Chapter 10: Nerves

*Alexander*

I go to Ella's apartment carrying her favorite food: pepperoni and onion pizza. I see the door open slightly. I'm instantly nervous because her door is always closed and locked until she hears a knock. I stepped inside, hoping to find her cleaning up a mess, but she wasn't there, and her place was a wreck. Her papers were all over the floor, and her work laptop was still open. I looked around to find traces of her still in the house before I called Nikolas and the police. I see her clothes on the floor leading to her bedroom; I follow them and find her lying in her bed, passed out. I looked around her room and found nothing, but when I walked closer, I saw the bruise on her neck. I was livid, but I calmed down when I heard her start to groan and wake up.

When her eyes opened, I hugged her tightly, finally breathing a breath I had no idea I was holding. Finally, I let go of her " What happened, Ella?" she looked at the floor " Vlad happened." She had tears in her eyes, and her voice sounded raspy. She must've blacked out when he choked her; my phone rang I answered it. "Hey Nikolas, come to Ella's apartment and leave Luci at your place. Vlad was here." I hung up and hugged Ella for what felt like hours but was just for a few minutes.

I heard a knock at the door; I opened it to see Nikolas with a rugged look and a few of his bodyguards; they stayed outside the door while he went straight to Ella's room. Nikolas isn't one to ever show his emotions, but when it is someone he cares about, he doesn't care. Who knows? I noticed he didn't bring Luci, so he listened to me. I heard a bang in Ella's room and ran to her side, but I saw Nik punching the wall because he was so angry, and Ella looked confused by his anger.

*Nikolas*

He got to her, I tried to keep her safe from him, and he still got to her. Something in me was starting to boil over how can I keep her safe when he could just come after her whenever he pleased now that he knew where she lived. Nobody outside my company knows where this place is because I pride myself on privacy and keeping my employees and brother safe. So that he came into this building into her apartment and choked her to the point that she blacked out was unsettling. I pulled Alex aside to talk " We need to find somewhere safe for her until this is over." I looked at my guards and instantly knew she would be safer with Alex and me without the guards. "How about she lives with one of us until this is settled?" Alex looked at me, confused about why I would suggest a thing when Luci was around. Truth be told, I grew tired of her because she wasn't Ella, Luci was a fling whenever I wasn't looking for something serious, but now I couldn't think about anything else but Ella.

I wanted Ella to know how I felt for her but now wasn't the right time because I had to put that monster away and ensure this never happened again. I sat on Ella's bed across from her. I wanted to hug her, but I could tell she needed space, but she broke down crying and touching her neck. I couldn't help but hug her.

"I want you to stay with me and Alex until this is all solved; this isn't up for debate. You will stay with Alex for a few days and then with me." I wanted to make sure she knew the arrangement. I looked at her, and she nodded. I wiped some of her tears, but when I saw her neck, I knew I had to catch this monster and ruin his career and life. I picked her up and safely handed her to Alex while I packed up some of her clothes, I wanted her to stay at my place first, but I had a rude guest at my place when it came to other women, and it was time for her to be put in her place and leave mine once and for all. So when I packed up two bags for Ella to take with her, I took one to Alex's place because she would first stay there. I figured I'd put her clothes in his guest room, but he told me how she preferred his bed, so he took the guest room.The look on her face, after I kissed her head and left ripped me to shreds because all I wanted to do was hold her and watch movies with her, but she needed to spend time with Alex at the moment while I dealt with Luci. When I got to my place, I heard Luci on the phone " Vlad, the plan is working; you deal with her, and I shall deal with Nik; he won't take anything from you." I called one of my guards to get Luci and kick her out before I walked through the door smiling at her, rushing to end her phone call. I opened my door " Leave Luci; you and Vlad have a date in hell."

My guards walked through the door. They were 6'5 built like linebackers and ex-marines; I trusted them with my and my brother's lives.The look on her face, after I kissed her head and left ripped me to shreds because all I wanted to do was hold her and watch movies with her, but she needed to spend time with Alex at the moment while I dealt with Luci. When I got to my place, I heard Luci on the phone " Vlad, the plan is working; you deal with her, and I shall deal with Nik; he won't take anything from you." I called one of my guards to get Luci and kick her out before I walked through the door smiling at her, rushing to end her phone call. I opened my door " Leave Luci; you and Vlad have a date in hell." My guards walked through the door. They were 6'5 built like linebackers and ex-marines; I trusted them with my and my brother's lives. They grabbed her and carried her out with the bags she had brought. I texted my private investigator to look into Vlad and his relationship with Luci. I wanted every ounce of dirt I could get on him when I took him down.