Chapter 98 Chapter Ninety-Eight
Chapter 98 Chapter Ninety-Eight
Nikolai's POV
"Give me a few minutes, and I will be there," The moment I heard Elena's trembling voice, I couldn't think of anything else, I was already out of my bed, I didn't even think, I simply moved, with my phone still pressed against my ear while I crossed the room and pulled my wardrobe. She went silent. "Elena," I called softly.
"I'm here." Her voice was barely above a whisper.
"Just send me the address of your grandpa's manor." I knew the Moretti estate was here in Italy, but I didn't know where it was; maybe I would have, but I didn't pay attention to Father or anything that concerned Rafael. She went silent again. "And your room." When I added that, she seemed to realize I wasn't kidding.
"You will really come?" The question nearly broke something inside me; it's like a reminder of the place I was volunteering to go. Going to the Moretti mansion is like going to the lion den, so many people don't like me there, if I am not mistaken, Valkor wasn't the only person that doesn't like me, perhaps his father, Elena grandfather, the man didn't like polygamy and everything that comes from it and I was a product of polygamy, that's if I should call it that because my father never married my mother, everyone say she is just a mistress, home-wrecker that gave Romano an illegitimate child, simply put a bastard. I shook my head, I wasn't letting that distract me today.
"Yes," I didn't hesitate, "I will come."
"Alright." I didn't wait for another word before I ended the call; that word alone was enough for me to know that she wanted me there. A few minutes ago, I had been lying on my bed, trying to convince myself that staying away from Elena was the right thing to do. I had even turned down the idea of attending the Moretti family celebration. Matteo had desperately wanted to go because of Shannon, but I knew better than to attend the Morettis' party when I wasn't invited. Even when Matteo said that if the Rossettis were invited, it meant I was invited as well, the question was: do the Mafiosos regard me as a Rossetti? So instead of arguing, I just told him I didn't want to be in the same space as Rafael. I wasn't all wrong, it was the fact, I didn't want to be in the same space with my brother, especially after what happened earlier, Rafael had told me that I smell like Elena, the words had stayed in my head, I knew he was suspicious, he had always been suspicious of me around Elena, but he had never said anything about her scent on me, I had been careless to just make out with Elena and then come in contact with Rafael. And I didn't want to give him another reason to suspend or watch me but I couldn't help it, when her first call had come up, I saw it but I chose to ignore, and then the second ring, the third ring, I said she would stop at the third but she did and somehow I became restless and unable to ignore her, so I decided to take it and the moment I heard her sob and broken voice I knows it was a dead end, I needed to see her, I pulled out a black shirt and slipped it over my head, then I grabbed a pair of black trousers.
"You are really going to the Moretti's manor?" Matteo's voice came from behind me, I turned, to look at him, he was standing at my bedroom door, watching me with a mixture of curiosity and concern
"Does it look otherwise?" I grabbed my jacket, then pulled my drawer. Matteo's eyes dropped to the gun I retrieved from the drawer; his expression changed.
"You are taking that?" Was that even a question? Every mafia member walks around with a weapon because you never know when your enemies will attack. I slid the weapon into the holster beneath my jacket.
"Yes,"
"Rafael is there." My eyes went to Matteo.
"I know." My voice came out colder than intended. "If he is the reason Elena is crying," I paused, "I will deal with him." Matteo stared at me.
"You mean kill him?" I glared at him.
"I said I will deal with him, never said kill."
"How are you going to deal with him?" My brows furrowed.
"Stop asking dumb questions." He sighed.
"You know sometimes you scare me." I retrieved my gaze from him.
"Good," I mouthed, then I turned from him and reached for the door. Matteo grabbed my wrist, stopping me from taking another step.
"How are you going to get to her?" He released me, I gave him a faint smirk.
"Have you forgotten how I appear in places where I am not invited?" Matteo laugh.
"Of course not. "Then his expression became serious. This man, I knew he wanted to say something else, especially when he wore that look. "I don't know why, but I have a feeling tonight is going to change everything between you and Elena." I stared at him.
"Stop talking nonsense." I pulled the doorknob. "And go have some fun."
"Fun?" He asked.
"You don’t want to start the year without having any fun on the first day, you know, after today, every other day turns dark in the mafia world." Matteo laughed; that sounded funny, because, in a real sense, the mafia are not allowed to spill blood on just three days of the year: the day they call Christ's birthday, the last and the first day of the year, and not even on the day Christ was raised.
"You really are impossible." I didn't answer; I was already walking away when he yelled out, "I wish you good luck." I wondered what that was, but I didn't stop. I jumped on my bike; I don't think a car would do. It might take too long, and I didn't have that much time. Even though I don't know the reason behind Elena's breakdown, I know something was off.
The Moretti estate was almost two hours away by road, but I knew the shortcut; I could make it much faster. The engine roared beneath me; the cold night air hit my face as I sped down the road. And my thoughts remained fixed on one thing. Which was Elena's trembling voice and tears, the way she had whispered my name as though I was the only person she could turn to. I had spent so much time telling myself I needed to stay away from her, that loving her was wrong, that she was Rafael's woman, but no matter how many times I told myself that, that thing in my head, had refused to agree with me and my heart had beaten so fast always for her. Sometimes, I think she cast a spell on me because I had never felt anything like this for any woman, but if she did, I wouldn't care. Maybe I was done pretending that I didn't want her; maybe I should just come clean that I wanted her. When I raised my head, I could already see the Moretti Manor. The journey that should have taken nearly two hours took me less than half an hour. When I finally reached the estate, I pulled the bike into the shadows and retrieved my phone; a message was already waiting.
Elena: Third Floor, east wing, last room on the left.
I smiled; she had sent me the information exactly as I asked. I typed quickly for her. \[Open your window.\] The reply came almost immediately.
\[Elena: It's open.\] I slipped the phone into my pocket, my eyes went around the walls, the walls surrounding the estate were tall, enough to discourage anyone from attempting to climb, but unfortunately for them, I wasn't anyone, I was Nikolai, the Draco, I climbed quickly, my hands caught the edge of the wall and I pulled myself over. From there, I moved across the rooftops, keeping low, the estate was enormous, light shine from almost every window, securities were everywhere, music and distant laughter floated through the night, the family was celebrating while I was sneaking into the house like a criminal, perhaps I was, but I didn't care, it didn't take long before I reach for the third floor, the window was slightly open, I climbed into the ledge, like some teenager sneaking to see his girlfriend, then I jumped inside, the moment my feet touched the floor. "You are here!" She whispered, throwing herself into my arms. I barely had time to catch her; the force sent me staggering backwards.
"Elena!" My arms wrapped around her waist automatically, she buried her face against my chest, I froze, she was trembling, her breathing was uneven, I pulled her slightly from me, and then I looked at her properly, her eyes were swollen from crying, tears still clung to her lashes, her face was flushed, my chest tightened.
"Who the heck did this to you?" I roared. She shook her head; tears were already falling from her eyes. I brushed a tear away. "Tell me who did this to you." She looked up at me, she couldn't even speak, I could see how much pain she was trying to hide, she shook her head,
"Please don't ask me that right now." When she managed to speak, her voice was already broken.
"Then what do you want me to do?" She swallowed hard.
"Just," her eyes went to me, her fingers tightened around my shirt, she pulled me to her level, her breath hit my nostrils.
"Have you been drinking?"
"What if I was?"