Chapter 37 Chapter Thirty-seven
Elena's POV
I knew something was wrong the moment I stepped outside and saw Matteo leaning against the car, as he owned it. My stomach dropped, and the excitement of going shopping with Nikolai went out the window.
I had imagined and hoped that this morning would be just me and Nikolai. Just the two of us in a car, driving round the city, after shopping, because I was damn sure that I was going to make him go around the city with him beside me after that. I thought it wouldn't be difficult for me to make him agree to everything I had planned, After the way he laughed last night, the way he softened for a moment, the way he apologized. I thought we were okay. I thought we took one tiny step forward, that this morning no one would be awkward around each other.
But apparently, I imagined all of it.
Because now he was standing a few feet away from me, distant, stiff, cold, the version of him who kept walls high and thick between us. That version that I met on the first day he picked me up from the airport.
I slowed to a stop and looked from Matteo to Nikolai. “Is Matteo coming with us?” I tried to sound normal to act like I wasn't mad or frustrated, that someone else was going to sit behind us like a chaperone, keeping an eye on two teenager going on a date like they can't control their hormones.
“Yes,” Nikolai said without emotion.
It hit like a slap. “Why?”
“For company.”
“Company,” I repeated, trying not to let the disappointment show in my voice.
And Matteo snorted. “For supervision,” he muttered, I acted as if I didn't hear the word because he was right, Nikolai only wants Matteo here, not for company but for supervision, and I hated the word. Anger hit my vein and I could no longer keep a straight face.
“So what happened? Because last night, you didn’t seem to hate being around me.” His jaw tightened, but he said nothing. “And now,” I continued, feeling my chest tighten, “you can’t even get in the same car with me without bringing someone else along? Am I that unbearable to you?”
“Elena!”
“No.” I stepped closer, my voice rising, “All I wanted to do today was spend time with you. Just you. And then the first thing you did this morning was drag Matteo into it. If you didn't want to go with me, you should have just declined right away not make me believe we are cool.”
I saw Matteo’s eyes widen slightly, like he wasn’t expecting this explosion, or he was trying to put one on two to get the picture of what happened between both of us. Nikolai looked away, jaw clenching harder.
“Elena, we can’t go alone.”
“Why not?” I demanded.
“Because...""
“I don’t need excuses,” I cut him off sharply. “Just say you don’t want to be alone with me, and I'm fucking fine with it.” His silence confirmed it.
The anger that flashed through me was instant and burning hot. Before I could stop myself, I reached out and snatched the keys right out of his hand.
“Elena!” he growled
“No!” I held the keys tightly. “If you don’t want to go with me alone, then I might as well go alone. I could find my way, I don't need a babysitter. Not waiting for another word from him, I marched straight to the driver’s side of the car, determination pushing me forward. I unlocked it and pulled the door handle.
Nikolai’s voice came sharp behind me. “Do you even know how to drive?”
I froze.
Shit! I curse under my breath, I don’t. I've never driven a car in my life. All may be, I did when Shannon and I went for a driving lesson, but I was terrible with it, and I just abandoned the lesson because it was too stressful.
My hand hovered uselessly over the door. Slowly, painfully, I released the handle and turned to face him. His eyebrow was raised, smug and infuriating.
I hated that look.
Fine, I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of admitting he was right. I turned abruptly and tossed the keys at Matteo, who caught them clumsily, staring at me, and then the key. He was confused. “Then you drive me.”
Matteo blinked. “Uh!”
Before he could even finish, Nikolai said, “Matteo can’t drive you.”
“Why not?” I shot back, planting my hands on my hips. “I’m ordering him." I snapped, turning my gaze to Matteo, "C'mon, get into the car, I ordered you.”
Nikolai stepped forward, eyes flashing in warning. “You can’t order him, Elena. He is not one of your father’s men.” My shoulders tightened, and something inside me snapped. Hearing him say that, using my father as some kind of barrier between us again made my blood boil. I'm used to getting everything I wanted, and I never had anyone question me. But this man, he is so difficult to pushed him around.
“I can’t order him,” I repeated bitterly. “But you can? You can drag him along to babysit me, but I can’t decide who drives me?”
“Elena...”
“You know what? Forget it.” I shoved past him, heading back toward the house. The same house, the lady inside didn't want me, “I’m not going anymore.” Frustration burned through my chest, hot and humiliating. I hated that he made me feel like this confused, unwanted, stupid for even thinking we had a moment last night. I hated that I cared this much. I hated that he was slowly finding his way to my heart, taking that place that belongs to Rafael
My eyes stung, and I clenched my jaw tightly, refusing to let anything fall. I walked faster, each step harder than the last. Just as I passed him, a strong hand wrapped around my wrist. I stopped immediately, breath catching.
“Elena.” His voice was low, rough, not commanding but pleading.
I didn’t turn around. “Let go.”
“No.” My heart betrayed me by skipping a beat. I squeezed my eyes shut. His hand was warm on my skin, fingers firm but careful, like he was afraid of hurting me. His touch reminded me of last night. Those desires are building up again. I want to throw my hand around him and kiss him.
“You’re going with me,” he said quietly.
“I asked you if it would be just us,” I said in a whisper. “Not you, me, and your human shield.”
There was a long pause. Then he stepped in front of me, forcing me to look at him. His eyes held mine, dark and conflicted. “Yes,” he said. “Just the two of us.” Behind him, Matteo raised his brows like he couldn’t believe what he was hearing.
“Are you, sure?” I asked softly, searching his face. “Just us?” He nodded once.
Something in my chest loosened. Just a little. I slowly pulled my wrist from his hand not because I wanted to get away, but because if I didn’t, I might do something foolish like lean into him. And show him that I was excited to go with just him. He stepped back and motioned toward the car. “Let’s go.”
This time, there was no hesitation when I walked beside him. He opened the passenger door for me silently. I slid inside, my pulse still too fast.
Matteo cleared his throat dramatically. “Wow. That was… something.”
Nikolai shot him a glare. “Go home.”
Matteo grinned and saluted. “Have fun, you two.” His teasing voice didn’t help the heat rising in my face, and I looked out the window, pretending not to hear him. Nikolai walked around to the driver’s side, slid in, and shut the door. The moment the car started, the air tightened around us, thick, heavy, charged with everything unspoken.
We didn’t say anything at first. The silence stretched, sharp and awkward. But under it, under all the frustration, anger, and tension, there was a quiet truth I tried so hard to ignore: I wanted to be alone with him more than I wanted anything else today. I wanted Nikolai not Rafael