✿ Zoltan's POV

I listened to the rain patter against the windows in my living room, trying hard to focus on it, and not on my wife who was currently soaking in the jacuzzi tub in my room.

The mechanic would have the car fixed by the morning so we'd be able to leave.

This house was bringing back memories I'd tried so hard to drown.

I sat on the smaller couch with one leg crossed over my other, drumming my fingers on my knee. After so many years of my chosen solitude, it felt strange to have another person living with me.

I sighed and looked down at the couch where Ulyana would be sleeping. She was tall... too tall to be able to lie down comfortably on it.

The biggest couch wasn't even meant for sleeping on.

But what was I supposed to do? Give up my bed for her?

Not happening.

Suggest to her to sleep in my bed with me?

“No way” I muttered to myself, resting my elbow on the armrest of the couch and plopping my chin onto my hand.

A sharp pain throbbed behind my eye and I winced, bringing a hand to it.

Of course, I'll have a migraine.

After everything that's gone down tonight? Of course.

The endless dull pulse of pain caused me to drag myself up from the couch and head to the bathroom. I pushed open the bathroom door, my hand still rubbing my temple. There was a small gasp and then a splash of water and I stopped dead.

Oh shit!

I turned before I even realized what I was doing. There in front of me was a wide-eyed Ulyana, who had sunk to her chin in the water. My mouth dried up as my gaze traveled down to the cloudy water that hid her body.

“What are you still looking at?” she asked, her voice a couple of pitches higher than normal. “Get out!”

I swallowed, not sure what to do or where to look. There was something beguiling about Ulyana when her hair was wet.

What? No!

I frowned.

“It's my house and my room. I can go out and come in as I please.”

“Disregarding the fact that I'm in here?!”

“If it would bother you this much, you should have locked the doors then.”

“I should have locked the doors?” she frowned. “You should have knocked!”

“Again it's my house. I don't need to knock for anything.”

The dim bathroom lights somehow still managed to make her face glow as she glared at me.

“And don't flatter yourself. I have no interest in looking at you” I lied.

The woman wasn't the slightest bit not interesting to look at... naked in my bathtub or not.

“I just have to grab something.”

“Well hurry and get out” she answered as I forced myself over to the medicine cabinet.

I hunched my shoulders as I searched for the right bottle. I spotted a bottle of Advil and picked it up. It'd expired over two years now but I grabbed it anyway, shut the cabinet, and made a beeline for the door.

“And stay out!” Ulyana added as I stepped out.

I closed the door maybe a little harder than I should've and took a deep breath, trying to calm myself.

The nerve.

My head began to throb again so I moved into the kitchen and got myself a glass of water. I checked the cabinets.

No pills.

I drank some more water. About a few seconds later, my phone started ringing. Groaning, I pulled it out of my pocket and noticed the screen read 'Warren'

“What?” I answered flatly.

“Why did you answer the phone?” he chuckled.

“What is it, Warren?” I repeated.

“Just wanted to check if you weren't too busy to answer the phone.”

“Hang up.”

He chuckled.

“Why? You're not too busy to talk now are you?”

“Warren.”

“Okay, okay. What's she doing?”

“Taking a bath” I reply, my mind tracing back to seeing her in the tub.

My jaw instantly ticks.

“Goodbye, Warren.”

“Wait, wait. I kinda have something important—”

“If you're going to ask me what she looks like without clothes—”

“Woah, Zoltan” he stopped me. “Why would I ask that?”

Why would I think he'd ask that?!

“Why would you even think I'd ask that?” he asked. “Hang on, have you—”

“Warren!” I growl.

“Alright, alright. Forgive me.”

“What is it you wanted to talk about?” I rubbed my head.

“I figured you didn't catch it at the wedding so I wanted to tell you... I proposed to Claire.”

I immediately sat up straighter in my seat.

“What?”

“I... asked her to marry me... for real this time... and for the right reasons.”

His voice was tight.

“I thought you couldn't stand her, Warren.”

Wasn't he always saying she tortured him in ways he didn't know existed?

“What happened?” I asked.

“Honestly man, I'm not sure.”

“Yet you proposed?”

“I did.”

His tone was regretful.

“Uh-huh,” I hummed. “Is it what you want?”

“No. It's what I need to do, Zoltan.”

I leaned back in my seat.

“Alright. Congratulations then.”

“Thanks. She wanted us to begin the preparations for the marriage but I told her I needed you to come back from your honeymoon first. I need my best man here.”

I nodded.

“We both know this isn't a real honeymoon, Warren. I'll be back before you know it.”

“Looking forward to it. And don't worry, I'll take care of everything while you're away.”

“Don't you always?” I chuckled.

“And Gerard and I will keep you posted on whatever goes on in your absence.”

I shook my head.

“I trust you to handle everything Warren. This isn't the first time I've been away.”

“But it's the first time you've been away on a fake honeymoon,” he tells me, making my mind go back to Ulyana's wet hair in the tub.

But most unfortunately, she was going to be breathing down my neck for a week. I shook my head. I had to get us to my house in the city that way I wouldn't run into her at every turn.

Or walk in on her completely naked and not in a tub this time.

“You there, buddy?”

“Fake honeymoon or not, Warren, nothing's happening between us” I stated.

“I don't know. Spending all that time with her, she might start to rub off on you and you might start to hate her less.”

“That's never happening,” I replied firmly, my whole body tensing.

Warren sucked in a deep breath of air.

“C'mon, man. We haven't had a complete conversation but I can tell she's a genuinely nice person.”

“Don't associate with her. You're my best friend and my beta. Meaning you're on my team, not on hers. And you know very well what this marriage is based on, so don't you dare suggest otherwise” I told him, trying to lighten my tone, even though my skin was crawling at the thought of having other than hate for her.

“I won't ever suggest otherwise again, Alpha Zoltan,” Warren said apologetically. “Just know you're going to have to keep putting on a show till death do you both part.”

I clenched my jaw. Unfortunately, it was true. The outside world and even part of my family didn't know this marriage wasn't based on love. If they found out and word got out, my respect and reputation would be at stake.

“But no one will know, that I can assure you. They won't even begin to suspect because you're the Alpha and no one questions Alpha Zoltan” he added.

His words gave my ego a boost and I let out a quiet sigh.

“Thanks, man.”

“What are best friends and betas for?” he chuckled. “I'll get going now.”

I nodded.

“Give Claire my congratulations.”

“Will do. Take care.”

“Ditto.”

I hung up. How could anyone be safe with her in my house? I heard a door close and I fought back the urge to turn to look. The footsteps grew nearer for a while and then they stopped completely.

“I had to borrow your clothes.”

The statement got me to straighten back up quickly in surprise and turn to see Ulyana standing on the small steps that led to the living room.

What the-

“Don't get the wrong idea” she quickly added.

There was a frown on her face as she hiked up one of my pajama bottoms in order not to trip as she descended.

“I know it wasn't Chole, but someone swapped my everyday jammies for cleavage-revealing silk lingerie and we both know that's not happening.”

My shirt was also too large on her making the sleeves flap as she walked my way. A weird feeling clawed at my chest as my anger slowly dispersed.

“My regular clothes aren't exactly meant for sleeping in,” she spoke up as she grew closer, shoving the sleeves of the shirt up to her elbow.

After a couple of seconds, they rolled back down.

“So I had to borrow yours. I found them in the closet and since I couldn't get your luggage to open, I put them on. After all, what's yours is now mine. And so your clothes, my clothes.”

I was never one to be at a loss for words. But for the first time, all thanks to Ulyana Barlowe, I found it happening.

She dared to go through my things and show up in front of me, wearing my clothes? Did she have no respect for me? Did she easily forget I'm the Alpha? I couldn't have her doing this in front of people.

I need to put her in her place, remind her of her place, and make sure she stays there.

“Just don't go wearing my clothes. You'll stretch them out” she said after a moment.

I slowly get up and fully turn to face her. My brow pinches as I closely study my clothes on her for the first time.

And she had to choose that one?!

I felt the muscles in my jaw tense, as my eyes darkened.

“Take it off right now” I demanded.

Her eyes widened.

“What the— I will not take it off!” she began, instantly appalled.

I didn't mean it like that gosh!

“You can't wear that.”

“Did you not hear anything I just said?” she asked. “I'm not wearing lingerie and my clothes are—”

I marched toward her and she quickly got out of the way.

I wasn't even coming for you.

I passed by her and moved into my bedroom. Closing the door behind me, I feel along the wall by the closet and tug a brick loose to take out the key.

I unlock the bottom drawer of the wardrobe at the far end of the room and bring out the plain white gown and the matching white robe with purple-blue and silver trim over it.

Okay.

I lock the drawer and stash the key back into the wall where I close it with the brick. I moved back into the living room and tossed the clothes to her.

“Put this on.”

She eyed me.

“Are you deaf? Take that off and put this on.”

“I am no—”

“I won't look while you change. Just take my clothes off and put on that,” I growled.

She eyed the clothes.

“Where'd you get this?”

“Does it matter?”

“Everything I ask matters, Zoltan. I went through your closet and I didn't see any women's clothing in there. So where did this come from?”

“It's Geneva's.”

“With the tag still intact?”

“Because she obviously never wore it.”

“How do you even know if it'll—”

“It'll fit fine” I cut her off.

Like it would have fit her.

“Just get out of those. They're old” I sighed.

“Uh—sure,” she mumbled. “But you didn't have to be weird about it.”

I frowned.

“Would you want me to tear it off of you instead?”

I immediately find myself imagining throwing her onto the bed.

Zoltan!

“Try it, and you'll lose a hand” she threatened and walked away, almost tripping.

The bedroom door slammed shut and I huffed after her. I sat in the living room, waiting for her to get out of my room. But from how long it was taking, it didn't look like she wanted to.

“Are you finished over there yet?” I asked angrily, standing up and attempting to bang on the door.

“Yeah, I'm finished,” she replied, finally walking into the living room.

What was supposed to be an average plain white gown looked exquisite on Ulyana. It loosely hugged her figure in places I had expected it to flow. My gazing was interrupted when the robe swung to cover up her curves.

I pressed my lips together tightly and grimaced inwardly.

Was I checking her out?

Ulyana moved to the side of the biggest couch and settled in. Her hair dripped at the ends, sending droplets of water onto the expensive leather.

My goodness.

I immediately moved into the kitchen and grabbed a towel. When I got back to the living room, my instant reaction was to reach for her and tuck her hair into the towel. But then I stopped myself when my eyes came into contact with the exposed part of her throat and her collarbones.

I didn't realize how close I was till her eyes widened slightly and she shifted on the couch.

“What are you doing?”

I blinked and stepped back.

“The water,” I stated.

She looked behind her and made a face.

“Are you seriously going to complain over a few drops of water on your couch?” she asked.

“Dry your hair properly then,” I said.

She pulled at the wet strands.

“No. I don't dry my hair.”

“Well you're getting my couch wet so dry it” I tossed the towel to her.

“I don't have to towel dry my hair to please you, Zoltan. If I don't want to, then I don't have to. And towel drying my hair makes it frizzy.”

And this would mean she possibly catching a cold.

I can't have that.

“Well I don't care about your hair,” I said. “Dry it. Because you're not going to ruin my leather.”

“Me sleeping on it is going to get my imprint anyway. So if it gets ruined by the water from my hair, simply replace it” she countered.

I scoffed.

“Now if you're done being your usual bossy self, I'd like to go to bed now” she gestured with her head for me to leave.

My jaw ticked at how she comfortably and confidently disrespected me.

I'm going to put her in her place. And she's going to stay there.

Thank you for reading!
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See ya.
~the_atticwriter