The Mafia's Kidnapped bride by Susanbluemoon93

Birthday's and Funerals

Ari had been living with the Romanov's for three weeks.

She wasn't naive. In the past three weeks, the Romanov's had been open about who they were. She knew they were criminals and to the outside world they were considered worse than the boogeyman. To her, however, they had become like family.

She witnessed firsthand why Nik was called the Devil of New York. After she had opened up and told the Romanov's about her most recent foster home and the circumstances of how she ended up in a New York alley, in the middle of the night, it was reported on the news that her foster dad's body had been found mutilated the same night. He wasn't the only one who had faced the Devil's form of justice either. All of her previously handy foster dads and brothers, who had in some form sexually assaulted her or threatened to do it, were punished in various ways, ranging from death to cut off hands, according to social media reports (Ari made a habit of keeping up to date on them to stop bumping into them).

The foster parents from her first home, who routinely beat her and locked her in the dark cellar for days, giving her a phobia of the dark, were beaten and then blinded, the news reported a few days after her most recent foster dad's body was found.

Nik definitely lived up to his violent reputation, but he was never violent with her. He was patient and every night she had nightmares, he went to her and held her until she calmed down before tucking her in safely with one of his addictive chaste forehead kisses. He listened to her opinions and ambitions and supported her to reach her goals. He had hired a lawyer to help her achieve her emancipation after her 16th birthday, which was in a few days. Over all, she felt protected, respected and loved by Nik, and she was proud of the woman she was becoming with his love and support

Between online schooling classes, when she wasn't with Nik, she either spent her days with Mishka at the range learning how to shoot or in the Romanov gym with Dima learning self-defense.

In the evenings, Nik usually cooked her a romantic meal, and they shared their day before enjoying a stroll in the estate gardens. When Nik was busy, however, at night Ari and Dima secretly either baked together or settled down with a feast of their baked goods to watch Dima's favorite show...the Great British bake off.

Sasha was quieter than his brothers but still made the effort to include Ari in his own way and often joined her in the estate library, sitting next to her, and they read together in comfortable silence. He had also tried to teach her the basics of hacking, but she proved to be unteachable, much to Sasha's amusement, so he instead focused on helping her with her school course work.

The happiness Ari had found, however, wouldn't last long....

It was the day of Ari's 16th birthday.

The day had started like a fairy tale. She made her way downstairs and was surprised by the whole house decorated with balloons, flowers and generally over-the-top decorations.

She was tackled by Sasha and attacked with one of his enthusiastic bear hugs, then rescued by Mishka, who actually gave her a rare dazzling smile before wishing her a happy birthday, and then she was pulled into Dima's arms, who gave her a kiss on each cheek before winking at Nik and kissing her on the lips.

Nik had calmly paused his pancake-making before growling and started to chase a giggling Dima around the kitchen table, swatting him with the pancake spatula whilst threatening to kill him for kissing " Moy Angyel. " The boy's silliness (although she was sure a small part of Nik actually meant it) along with the effort the boys had gone threw to make her birthday morning special was heartwarming. No one had even bothered to celebrate her birthday since her Mum died, and she was placed into the foster system at age 5. To truly feel like part of a family again was a dream come true for a foster kid and the day only got better when, after breakfast, they went to the family room and Ari discovered she had a pile of presents to open.

She was spoiled with everything from the staples a teen girl needed, like perfume and makeup, to truly thoughtful gifts like her own personal gun from Mishka, a set of high-quality sparring gloves and her own baking set from Dima, a few rare novels from her dream wish list from Sasha and Nik, gave her the best gift... a new knife to sleep with that was as beautiful as it was deadly and engraved with "N.R & A.R" .

After managing to avoid embarrassing herself by breaking out in happy tears, all the brothers apart from Nik had wished her a happy birthday and promised they would see her later, leaving her with Nik.

" Thank you Nik...for all the effort put in to make today special. I haven't celebrated my birthday since my mum died and to be able to do so surrounded by people that feel like family...just thanks." Ari blushed.

" It's nothing less than you deserve Angyel. I am sorry the last decade has been hell for you, Angyel but I promise you're not alone anymore, and you have people who love you now and a family. In the meantime, I left a dress in your wardrobe for you. Go change into it as today I am taking you somewhere special."

An hour later, Ari was sitting in the passenger seat of Niks' car trying not to giggle as Nik subconsciously started to nod his head and sing along to a pop song on the radio.

" Are you laughing at me Angyel? "Nik gasped in pretend outrage.

" Me? Never! I am just surprised... who knew the terrifying Devil of New York was a secret Swifty! " Ari giggled.

" I wouldn't say I was a swifty...but I admit her songs are catchy and I may know some of the words..." Nik defended with a sexy smirk and a uncharacteristic blush, making Ari giggle more.

" A few?! Nik, you sang two of her songs, getting every word right, and you did facial expressions and dance moves as well! "

" Fine...I admit it, I maybe deep...deep...deep down a fan but if you tell anyone, especially Dima, there will be consequences!" Nik threatened half heatedly as he threw Ari one of his legendary Devil glares, that made grown men wet themselves but just made Ari roll her eyes.

" What consequences? And wow, that attitude is a prime example of toxic masculinity alive and kicking in 2026. Really Nik? Men can like Taylor Swift without handing in their man cards, you know! Next, you'll say you don't wear pink or do believe in self-care for men … like having a good skin care routine of hair dye!" Ari sassed.

Nik's car suddenly came to a stop and pulled up in front of an old ivy-covered restaurant.

He slowly turned to face her with an amused grin. "Well, since you asked Angyel, the consequence for now would be no more of my delicious pancakes for breakfast ...when you're 18, however, any time you're a naughty little Angyel, then I would take you over my knee and give you a spanking..." Ari immediately felt like there were butterflies in her stomach and she blushed causing Nik to chuckle.

"As for being embarrassed about my music tastes, I am not. I am fully confident in my manhood, but Dima, however, you would be even more annoying if he found out, and would drive me mad with his antics. Oh, and I look sexy in pink, it goes well with my tanned skin and blue eyes. And, of course, I believe in a good skin routine. Having those three idiots for brothers causes me to frown way more than I should, and I would have way more wrinkles thanks to them if I didn't have a good skin routine. Hair dye, however... I don't believe in no, there is nothing wrong with an older man...it just means he has experience and the silver fox look is sexy, don't you think...my sweet blushing Angyel?"

Nik leaned closer with each word, whispered in his sexy russian accent, and the butterfly feeling in her stomach quickened, and her panties started to dampen in arousal. Just when Ari was about to break and pull Nik into a passionate kiss, there was a tap at Nik's window.

Ari and Nik startled and both blushed.

" Blyad (russian for f*ck)" Nik cursed as he turned to glare out his window.

Ari followed Nik's gaze and saw a large man in his late 50s smiling gleefully at Nik.

The Man turned his gaze to Ari and gave her a beaming smile before he, quicker than a man his age should be able to move, made his way around Nik's car, opened Ari's door, unbuckled her seat belt and pulled her from the car into a warm fatherly hug.

"NIK MY BOY! Who is this Krasivaya devushka (russian for beautiful girl)?" The man queried as Nik rolled his eyes and made his way around Ari's side of the car and pulled her possessively from the stranger's embrace.

" Boris, this is Moya Angyel Ari and Ari this is Boris. He was my father's best friend and second in command." Nik announced with pride as he looked at Ari lovingly.

" Moya Angyel? I bet there is a story there. Come Dorogaya (russian for dear/ darling), let's get you out of the cold, and you can tell me how you ended up with this Devil." Boris coaxed, as much to Nik's annoyance he escorted Ari inside his restaurant, completely ignoring him.

Ari seemed to be able to charm even the grumpiest of bears and they all became instantly smitten with her. Nik thought with a dramatic sigh over the thought of having to share Ari's company again this evening. He managed to get peace from his brothers this evening for yet another family member to steal his Angyel away...ergh.

Nik rolled his eyes before following the sound of Boris's loud cackle into the restaurant.

After seven amazing courses, and three hours of sitting and watching, Ari suck another family member under her spell with her wit, sass and natural warmth. Nik had settled the check and after several manly pats from Boris on his back and a long fatherly hug with Ari, Boris walked them out to Nik's car with promises to visit the Romanov estate later in the week to tell Ari more embarrassing tales from Nik's childhood and to bring photos too.

They waved goodbye and to Nik's shock Boris blew Ari kisses like some love sick teen, causing Nik to Growl and Ari to giggle.

" You think it's funny that you cast your spell on another male relative of mine do you Angyel? As if Mishka and Sasha don't already hog you and I don't need another man like Dima trying to steal you away from me with their constant flirting..."Nik pouted.

" Oh, stop being dramatic, Nik." Air snickered as she rolled her eyes and swatted him playfully.

"You know Dima only flirts because he knows it annoys you so much...if you acted less cave many and didn't let it rile you he would soon get bored." Ari joked.

" I will always be cave many when it comes to another man flirting with you, even in jest. Ty takaya Krasivaya (russian for you are so beautiful) and you're mine." Nik declared as he reached over to hold Ari's hand.

Ari blushed and squeezed his hand. " Thank you for taking me there tonight Nik, and for an amazing birthday."

" Your welcome Moy Angyel. You know that restaurant was the first place my father took my mum on a date. They returned every anniversary to celebrate their love there. Of course, it was run by Boris's uncle then, and Boris took it over when dad died, and he decided to retire from the Bratva but...it seemed like the perfect place to take you for our first official date." Nik confessed as they stopped at the traffic lights.

" Our first date huh? I like the sound of the first part and I hope we too can ...return often in the future." Ari crooned as she, suddenly emboldened by Nik's confession and the love of adoration in his eyes, reached up to grab his shirt and pulled him towards her for her first proper kiss.

Before their lips met in a passionate embrace, however, cars sped by them on both sides, shattering their moment of passion with the sound of bullets striking the car on both sides. Nik looked at Ari in horror before pushing her down under the dashboard as cracks appeared in the car's windows and the previously quiet road erupted into a war zone.