Chapter 14 Chapter 014
Elena’s POV
"I will but you..." His eyes snapped to me. Although I have managed to stop the bleeding, I still think he should see a doctor.
I had never seen so much blood up close before. Not from a cut or a scrape, real blood. Dark, thick, and seeping through the sleeve of Nikolai’s black shirt as if the fabric was trying to swallow it. I think it's from a bullet but I didn't see any bullet in there.
He sat there like it was nothing. Being shot was part of his daily routine.
Maybe it was. “You should go to a hospital.” he chuckled softly
“Don't be ridiculous, I don't need a doctor for this, it will heal on its own. I've had worse, and they always fade away in the morning,” he said flatly, his tone calm, detached. My brows furrow.
Fade away in the morning
“That’s not something to be proud of,” I muttered under my breath, trying to clean the blood staining his lower arms. “Why were you even out there?” I asked quietly.
His gaze lifted, the sharpness in his dark eyes enough to make my pulse stutter. “Out where?”
“You know what I mean,” I said, checking the bandage carefully, to see if I wrapped it strongly enough to last him till the next day before seeing a doctor. “Why are you risking your life at this hour? What could be so important that you would come back bleeding?”
For a long moment, he didn’t answer. His jaw flexed, his eyes shadowed by something heavier than fatigue. Then he looked at me and said, “Do you know who your father is, Elena?”
I blinked, confused. “Of course I do. He’s a capo. A powerful one.”
He gave a low, humorless laugh. “A capo,” he repeated softly, like the word was a mockery. “That is one way to put it.”
I frowned. “He is always good to people, loyal to his men. I know what he does is dangerous, but… he is still my father. And I barely see him come home with too much blood like this.”
His eyes lifted to meet mine, dark, unreadable, and strangely sad. This wasn't the first time I noticed the man's eye color; it sometimes flickered, dancing between grey and black. “Then you already know what kind of world you're living in. He may not have come home with blood, but that doesn't mean he doesn't have these injuries.”
I frown, giving it a real thought. Maybe Nikolai was right, that father didn't come home with bruises, not because he didn't have one, but he didn't want me to worry, he didn't want me scared and sad. I wondered how many bruises he had when he was on those missions.
The silence that followed was thick enough to choke on. I swallowed hard, “So... You’re saying you do the same thing? That you’re part of that world too?”
He didn’t respond, even when I knew the answer, I wanted to hear it from him. I know he is dangerous, my father said he is ruthless and that I shouldn't have anything to do with him, but he hasn't shown that part of him since I arrived here, maybe they are all rumors. Rumors that he is dangerous when he is not.
I tried again, softer this time. “And Rafael? Is he… like you?”
His gaze dropped to the floor, the muscles in his jaw tightening. “Go to bed, Elena.”
I froze. “That’s not an answer.”
“It’s the only one you’re getting,” he said, standing abruptly.
But he moved too quickly. The color drained from his face, his hand clutching the armrest for support.
“Nikolai...wait..."
He swayed slightly, and before I could reach him, he lost balance completely. I tried to catch him, but he was too heavy. The next thing I knew, we both stumbled backward, my hands grabbing at his remaining shirt, his arm looping instinctively around my waist as we fell and landed hard against the floor.
I gasped as I ended up sprawled on top of him, my palms pressed against his chest, my face inches from his.
His heartbeat was loud, steady, but fast, and I could feel every breath he took against my skin. His eyes found mine, dark and stormy, burning with something I couldn’t name. My eyes found his lips and then the kisses came flooding my memory.
“Are you okay?” I whispered, barely able to breathe.
He didn’t answer. His gaze dropped to my lips, and the world around us just... stopped. The faint hum of the mansion disappeared. My pulse was all I could hear.
His hand slid slightly up my back, steadying me and somehow that simple touch felt like fire.
“Nikolai…” I breathed, my voice trembling.
He leaned closer. Just a fraction. Just enough for me to feel the warmth of his breath brush my lips. I knew I should move. I should push away, stand up, apologize, anything. But I didn’t. I couldn’t. My body wouldn’t obey.
And then the door flew open.
“What the..."
Matteo froze in the doorway, eyes wide, mouth curving into a grin almost instantly. “Wow. I knew you had a type, boss, but your brother’s fiancée? That’s bold even for you.”
I jerked back, my cheeks burning so hot I thought I would combust. “It’s not... It’s not what it looks like!”
Nikolai groaned under his breath, running a hand over his face before pushing himself up slowly. “Matteo, if you value your life, close that damn door.”
Matteo’s grin widened, clearly enjoying himself. “Oh, I’m not interrupting. I’m witnessing.”
“Matteo.” One word. One deadly growl.
The smile dropped a little, though his eyes still gleamed with mischief. “Fine, fine. But I’m going to need to hear the story later. For, uh… professional reasons.” He winked at me before finally closing the door behind him. Silence crashed back into the room, heavier than before.
I stood quickly, brushing imaginary dust off my robes, avoiding Nikolai's eyes. My heart was still pounding wildly, my lips tingling from the kiss that almost happened.
“I should... uh... probably go,” I mumbled. “It’s late.” He stayed seated for a moment, looking up at me with that same unreadable expression.
“You should,” he agreed quietly. But as I turned to leave, my phone vibrated in my hands, a soft buzzing that startled me more than it should have. Rafael’s name flashed across the screen in bold white letters. For a moment, I simply stared at it, my thumb hovering but refusing to move.
I was surprised he was calling me.
"Hello, Rafael..." I heard Nikolai sigh and then he murmured under his breath, so soft I almost missed it.
“I’m sorry.”
I stopped at the door leading to the hallway, one of my hands tightening around the handle, while the other gripped tightly on my phone. I didn’t look back. I couldn’t. Because if I did, I wasn't sure I would be able to walk away.
"Hey baby... Are you sleeping already?"