Chapter 52 Chapter 52
Chapter 52
Nina’s POV
My lips pressed against Nikolai’s, desperate and trembling, forcing air into his lungs. His mouth was warm but still, tasting of blood and salt from the night’s horrors.
I breathed harder, my chest heaving, tears mixing with the rain on his face. “Come on,” I whispered between breaths, my voice breaking. “Don’t you dare leave me like this.” The helipad was cold under my knees, the wind whipping my torn gown around us like ragged flags.
Enzo and Dante stood nearby, their faces tight with worry, but I barely saw them. All I could focus on was Nikolai’s chest—rising slightly with my efforts, but weak, too weak.
Then I heard it. A soft whisper, barely a breath against my lips. “It’s going to be fine.” Nikolai’s voice, rough and low, like gravel under tires. His golden-hazel eyes fluttered open, locking on mine with that intense stare that always made my stomach twist. Relief flooded me, hot and sudden, but I did not pull away.
I kissed him again—not CPR this time, but something deeper, my hands cupping his face as if I could hold him to life. His hand weakly touched my arm, fingers cold but gripping.
The sound of boots on the helipad snapped me back. Two bodyguards rushed over, their black uniforms blending with the night.
They knelt beside Nikolai, one on each side, and helped him up with careful grunts. “Easy, boss,” one said, his voice steady.
Nikolai winced, blood still seeping from his shoulder, but he nodded, leaning on them as they guided him toward the house. I stood shakily, my bare feet numb on the cold surface, following close.
The island house loomed ahead, its stone walls lit by floodlights that cast long shadows across the cliff edge. Waves crashed below, a constant roar that mixed with the fading chopper whine.
We entered through massive wooden doors, the air inside warm and smelling of polished wood and faint lavender from Nana’s cleaning.
The foyer was grand—marble floors reflecting the chandelier light, high ceilings with exposed beams—but tonight it felt tense, like a storm waiting to break. A team of three doctors and four nurses stood ready in the living room, white coats crisp, medical bags open on the coffee table.
They sprang into action the second we crossed the threshold. “Over here,” one doctor said, pointing to a makeshift exam area on the big leather couch. The nurses swarmed Nikolai, helping the bodyguards lower him down.
They cut away his shirt with scissors, revealing the ugly wounds—red and raw, blood smeared across his muscled chest. I winced at the sight, my stomach turning.
Nana appeared from the kitchen, her gray hair tied back, apron dusted with flour. She rushed to me first, wrapping her arms around my waist in a tight hug. Her body was soft and warm, smelling of home-cooked bread.
“Oh, child, you’re safe,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. Tears stung my eyes again as I hugged her back. “I thought we lost you all.” She pulled away, wiping her cheeks, then bustled off. “I’ll make some tea and soup to warm you up.”
Dante waved a hand from where he stood by the window, phone pressed to his ear. “Serve hot whiskey and vodka instead. We need something stronger tonight.” His voice was calm, but his eyes flicked to Nikolai with a flash of concern. Nana nodded and hurried back to the kitchen, pots clanging softly.
The house was quiet yet loud with tension—the doctors murmuring instructions, nurses prepping IVs and bandages, the distant crash of waves outside. Enzo limped to an armchair, collapsing into it with a groan, his leg wound still oozing. One nurse knelt beside him, cleaning it with antiseptic that made him hiss through his teeth.
I hovered near Nikolai, my hands twisting in my gown’s remnants. The doctors worked fast—one injecting painkillers into his arm, another probing the shoulder wound with gloved fingers. Nikolai grunted but stayed still, his eyes finding mine again. That stare—intense, unblinking—made my cheeks heat despite everything.
“Sit down,” he rasped, his voice weak but commanding. I sank onto the edge of the couch near him, my body aching from bruises and cuts. A nurse noticed and turned to me, dabbing antiseptic on a gash on my arm. It stung, but I barely felt it.
The minutes stretched, filled with the beeps of medical machines and low voices. The doctors finally stepped back, one wiping his hands on a towel.
“He’s stable. Bullet’s out, no major damage, but he needs rest. No moving for a few days.” They packed up and left, the nurses trailing with bloody towels and empty syringes. The room fell quieter, the tension easing just a bit.
Dante ended his call and turned to Enzo and Nikolai, a little smile tugging at his lips. “The whole thing was a success,” he said, voice smooth.
I stood up fast, my head spinning a little from the whiskey Nana had handed me earlier. “What did you just say? After trying to sell me off to those monsters?” My voice came out sharper than I meant, anger bubbling up hot in my chest.
Dante rolled his eyes, leaning against the wall. “That was the icing on the cake. It gave us a chance to get closer to the nuclear weapon without raising suspicion. Besides, if we show them you’re important to us, they come after you. And you’re trouble already.” His words landed like slaps, casual but cutting.
I rolled my eyes back, mumbling under my breath about arrogant bastards. I grabbed the hot whiskey from the table, taking a big swig. It burned going down, warm and sharp, spreading heat through my chest. Nikolai watched me, his eyes half-lidded from the painkillers. “Can you handle that?” he asked, voice soft.
I sighed, the alcohol already loosening the knots in my stomach. “At this point, I can literally work in hell.” The words came out slurred a bit, but I meant them. After bombs and gunfights and auctions, whiskey was nothing.
Dante clasped his hands together, the sound echoing in the room. “We have got the nuclear weapon plus we now know Isabella’s real intention. She is out for good. Plus, we need to leave this place for a new and more private location till this settles down. I trust no one.” Enzo and Nikolai nodded, their faces serious. Enzo winced as he shifted his leg, but he managed a weak grin. Nikolai just lay there, eyes on me.
“Good,” I said, standing straighter. “That means I get to go back to my father.”
Dante shook his head. “Nope. You and Nana are coming.”
I sighed, frustration boiling over. “Why?” I hissed, stepping closer.
“Well, except you want to become a slave to the sheik, you are following us. Plus, your friend Amanda might have some information we need.
This nuclear weapon is three, and they all need to be connected together. We have found one, remaining two. We will move once Nikolai gets stabilized. And Nina, please behave.” He took the bottle of whiskey from in front of me, his fingers brushing mine. I pouted, crossing my arms. He just raised an eyebrow and walked to the window, staring out at the dark ocean.
I picked up the soup Nana had brought instead, the steam warm on my face, smelling of chicken and herbs. It slid down easy, soothing my throat. The room spun a little from the whiskey and exhaustion, my eyelids heavy.
Before I knew it, I zoomed into sleep, sinking back onto one of the big couches, the soft leather cradling my body. The house sounds faded—the waves, the low voices, the clink of glasses. I did not know how long I slept, but when I woke, the room was dimmer, lit by a single lamp. My head throbbed, bruises aching everywhere, but I lay still, listening.
Dante and Enzo were arguing in low voices near the kitchen door. Dante’s tone was sharp. “You shouldn’t have sold her to the sheik, you know he is dangerous and wild.”
Dante hissed back, dragging on a smoke, the red tip glowing in the dark.
“Well, at least we are one hundred million richer.” He exhaled a cloud of smoke, the scent drifting over.
“Hey, the pilot, we need to disappear for a while.”
Their words hung in the air like smoke, heavy and dangerous. My heart raced. Sold me? One hundred million? Disappear? I stayed still, eyes half-closed, pretending to sleep.
But inside, fear twisted tight. What had they done? And what was coming next?