Mafia Men: Nikolai's Inferno - Chapter 17: Chapter 17

-Evangeline.
"Can I ask you something?"
My heart throbbed with fear. This seemed like a really bad idea, but curiosity overpowered the fear running through my veins.
He tilted his head to the side, dark amusement spread over his face. "I'm listening..."
I didn't want to believe that Nikolai was that person. That he killed or whatever the mob bosses do but some part of me always got nervous around his dark aura. There was something about his eyes that told me that everything I read on the internet and what my friends told me might be true.
I opened my mouth and then contemplated what I should ask first. Are you a mob boss? Is that what I should ask? Or people told me who you are and that you kill people for a living... that sounds wrong and mean, so, I settled for the first question.
"What is a Mafia?" I asked.
He chuckled, darkly and lowly. "Why do you want to know?"
Nikolai rarely laughed but whenever he did, it sent chills down my spine.
"My friends... said something about you... They said you... they said that you kill people..." I managed to say, taking breaks after a few words.
My breath got caught in my throat as I waited for his answer. I wanted him to deny it, I wanted him to tell me that they were lying. I wanted him to tell me that he was a good man. I mean, if he wasn't a good man why would he take me in after my parent's death and take care of me like he has? He listens to me and takes care of my every need. The only reason I was attending a real college was because of him. He didn't even cage me like my father had done. He had done nothing to me that proves that he is a bad person.
Please, deny, Nikolai, please...
I really thought of Nikolai as Prince Charming from Cinderella but that fantasy got crushed when I heard his brusque voice again.
"Come here, Evangeline" he ordered.
For the first time, I didn't listen to him. I stayed rooted in my spot, waiting for him to tell me the truth. Each passing second felt like an hour, the air around us turned suffocating as it all felt like the calm before the storm.
"Evangeline..." his voice commanding with a hint of anger. "I said, come here."
I shook my head, looking at him with accusing eyes. There was an unknown weight over my chest, that seemed to suffocate me. I wanted to run out of this library and breathe in the fresh air, filling my lungs with it until I'm satisfied.
I swallowed as his expression turned darker and a muscle twitched in his jaw. He stood up from his chair and I took a sudden step back bumping into the bookshelf behind me.
He shook his head like he was disappointed in me for some reason like I have done something wrong. Or maybe I have, maybe I have accused him of killing people. I trusted other people when I should have trusted him.
He stalked towards me, calmly. I pressed myself more into the bookshelf. Even if I wanted to escape, I couldn't, the bookshelf had restricted my movement.
He stopped right before me, he looked down at me with his bluish-grey eyes that for some reason seemed black in the dimly lit library.
I stared into his eyes, expecting him to answer me.
Still waiting...
He placed both of his hands on either side of me, caging me. His big muscular body completely covered mine. He dipped his head and pressed his lips to my ear. "Yes..."
With a single word, I felt like my soul had left my body. I sharply took a breath in, the book fell from my hand and landed on the floor between us over my feet.
Nikolai grazed his nose along the curve of my cheek, my hands went to his muscular, big arms on either side of me. My heartbeat thrummed against my chest.
"And no, I do not kill people myself, I have people who do the dirty work for me..." he whispered against my cheek.
Damn it, I hate myself for liking his touch right now. I shouldn't... I should be scared not whatever the hell I was feeling.
I could feel him smiling against my cheek, my hands clutched his shoulders tightly, and I blinked several times. "Like Scott?"
Then I felt his one hand on my stomach that sent a jolt between my thigh, my legs felt weak and shaky. My hand on his other bicep tightened, and I could feel my nails digging into his jacket. His hand slowly trailed upwards, but he stopped when his hand reached my neck, his finger curled around my throat and he squeezed, it was rough, hard but it didn't hurt me.
His lips twisted in a sinister smile. "Exactly, like Scott"
Surprisingly, I wasn't afraid of him even after knowing the truth. I was fine with it, I was relieved by the fact that he didn't lie to me. I just know that no matter what Nikolai wouldn't hurt me, he hadn't and he wouldn't. Even with his hand around my neck, I wasn't scared...
His grip around my neck tightened, and his heavy, muscular body pressed against mine, he nipped my earlobe between his teeth, and a shudder ran through me. The book I was holding earlier was now under his feet.
He always smelled so good, so clean.
I have never been touched this way by anyone. It was nice, exciting, and exhilarating and I wanted more, I needed more.
"Nikolai..." my voice came out like a breath, a needy breath. I don't know what I needed.
"Angel..." his rough voice traveled straight to my stomach.
I wanted to feel him more. In college, I saw couples everywhere caressing and kissing one another. I wanted to know how it felt to be loved like that, I wanted to know how it felt to be touched, to be kissed. "Kiss me..." I whispered the words before I could stop them from slipping from my lips.
All of a sudden, he pulled away from me like I have burned him. He took a step back, running his thumb across his lips as if he was thinking deeply about something. He shook his head before he walked straight out of the library leaving me alone with my turmoil and the book that had his shoe print over it.
Blood rushed to my cheeks as embarrassment crept up. What have I done? I put myself out there, I practically asked him to kiss me and he turned me down. Of course, he turned me down. He doesn't have a stupid crush on me like I have on him. What did I open my mouth? What if he kills for it? No, no, he won't.
I slid down against the bookshelf and wrapped my arms around myself. I needed to protect myself from this man. He had some kind of lethal attraction about him that will destroy me if I don't stay away. I need to maintain a distance from him from now on because I can't face him after he had so blatantly rejected me. I could feel my heart hurting, tears pooled in my eyes. I humiliated myself, I have no idea how I will ever face him again.
I was attracted to the man who didn't like me back. For the sake of my mental health, I will stay away from him.
A week passed by in a blur, I didn't see Nikolai even if I wanted to. It wasn't like I was ignoring him but the opposite, he was the one ignoring me. The humiliation consumed me even more.
I didn't know I disgusted him that much. That a man as powerful as him was running away from me. I covered my face with both of my hands as that day in the library flashed before my eyes.
Nothing much changed after I knew what or who Nikolai is. I had no reason to be afraid of him, I haven't seen anything immoral and animalistic happening in front of my eyes, so, it was easier for me to ignore that part of his life. A lot of things made sense now too, especially all the heavily armed men patrolling outside his home all the time.
Even if Nikolai was the Mob boss, he didn't bring it home with him.
I let out an aggravated sigh and rummaged through my closet to look for a dress, Liam has invited me over to a fraternity party. It was a pool party, so, I picked out a black bikini with a black lace cover-up. Bianca had suggested I wear it, apparently, she knew what was in my closet better than I did.
I loosely curled my hair and put on light makeup before dressing up in my bikini, I wore denim shorts and a t-shirt over it and stuffed the cover-up in my bag.
I was excited to go to my first-ever party. I called Marco and asked him to drop me off at the campus fraternity. I descended the stairs, looking around if Nikolai was there. I sighed in relief when I didn't see him. I don't really want to see him after how I had humiliated myself.
I walked out and saw Marco leaning against the car door, his eyes visibly widened before they trailed down my body in a weird, angry way. Marco had never looked at me like this, he had always been indifferent. I shifted my weight from one foot to another as I crossed my arms over my chest. "What?"
He flung his cigarette on the ground and narrowed his eyes at me. "Why are you going to college dressed like this?"
"I'm not going to college, I'm going to a party" I answered.
He seemed confused. "A party?"
I shrugged, playing it cool. "Yeah..."
He looked inside behind me as if looking for someone. "Does Niko know that you are going to a party like this?"
I know he will ask me that and I was prepared for it. Earlier I had asked Bianca to send me a text about permitting me to go to a party and once she did, I deleted the rest of our chat history and changed her name to Nikolai. 6
I know If I told him that Nikolai doesn't know anything; he won't take me to the party, so, I showed him the text. "Yes, he knows."
Marco scratched his beard, thoughtfully. "And he gave you permission to dress like that?"
I frowned, I didn't need Nikolai's permission. I can dress however I like but I couldn't say that to Marco. "Yes, I sent him a picture..."
He nodded himself as I opened the back door and settled inside the car before he changes his mind. Marco silently drove me to the party, we didn't talk much the whole ride, not that I wanted to.
When we reached the frat house, my jaw dropped open as I saw the whole house packed with people and loud blaring music.
I stepped out of the car and shot a text to Liam, telling him that I was here. I turned back to Marco. "You can go now, I'll be fine"
"I'll wait outside" he answered dryly.
"You don't have to one of my friends will drop me off, go."
"No, you're not getting into anyone's car"
I blew out a breath. "Okay, fine I'll call you in a few hours, now please, go!"
"You'll be fine on your own?"
"I go to college every day, Marco, I think, I'll be fine."
Marco seemed hesitant but then he nodded and got back into his car. "I'll be back in two hours," he revved the car engine and drove away.
I grinned and faced the frat house, walking inside.