dove?" he questioned as Anastasia jumped out of her seat when the buzzer went off on her phone. She placed on a pair of red mittens with a squeal, excited about the three batches of brownies that was just about finished as I turned my attention back to him with a nod.
"My mother loved flowers, and I did as well, alongside reading and playing board games like Othello and Chess as well."
"Hey, Gedeon loves playing chess as well," he said in amusement and stared at the ceiling in thought for a moment before his eyes widened and sparkled. He whipped his head back to me and stared at me, agape. "Do you think you can beat him at chess? Because we would all love to rub it in his damn face if you're really good."
At that, I shrugged. "I'm not too sure. I haven't played in a while."
"Now I'm curious, we got an extra chessboard lying down here?" he looked around the kitchen as if every room in this giant estate had one lying around. Anastasia snorted at his question as she placed the last trey onto the counter with a small thump.
"No, Nicolai got mad and broke the whole board in half," she rolled her eyes, throwing the mittens onto the table with a huff before she gestured to the three treys. Both of us got off the kitchen stools as she placed her hands onto her hips, proud. "There you have it, brownies. I already knew Aleksei and mine would taste like crap because we've been sabotaging each other's."
He laughed as he held up his hands. "How you know that?"
"You may be a great bodyguard, but you suck at being sneaky, especially when it comes to your sister," she stuck out her tongue before cutting a slice of brownie and gives one for him. I stared in silent as they took a bite, hoping it wouldn't be too bad for my first time making anything. Both of them stopped chewing midway as Aleksei cocked an eyebrow up at me.
"Wait, why does your brownies taste like expresso and have dark chocolate?"
I swallowed, staring at the brownies in front of me as I rubbed the back of my neck. "I saw the expresso powder on the side and decided to make add half a cup in there, because you said Gedeon don't like sweets, while you were both trying to sabotage one another. I hope that's okay."
"You made it for him?" Anastasia asked, as if in shock that I would go out of my way to make something for Gedeon. "Really?"
"Yes, I thought you hinted it too? Am I wrong?" I shuffled from one foot to the next, hoping it wouldn't upset them. I bit my lips, staring at the floor. "Because of your traditions, I don't want to disrespect it."
Both of them shared a look with one another I couldn't quite understand before they looked back at me, as if in a new light. Anastasia pops the last bite into her mouth before grabbing a small carry trey, a glass of milk, and another slice of brownie onto it with a set of fork and knife on the side. "You should go and get him a slice. I think he might like it."
"Yeah, sure," I nodded, but I thought it would be given to him by the maids rather than by me personally right now. Sucking in a small breath, I slowly sliced a piece out of my brownies. To be honest, I didn't know what possessed me to make it. I knew they didn't actually cared if I did make it or not, but it just seemed appropriate to give him a gift, even if it's a small one because it was his tradition. My Mother was really big when it came to respecting other people's tradition and culture, and who was I not to. At the same time, I didn't want to see Gedeon again for one big reason.
I really didn't want to see him again and being called a bird.
In the two days, I come to hate it, because it seemed to have stripped me of the very little things, I really had in this world: my individuality and identity. It was a constant reminder of who I was at the end of the day, a prisoner in a beautiful cage.
But then again, what matters what I wanted?
Long as I'm well fed and given my own small piece of haven where I didn't have to sleep with him every night or taken against my will, it was the closest it'll get to heaven. I had assumed I would get my small taste of freedom with being able to go out, but I was mistaken. I expected too much for these people that treated me with kindness.
Saying I'll be back, I traced my way back to where his office was in the huge estate. I was surprised to see that Aleksei didn't try escorting me, but then again, it wasn't like I could hide or escape anyways by how guarded the place was. Sucking in a small breath to disperse the knit in my stomach, I gently knocked his office door.
"Come in."
I turned the knob and poked my head in. He was on his laptop, typing until I entered. Documents were on his table, all done neatly unlike this morning. His hair that was parted to one side before perfectly was now a mess like he ran his fingers through it all day. His suit was off now, thrown to the side of the couch with the top two buttons of his dress shirt undone.
I didn't realize until now that he had a balcony at the back of him because the curtains were drawn this morning, only allowing a small amount of light from the center room. Now, it was fully open with the moon illuminating his figure. It made him look more deadly and mysterious all at once.
Forcing my feet to move, I walked in before closing the door gently behind me.
He stared at me momentarily before his eyes drifted to what was in my hands with a deep frown. "What's that in your hands?"
"I made you, well it was rather Anastasia helping me as well, some dessert."
"I don't eat sweets," he said, deadpanned.
"Yes, I heard so I figured you might enjoy small slice of espresso brownies with a cup of milk," I explained as I held out the tray for him. He stared like he's appraising me or trying to find fault in my action. I gripped harder on the trey, hoping he wouldn't notice how my hands trembled under his gaze. After a moment, he shuts his laptop and looked at me with a puzzled look.
"What's your tactic?"
I blinked a few times. "I'm sorry?"
"Why did you make me dessert, bird? What's your gain?"
"Oh," I replied dumbly as I stared at the tray. "There's nothing to gain from me doing it. Anastasia said everyone loves dessert and when I tried it her batch, I couldn't help but wonder how someone who doesn't like sweets could enjoy it as well. I saw the cup of coffee you were drinking and decided to add expresso powder and dark chocolate, to make it more bitter for your liking."
"You made this yourself?" he asked like I had gone to poison the brownies.
"Anastasia and Aleksei monitored me," I assured. "You don't have to eat it."
"No, I haven't eaten dinner yet anyways."
"That's not really good to eat for dinner," I drawled out slowly before I could stop myself from speaking too much. It was rather off putting and strange how well I felt being able to talk to him so freely when I shouldn't. Maybe he had this talent of being able to draw out more than necessary from people since it was something he had probably perfected.
"Did I ask for your opinion, bird?"
I thinly pressed my mouth together before setting the tray of a sliced brownies and warmed milk in front of him, clenching the inside of my jaw, hard. "I'll be on my way if you're settled."
"You don't like me calling you that," he simply stated.
I stopped on my tracks and slowly cocked my head back at him. Instead of giving him the satisfaction of knowing, I decided to dance around his statement with my own question. "What makes you say that?"
"Your posture, and tone. I'm really good with telling people tells," he said, his eyes never leaving mine.
"I'm sure that's true," I agreed, my eyes trailed to the open balcony behind him. A gust of wind rushed in, the cold air sweeping every small corner of the room. It was refreshing, even though my skin pricked in goosebump by the chilliness of it. Just for a moment, I embraced it before focusing my attention back to him. His eyes were piercing, dark, and dangerous as he stared up at me.
"Admit it."
"Are you commanding me too?"
"I like to prove that I'm right," he commented, leaning into his leather chair. "Not to mention, it's fun to get someone who's clearly stubborn that they're wrong. Makes me feel powerful, especially getting the little Italian princess to willingly do it, so no, I'm not forcing you. You'll do it yourself."
He's out of his mind if he thinks I would.
"Don't roll your eyes with your lips puckered out like a spoiled unless you want me to spank you," he growled lowly.
I gapped at him momentarily, not believing what had come out of his mouth. I haven't been smacked since I was a child, before my father decided a more appropriate approach would be across the face. Not to mention, I don't think I even rolled my eyes. "You would not."
"Why? You're my wife. How I see to punish you by spanking your ass till it's raw and pink is up to me," he remarked and reached for the metal fork and knife, cutting a thin piece and bit into it. He gave nothing away as he placed it back down, with the perfect stoned face like usual as he slowly rises from his seat. He only takes one stride to close the distance between us and I willed myself not to take a step back, to show him that he made me nervous. I could see the scars on his face, and I couldn't help but wonder where he had gotten them in the first place. "Have you tried it yet?"
I almost forgot what we were talking about for a moment before I shook my dead at his question. "I never got a chance to try it, no."
At that, he broke a small piece off with one of his hands and held it out in front of me. Without a word, I opened my mouth to take a bite. I had assumed he would pull away, but instead, he thumbed at my bottom lips. He swiped his thumbs from the corner of my mouth slowly to the next, his touch seeming to set a small fire where he touched. Finally he pulled away, as if he broke away from a trance. "I'll make you a deal."
I peered up at him, slowly craning my neck to the side by his offer. "Deal?"
"If you admit you don't like being called that, I'll let you step into the roof somewhere this week when I'm done with my work," he said, gently taking a stride of my strayed hair into his hands. He wasn't touching me, yet I was hyperaware by just how close he was. This man was dangerous, and he probably had the strength to crush me right here if he wanted.
But his offer caught my attention as I narrowed my eyes slightly in disbelief. "Really?"
"Slight mistake on my part this morning with changing my mind. I'm usually the type to not back down on my words. Won't happen again," he drawled out, lowering his voice an octave as he lowered his head, his eyes still trained on me. "Well, my little pet bird? Won't you make your husband happy and tell him why you don't like it?"
I wagered the two in my head, giving him what he wants by admitting it freely without being commanded too that I didn't like being called the rather demeaning nickname or give in to my temptation to have freedom being outdoors, for even just a moment.
I tensed when he finally brought my hair to his lips, kissing it. The gesture could be a sign of endearment, yet the anger and challenge in his eyes only screamed the truth. It only solidified what I already know that he owned me. I took a step back and he didn't move, only tucking his hands into his pocket.
"No, I think we're done with this conversation," I said, brushing my hair he had taken behind my ears. Her towers over me but gives no indication he wanted to harm me.
"I'll break your spirit sooner or later, my wife."
A scowl came to my face before I could cover it. Unlike Father and Robert who barely talked to me, only mocking me after hitting me or taking me, Gedeon brought out something in me, the way he knew how to push my buttons. It was like he knew how to anger me and using it to his advantage. Well he wasn't going to get a reaction out of me.
"Good luck trying, my husband."
With that, I turned and left without another word.