Mafia Men: Nikolai's Inferno - Chapter 48: Chapter 48

•Evangeline.
We stopped at a small Italian restaurant. A man valets our car as Scott and I walked inside.
It was overly crowded, filled with big, bulky men. There was not even a single woman in sight except for the waitress in a skimpy dress that flashed her underwear as she bent to pick something off the floor. All of the men gave Scott a nod, acknowledging his presence. A few of them stood up as Scott walked by. Why does it feel like they were all a part of their mafia? Darkness and cruelty dripped from their eyes. There were just too many tattoos, scars, and scowls in the restaurant.
They all avoided looking directly at me maybe it was because I was with their underboss. A few of them glanced at me and then looked back down at whatever they were doing like they have committed a sin. We sat at the table in the corner, I placed my hands over it and leaned ahead. "Why do I feel like they all are scared of me?"
"Because they are."
I frowned. "Why?"
"They all are loyal to Niko. After you were kidnapped, most of them had to look for you, they know who you are. You practically have the "property of Nikolai Costello" stamped on your forehead," he explained while checking out the menu. "They are giving you respect."
"Ah..." that's all I could say.
He ordered for both of us, as usual. Whenever we went out-when I was living in my parent's house-he'd always order for me. He is such a douchebag with zero chivalry. I'm glad to see he had not changed even after apologizing.
After we had dinner, he got a call from someone. He went outside to talk leaving me alone with a bunch of dark and brooding Made Men. The waitress came by a few times asking me if I wanted anything else and I politely declined.
I wanted to go home now. My body was still sore, my muscle ached because of the boxing session this morning. I just wanted to go home and sleep it off now.
Scott came back and gestured for me to get up and follow him. I did, I settled in the passenger seat and fastened my seat belt.
"Are we going home now?" I asked him and he nodded.
All his attention was on the phone while he drove with one hand and divided attention.
"Keep your eyes on the road, I don't want to die."
He rolled his eyes playfully. "Shut up."
We finally reached home and as I was about to unfasten my seatbelt, Scott held my wrist, stopping my movement.
My eyes widened. "What?"
He glanced at my hands. "Where's that ring I gave you?"
I gestured toward the car's dashboard. "In there."
He drew the little black box out of the dashboard. He gripped my left hand and slid the diamond ring onto my ring finger.
I laughed. "What are you doing?"
"You will know in a few seconds, just don't take it off."
I frowned. "Okay... Is it going to explode or something?"
"Or something..." he replied.
I got out of the car and so did Scott. We walked up the stairs, Scott's arm wrapped around my waist as we entered the foyer. I gave him a frowned look but he roughly tugged me along with him into the living room. 2
"Scott..." I heard Nikolai's voice.
I looked up and stilled momentarily. Three pairs of eyes settled on me-his father's, his fiancée's, and his.
"Grace, this is Evangeline, Scott's fiancée," Nikolai announced. 2
The lie slipped from his lips with such ease as if it was the truth.
We gazed at one another, my eyes narrowed and my lips slowly parted, I momentarily forgot we had company. His eyes, as always, were coated with darkness, and he looked directly into mine.
I had no idea what was happening.
The arm around my waist tightened its grip, jerking me back to reality. Scott stood by my side with a grin. I looked down at the ring on my finger and suddenly it all made sense.
His apology was a trap and I walked right into it with eyes wide open.
Nikolai and Scott had planned this for whatever reason, I wouldn't know.
Scott's fingers dug into my side. It was a warning to act along with whatever they were doing. I bit down on my lip to stop myself from throwing up as bitterness filled my throat. A tiny smile appeared on my face as I struggled to maintain my composure.
Scott lied to me... again.
We walked to where everyone was sitting. Scott's hand fell from my waist and he went to greet Nikolai's father by placing a kiss on the back of his hand. I have seen the men loyal to Nikolai doing the same gesture of respect.
"You said you never wanted to settle down, what happened, boy?" Nikolai's father laughed.
Scott and I sat opposite Nikolai and his fiancée Grace. Nikolai sat on the couch, his posture relaxed, one leg resting over the other, one arm settled on the armrest while the other stretched across the headrest of the couch behind Grace. She sat regally by his side, her hand resting on his thigh as if she was trying to signify that he belonged to her. 1
Bile stung the back of my throat as my face turned flaming hot. Jealousy crept up from the pit of my stomach. My whole body tingled with rage but I kept it in behind a fake smile that threatened to turn downwards every two seconds. I had no idea why was I feeling jealous of his wife-to-be, we were nothing. I have no right to feel that way.
Scott looked at me with a wide smile and all I wanted to do was slap him across the face so hard that he'd dislocate his jaw. "What can I say, when you know you know..."
"What's your name, girlie?" Nikolai's father asked me.
"Evangeline-"
Nikolai cut me off. "Evangeline Bianchi."
Why did he change my last name? What is he up to? I furrowed my eyebrows and then quickly covered up with a phony smile.
"How old are you?"
"Eighteen..." I answered, my eyes slightly narrowed in Nikolai's direction, challenging him to lie about that too.
He nodded with a frown. "You are young, too young. Where are your parents?"
"Dead," Scott answered for me.
He clicked his tongue, giving me a pitiful look. "Scott, you better treat her right..."
Scott grabbed my hand and kissed the back of it. "I will."
He was really selling this fake engagement.
Nikolai glared at Scott and then lit up a cigar, hiding behind the smoke like he always does.
His father introduced me to Grace, she gave me a wide smile and got as close to Nikolai as she physically could.
The conversation reeled towards another topic. His father rambled on and on about their wedding and I wanted the ground to rip open and swallow me alive. I would give anything to not be here right now.
Grace excused herself to go to the bathroom and I got up as well. Nikolai's eyes cut to me through the smoke of his cigar. I lied about having a headache and walked off.
The second, I entered my room, I slammed the door shut, rested my head against the door, and breathed heavily. I had no idea what had happened. My chest felt so heavy, I was frustrated and pissed off. I stood there, my heart racing like a bullet train, going faster and faster and it made my chest hurt.
I fought to not let my tears drop down to my cheeks. I yanked off the stupid ring from my finger and flicked it on the ground.
Stupid tears! Stupid heart! Stupid Scott! Stupid Nikolai! And his stupid fiancée, Grace!
I lazily walked to my bed and curled myself into the sheets, I held a pillow closer to my chest and lay down.
I don't feel anything for Nikolai!
I don't feel anything for Nikolai!
I don't feel anything for Nikolai!
I don't feel anything for Nikolai!
I kept chanting those words to myself. It was a lie. A lie I was trying to turn into a reality. A lie I was trying to convince myself was the truth. I sniffled and hugged the pillow closer to myself.
My bedroom door creaked open and I turned to look at it. 1
"You lied to me, again!" I snapped as I saw Scott standing in the doorway.
"No, I didn't, alright!" he snapped back.
The audacity this liar had to stand in front of me and act all pissed off. It only infuriated me more. He doesn't get to be angry. He doesn't get to snap at me. I had finally found it in me to forgive him and turns out it was all a lie for Nikolai's fiancée.
I gestured toward the diamond ring laying on the ground. "Explain that!"
"It's nothing, just wait it out..."
"Wait it out?! Are you even listening to yourself?! You don't even make sense!" I yelled.
"Keep your fucking voice low, sweet cheeks," he glanced behind him and then looked back at me. "I meant to apologize to you, alright. I didn't lie about that. I was going to give you the chess piece as a gift, the ring wasn't my plan."
"Then why am I suddenly engaged to you?!"
"I don't have an answer to that but I just wanted to let you know!"
I squinted my eyes at him, shaking my head. "You really think after everything I'd still believe you, Scott?"
"I didn't mean for any of it to happen!" he lowly gritted through his clenched teeth.
I flung a pillow in his direction and pointed toward the door. "Get out! I don't want to see your face, right now. Not yours, not Nikolai's, you both can go to hell!" "Believe what you want, sweet cheeks. Just know, I didn't lie about wanting to apologize. I had every intention to talk to you but-Niko will tell you everything himself."
He turned and left my room. I glared at the door for a few minutes and then aggressively slid under the covers. I grabbed my cell phone and sent a text to Nikolai.
Me:
This just made me hate you
even more!