Ice & Prejudice

Chapter 55

Nik's POV:

The house was exactly how I'd imagined it. It looked warm, cozy, and just... her. But the second I pulled into the driveway, nerves I hadn't expected crept up on me. I could feel my pulse hammering in my throat as I made my way to the front door. There was no way I'd leave without talking to Ria.

I rang the doorbell, standing there for what felt like an eternity before the door creaked open.

Standing there was a tall girl with ginger hair, a curvy figure, and eyes so sharp they could cut through stone. I knew instantly she had to be one of Ria's sisters. But any trace of friendliness vanished the second she saw me.

Her lips thinned as her gaze narrowed. "Mia, grab my gun!" she called back, still glaring at me like she was ready to drop me right there on the porch.

I barely flinched but narrowed my eyes in return. "I want to speak to Victoria."

Her eyebrows shot up, and she crossed her arms, leaning against the doorframe like she was settling in for a fight. "And I want my own private island, yet here we stand."

My jaw clenched, but I wasn't about to back down. "I'm serious."

"Oh, I'm serious. You want to speak to my little sister? You'll have to go through me first, blondie."

This was not how I expected things to go. I ran a hand through my hair, trying to keep my cool. "Look, I just need five minutes."

She raised an eyebrow. "I'll give you three seconds to get off this porch before I call animal control. Pretty sure you're trespassing, and we got a huge problem with strays around here."

My patience was wearing thin. "I'm not leaving until I talk to her."

"Oh, I know you're not leaving. Not alive anyway. You're about to get real familiar with the concept of an open grave if you don't—"

"Lia," a calm voice interrupted from behind her. A curly blonde woman stepped out, and I recognized her instantly as Gia, she had testified against Vlad three years ago. She was sharp, focused, and carried a calm authority that could put anyone in their place.

"Lia, let him in," Gia said firmly.

Lia whipped her head around so fast I thought she might give herself whiplash. "What?!"

Gia's expression didn't change. "We need him for the plan. Ria is in her room. He won't speak to her unless she wants to."

Lia's mouth opened, then closed, clearly irritated at the turn of events. She groaned dramatically, but there was no arguing with Gia. "You've got to be kidding me," she muttered under her breath, shooting a withering glare in my direction. "Fine, but don't expect me to roll out the red carpet."

I stepped forward, taking a deep breath as I crossed the threshold, the warm air of the house hitting me instantly. As I passed her, Lia leaned in close enough for me to hear the venom in her whisper. "One wrong move and I'll make sure it's your last."

Noted.
__________________________________

The house was warmer than I expected, but the temperature didn't do much to thaw the icy stares I was getting from Victoria's sisters. As I sat on the edge of the couch, I could feel Lia's glare burning into me. If looks could kill, I'd be six feet under by now. Gia sat across from me, arms folded, her gaze unreadable but not exactly friendly. Mia, who had a more delicate, almost disarming presence, sat beside Gia with a small, polite smile that didn't reach her eyes.

Gia cleared her throat, breaking the silence. "So, let's get straight to it. We're not here for pleasantries, Nikolai. Now that you're here we can discuss how to take down Stacy."