Arriving to the restaurant reminded Amara of days long since passed. It was nice, a tall skyscraper and all the way at the top was Genive, an amazing restaurant that had so many options for food that Amara was left staring at the menu with a watering mouth. It was a whole room completely reserved for them, because Ivan apparently was extremely important now that he deserved his own dining area. It was all glass which allowed Amara to look over at the city, the sky's a stormy gray signaling snow was undoubtedly on its way. Which was helpful considering every time she snuck a peek at Ivan over her menu she felt her heart start to jackhammer in her chest. It wasn't that he looked different, he still had those stunning purple eyes that shock of silvery hair and the accent that curled around his words making them so much more intense. It was just the way he held himself, no longer the somewhat shy boy she remembered from college but a man who knew exactly what he wanted and exactly how to get it. It was startling to see him so, not serious but almost reserved. The waitress who came to take their order looked at him with a look akin to fear, why Amara didn't know. Even though she knew Ivan he was putting her off a bit with this new demeanor. "So will you be having the usual today ?" Now that made her want to laugh, he sounded so important now, he was so well known that he had a "usual". "Yes I will, thank you. As for my lovely companion I think you should surprise her as she doesn't seem to be making her mind up." A light flush spread through Amaras cheeks but she set down her menu and gave the hostess a smile. "All I ask is please please can you bring me a glass of peppermint tea?" The young woman laughed with a radiant grin. "Ma'am you're with I would bring you a glass of water from Mars if that's what you wanted." With that statement she took her leave once again leaving Amara alone with Ivan, but now she had no menu to hide behind. "Your hair looks nice like that." He broke the tension between them and she toyed with the ends of her hair. "Thanks, it wasn't exactly on purpose. Gilbert may have gotten access to my stove and a lot of it ended up singed while I was trying to let my house not burn down." Laughing, that big booming laugh that she hadn't heard in so long she had almost forgotten how it sounded, almost. "That sounds like something only Gilbert could manage to do." Shaking his head and fixing his gaze on her once more, she felt like a tittering school girl. "You're so much different now." The words fell out of her mouth without her realizing they had even been said until she saw a grin twitch at the corners of his mouth. "How's that?" He inquired of her and now she was contemplating her next words very carefully. "Honestly, you're just I don't know...not serious exactly but more composed, I can't get a read on you like I used to." She noticed his eyes darken a shade and she worried that she had misspoken. "Well in my line of work that is considered a good thing. Besides, a lot has changed in three years. You aren't exactly the same as I remember either. You're happier, more vibrant than I ever saw you before." The way he was watching her caused her to break out in gooseflesh, thankful for the long sleeves she was wearing. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?" Resting her head on one of her hands watching him curiously. "I suppose we shall see won't we? We do have some unfinished business to attend to at some point or another. Though it can wait for another day." Arching an eyebrow at the small devilish grin he was failing at concealing from her. "Oh and that would be?" Now the grin grew and she felt her breath constrict. "It wouldn't be any fun to spoil the surprise now would it?" It was at that moment, when she was just starting to feel bold, that the hostess came back with their drinks. Another host behind her carrying a plate piled high with multicolored nachos covered in a gooey cheese she could smell from a mile away. "Your food will be out in a moment." The hostess said, setting down the drinks and the appetizer then once again making a hasty exit.

Digging right in, their conversation tabled for the moment a comfortable silence consumed the pair and it was as though nothing had ever happened.

"I am sorry though, for what I did. I always wanted-" he halted her words with only a glance, man how the hell did he look like that while digging into a plate of nachos?! "You were hurting I never blamed you I simply..." Now it was his turn to pause choosing his words ever so carefully. "I hurt for you, for such a long time." He finally said, it probably would've hurt less if he had punched her. It would've been a physical pain instead of a shot directly to her heart. "I still loved you. I just couldn't handle losing you. I mean I did still lose you but it was my choice at least and I just wanted to" he halted the stream of word vomit coming from her mouth by standing up and approaching her, she was frozen when he leaned down to hug her. It all rushed back, all those feelings he still smelled the same and he felt the same though his suit was crisp and soft not at all like the T-shirt and jeans he used to wear. "I missed you moya malen'kaya zhenshchina." He murmured into her hair, Ivan knew in his heart that for her to be around him with what he was doing now was dangerous not only for his heart but for her safety. She had no idea that in their time apart he had taken up a "contracting" job for the Russian Mafia, that a good bit of their organization, shipping and exporting various illegal items from Russia and China, was channeled through his company. That selfish part of him wanted her, wanted her worse than anything he had ever wanted in his life. Not even just want but need, the need to feel her curled up next to him just like it had been all those years prior, he needed her to need him regardless of how dangerous it could be for both of them.

She looked up at him with those eyes, the eyes that had captured him from that first moment they had met in the library where she worked. "I missed you too Ivan." She mumbled into his broad shoulder, Amara wanted to cry but she knew she had to hold it in. The hostess came back with their actual meals, and Amara caught Ivan giving her a frosty look before moving back to sit at his chair. "Let me know if you need anything else." She said nervously, Amara gave her a warm smile feeling bad for her. "We will thanks so much, the food looks wonderful." Making another hasty exit the hostess didn't even respond. Turning to look at her plate Amara broke out in a huge grin. While Ivan had lobster and the biggest steak Amara had ever seen in her life, she had a huge quarter pound burger thickly topped with bacon and a whole other plate piled high with French fries. Taking that first bite was ecstasy coated in heaven and she groaned making Ivan chuckle. "You like it?" He asked as he cut up his steak and began taking bites. "Oh my god I can't even describe to you how amazing this is. Can I live here?" She asked taking another large bite of her burger, Ivan chuckled. "I would love to let you live here, but I think you would eat me out of house and home." Now Amara realized that this was probably the most expensive burger she had even eaten and decided to savor every last bite. "Thank you for this, all of it. I didn't realize how much I missed you until you walked in that office today." It was the truth, she had spent so long trying not to think about him because it hurt her heart to do so but now that he sat in front of her she didn't know how she had ever let him walk out that door in the first place.

The meal was over far to soon, Ivan paid and they exited his arm entwined with hers as he led her back to the car. "Do you think we could take a detour?" He asked and with a small grin she nodded and they took off, it was almost four late afternoon foot traffic went through the city as they drove. He stopped the car in a nice ritzy part of the city, the part that was all condominiums and businesses. Entering a place Amara knew as the Tower Lofts he was greeted warmly by the doorman who gave Amara, in her jeans and blouse, an incredulous look. "So why are we here?" She asked following him to the elevator which he unlocked with a key card. There were no buttons other than one to close the doors and she felt them going further and further up. The doors opened up and with flourish Ivan exited and shrugged off his suits jacket and unwound the purple scarf from around his neck. "Welcome to my home." He said, she was amazed, it was huge and it was lavish. Black leather couches, dark wood floors an enormous galley kitchen, she was tempted to ask about the bedroom but held her tongue. "Wow." Was all she managed to come out with as she strode in, feeling displaced in the luxurious condo compared to her own Chinatown apartment. "I am glad you approve." He handed her a glass of wine, how he had gotten it so quickly she didn't know but she sipped at it while he showed her around. Three huge bedrooms, an amazing bathroom with a jacuzzi tub, life had clearly treated Ivan quite well in her absence. "Man I feel like a gold digger right now. I hope you know I had no idea how well off you were." He laughed and turned to face her, each step he took towards her she took a step back feeling intimidated for the first time since she had met him. "It's OK I am sure, even if that is what you are after I could get something in return." She hit the wall, the painting above her head shaking slightly. He placed his hands on either side of her against the wall bending his head down and staring into her eyes. "You and I both know that won't happen." She whispered and she saw a glint in his eyes, one she had never seen before in all their time together. "I suppose only time will tell." He surged forwards and she was swept up into a rough, needy, yet ever so loving kiss. Her mind whirled but Ivan stayed on track, though he could feel her heart hammering when he pulled her into him. He couldn't hold her close enough, she was never close enough to him and it drove him crazy. Finally he forced himself to pull away from her, the way she looked at him made him question everything he had ever known about love. 'This doesn't mean you are together it only means she is here. Right now for this moment.' He rationalized, if he kept it in the moment if he pretended like he hadn't loved her for all of these years the guilt at the danger he was placing her in simply by having her so close was kept at bay. "So what does this mean exactly?" She asked, her lips were swollen from the kiss and slightly bruised from where he had bitten her bottom lip. "This means whatever you want it to mean, just don't say anything let it be whatever it is." It was the new beginning, their adult beginning, but poor little Amara had no idea that she had just stepped on a landmine and Ivan wasn't about to tell her anytime soon what his business actually was. But all secrets eventually come to light it is simply a question of when and how.

Translation- moya malen'kaya zhenshchina is My Little Woman

Thanks the TheKatanaMistress for being my first reviewer! I hope you and anyone else who is reading this is enjoying the storyline! Man Ivan is in the mob, poor Amara she has zero idea just how screwed she really is. Now I'm going to be doing a bit of research, seeing how these gangs would ship in drugs and guns to America since obviously New York is a pretty big port over here! Until next time Cupcake out!