Mafia Men: Nikolai's Inferno - Chapter 29: Chapter 29

.Evangeline.
The door to my bedroom flung open and Bianca wandered inside with a huge creepy grin. I placed a hand over my chest, my mouth agape at the sudden intrusion into my room. "Hey, girl!" she wrapped her arms around me in a tight hug. "What's up, bitch?"
I hugged her back because I had missed her. "You scared me!"
She snorted and jumped on my bed. "I'm surprised that after living with Nikolai Costello for almost two months you still get scared of little things"
I smiled and shook my head. "What brings you here?" I asked as I hopped on the bed beside her.
"Um, my birthday!"
I gasped. "Happy Birthday, B!"
"Thanks, me and my girls are going out clubbing and I thought since you're one of my girls too I should invite you."
I heaved a disappointed sigh. "I would love to, I have never been to a nightclub before."
"Okay, then let's get you dressed up"
"But I can't..."
She frowned. "What the fuck? Why?"
"Nikolai won't let me. He still doesn't trust me enough. I asked him if I can go to college again a few days ago but he said no." I explained, I actually thought that after we shared some intimate moments, he'll let me go to college.
Bianca thought for a while. "Hm, why don't you leave Niko to me and get ready?"
I shook my head. "I don't want to lose his trust again"
She blew out a breath. "Okay..." she got off the bed and stood up offering me a hand. "Get up!"
I placed my hand on her and got off the bed as well, my eyebrows furrowed. "Where are we going?" I asked as she pulled me out of the room.
"We are going to Niko's study to ask for his permission" she announced and I halted, grabbing her arm.
"We can't do that, he's been busy for the last two days and he has been in a really bad mood! I haven't even seen him much except for when we eat together."
She raised an eyebrow as if something had surprised her. "You both eat together?"
I nodded. "He cooks, we eat, and then helps me clean."
She was taken aback by that but then shook her head. "Come on, I don't care if he is in a mood. We're still going!"
I gave up as I followed her to Nikolai's study. She knocked on the door three times and then told me to relax as I continuously fidgeted. The door opened by a scowling Scott. Was he ever in a good mood?
Bianca pushed him back and strolled inside like he owned the place. My gaze shifted between Scott and her before I looked down at the floor and followed her in.
For the past two days, Nikolai and I only talked to one another in the kitchen when he cooked for us. At night, he usually ordered takeout and ate it in his study. He has been in a bad mood and I knew better than to push him when he is irritated like that for no apparent reason. I mean, there might be a reason but I don't know about it. He doesn't tell me anything about his business or how his world works.
Bored out of my mind, I asked him if I can go back to college yesterday morning, and surprise surprise, he still doesn't trust me enough. He said no, scratched that, yelled a "NO" at me my face, and then stormed out of the dining hall.
Now I looked up and saw him leisurely sitting in his chair, his gaze moved between Bianca and me before he raised an eyebrow. Bianca's overconfident demeanor melted a bit as she played with her fingers. "Niko, aren't you going to wish me a happy birthday?" He blew out a breath. "Happy Birthday, Bianca. What do you want?"
She looked at me and then smiled back at Nikolai. "Can you... Um... Can Evangeline go out with me to celebrate my birthday?"
"No..."
He said it before Bianca could finish her sentence. My shoulders sagged with resignation. Isolation is my old friend, I will be fine. Bianca can go on and celebrate her birthday with her friends.
"Would you please not be Don Niko for a few seconds and be my cousin Nikolai Costello?" Bianca voiced, desperately.
I furrowed my eyebrows. Nikolai is Bianca's cousin? Bianca is a Costello? How come I never knew that? Now that I think about it Bianca has never told me her full name.
"It's still a no..." his voice was so brusque.
"Nikolai, please, it had been days since I last went out of the house" my voice was barely above a whisper, I know I was in no place to ask him for anything.
Nikolai glanced at me, where his eyes lingered. My cheeks heated up, I had been naked in front of this man while he had done unspeakable things to my body but still, his single glance managed to set my body on fire.
He looked back toward Bianca and sighed, "Will there be drinking?"
"Of course, cuz, it's my birthday party. I will take care of her, I promise!" Bianca grinned excitedly.
Scott scoffed. "I wouldn't trust you to take care of my pet mouse"
I frowned and glanced at Scott. "You have a pet mouse? I feel bad for the poor mouse..." I said to him, and in a swift motion he grabbed a throw pillow from the couch and flung it at my head, I caught it and gave him a smug smile.
"Fine, but Marco will drive you."
Bianca squealed and wrapped her arms around me, pulling me out of his study. I glanced back at him and saw him shaking his head while his attention was on the papers before him.
She practically hurled me to my bedroom and took me in front of a mirror. "Now let's get you clubbing ready!"
For the first time, I noticed how different Bianca and I are in looks. She is truly beautiful, she looked like a human Barbie with that figure. Her dark black hair was shoulder-length, with plump lips, and big eyes. She was way too attractive than me.
She strolled to my closet and I followed behind, she basically threw the clothes she didn't like on the floor. Her eyes landed on a beautiful light grey bodycon dress.
Her eyes went wide with excitement. "This is the one! Change into this, please!"
I reluctantly took the dress and lay it on the ottoman before I took off my shorts and shirt.
"Okay, hell to the no!" she said looking at me with a deep frown.
"What's wrong?"
"Where do you keep your underwear?"
I pointed toward the drawer and she kneeled on the floor, digging through the door that had her full attention. She pulled out a lacy bra and panties that matched my dress and asked me to wear that underneath. Once, I put on the undergarments, Bianca helped me into the dress and zipped it up. My hair wasn't made nor I had done my makeup yet but the dress made me feel like a mature woman instead of a little girl. The dress had a plunging neckline and an open back. I felt sexy and bold as I twirled around the mirror and smiled.
"Perfect, sweetheart, you are gorgeous. Now, let's do your make-up and hair."
She made me sit and did my makeup. I trusted her fully with this because her makeup is always on point. She then curled my hair and squealed as she looked at me. I got up and walked to the mirror.
I looked unrecognizable. The makeup was light and nude, and my hair... I had no words. This was the first time, I had worn this much makeup.
"Thank you, Bianca. I feel beautiful"
"You look smoking hot, E!"
Bianca retouched her makeup as we both ran out of the house to get to the car. I was laughing for no reason, I was just so happy.
Marco stilled for a moment looking at me up and down and then shook his head. "He will kill you," he said to Bianca.
Bianca grinned. "No, he won't, buddy..."
We settled in the back as Bianca rambled on about random things, she had so many friends. Our lives were so different in every way.
"I didn't know that you were a Costello"
"Well, now you know. We have a big family, most Italians do"
"Hm... do you speak Italian?"
She nodded. "A little. I was born and bred in New York City"
I bit my lower lip as I contemplated if I should ask her this question or not. Bianca was also a part of this world but she had the freedom to do almost everything. How can that be possible?
"Do you also have to ask for permission to do anything you want?"
She frowned. "From whom?"
"From your dad or boyfriend or whatever..."
She looked taken aback. "No, why would I?"
"Because Nikolai doesn't let me do anything... Sometimes it feels like I need his permission to even breathe." I slumped back into the seat.
She pursed her lips and eyed Marco while he drove. "Look... the men of the Cosa Nostra are protective and controlling of their women. Yes, there are some things that our men would never allow us to do but Nikolai. I think he is like... overprotective and a control freak when it comes to you."
I frowned. "Isn't he like that to every woman in his family?"
She shook her head. "Nope, he would protect us with his life but no, he would never control any other woman in the family the way he controls you."
"Why me?"
She looked back at Marco and their eyes met in the rearview mirror. He glared at Bianca but she just flipped him off before turning back to me. "I don't know, E... Can we not talk about him, please?"
Shoving the unease and all those negative feelings down, I smiled at Bianca and nodded. The car halted before a nightclub. There was a long line of people in front of it, waiting to get in. We stepped out and Bianca came to my side.
"How are we going to go in? It's so crowded."
"We are Costellos, baby. We don't wait in lines."
"I'm not a Costello..." I voiced as he tugged me toward the entrance of the club.
The big, bulky man dressed in black nodded at Bianca and opened the door for us to get in.
My lips parted with surprise. "How did you do that?"
"It's my father's club, Evangeline" she grinned. "Now let's go get drunk!"
She took me to a VIP section where all her friends were waiting for her. Bianca introduced me to all the girls. They were nice... a few of them.
Bianca ordered drinks and suddenly Nikolai crossed my mind. I pulled out my phone from my handbag and texted him.
You:
Am I allowed to drink?
I waited for a second, looking down at my phone. I glanced around, everyone was drinking and laughing. A minute later, my phone vibrated and I saw a text from Nikolai.
Nikolai:
Have fun, Angel.
It wasn't clear if he had allowed me to drink. I don't want him to get mad afterward. What does "have fun" means in his dictionary? Does it mean I can drink? Does it mean that I am allowed to do everything I
want?
"E! Stop using your cell phone and drink!" Bianca voiced and everyone's attention turned to me.
I gave her a smile. "I was just texting Nikolai about something..."
The drink before me was in a small glass, Bianca had called them tequila shots. I picked up the tequila shot and downed the whole thing, it tasted fruity, sweet, and earthy, I liked it. It didn't burn my throat like Vodka did when we got drunk at home for the first time.
Bianca turned to the waiter. "Keep them coming!"
One of her friends turned toward me and eyed me up and down. "You were texting Niko?" Her accent was thick, different than Bianca's or any other girl here. She didn't sound like a New Yorker.
I nodded. "Yeah..."
"Why?"
I lifted a shoulder, I didn't want to tell her that I needed permission to drink alcohol. That would sound bad. "Wanted to ask him something"
"What is your relationship with him?" she asked
I blanked. I didn't know how to answer that. I don't even know what our relationship is, so, instead of answering her, I counter-questioned. "Do you know him?"
She laughed almost as if she found my question funny. "Do I know him? We dated for like three years before he took over his family's business. I'm the only girl he ever dated..." The only girl he ever dated?