Chapter 11: For Her
*Alexander*
It's been a week since the incident with Vlad, and Ella won't leave the room or eat. I started worrying until Nik told me she was still turning in her work on time or even early. She has thrown herself into work, but every time I check on her, she looks afraid whenever I get close to check her neck. At night I put aloe vera on it to help the bruising, but her voice was still raspy. It was almost like he tried to crush her voice box; I wanted to do something nice for her, but I couldn't think of anything, so I texted Nik to grab a bunch of movies and come to my apartment and order two pizzas. Instead, I went to Ella's room instead, picked her up, and placed her on the couch with a blanket when Nik called me to open the door. Over the last few days, knocking has freaked Ella out, so Nik and I call each other to open the door. When I opened the door, Nik had over ten movies and the pizzas I ordered. Nik put the pizzas and the movies on the coffee table. Ella hugged Nik; I sat on the end of the couch, opened the pizza boxes, and picked the first movie.
For the first few hours, it was just comedies to lighten the mood, but then Nik picked out a slasher film, and Ella held on to him the entire movie. I wished she was holding me the way he was being held. Then, after a while, we started watching her favorite movie, and Ella moved to where I sat. She sat on my lap and cuddled up; I was happy she was enjoying herself, even though it was just movies and pizza. I kissed the top of her head; I felt her relax when I put my arms around her.
After a while, Nikolas left because he had a meeting in the morning with security, and Ella was still sitting on my lap, snuggled up; after telling Nik bye, she looked at me. " After a while, Nikolas left because he had a meeting in the morning with security, and Ella was still sitting on my lap, snuggled up; after telling Nik bye, she looked at me. " Thanks, Alex," she kissed my cheek and smiled " I have one question for you, though." I looked at her, confused " Why are you both being so nice to me?" She looked at the floor almost as if she was scared of the answer. " We are being nice because we care about you, and even more so," I stopped myself from confessing my feelings for her because I was waiting for the right time. "Get ready for tomorrow. You are staying with Nik when he gets home from work." she nodded and got up; Ella headed to the room, and I assumed she went to lie down. But instead, I headed to the guest room because having her here for the last few days has been rough on me. I have this urge to hold and kiss her, but I can't because she has mentioned so many times that she isn't looking for a relationship and doesn't want one after what Vlad did to her the first time.
If that man ever comes near her again, I might just end him myself with my bare hands. I want her to be safe and happy with anyone, even if that person isn't Nik or me; Nik wants her to be with him, I can tell, but he won't tell her that until she asks, and as far as I can tell, she is oblivious to both of our feelings for her. After a few hours, I checked on Ella, and she was asleep. I started heading back to my room, but I heard her say my name and Nik's in her sleep. I hoped it was a good dream, but then I heard moaning coming from her, and that angelic sound leaving her mouth almost made me come undone in my pants. I ran to my room and helped relieve myself like I had done the last few days because her being here had been hard on me in more ways than one. I want to make her mine and taste every inch of her body, but I can't, and in the morning, I go to the gym to work off this sexual frustration.
It was around three in the morning when I finally went to sleep because I just wanted to lay beside Ella and sleep. We had naps together when she was too scared to be alone, but lately, she hasn't wanted me near her.
The next few days will be extra hard on Nikolas and me because we haven't talked about Ella to each other unless it's to update each other on how she's doing. Ella has been extra quiet in the mornings around him and me since she started distancing herself because of those dreams she has been having lately.
When my alarm for six o'clock starts ringing, I head to the building's gym and work out for a few hours. I let Ella know before I left where I was heading in case, she got scared or needed anything. I didn't expect thirty minutes later to find her walking into the gym wearing shorts and a sports bra and heading to the treadmill. She looked good, and I hoped she missed me staring at her. After a while on the treadmill, I noticed she got off and was heading my way; I was at the punching bags working off some frustration. " Alex, can you come here?" she stood beside the treadmill; I nodded and walked over to her, swallowing a lump in my throat. Ella looked me in the eye and kissed me, I kissed back a little bit, but then she pushed me away. " I am going to get ready to head to Nik's place; see you in a few days." she walked out of the gym with a newfound confidence that I hadn't seen before.