Her Volkovs #Book 3 novel Chapter 16

Belle's POV

I want to die.

I wish that the ground will just swallow me at this very moment to save me from this embarassment.

Why is he looking at me like that? What is up with him? And the band. God this band! It's like Matushka paid them to be on cue or something.

"Are you okay? Do you want to go home? We can leave anytime you want, just say the word." Artan whispered while squeezing my hand on top of my thigh.

"I'm fine Artan, how about you? How are you feeling? Your wound, does it still hurt?"

"Don't worry about me. I'm..."

Artan attempted to hold my chin when suddenly.

Bammmmm!

Nikolai slammed his glass on the table, everything on top shook and vibrated. Everyone, except for Matushka and Alexei looked at Nikolai in complete surprise.

Alexei drank everything from his glass all the way down, while sporting the exact facial expression as Nikolai. Matushka's lips are pulled to the side slightly, looking like she expected Nikolai's reaction.

"I need a drink!" My bestfriend raised her hand to catch the attention of the server. She was handed a glass of champagne and she drunk it immediately without a single drop left.

"One more! Yes!" She asked for another glass and drank it again all the way down. I reached for my bestfriend's hand to calm her nerves down. I know that her anxiety is in its hyper mode considering that we are surrounded by mobsters and mafia men. And of course, considering what Nikolai just did.

Matushka smiled and widened her eyes in amusement to my bestfriend. "Amylinda Lee am I right?"

"Yes. Yours truly, Matushka. I mean Madame Irene, I mean...."

"Haha! You are such a charming doll my dear."

"Hehe...uh...thanks?"

Matushka smiled and raised her glass for a toast.

"Cheers to the coming bundle of joy!" She glanced at me, offered the sweetest smile and continued, "May the rightful druglord bring the mother home tonight!"

Oh my god!

I feel like a permanent lump formed in my throat, I'm actually suffocating. My bestfriend spilled her drink in front of her in disbelief.

"Uh, excuse me." Amy stood up from her chair and went to the privy.

I took the glass of water from the table and sipped, not even attempting to look around in humiliation. My goodness, what is Matushka doing? I'm already starting to think that going to this party is a bad idea. Argh!

I thought that was it but to my horror, Nikolai stood up from his chair and sat down right next to me, taking over Amy's chair. He then pulled my chair towards him abruptly, it made a screetching sound against the concrete ground.

My body swinged to his side, along with my chair. He made sure that we are too close that there's not an inch of gap in between us. In an instant, I felt this electric current running down my spine as our bodies collide. Oh god. This is the Volkov effect.

A gasp escaped my mouth when all of a sudden, Artan pulled my hand towards him. "Let's go home." He said, looking mad serious.

"Not a single chance." Alexei said while pointing a gun on Artan's head from the back. Everything happened so fast, I didnt even notice Alexei coming up at us.

At this point, Nikolai and Artan's men are already pointing guns at each other, one wrong move and this night will surely end in bloodbath. Even the band has halted from playing. Everyone stood frozen waiting for each other's next move.

My hands are already shaking I don't know what to do. I looked at Matushka hoping that she could help me from the situation.

"Alexei Viktor Volkov, put that gun down." Matushka said calmly while slicing her food and putting it in inside her mouth like there's no gun toting going on around her.

Alexei however did not seem to hear Matushka so I stood up and faced him and wrapped my arms around his waist while looking up at his face.

"Alexei, please? Look at me." I palmed his face to force him to look me in the eyes. He looked down at me and I can see that I'm slowly getting into him. "Don't do this please...." I hugged him tight and rested my head on his chest to ease him down.

Slowly, Alexei lowered his gun down. His men followed suit and placed their guns back to their sides and back. Artan's men did the same thing one by one.

I swallowed the huge lump in my throat as everything slowly goes back into place. "We will talk later okay?" I said while rubbing my palm on Alexei's back, my caress admittedly calmed him down.

Meanwhile, I need to have a word with someone who needs to answer some questions.

"Matushka, may I have a word with you?"

"Oh, what is it my princess?"