Chapter Twenty Nine

Chapter Twenty Nine
I didn't know whether to trust Nicholas or not. My heart craved him, my body ached for his touch, and yet, a nagging voice deep within whispered caution. I wanted to believe in him, to surrender fully, but doubt clung to me like a shadow. Did he truly love me the way I was beginning to love him? Or was I just another puppet in his dangerous game?

After switching off his phone, Nicholas turned to me with a slow, knowing smile—one so sweet and intoxicating that for a moment, I forgot all my doubts. His face was an unyielding grip that refused to let go and that sent warmth swirling through my chest.

I wished—desperately—that I could see inside his mind, uncover the hidden truth and lift the veil of secrecy. What was he thinking? What was he hiding? And most importantly… what was he planning?

All these thoughts ran through my mind when I heard his sweet voice: “Princess, you need to freshen up. We are going out to have some fun.” He said, his voice low and enticing.

Nicholas was right. After weeks of dodging bullets and waging wars that seemed endless, we deserved a moment of peace—if such a thing even existed in our world.

I let out a long, tired sigh, stretching my sore limbs as I leaned back against the headboard. The soft sheets tangled around my body, still warm from the passionate night we had just shared. My muscles ached, not just from battle, but from Nicholas himself.

I turned to him, studying the sharp lines of his face. “Where are we headed now?” My voice was laced with suspicion. “I really hope it’s not another fight, because I’m not in the mood to dodge bullets today.”

Nicholas didn’t respond immediately. Instead, his fingers traced idle patterns on my bare shoulder, his eyes distant, lost in thought. Something was on his mind.

Andrianna, I…” He hesitated, an unusual flicker of uncertainty crossing his features.

But before he could finish his sentence, a sharp knock on the door shattered the moment.

His body tensed instantly.

Within a second, Nicholas was out of bed; he quickly put on his pants. His movements were smooth and calculated, like a predator sensing danger. He reached under the pillow, retrieving the gun he always kept there, his grip firm around the cold metal.

I held my breath, watching as he moved toward the door with measured steps, his muscles coiled like a spring, ready to strike.

He didn’t open it immediately. Instead, he positioned himself strategically behind the door, his other hand resting on the knob as he slowly, cautiously, pulled it open just an inch.

The tension in the air was suffocating. My heartbeat pounded against my ribs. My stomach clenched as I prepared for the worst.

Then, relief surged through me, bringing a sense of calm.

Roman.

I let out a shaky breath, pressing a hand against my chest. "God, that scared me," I muttered under my breath.

Nicholas, however, remained unpredictable. He opened the door fully, exchanging words with Roman—words I couldn’t hear. Their voices were low, serious.

I narrowed my eyes. What were they discussing? Was it about the mysterious call Nicholas had ignored earlier? My gut twisted with unease.

Something was off.

Nicholas cast me a glance, then without another word, he turned and left with Roman, shutting the door behind them.

I was alone.

The moment he was gone, I reached for his phone, pressing the power button with shaky fingers. The screen flickered to life, taking what felt like an eternity to boot up.

My heart pounded as I quickly scrolled through the call log, finding the unknown number. Without thinking, I copied it, preparing to send it to my own phone.

Then, another call came in.

Unknown number.

I quickly silenced the device, holding my breath as though Nicholas could hear the ringing from wherever he was. My pulse hammered in my ears. A few seconds later, a text popped up on the screen.

“Hey Nic, I hope you receive this message in time. It's Julia. Alessandro and Dante are heading to your territory tonight, and I'm sure you understand what that means. Get out as fast as possible and stay away from Chicago, at least for now. They’ve taken my phone, and I barely managed to escape. Please try to respond when you get this.”

I read it twice.

Then a third time.

A cold chill ran down my spine. Julia? Warning Nicholas?

Was she playing another game, or was she actually trying to help?

Before I could decide what to do, the door swung open.

Nicholas stood there, his piercing gaze locking onto mine. I could feel the tension crackling in the air between us; the silence between us was deafening. His eyes flickered to his phone, then back to me.

I swallowed hard, feeling like I had just been caught stealing. My fingers trembled slightly, as if guilty of a crime.

He took a slow, deliberate step forward and didn't understand what he wanted to do next. “Have you read it?”

My lips parted, but no words came out. My mind thought of an excuse, but the truth hung between us like a loaded gun.

“I… I…”

Before I could finish, he cut me off with a sharp, controlled voice. “Freshen up and get dressed. We’re leaving.”

His tone left no room for argument.

I didn’t ask where we were going anymore. I didn’t ask why.

I just obeyed.

I rushed into the bathroom, turning on the shower, but my thoughts were racing too fast to focus on the warm water flowing down my body. Julia’s message replayed in my mind like a broken record. Get out. Stay away from Chicago for now.

What the hell was happening?

After hurriedly dressing, I moved toward the wardrobe to grab my things—only to freeze.

My burgundy dress was missing.

Not just the dress—some of my jewellery, too.

I turned sharply, my heart hammering. My gaze snapped to Nicholas. He was busy fastening his watch, his movements calm, almost too calm.

I swallowed hard before asking the one question that burnt in my mind.

“Nic… Is Julia here?”