Chapter 16 Chapter 16
ISLA
I was in my room, thinking about how what they did to Jacob only pissed me off, and I needed to let out my anger. I walked into the closet and found workout clothes all the way at the end. I hurriedly changed and headed down. When I got to the bottom, I stopped short. In the sitting area, Blair was sitting there along with her parents. The anger and rage I felt was so consuming it took everything in me not to react.
“Natalie, can you take a look at this proposal for me?” I heard him ask. I walked over to the sitting area, ignoring the people that were there, and sat down beside him and took the file from him.
“Hello, dear, you must be Ms. Ferro’s sister.” Vivian said, I didn't even bother looking up or even answering her.
“Well then, we’ll take our leave now, Mr. Ferro,” I heard Alistair say. He and his wife hurried out, and Blair was left standing there.
“Ares, come.” Nikolai said, and my breath froze in my throat.
I saw Jules and Wesley walking, and in front of them, walking into the sitting area, was a dog.
“Ekkkk,” I heard Blair screech.
“Nikolai?”
“This is Ares; I bought him.
He didn't look like a dog. He looked like a prehistoric predator carved out of obsidian and crawled out of hell. He was a monster; his chest was broad enough to shield a bullet. He walked over to me slowly, his eyes locked on mine, a low, guttural growl starting deep in his throat.
The change was instant; as if he caught a scent, the growl snapped shut. His massive head tilted, and his nostrils flared, working overtime. He lunged toward me. Anyone else would have screamed. Blair did scream, but I didn't move; I sat still. I didn't think Nikolai would bring something into this house to harm me.
He didn't bite. He slammed his giant head into my stomach, nearly taking my breath away, and let out a whimpering cry that didn't match his size. He was inhaling me. I reached out, my fingers sinking into the thick, dark fur of his neck.
“Take Ms. Rhodes to her room before Ares attacks her,” Nikolai said. Ares was still sniffing me as Jules and Wesley led Blair out.
"He’s been waiting for five years to meet the woman behind the smell. Niikolai said, and I looked at him.
He inhaled so hard his whole body shook, and then he made a pathetic, high-pitched whine. He shoved his giant head into my thighs, nearly knocking me over, acting like a puppy that had finally found its mother.
I froze, my hand hovering over his cropped ears. "He... he knows me?"
"He’s never seen your face," Nikolai said, leaning toward us. He looked at the dog with a grim sort of pride.
"Every month for five years, my men brought back a souvenir of yours from the Academy. A sweaty shirt, a scarf you wore, a towel. I used them to train him. I made your scent his reward, his home, and his god. He doesn't take orders from anyone, and half the time, he barely listens to me. He was bred and broken just for you,” he said.
I looked down at the kitten in my lap. The dog looked up at me, his dark eyes full of a terrifying loyalty.
"He's a weapon," he whispered, leaning in close to my ear. "One I spent half a decade sharpening. He only speaks Russian, and he only listens to us. Use the words you learned. Tell him he’s safe." He said,
"Успокойся, Ares," I said, the Russian feeling heavy on my tongue. Calm down.
His ears flattened, and he immediately sat back, his weight leaning against my leg like an anchor. He was a killing machine, and I held the remote.
Nikolai was watching me. "He’s been a ghost in this house; he only lived for the shirts my men brought back. Now he has the real thing."
I looked at Nikolai. I gestured toward the guard standing stiffly by the door, whose hand was hovering nervously over his holster. Ares felt my tension, and his upper lip curled, showing off teeth the size of my fingers.
"Друг," I said firmly, pointing at the guard. Friend.
Ares huffed, the aggression leaving his body instantly. He sat back on his haunches, a silent, black mountain at my side. He didn't care about the guard anymore. He didn't care about Nikolai. He only cared about me.
"Good boy," I said in English, though my heart was cold.
I looked at Nikolai. “Thank you,” I said, my voice barely a whisper.
“Now she’s here. I have no intention of marrying her; you have six months to play with her. What did you intend to do?” he asked.
“Make her go crazy, and before I do, every single thing she did to me, I’ll do it to her. Wesley?”
“Yes, Madam?” Wesley asked.
“Come spar with me for an hour.” I said, standing up.
“Madam… I…” Wesley stuttered, looking between me and Nikolai. I turned and looked at him.
“Problem?”
“I’ll spar with you.” Nikolai said, standing up.
“Fine,” I said.
“Ares Приходить.” (Come)
Ares followed me to the back straight to the gym; I saw Blair walking down the stairs.
“Nikolai,” she started in a sickly sweet voice.
“Mr. Ferro, to you.” Nikolai said, making her snap her mouth shut.
“Mr. Ferro, I am heading out to meet my…”
“Who told you you had permission to leave?” I asked, looking at her.
“Excuse me?” She asked, her voice taking on that high-pitched tone.
“I said you’re not leaving. Wesley, if he tries to leave, break her leg.”
“Yes, Madam,” Wesley replied.
I continued to the gym with Ares behind me.
I pushed the door open and stepped onto the gym mat. I wrapped my hands as I waited for Nikolai; my skin was itching for a fight. Nikolai wasn't letting anyone else touch me, even if it was just for training. Ares was a heavy shadow at my side, his low growl vibrating in my shins as he eyed Nikolai when he walked in.
"Место," I said, pointing to the corner. Place. Ares huffed and sat, but his eyes stayed glued to us like we were about to explode.
I didn't wait for Nikolai to set. I lunged; I didn't hesitate. I threw a sharp jab that he barely parried, the smack of skin on skin echoing in the empty gym. He moved like a shadow, heavy but fast, circling me with a dark look in his eyes that made my blood boil. We didn't talk. We just traded blows, hard, stinging strikes that left heat on my skin, but this is what I was used to. He caught my kick, his grip like a vice around my ankle, and yanked me forward until I was pressed against his chest. For a second, I could smell the woodsmoke and sweat on him, a scent that hit me harder than any punch.