Chapter 60 Chapter 60
Chapter 60
Nina’s POV
My heart hammered so loud I thought Nikolai could hear it. His question hung between us like smoke. “Are you a virgin?”
I opened my mouth. Closed it. Words stuck in my throat. My face burned. I looked down at my lap, at the crumpled nightie, at the wet spot between my thighs. The rose toy still buzzed faintly on the desk, forgotten. My body felt too hot. Too exposed. Too much.
I wanted to answer. I really did. But every time I tried, my mind flashed back. Josh. The night he hurt me. The pain. The shame. The way I locked that memory away and never let it out. My hands twisted in the blanket. I swallowed hard. My voice came out small. “I…”
Before I could finish, footsteps echoed in the hallway. Heavy. Quick. Someone coming.
My eyes went wide. Panic spiked sharp in my chest. I dropped fast. Slid under the desk. The blanket dragged behind me like a tail. I curled into the dark space, knees to my chest, blanket pulled over my head. The wood smelled old and dusty. My breathing sounded too loud in the tiny space.
The door opened.
Dante stepped in. His boots stopped just inside. “Heard a noise from up here.”
Nikolai’s voice came calm. Steady. “Yeah. That was me.”
Dante moved closer. I saw his legs from under the desk. Black pants. Polished shoes. He stopped right in front of Nikolai. “You’re always calm and careful.”
Nikolai gave a short laugh. “Yeah. Except my hands are not so active right now.”
Dante sighed. “Sorry about that, bro.”
Nikolai shrugged. I could hear it in his voice. “I’ve survived worse bullets.”
“True.” Dante paused. “Leave the mess. Nana will clean it up tomorrow.”
Nikolai nodded. I could feel the movement through the desk.
Dante started walking toward him. Toward me. My breath caught. Nikolai shifted. His leg moved. Trying to block the view under the desk. Thank goodness the room was dark. The lamp only lit the top. Shadows hid me. I pressed my hand over my mouth. Kept breathing shallow. Quiet.
Dante stopped. “Need some whiskey and vodka. Past few months have been crazy.”
Nikolai answered. “Yeah.” His foot nudged my gown under the desk. Pushing the fabric deeper so it would not show. I froze. My heart slammed.
Before Dante could come closer, a woman’s voice floated up from downstairs. Loud. Playful. “Where are you, Papiiiiii? I’m soaking wet. You don’t leave a lady hanging.”
The Russian girl. Shirtless. Her boobs bouncing as she climbed the stairs.
Dante swore. “Fuck. Shit. You’re not supposed to be here.”
He turned fast. Grabbed her arm. Dragged her back toward the door. She laughed. Hummed against him. “Why?” Her eyes darted around the room. “Something smells like sex and vanilla.”
Dante’s voice dropped. Angry. “No one comes in here.” He pulled her out. Their argument faded down the hall. Footsteps. Her giggles. His curses. The door downstairs slammed.
The house went quiet again.
I let out a shaky breath. My whole body trembled. “Can I come out?”
Nikolai chuckled. Low. Warm. “You can. And you didn’t have to hide. But I didn’t want Dante saying my soaked pussy and hard nipples.”
I crawled out slow. My knees hurt from the wood. The blanket tangled around my legs. I stood up. Fixed my nightie. My face felt hot. I looked at him. He sat back in the chair. Bottle of vodka in his hand. He took a long sip. Eyes locked on me.
I smiled. Tried to act brave. “Don’t be sly. You didn’t answer me.”
He raised an eyebrow. Took another sip.
Before I could push, Dante’s footsteps came back. Heavy. Fast.
I dropped behind the couch. My head hit the wood leg. Pain flared sharp. I bit my lip to stay quiet.
Dante walked in. “Give me that.” He took the bottle from Nikolai. “And no one comes here. You know why.”
Nikolai nodded. “Of course, Dante.”
Dante drank straight from the bottle. Wiped his mouth. “Need to go fuck off some steam.” He turned and left. Door closed behind him.
I stayed behind the couch. Breathing slow. My mind raced. What was Dante hiding? Why no one comes here? What did Nikolai know?
Nikolai’s voice broke the silence. “You can come out now. He is not coming back again.”
I peeked over the couch. Nikolai still sat there. Bottle in hand. Eyes on me. Soft now. Not angry. Not dangerous. Just… tired.
I stood up slow. My legs shook. The blanket fell to the floor. I did not pick it up. I walked to him. Stopped right in front. Close enough to smell the vodka on his breath. The blood on his bandage. The faint smoke from earlier.
He looked up at me. “Sit.”
I sat on the arm of his chair. My thigh touched his arm. He did not move away.
I looked at him. Really looked. The scar on his chest. The fresh bandage. The way his eyes never left mine.
Something metallic caught my eye. Behind one of the shelves. Too shiny to be a book. Too straight. I leaned forward. Squinted.
It looked like a gun. No. Bigger. A rifle? Or something else. Something hidden.
My stomach dropped.
Nikolai followed my gaze. His face changed. Hardened.
He stood up fast. Pain flashed across his features. But he ignored it. Walked to the shelf. Pulled a book forward. The metallic thing disappeared behind more volumes.
He turned back to me. Voice low. “You didn’t see that.”
I swallowed. Nodded. But my heart raced.
What were they hiding?
And why did it feel like the walls were closing in again?