The Edge of Light ✔️

Chapter Nine

E L E N A

The ride to the new studio was oddly quiet, with only the low hum of the car engine breaking the silence. Nikolai didn't say much, as usual. He never did, unless necessary. Still, I couldn't help but feel an underlying tension sitting between us, like we were both bracing for something we hadn't yet acknowledged.

When we finally arrived, I stepped out of the car, trying to keep my expectations low. I had no interest in being indebted to him for something as personal as a studio, and yet...when I walked inside, I found it hard not to be impressed.

The space was perfect. Natural light flooded in from tall windows, casting warm beams across the polished wood floors. The ceilings were high, giving the whole place a sense of freedom and air that I hadn't felt in a long time. It was bigger than my father's studio, and the equipment—everything from the barres to the mirrors—was brand new.

I didn't want to admit how much I liked it, but I felt a flicker of something close to excitement. A feeling I hadn't let myself experience in a long time.

"What do you think?" Nikolai's voice broke through my thoughts, low and steady.

"It's... nice," I answered, forcing myself to sound neutral, but I could see the way his eyes narrowed slightly as if he saw right through me.

He didn't say anything else, though. He rarely did.

As we explored the space, I was determined to keep my distance, mentally, emotionally and physically. But it was hard not to feel something shift inside me. This studio felt like a chance, a way to continue my work without my father looming over me constantly. But then again, I was still trapped. By different chains now.

The first group of students arrived a short while later, and I immediately noticed how out of place Nikolai looked among them. His towering frame and the cold, hard lines of his face made everyone uncomfortable, especially with the deep scars etched into his skin. The tension in the room was palpable.

One of the students' uncles, a man named Gabriel, walked in with an easy smile, clearly unaware of the situation. He had brought his niece a couple of times instead of her mother. He looked at me with appreciative eyes, a little too appreciative. I felt my skin prickle with discomfort under his gaze.

"Nice to see you, Miss Rossi," he said, offering a flirtatious smile. "The new studio was a good idea."

I forced a polite smile, but before I could respond, Nikolai's presence cut through the room like ice.

"Yes, because it was my idea and it's Miss Ivanov." Nikolai said sharply, his voice slicing through Gabriel's attempt at charm. "I suggest you go on your way now."

Gabriel blinked in surprise, his smile faltering as he finally seemed to notice the dark energy radiating off Nikolai. "Uh, sorry... I didn't mean—"

"Leave," Nikolai said, his eyes never leaving the man's. There was no threat in his tone, but somehow that made it even more intimidating. Gabriel quickly muttered something and left, clearly rattled. My brows scrunched in distaste. When I looked at him he gave me an innocent shrug and turned to look away from me. I shook my head in disbelief.

The students looked just as uneasy, shifting awkwardly as they tried to focus on their warm-ups. I let out a frustrated breath and turned to Nikolai, my voice low and sharp. "You're scaring them."

He raised a brow, not seeming to care.

"If you're going to stay, you might as well stop looking like you're about to murder someone," I added, crossing my arms. "Or better yet, go. Let me do my job."

For a moment, I thought he might argue, but he just stared at me in that infuriating way he had, as if weighing his options.

Finally, he nodded. "I'll be back to pick you up later."

"Great," I muttered under my breath as he turned and left. The air in the studio immediately felt lighter, but the unease from earlier still lingered in the back of my mind.

I tried to focus on my class, but the entire time, my thoughts kept drifting back to the conversation we had on the night of our wedding. The way he watched me, the way he controlled everything so effortlessly. How could I escape this life? Was it even possible?

The only solution that came to mind was running. Disappearing. But I knew better than anyone that Nikolai would never let that happen. He'd find me. He always would. The thought sent a chill down my spine. Or maybe he wouldn't. How would I know without having tried?

- - -

When Nikolai came back to pick me up, I approached him, keeping my tone casual. "I need a car."

He raised a brow, clearly not expecting that. "Why?"

I crossed my arms, keeping my face neutral. "I'm a human being with a life, Nikolai. I have friends. I want to meet them without bringing them to... your place."

He studied me for a long moment, his expression unreadable. I could see the reluctance in his eyes, the way he weighed every possible outcome in that split second. But I also knew that he had a weakness for me, one I was only just beginning to understand.

"Fine," he said, his voice tight. "You'll have the car tomorrow."

I was almost surprised by how easy it was, but then, just as I thought he'd leave it at that, he stepped closer. My breath hitched as his hand reached up, and before I could react, he gently tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear. The touch was soft, brief, but it sent a jolt through me.

For a second, our eyes locked, and something flickered between us—something neither of us could quite name. Then, just as quickly, the moment passed. Nikolai withdrew his hand and turned away, his expression as unreadable as ever.

"I have some work to finish," he said quietly before walking towards his office, leaving me standing there, still reeling from the unexpected intimacy of his touch.

I watched him leave, my mind racing. This wasn't just a marriage of convenience for him. I know that now. And as much as I hated to admit it, I was beginning to see just how far he would go to keep me in his world—no matter what it cost us both.