Chapter 1 Chapter 1

•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ My window faced the vast gardens of our estate. The view that was hidden away from the world. No one really comes to this side of the garden except for the gardener. He comes twice a week, works for hours and hours on end and then he leaves before sunset. I'm not allowed to see him when he comes to tend to the garden, I'm supposed to close my curtain and sit in the dark until he leaves. He can not see me or there are going to be consequences. I sat silently and just watched the calming scenery before me, the soft night light, the chirping of the crickets, and the sky illuminated with a million stars. I took a deep breath as I yearned to run through these gardens with my hair flowing freely in the wind. I wanted to roam these gardens anytime I wanted without the fear of not being seen, I wanted to play in the dirt, and dance around in rain. But I couldn't. My whole life, my whole existence I have been in this room, locked away, safe and secure. The outside world is not for someone as innocent as you, Evangeline - those are my father's words. It's what I was brought up to believe in. He told me the things that happen in our world, all the bad things. How people die, how people suffer, how the whole world is out to hurt me. The world is a dangerous place and you are easy prey, Evangeline. You are innocent and naive and you lack physical strength. This world will chew you alive - this is what I hear in return if I ever asked to go out. I want to believe it. I used to believe all of it but now I don't know if I do. Not everyone can be bad, right? There are good people too. I wanted to believe my parent's words but lately, there has been this urge inside of me that wanted to explore this world, meet people, have fun, and live like a normal eighteen-year-old girl. Tearing my gaze away from the garden, I looked back into my room. A desk, a lamp, and a chair are placed in the corner of my room. There is where I study, I graduated high school through homeschooling. I don't know how it happened, I never appeared for my exams but now I have a high school diploma. Normal kids will go to colleges after the summer but I won't. Even after this summer, I'll be stuck here in this room for the rest of my life. Turning back to the window, I unlocked it. I opened it a little and felt the waft of cold air on my face. The curtain lightly blew with the wind and I breathe in deeply. My parents aren't bad people. They love me, they love me too much to let anything bad happen to me. That is why they keep me here in this room. Safe... I got off my window seat and made my way to our family picture resting on my nightstand. I picked it up and smiled, it was just us. My mom, dad, me, and Leo. I'm allowed to wander in my house but for a fixed time only. We always have breakfast, lunch, and dinner together as a family. My dad works a lot but he always makes time to eat with us. I placed the photo frame back on the nightstand and settled on my bed. It was a huge bed with a canopy, a bed fit for a princess. Before my bed was a big TV. It was my only way to the outside world. Every week dad brings new movies for me, and when I watch them the outside world feels like a dream and not a threat. I have talked about it to my dad. I asked if the world is so dangerous then why don't they show it in the movies? He said movies are an escape from reality. He said people make movies because it's the world they dream of. It's not the world they live in, it's fake. I sighed and shook my head. I opened my bedside drawer and pulled out a book. The book I have started reading to get rid of boredom. Every two seconds, I glanced at the wall clock. It was almost time. Any minute now they will open my bedroom door, so, I can have dinner with my parents. I was trying to read but the excitement bubbled inside of me as time passed by. A gentle knock on the door was enough for me to jump up from my bed and run to it. I opened the door and saw Maria, our maid. She has been with us even before I was born. We had a staff of over more than fifty people, I think, but the only two people who were allowed to talk to me were Maria and Leo, our butler. My parents trusted them. She gave me a gentle smile. "Evangeline" I returned the smile eagerly. "Maria...""Make yourself presentable and then meet us downstairs at the dining table. Your parents are waiting" I nodded vigorously. "Okay..." She turned and went downstairs. I walked straight into my closet and put on a dress. I combed my hair and walked outside my room. It was the only time they left my door unlocked. I ran downstairs and into the dining room. My father stood up as he saw me. He opened his arms wide, asking for a hug. I ran into his arms and hugged him with all my might. He laughed wholeheartedly. "Were you missing me?""So much, you have no idea!" I squealed. I pulled back and saw mom smiling at us as she joined the hug. "I have big news for you," he told me. My mouth dropped open. "Really, what?" I asked, suddenly getting impatient. Anything new excites me. I have never heard him say that before. News for me? He never has any news for me. This is new and exciting! He laughed. "Come on, let's have dinner first""Can't you tell me before?" I asked "No, dinner first!" I huffed and we all settled down in our respective seats as Maria served us food. Dad said a prayer and then we started to eat. We ate our food in peace, dad doesn't like to talk while eating. It's considered impolite and improper. I was done. I put down the fork and leaned forward watching my father excitedly. Waiting for him to tell me the news. Once my father was done with his meal, he cleaned his face with a napkin. "Now, who wants to know the good news?" Dad asked "Me, dad, please." It was a rhetorical question but I answered him anyway. Mom and dad glanced at each other smiling before looking back at me. Watching their faces, my excitement grew more and more. All I could think about was the news. What could he possibly tell me? "You finally graduated high school?" he questioned. I nodded. "Yes""Would you like to attend college, a real college?" His words took my breath away. I couldn't believe what he had said. I gasped and then took a long, deep breath to keep myself calm. I frowned, did I hear him right? "W-what?" Dad smiled and held my hand. "How would you like it if we moved and started a new life away from here, where you don't have to hide anymore?" I opened my mouth to say something but the words couldn't get out. I closed my mouth as I let his words settle in my brain. Tears welled up in my eyes, it was shocking and unbelievable. "Are you... Are you saying that I could finally be f-free? And go to college like a normal girl?" Dad kissed the back of my hand. "Yes, that is exactly what I am saying""Oh god..." I wiped the tear that slid down my cheek. "Yes, dad... Yes, I would love that! It would be like a dream come true" Dad wiped my tears and smiled at me. "So, it's settled then. We are moving away from here, where my daughter can have a normal life" I jumped up from my seat and pulled dad in for a hug. He hugged me back instantly, wrapping his arms around me tightly. "Now go get ice cream from the kitchen. We are celebrating with ice cream" he laughed. I nodded. "When are we leaving and starting over?" Mom placed a hand on my back, rubbing my back up and down. "Soon, my love. Your dad has some stuff he needs to take care of before we leave" I left the dining room to get to the kitchen, I opened the refrigerator and pulled out two pints of ice cream. I was still in shock. I couldn't believe it was finally happening. I was finally going to be free, free of my room, free of this house. I'll see the world. I'll meet new people. When I re-entered the dining room, mom had tears in her eyes. She was crying and talking to dad about something. Their conversation seemed intense, and my smile fell. I couldn't help but wonder if there was something wrong. "Mom is everything okay?" I asked while placing the ice cream pints on the table. Mom wiped her tears and gave me a small smile, dad smiled too, wiping the tense emotion off of his face. "Of course, sweetie, everything's fine. Your dad and I were just talking about moving..." That put a smile back on my face. I sat down in my chair. "I still can't believe it." Mom shook her head, smiling. "We have so many memories in this house, you were born here, and now...""It's okay mom, we will make new and better memories," I said trying to lighten up her mood. She nodded and opened up the ice cream pints. Mom and dad talked about random things, how everything will be, and what are we going to do. I just sat there with a big grin on my face. I just couldn't believe I was about to go to college, and finally, have a life. After dinner, I was sent back to my bedroom. The door locked from the outside but today, it didn't bother me. It didn't bother me at all. I think I will go crazy with excitement. I sat on my bed and continued reading the book with a newfound interest. The time flew by in a blink of an eye, I glanced at the clock and saw that it was two in the morning. Finally! Everyone must be asleep by now. It was my little secret that no one knew about. I walked to the window and opened it. I stepped out onto the narrow banister just below my window and slowly slid to the side. I grabbed the drainpipe, and carefully stepped down. When my feet touched the grass, I let go. I heaved a sigh, it was a daily struggle to come down to the ground and then go back up but it was worth it. I loved laying on the grass beneath the stars, thinking one day I will touch them with my hands even if it burns. The stars were my friends. I was so excited to tell them about what dad had said, I was excited to tell them that we are moving away. Being here alone at this time of the night gave me a different kind of peace. The thoughts in my mind always ran wild at night. My imagination would be off the charts. I don't know how much time I lay there under the beautiful night sky, imagining myself in different scenarios, mostly thinking about going to college. BAM! I jolted up in a sitting position by a loud booming noise. I immediately stood up and ran back towards the wall, if mom and dad saw me, they will be furious. I was about to climb up the drainpipe when I heard a loud ear-piercing scream. It wasn't just any scream, it was my mother's. I was frozen in my spot, my back against the wall. Something was not right. I heard multiple men yelling and an even scarier sound resonated through the estate. My breath quickened and I used every muscle in my body to stifle a whimper. My palms got sweaty, my heart was pounding inside of my chest, and I bit my lower lip to prevent any sound from coming out of my mouth, I inched towards the voices of men coming from the inside of our house when I heard shots fired. A surprised scream escaped from my lips and I hastily covered my mouth with both of my hands, nobody heard my scream due to the loud banging noises coming from the inside of the house. More shots were fired and I couldn't move, my mind stopped working, and my muscles went absolutely numb with fear. I slid down against the wall and brought my knees to my chest, curling up into a ball, and blocking out all the gunshots that rang out through the mansion. I put my fist in my mouth to conceal my cries. My parents... All I could think about were my parents. I hoped they were alive and fine. I wanted to pinch myself and wake up in my bed and pretend that it was just a nightmare. A bad dream nothing else. More gunshots rang out, and I covered my ears, trying to block out the noise. I heard heavy footsteps fading away, men shouting over each other, announcing that the job was done. The job was done? What did that mean? They spoke in a language I couldn’t understand, my fear numbing me to the words. Moments later, the house fell eerily silent, too quiet, almost suffocating. Whoever had broken in had left. My legs shook uncontrollably as I forced myself to stand. I moved toward the front of the house with dread, never having seen this side of our estate from outside before. The first thing I saw were bloody shoe prints smeared across the ground. I choked back a scream and summoned every ounce of courage to climb the stairs. Our large wooden door had been smashed open. I wiped my tears and took a shuddering breath. Please, let everyone be alive... I stepped into the foyer and the sight that greeted me left me stunned...

Chapter 2 Chapter 2

•Nikolai• ╌═❁═╌ Family. Honor. Loyalty. These are the pillars of our existence, the core values that define us. As the firstborn and only son of Luciano Costello, I, Nikolai Costello, have inherited the mantle of power. My father was the most feared Don in New York City, but now, it's my turn. I don't just follow in his footsteps—I surpass them. I was molded to be strong, ruthless, and cold-blooded. Cruelty was a lesson drilled into me from a young age. Emotions were a weakness I was trained to purge. I made my first kill at just seven years old, outdoing my father, who didn’t make his first until twelve. By twenty-four, I had already taken over the mafia, seizing power while my father was still alive. He only assumed control after my grandfather's death. Surpassing my father isn't just a goal—it's my obsession. I won't stop until I've eclipsed his every achievement. It wasn't that I had a bad relationship with him; I just loved to win. My father carried the legacy of the underworld from his father. Which my grandfather inherited from his father and so on. We had ruled for generations and I intend to rule and carry on the Costello lineage. My father inherited the legacy of the underworld from his father, who took it from his own, and so on for generations. The Costellos had ruled with an iron fist, and I was determined to continue and elevate our lineage. When Luciano Costello retired due to failing health, he passed everything to me: the money laundering, large-scale drug trafficking, political connections, and our network of companies that masked our illegal operations and laundered our money. The name Costello resonated with fear and respect across the entire country. I am more feared than my father and grandfather combined. Those under me cower in my presence. Families loyal to me show unwavering respect. Every person who hears my name knows to tread carefully. I picked up a glass tumbler from my desk and drank the whiskey. The liquid danced in my mouth for a few seconds before allowing itself to seep down to my throat, the burning sensation teased my throat. Reclining back in my seat, I placed both of my legs over the table. Two of my men... They were my men until they decided to betray me. I watched with satisfaction as they were getting tortured to death in the next room. This special torture chamber was divided from my office by a one-way mirror. This torture chamber was hidden behind the bookshelf of my office, specifically designed for traitors. Disloyalty was the biggest fucking sin in our world, I had no place for it. The one thing I could never forgive my people for is betrayal. I felt like a god as I watched their blood drip down their bodies. I enjoyed tormenting and humiliating my enemies. I would make them suffer for hours on end before finally putting them out of their misery. I reveled in their agony as they writhed on the ground, their bodies slowly being eaten away by the acid that dripped from Marco's hands. This was the only thing that could quench the burning desire inside of me. The door to my office creaked open. Selena poked her head in, keeping her gaze steadily on me. She knew better than to look around and see what was happening. "Mr. Costello, Mr. Ramirez is here to see you." I sighed and poured myself another glass of whiskey. "Send him in." Favors. People came to me for favors. I granted them, and in return, they sold their souls. That's how I earned the nickname "The Devil." I didn't mind; I liked the sound of it. What did bother me was how easily people traded their souls, as if they were mere bargaining chips. Ramirez walked in, sweating like a pig. He heard the painful groans and glanced at the one-way mirror. I could see his Adam's apple bobbing up and down with fear. The smell of fear was all too familiar to me; most men reeked of it when they came to see me. "Don Niko" he managed to say. "Only my friends call me Niko, Ramirez. You and I... I don't remember us being friends" He nervously laughed. "My apologies, Don Costello""What brings you here, Ramirez?" His eyes went to my shoes resting on the table and then back to my face. "I needed a favor,""You know what asking me for a favor means, Ramirez? Your soul will belong to me""I'm aware. I'm desperate, I need help. I will do anything you'd want me to" he said, desperation exuding from his body. I watched the barely alive men behind the mirror, crying like the cowards they were, asking for mercy, asking for forgiveness. They knew I don’t forgive traitors yet they went on and betrayed me anyway. It was a shame that I had to destroy such valuable specimens, but their betrayal forced my hand. I pushed the button, and the walls of the chamber began to slide close. The men inside screamed and cried. They knew what was coming, and there was nothing they could do to stop it. "You see that?" I pointed toward the big, muscular men who were now reduced to whimpering, bloody messes. "This is what happens when someone crosses me""Don Costello, I swear on my daughter's life, I will do anything you'd want me to do. Just help me, get me out of this problem" I savored his misery a bit more before I gestured for him to continue. He nodded, and a smile covered his face. He slid back a chair to sit down, but I raised a hand, stopping him before he did. "I don't remember telling you to sit." The smile fell from his face before he pushed the chair back in its place and kept standing before me. "It's about my daughter, Don Costello. I got into a fight with my landlord, one of your men. I couldn't pay rent this month. I didn't have the money. He..." his voice broke. "He took my daughter. She's just fifteen. He's holding her against her will until I pay him. I don't know if he hurt her or..." he started to cry. "Please, help me, Don Costello." I nodded, got my feet off the table, and poured another glass of whiskey before sliding it across the table. "Take it," I ordered. He wiped his tears and took the glass. "Consider it handled, Ramirez. Your daughter and your little rent problem." He grinned like an idiot and sauntered around my desk. Bowing before me, he extended his hand, clearly expecting to kiss the family ring on my finger. I let him perform the ritual before swatting him away with a dismissive gesture. "That'll be all, Ramirez. I'll reach out when I need something from you.""Forever at your service, Don Costello," he said, his tone dripping with false reverence. He placed a hand on his heart in a theatrical display and strutted out of my office. I had men ready to give their lives for me at my single order all around the world. They gave me their lives and in return, I took good care of their families and friends. Their women and children were taken under our wing. Given that, their respect for me increased tenfold. I pulled out my cell phone and called Alessandro. I told him what needed to be done for Ramirez and then hung up. I didn't have to tell him how to do his job; I just needed to order, and Alessandro knew what to do next. By this time tomorrow, Ramirez will own the house he lives in and will have his daughter back. My phone rang as I placed it on the table. I checked the caller ID and placed the phone next to my ear. "Father," I said. "Niko, have you forgotten about your old man? It's been days since I last saw you," my father’s authoritative voice crackled through the line. "I'll visit soon," I replied, glancing at the two men being crushed between the chamber’s walls. "I’ve been tied up with some minor issues.""Your mother misses you," his voice softened, "though she can't say it but I feel she misses you.""I'll come by soon.""And it’s about time you fulfill the promise you made to Paul Russell. His daughter isn’t getting any younger." His persistence about arranging my marriage was tiresome. I had no issue with the marriage itself; an heir was necessary, but staying in that marriage was irrelevant. It just seemed like terrible timing every time he brought it up. "I don’t have time for marriage right now, Dad.""Nonsense. You’ll make time! You need a queen by your side." I snorted. Grace Russell, Paul’s daughter, was far from a queen. As far as I knew, she had been passed around by most of the men in New York City. "Pops, I'll come to visit you soon. Just give me some time" I ran a hand through my hair as my frustration got the best of me. "I'm afraid you don't have any more time, Nikki" he used the nickname that I hated. He always used it to assert his dominance, letting me know that he would always be superior to me just because he was my father. "I need a grandson. You need an heir, a successor. I'm not going to see the end of the Costellos just because my son can't stick to one woman.""Pops, I—" He interrupted me. "Just get married, get her pregnant, and then go back to your whores or whatever it is you do.""I doubt Paul Russell would appreciate me using his daughter as a mere breeding vessel.""Paul Russell is a scum. He’s only interested in his connections with us; he couldn’t care less about his daughter.""Her name is Grace, isn’t it?" I asked, feigning ignorance. "Yes, you met her at the New Year’s party—""Yes, I have..." the woman annoyed the shit out of me, "Quite a loquacious woman""Once she becomes Nikolai Costello’s wife, she’ll learn to keep her mouth shut," he said with a deep breath. "The Russells are coming next month. They expect either an engagement or a marriage, so make sure you’re there." A muscle in my jaw twitched with irritation. "I’ll be there." I slammed the phone down and tossed it across my desk in frustration. Grace Russell was a cheap piece of ass—a slut who’d spread her legs for anyone with a bit of power. She’s just good for a quick fuck, and that’s all she’ll ever be. She’s not fit to be a wife for someone of my stature. I’m willing to bet most of my men have had their turn with her too. I preferred my women clean. I had my own personal whores, meant to please me and only me. I didn’t share them and was intimate only with them—no one else. The women who served me didn’t even have permission to touch themselves without my explicit order. I'd rather marry one of my whores than be stuck with Grace Russell. Scott stumbled through the door, his hair a mess, lips swollen, tie hanging loose, and his once-pristine white shirt wrinkled. It wasn’t hard to guess where he’d been. Scott Mancini, my underboss and second in command, was half-Italian and half-American. We’d grown up together and attended the same boarding schools in England. His loyalty was invaluable to me; I knew he’d lay down his life to save mine if it ever came to that. "Hey, man!" Scott burst in with a goofy grin plastered on his face. "Get that creepy grin off your face," I growled, loosening my tie. He glanced at the nearly-dead men and whistled. "What’s got your panties in a twist?""Do you know how weird ‘panties’ sounds coming from you?""Not as weird as it sounds coming from your mouth," he shot back with a laugh. "What’s up, Niko? You seem more pissed than usual." He plopped into the chair opposite me, propping his legs up on the table. "Grace Russell!""Oh, you mean America's biggest cunt?" Scott grinned, his face lit up like a Cheshire cat. I wanted nothing more than to smash that smug grin right off his face. "Dad promised Paul Russell," I snapped. "Shit, you’re screwed, my man," Scott chuckled. "You’re not helping." He slid his legs off the table and leaned in, his demeanor shifting to serious. "Want me to take care of it? What’s the order, boss?" I picked up the glass tumbler and hurled it at the wall. My father’s word to Paul was as binding as a blood oath in our world. "Dad gave Paul his word!" Scott stood up, hands in pockets, a twisted smirk spreading across his face. "No Grace Russell, no word, no problem, boss." I mulled over his suggestion for a moment. "Let me find another way before we start talking about offing the girl.""Just give me a shout when you’re ready to change your mind." My phone vibrated against the glass table. I answered and listened in silence as Lorenzo’s voice crackled through the receiver. “It’s done, boss. We painted the town red...” His voice brimmed with exhilaration. I smirked. To anyone else, it was just a phrase meaning they had a hell of a time. But when Lorenzo said it, it meant he’d literally splattered our enemies’ blood all over the place. I ended the call and grabbed my car keys and wallet from the table. “Scott, get a whore over to my place,” I ordered, running a hand through my hair. Scott snapped a salute and exited the office. I needed a fucking release, and I needed it now.

Chapter 3 Chapter 3

•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ The first thing I saw was multiple bloody shoeprints, my chin trembled and I inhaled deeply. I wiped my tears and moved further into our home. Blood... There was blood everywhere. As I got close to our living room I saw someone lying on the ground. By his uniform, I could tell that he was one of the household's help. Then I saw it, for the first time in my life I saw a dead body with a hole in his chest, the blood still oozing out of it. Fear became a tangible, living force that crept over me like some hungry beast, immobilizing me; my brain, holding me captive. I covered my mouth with both of my hands to muffle my loud cries. No, please, this can't be happening, please. I took two small steps backward. Terror sucked the very breath from my mouth. Pulse beating in my ears, blocking out all other sounds even my own. Panicking, I ran inside the living room, stepping over the bodies that were lying in my way. Bodies... bodies... so many dead bodies. I could not find the ones I was looking for. I hoped they were not among all these dead people. I hoped they were alive but I couldn't find them, I couldn't see them. And then I tripped over something, landing on all fours. I looked up and saw my mother's dead eyes staring back at me. I couldn’t scream. I could only open my mouth to find that even words had deserted me. I immediately shuffled closer to my mother's body. Everything I ever knew and everyone I ever knew was laying right in front of me, in the pools of their own blood. I mumbled incoherent things through my hands and choked on my sobs. With trembling and gentle hands, I held up my mother's head and put it on my lap. There were several bloodied holes in her chest and abdomen. I softly touched her cheek, a few hours ago, she had kissed me good night and now she was pale and so damn cold. "Mom? Mom, please, talk to me! MOM! MOM, PLEASE!" I screamed for her at the top of my lungs, but no matter how much I tried to talk to her, to wake her up, to let her know that here I was out of my room but she didn't listen. She didn't scold me or gave a reaction. She kept looking at the ceiling with her empty, dead eyes and her skin and lips were turning bluish-purple with each passing second. Tears streamed down my face profusely and I made no effort to wipe them. My tears rained down on my mother's face but nothing seemed to bother her. I can't believe it, I refuse to believe that my mother had died. She can't! She just can't. A streak of blood trailed down from the corner of her lips, I screamed, sobbed, and wailed but to no avail. I need to save her, I need to save my mom. I gently placed her head down on the ground and ripped my dress from the bottom. I placed the piece of my dress over the giant gunshot wound over my mother's heart and it didn't help, instead, it got drenched in her blood as well. I cried for help but no one was there to listen to my agonizing pleas. I had never seen this much blood before. I didn't know what to do. This can't happen to me. I need them, I need my parents. I don't know about anything without them. They are my whole life. This can't happen. I stubbornly cried out for help but I didn't know who to call. I didn't even know where my parent's cellphones were or how to use them. "Mom, wake up, please, mom. I'll die without you. I don't know what to do. Tell me, please, tell me what to do! How to bring you back! There hasn't been a single day in my life when you weren't there for me! I don't want to see the light of day without you. Take me with you. You promised you'll be there for me, you promised, mom, PLEASE, WAKE UP!" I sobbed miserably. My tear-stricken face was burning now. My voice had turned rough from all the screaming. The sound of my wailing and suffering echoed throughout the house. I kept caressing my mother's lifeless face but then a pain-stricken cough resonated in the living room. My head shot in its direction as I stood up. Someone was alive and he was here. I prayed, I prayed, please don't let it be my dad, please, don't be a dad. I hoped that dad would be fine, he is fine, and he will be fine. I can not lose both of them. I will die, I just can't lose both of my parents. I slowly walked towards the sound and saw my dad trying to get up, all bloodied and injured. There were bruises on his face and blood was trickling down his forehead. He looked up and saw me standing in front of him. My mind blanked and suddenly, I didn't know what to do. I ran to my father's aid and engulfed him in my arms. He was losing consciousness, his eyes were on the verge of closing. "Dad, please, dad, no, I can't lose you too, please, dad!" He coughed out blood. "Are you hurt, Evangeline? Did they hurt you?" he asked as he gave me a pained look. "I'm fine, Dad, please, stay alive, stay with me... I'm so scared""I'm always with you, Evie, but you have to be strong now." he breathed out with difficulty. "No, dad!""You have to get out of here, run as fast as you can, and never come back, you hear me, never come back here. Go!" he was breathing heavily. "I'm not leaving without you, Dad. Please stay with me." I begged desperately. I was losing him too, I just know. I could see the life draining out of his body. I'm going to be alone. When the realization dawned upon me, thinking of being out there... alone. I suddenly wanted it all to be a bad dream. This is what I always wanted, to go out there and have a normal life but not like this, not alone. All of a sudden, I didn't want to have a normal life. I just wanted to have my old life back. The life in which I was happy and I was with my parents. The life in which, I wasn't alone. I suddenly loathed the idea of the world out there. My parents were right, there were bad people everywhere. I will stay inside this house my whole life if it meant my parents would come back to life. I felt a soft hand on my cheek that wiped my tears away, I opened my eyes and saw my dad looking at me with tear-filled eyes. Dad smiled through the pain. "Goodbye, my precious little girl." saying that the warmth of his soft hand left me as it fell to the ground. With a sharp intake of breath, he left. He left me alone... As the realization that I had lost both of my parents dawned upon me, I completely lost it. I screamed so painfully loud, enough to make me lose my voice. I cried out again but no sound came out of her mouth. I screamed and wailed and screeched but nothing came out of my throat. I lost my voice with anguish. I felt like someone was stabbing my heart again and again and I was unable to do anything about it. I swiped at my eyes but the tears came anyway. I had wiped my eyes so much that they were red and swollen. My head hurt, my eyes hurt, and my whole body started to hurt but the pain in my heart was the harshest of them all. I tried calling for my dad again, hoping he will wake up and tell me that it was all a joke and that they were just playing a stupid prank on me. No! No! No! I need my family back! I need my parents back! I stood up and walked to where my mother was. All I want is for my family to be back! I gripped my mother's cold legs and dragged her to where dad was laying. Her body had left a trail of blood behind but I chose to ignore it. I pretended I didn't see it because I just want my family back! With every last sliver of my strength, I dragged her body across the room and stopped when she was just beside my father. I placed her perfectly next to dad. Perfect! Now they are together. All I need to do now is hide the imperfections, so they look normal so that they look alive. They are alive, just sleeping. I ran to my parent's room and picked up their pillows and the sheets. I made my way back to my parents and gently placed their heads on their respective pillows leaving a little space between them. I then covered them with the sheets up to their necks so, no one could see the gunshot wounds. They look better now but I still need to get rid of the blood from their faces. I ran to the kitchen and saw all the maids and house help butchered, their bodies towered over one another as if someone had deliberately piled them over one another. Their bodies made some kind of a symbol, they were placed in a very specific manner and it scared me even more. I placed my fist in my mouth to conceal the loud cries, I bit down hard on my hand. I just wanted this night to be over. I took out the washcloth from one of the cabinets and doused it in hot water. I came back to my parent's side and cleaned off all the traces of blood from their faces. Now they looked normal, perfect, just asleep. A loud sob bubbles up from my throat as I could hold the heartbreak no longer. I fell to the floor in a disheveled heap as my grief poured out in a flood of uncontrollable tears. I cried so much that no tears were left in my eyes. I crawled in between my parent's bodies and lay there looking towards the ceiling. Everything is fine, we are fine. We are just going to sleep. It's night, it's late. We are sleeping, nothing else. I pulled my mother's arm over myself and then placed my dad's arm under my head, using his arm as my pillow. I felt safe, I felt normal, I felt fine. This is exactly how we used to lay together as a family, whenever I had a nightmare. My parents would come to my room and lay on either side of me. My mom would hold me while dad would use his arm as my pillow. Now I was laying here, wishing that when I would wake up this nightmare would be over and my parents are going to be fine and alive. I looked at both of their faces with tears in my eyes, their stony, emotionless eyes, stuck in one place. Coldness radiated from their bodies. A bluish-purple shade appeared on their skin losing its previous pinkness and warmth. "Dad, we are going to have so much fun moving, right? We will do all the stuff we never got to do. We will go to the beach and I'll go to a college. We'll go watch movies in the cinema as normal people do" I kept rambling mindlessly in an empty room with only my voice resonating throughout it with the occasional chirping of the crickets. I lay between them, I could feel thick blood seeping into my clothes from under the sheets, I didn't even know if it belonged to mom or dad but I chose to ignore it. It's a nightmare, Evangeline. Tomorrow everything will be fine. "Good night, mom and dad" I closed their eyes with the palm of my hand gently. I closed my eyes. I needed to sleep, so, I could get out of this nightmare. I need to sleep, so, I could wake up. Tomorrow we will live another day like a normal family. We will move, buy a new house, and live our life just the way we thought that we will do. And if not. If for any reason, when I'll wake up tomorrow and this nightmare isn't over. I will kill myself, so, I could be with them. So, I could be with my parents.

Chapter 4 Chapter 4

•Nikolai• ╌═❁═╌ "Niko, Elijah Bolton was murdered. His entire family’s been wiped out," Scott reported over the phone. I leaned back in my chair, sighing in annoyance. "All of them?""Yes, boss. Except for Leopold, the butler. He’s missing—no sign of him.""Find him," I snapped, slipping into my suit jacket. "On it, Niko. But you might want to get down here; there's a situation—" I cut him off, "I’ll handle it. I’ve got other things to do." I ended the call and strolled to the dining room. Bolton’s corpse could wait. I took my seat, picked up the newspaper, and sipped my coffee in silence, more interested in my own routine than staring at Bolton's dead face. "Don Niko," a maid spoke up. "What is it?" I asked, not looking up from my newspaper. "My daughter graduated at the top of her class," she said with a smile. "She wanted to thank you for paying for her education." Georgia had been working for me for ten years. Her daughter was smart; I’d done what was expected for anyone in my employ. "She’s a bright kid. Is she planning on college?""Yes.""Have her talk to Scott. He’ll sort it out.""Thank you, Don Niko." I finished my breakfast in silence, then got up as Scott’s call came through again. I sighed, buttoning my suit jacket. I had to deal with the mess at the Bolton mansion. Elijah Bolton was my father's best friend, he was one of my Caporegime, my father considered him a brother. In our world, when you consider someone a brother it means you will give your life for him. After my father retired, Elijah voluntarily drifted away from our family. I have been made aware that he had planned to leave the underworld and move to another country. A twisted smile made its way to my lips, I think his plans for a fresh start were flushed down the drain. My cousin Marco flicked his cigarette on the ground as he saw me and opened the car door. I settled in the back and asked him to drive to the Bolton's mansion. When we got there, the mansion was crawling with my men, I stepped out of the car and saw the bodies of the household help piled over one another. My men pulled out another body from the mansion and threw it over the pile. Scott approached me. "Niko, I think you need to see something.""What is it?" He gestured for me to follow him inside. I followed him into the front door of Bolton's mansion, the giant wooden door was shattered and broken. Chunks of vases and furniture were scattered all over the place. The place looked like the aftermath of a warzone Scott gestured toward the two bodies sprawled on the floor. The strange part was the girl sitting beside them, her back turned, her clothes drenched in blood and tattered. "She’s been here for hours, just staring at the bodies," Scott said, his frustration clear. "No fucking idea who she is.""One of the maids?" I asked. "Doesn't seem like it. She was holding Elijah’s body and wouldn’t let anyone near them. They must be connected somehow." I frowned. "Elijah didn’t have a child, as far as I know.""That’s right. He lived here with his wife and Leo." I nodded. "Any updates on Leopold?""Still nothing. Our guys are still searching." He paused, then asked, "What do you want to do about the girl?""Have Alessandro find out who she is.""Already did. He’ll call back as soon as he has something." I scowled. "Hasn’t she noticed everyone around her?""Bianca tried to talk to her, but she’s completely unresponsive. Looks like she’s in shock." Scott’s phone buzzed, and Alessandro’s name flashed on the screen. After a brief call, Scott’s expression turned puzzled. I raised an eyebrow. "Alessandro said there’s no public record of Elijah Bolton having a child. However, eighteen years ago, his wife was admitted to our hospital in labor, and the baby boy died during birth.""So the child died, I know that. Then who the hell is that?" I demanded, pointing to the girl, her back still turned. "That’s the million-dollar question.""Get Bianca back here and have her try again. I need to know who she is." Scott did as he was told. I watched as Bianca approached the girl, she placed a hand over her shoulder and the girl stiffened. She talked to her for some time before she got up and gave her head a small shake. "Niko, I tried. She isn't saying anything---" Bianca's words got cut off as an ear-piercing shriek rang throughout the room. My attention shifted back toward the girl. One of my men was trying to pick up Elijah's body but she threw herself over it, screaming like a fucking banshee. "Dad, no! Please, no!" Dad? So, she was Bolton's child. One of them held her back as the two men dragged Elijah's body out of the house. She fought relentlessly, and my men let her go to pick up Elijah's wife, Mary's dead body. She tried to pull Mary's body from his grasp but her feeble attempts were nothing compared to his strength. They dragged their dead bodies out of the house, and that's when she turned. Her face and clothes were covered in blood, tears streamed down her face as she followed the men holding her parent's dead bodies. She tripped on her feet and then got up again. As she was about to run past me, I grabbed her arm stopping her. She didn't look at me at first as she attempted to break free. She kept looking at the men dragging the bodies away from her. Suddenly, she just gave up and her body went limp. She broke down, crying like a child. She finally looked up at me, her eyes shining with tears. "What is your name?" I asked her. She frowned at me, her lips parted before her head hung low and she started to uncontrollably sob again. "I asked you a question!" I snapped and she cowered away from me, trying to pull herself out of my grip. My grip on her arm tightened. "I don't like to repeat myself! What is your name?""Ev--- ev---" she couldn't even form words in this miserable state. "Niko, maybe, we should let her calm down first..." Bianca suggested. "W-who a-are y-you?" she asked through her sobs. "I'm a friend of your father's," I said, so she would fucking talk to me. I could care less about Elijah fucking Bolton. "Someone killed my dad... they killed him... my mom and dad" her shoulders shook with the force of her sobs. Scott placed a hand on my shoulder and my attention shifted toward him. "Boss, there was a drug bust. Police knew someone tipped them off" A boiling fury swelled inside of me. "Motherfucker!" I turned to Bianca and pushed the girl in her direction. "Take her home, clean her up, calm her the fuck down, and tell me who the fuck she is!" I ordered as the girl looked between me and Bianca with wide eyes. I strode out of Elijah's mansion and got into my car. Scott followed closely behind. "Niko, with the recent attacks on our men and now the drug bust, I think it's all connected to him.""Let's pay our friend Mateo a visit" I gritted through my teeth. We got to our warehouse, right in the middle of nowhere. I was flanked by Alessandro and Scott. Four more of my men trailed behind me as we approached Mateo's cell. Mateo is the underboss of Ignacio Reyes. We have been at a war with Ignacio since he butchered my men in cold blood and breached my territory. I don't forgive the blood of my men that easily. I will not fucking rest till I have killed every single man of Reyes's family. Ignacio has been going crazy over the disappearance of Mateo, he had an idea that I had him but didn't have the balls to challenge me to my face, I really want him too, so, I can shoot his fucking head off. Now sabotaging my shipments and trying to piss me off discreetly was his coward's way of attacking me. Such a fucking pussy. Our footsteps echoed off the walls of the warehouse. I stopped outside Mateo's cell as Alessandro opened the door. The room was lit by a single light bulb and under it, Mateo was tied up to a chair, swollen and pissed off. I put my hand in my pockets as I stood tall before him. Mateo laughed and spat at my feet. It didn't reach me, but he tried. "Any special reason for this wonderful visit, Nikolai? I'm guessing your shipment of drugs didn't make it, did it?" he grinned. I placed my palms over the table before him. "How do you know about that?" He laughed, he fucking laughed at me. "We are way ahead of you, Nikolai. We know your every move.""You really like to laugh, don't you, Mateo?""Not really but laughing at you" he took a deep breath in, relishing the moment of his insignificant win. "It's something else, isn't it?""Alessandro?""Yes, boss?""Help Mateo improve his laugh." Alessandro opened up his toolbox and took out a metal mouth gag and pliers. Panic flashed through Mateo's eyes, his lips pressed into a thin line as he tried to close his mouth as hard as he could. A brutal punch connected with his jaw, and his mouth opened with a grunt. Alessandro shoved the mouth gag into his mouth as Scott helped him with it. Alessandro went straight for his front tooth. With his strength, he had no problem pulling his front tooth out, a high-pitched scream rang out through his cell. Saliva mixed with his blood trailed down his chin. Without giving him a chance to gather himself, Alessandro went for the second tooth and pulled it out. Mateo made an animalistic wail. I raised a hand and Alessandro stopped immediately. He took off the mouth gag and stepped aside as Mateo cried like a little bitch. "Now, are you ready to talk?" I asked "Go fuck yourself, Nikolai! You'll never get anything out of me!" he shouted. "Well, I gave you a chance." I glanced at Alessandro and he knew what to do next. I stepped out of Mateo's cell and strolled down the dark hallway of the warehouse I could hear Mateo's scream resonating throughout it. Alessandro had the most creative ways to torture information out of people. Now or later, I know Mateo will talk. I got to my mansion and took off my suit jacket, I threw it over the couch and unbuttoned my cuffs before folding them up. Bianca entered the living room and walked over to me. "Niko, the girl..." I leaned back on the couch putting my feet over the coffee table. "What about her?""She keeps on crying. The maid took her to take a bath---" Fucking, shit, I forgot about the girl. "Where is she?" Bianca reluctantly pointed towards the guestroom. I made my way to it and opened the door only to find it empty. I heard the water running in the bathroom and walked to it. I stood outside the bathroom, leaning against the doorframe. She was sitting in the bathtub. Her knees to her chest, her brown long hair draped over her back. She was still crying her eyes out as maids poured water over her head, washing away the blood from her face. She wasn't saying anything, she wasn't stopping the maids from showering her. I silently watched as her olive skin glistened with water, her whimpers and the running water were the only two sounds that resonated in the bathroom. "Her name is Evangeline," Bianca voiced from behind me. "Evangeline Bolton... she is eighteen years old and Elijah Bolton's only daughter. At least that what's she told me""She talked to you?""Yes, but she is scared shitless, and I believe she is telling the truth""Bolton had a daughter, and he kept her a secret? How the fuck did he pulled that off for eighteen years?" Bianca lifted a shoulder. "Bolton really loved her. She wouldn't be crying like this if he had abused her or anything. Maybe, he wanted to keep her safe from our world""Hm..." It would make sense. Bolton hiding away his daughter so men like us won't find her. "What are you going to do with her?" Bianca asked. I haven't decided what I'm going to do with her just yet. I don't normally have to deal with a girl like this and I'm not even sure why I brought her to my house. "I haven't decided yet." Bianca nodded. "I can take her to my place if that helps. You don’t have to deal with her—" I cut her off with a sharp shake of my head. "No. She stays here until I figure out what to do with her." Bianca’s shoulders tensed, but she nodded. "Understood, Niko.""Good. You can go now. I’ll contact you if she needs anything." Bianca nodded and left afterward. I stood there and watched her, the maids put shampoo in her hair, and she let them. After they were done, the maids asked her to step out of the bathtub. Slowly and cautiously she tried to stand up. I heaved a sigh and turned to go to my study. I wasn't a fucking pervert, I wasn't going to stand there and watch her dressing up, I left her room and let her do her thing. Right now, I fucking had more important things to do.

Chapter 5 Chapter 5

•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ I don't know where I was. I don't know any of these people. I have been sitting in this room alone in the corner after the maids bathed me, they tried to get me to eat something but I couldn't. All I could think about was my parent's dead bodies, their dead eyes staring at me emotionlessly. Bile rose to my throat; I wanted to throw up; food was the least of my concerns right now. All day long a lot of questions have been running through my mind. I needed answers, I needed someone to talk to. I needed to see my parents again. They deserve a funeral and proper burial and a final goodbye that I never got a chance to say. There were a lot of people in this house, mostly, servants. They couldn't have the answers to my questions. I needed to talk to the woman who brought me here, what was her name? Bianca? That's what she told me. I needed to know who they were. What do they want from me? Why am I here? What happened to my parents? Who killed them? What will happen to me? What are they going to do to me? An unexpected wail bubbled up from my chest as I thought about my parents again. We had so many plans... I sobbed even more as I realized that we will never get the chance to be a normal family. I miss them... I miss them so much... A knock on my bedroom door startled me, I wiped my tears away immediately and croaked out a rough come in. The same maid re-entered my room with a tray full of food. Her face contorted with pity as she approached me. "I'm not hungry..." I whispered I pulled my knees to my chest and dropped my head over them. I didn't feel like doing anything, a certain weight had settled on my chest. I felt like I was drowning. "You need to eat." I shook my head. "I can't... I just can't... I told you I'm not hungry." Another knock startled us, I looked towards the door, and the same woman who had brought me here entered. I don't know why, but after seeing her, relief washed over me. "Hey..." she smiled at me. "Hi..." I answered She nodded at the maid and the maid nodded back at her before she walked out of the bedroom. She approached me and settled down beside me. "Eat," she said gently. I looked between her and the tray full of food. I shook my head, telling her that I couldn't. She sighed, her voice soft. "Why, Evangeline?" I swallowed hard. "Who are you?""I’m Bianca, like I said. We’re here to help you. We won’t hurt you. But you need to eat, or Boss won’t be happy." My stomach churned as I recalled the imposing, tattooed man. "Boss?""Yes, Nikolai Costello. This is his place. He wants to see you in his study after you’ve eaten." I chewed on the inside of my cheek, trying to hold back tears. "I don’t want to eat..." She gently placed her hand on my knee. "Why not?" My lower lip trembled, and my voice cracked. "I miss my parents...""Evangeline..." she sighed. "Your parents are gone, they are never coming back. Now you need to pull on your big girl panties and try to learn how to live without them" she picked up a bowl of soup from the tray and offered it to me. "Eat...""I have never had a meal without my parents... We always used to eat together...""I'll eat with you, will that make you feel better?" I nodded and reluctantly took the bowl of soup from her hand, she sat there and shared a meal with me. After we were done, she stood up and offered me her hand. "Come on, you need to go see Nikolai.""Nikolai?""Yeah, come on." I placed my hand in hers and stood up. I smoothed my dress and my hair and rubbed my eyes to get rid of the tears. She strolled out of the bedroom and I followed her silently. We stopped outside a large wooden door and Bianca turned to me. "He's inside, keep your eyes on the ground and honestly answer any question he asks, alright?" I nodded. "Okay..." My legs trembled and my breathing got shallow. I don't know why I was so scared, no one here has hurt me. They all have been nice to me and whoever Nikolai was, I hope he was as nice as Bianca. She gestured for me to go on inside. I looked at her alarmed. "You are not coming with me?" She shook her head. "No, now go on," she pushed me towards the large wooden door. With trembling hand, I turned the doorknob and the door opened. I held my breath as I walked in. I know Bianca told me to keep my gaze on the ground but curiosity got the best of me as I looked up at him. Fortunately, his back was facing me, I immediately dropped my gaze back to my toes. I stood rooted next to the closed door, I could hear him pouring a drink. I suddenly felt incredibly vulnerable, and so alone. My father's words rang in my mind on a loop. The world is a dangerous place for someone as innocent as you, Evangeline. A strange fear crept over me, maybe it was because of what my parents had told me all my life. What if all these people are nice and I'm making a big deal out of nothing? But the fear overpowered every other emotion and goosebumps crept over my back. I thought that if I moved, he would eat me alive. The atmosphere of the room didn't really help my situation either. The thick curtains were drawn, and the room was dimly lit. I made the mistake of looking at him one more time and my breath hitched as my eyes met his. For some reason, I couldn't take my eyes off him. He was leaning against his desk, facing me, a drink in his hand. He emptied the glass tumbler in a single go without taking his eyes off me. His eyes raked up and down all over me like he was studying me like I was not human but an odd creature that had caught his attention. He placed the glass back on his desk and put his hands in his pockets, he was still leaning over his desk, his long legs stretched. His dark black hair was tousled, he was wearing an all-black outfit. A black dress shirt, a black vest, black slacks, and a black suit jacket. His first few buttons were unbuttoned and I got a glimpse of the black ink that was also covering the back of his hands. I could imagine tattoos covering his entire body. He stood straight, and instinctively I took a step back. I suddenly noticed how tall he was that if I stepped closer to him I'd only reach his chest. "Are you just going to stand there?" he said. My insides twisted with terror, leaving me frozen in place. "Come closer," he ordered, his voice sharp, as if he enjoyed watching me squirm. I remembered that Bianca told me to listen to his every order and answer his every question honestly. I braced myself and walked to him, halting when I was only two steps away from him. He breathed out softly, appraising me up and down once again. "What is your name?""Evangeline Bolton" I answered "And Elijah and Mary were your...?" I swallowed. "My parents...""How old are you?""I turned eighteen last month." Answer every single question honestly, Evangeline. "Hm..." a deep masculine hum that was enough to scare me even more if that was possible. "I have known Elijah Bolton since I was born... he never mentioned you. I have been to his house a few times and I never saw you there before..." My mouth dropped open, my heartbeat got erratic; I breathed in to calm my nerves. How do I tell someone that I have spent my entire life locked up in a bedroom and I was only allowed to go outside of my bedroom when it was time for me to eat? He took a step toward me and that made me step back instinctively. I looked at him through my lashes and saw his face. His expressions were hard to read but he looked almost amused, and I think I saw a ghost of a smile tugging at his lips. With his hands in his pockets, he walked around me in circles. His even strides reminded me of something, he looked like an animal, I have read about it and seen it on TV. He was stalking around me the way tigers do before they pounce on their prey and then devour them alive. I swallowed as I felt like defenseless prey. "Are you lying to me, Evangeline?" he asked, still moving around me. I shook my head immediately. "No, no, I'm not" He chuckled, the sound of his laugh made my skin crawl with fear. "I think you are... Elijah Bolton did not have a child. I don't like liars, Evangeline. Do you know what I do with liars?" he asked I shook my head. "No..." my voice barely above a whisper. He stopped behind me, I could feel the heat of his body creeping onto my back. "I punish them... very badly" he whispered in my ear from behind and my whole body visibly trembled. My insides twisted with anxiety and fear, my eyes burned with tears, I kept them in but I could no longer control my hands; they were shaking in an odd trembling rhythm. All I could hear were my dad's words — The world is a dangerous place and you are easy prey, Evangeline. You are innocent and naive and you lack physical strength. This world will chew you alive. He was right. Dad was right. The tears I have been holding in slid down my cheeks. "I'm his daughter, I swear. He... he didn't let me leave my room. I have spent my whole life there, I was homeschooled, and the only time I was allowed outside of my bedroom was when we ate together breakfast, lunch, and dinner." I sniffled. "Only three times a day, I promise," I said in a single breath and hastily wiped my tears. "I'm not lying to you, I swear""Why?" his warm breath fanned the nape of my neck. I sniffled. "He said the world out there was dangerous for me..." I wiped my eyes multiple times. "Dangerous for you?" I nodded. "He worked at a bank and he had a lot of enemies because of it""He worked at a bank?" He repeated my words but with a hint of sarcasm and amusement. I sniffled quietly, tears threatening to spill from my eyes again. "Yes, my dad worked at a bank, that is what he told me, I swear!" He finally stepped away from me and I released the breath I was holding in. He walked around me to get to his desk and settled in his chair. I looked at him through my blurry tear-filled vision. His elbow rested over the armrest as he traced his long finger over his lips. He kept staring at me like he was amazed or intrigued or disgusted, I really don't know. "So, you have never been out of your house?" He asked I shook my head gently. "No..." His expressions were dark and mocking like he didn't believe me at all. "Your father worked at a bank and you have spent your whole life locked up in a room? Doesn't it sound a little ridiculous to you, Evangeline?" I cried harder than before, streams of tears flowed faster than my heartbeat. "Why don't you believe me? I'm telling the truth... What would I get out of lying to you?""Do you know who I am?" his voice was gravelly low and dangerous. I sniffled and shook my head. "No, I don't! The only people I ever knew were my parents... I don't want to know you," I whispered the last part. He opened up a box and pulled out a cigar, the same cigar my dad used to smoke. I know it, I have seen him smoke it many times. He lit it up and blew out a thick puff of smoke. He looked at me for a few more seconds and then sighed. "Go back to your room, Evangeline" he ordered, his tone authoritative. I swallowed and turned to leave but stopped and looked back at him. "What are you going to do to me?" I asked the most important question that had been gnawing at the back of my mind. His lips lifted from one side into a wicked smirk, his eyes were almost pitch black. "First, I'm going to find out if you're telling the truth or not then we'll talk about what I am going to do to you, you little liar" I immediately walked out of his study. I shouldn't be afraid, I told him the truth. I hope he finds that out soon, so, he can apologize for not believing me.

Chapter 6 Chapter 6

•Nikolai• ╌═❁═╌ "I don't know anything about the shooting, Don Niko," she was on the verge of crying. May Summers, the only maid that was luckily left alive. She had taken two days' leave when Elijah Bolton's entire family was murdered. She was the only one who could tell me if that girl was telling the truth or not. She could be an imposter for all I know, I couldn't just take her word for it. The story she made up was complete utter bullshit. What the fuck does Ignacio Reyes take me for? A fucking fool? He really thought that he'd dangle a sweet piece of ass in front of me and it would throw me off my game? I'm not that weak when it comes to women. The way she just stood there, practically trembling as if I might pounce on her at any moment. Her eyes, so wide and drenched in fake innocence, flinched every time I moved closer. And her body—fucking ridiculous. It was almost laughable how out of place her flawless curves seemed against the backdrop of her terror. I barely gave a damn about her beauty; what mattered was who she was and what she wanted. But the more I looked at her, the more I wondered if this whole act was just that—an act. I shifted my focus back to the maid, who was trembling like a leaf in a storm. Reclining in my seat, I spoke with a hint of frustration. "I didn’t call you here to shake in fear. Tell me, did Bolton have a daughter stashed away somewhere?" The maid went white as a sheet. "Yes, he did." A frown creased my face. "How the hell did this stay hidden?" Her gaze dropped to the floor. "I wasn’t allowed to speak to her, Don Niko. She was kept locked away, and while I saw her occasionally, I never had any direct contact.""So, Elijah Bolton managed to keep a daughter hidden for eighteen fucking years, and no one knew about it?" It was a fucking hard pill to swallow. "Don Niko, most of his servants have been loyal to him for years and none of us thought that him having a daughter was important enough to tell you. We thought you knew..." She then went on to tell me everything she has heard or knew about Evangeline Bolton. In the world that I grew up in, there weren't many things that surprised me but somehow this did. All this time, I have been thinking about her being a pawn that Ignacio had sent my way but she was telling the fucking truth. Every word she had said was true. We dug up Elijah Bolton's security camera footage, there was only one in the house, it was set in his living room. After going through hours of footage, my men only found Evangeline appear in it three times a day, just like she had said—breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I shut the laptop's screen and rolled my neck to loosen the kink. I lit up a cigar and lodged it in my mouth. Bianca entered my office, it had been three days since Evangeline Bolton has been staying in my house. I hadn't seen her after the first day in my office. I thought that all her crying and pleading was fucking fake but now that I know the truth, it amused me. That girl was as untouched as she claimed to be, and it irked me how her supposed innocence had become such a focal point for me. The fact that no other man had touched her before didn't particularly thrill me; it just seemed like another complication in a situation that was already getting out of hand. Now that I thought about how she acted that day when she saw me made sense. Her body was tensed when she stood before me like all this was new to her. It was mildly satisfying to see her comply with my orders without question but it did make me wonder about her level of obedience in other situations. “What do you want me to do with her?” she asked. She understood perfectly why I’d summoned her—she’d been watching Evangeline for the past three days, trying to extract information. “You can leave now,” I said tersely. Evangeline wasn’t a threat or an informant. There was no need for anyone to keep tabs on her anymore. I still hadn’t decided what to do with her. She could stay in the house as long as she wanted. She had no one left—her parents were dead, and she likely had no other known relatives. “Niko, I’m convinced Evangeline is telling the truth. She’s not a mole. She doesn’t even know what Cosa Nostra is.”“I know. That’s why you can head home now. I’ll let you know if she needs anything.” She nodded. “Understood.”“Oh, and Bianca—let Evangeline know she’s free to do as she pleases in the house. No need for anyone’s permission.”“Got it. She’s starting to relax a bit. She’s genuinely curious about everything here. It’s actually quite entertaining to watch.” My phone buzzed with my father’s name on the screen. I stood up and adjusted my suit jacket. Giving Bianca one last nod, I left my office to get to my father's house. I was meeting Paul Russell and Grace today for the marriage of convenience. The only reason I was ready to get married to that whore was power. Paul Russell had no heirs, everything he had belonged to his daughter. So, marrying Grace will not only make me more powerful but it will also give me more territory to rule over. Her uncle was the chief of staff of the United States and we needed him for the clearance of our arms and drug deliveries. I arrived at my father's mansion, the men bowed their heads with respect. I walked straight to my father's study where I knew Paul and Grace were waiting for us. Scott, my underboss, stepped out of my father's study. I furrowed my eyebrows. "What are you doing here?" His face contorted with annoyance. "Your father put me in charge of your father-in-law's and future wife's security." I let out a dry breath as something unwanted coursed through my veins. I was fucking hating the idea of marriage. Scott gave me a shit-eating grin. "How's that pretty little Bolton girl?""She's staying at my place," I replied curtly. Most of my men have seen her by now. Scott has seen her multiple times lurking out in the gardens. She is a weird fucking girl, she was fucking enjoying her freedom for the first time and she was making the most out of it. It’s inevitable she would draw attention. She has an annoyingly attractive face and a body that’s hard to ignore. Bianca has dressed her in these little dresses that barely reach her knees. Over the past few days, I’ve seen more men ogling her than actually working, including Scott. It’s infuriating how much she was disrupting everything. "What are you gonna do with her?" Why the hell was everyone so interested in what I planned to do with her? "I haven't figured it out yet," I replied curtly. "I could take good care of her for you, boss," Scott said, his suggestive grin making his intentions clear. "Bolton knew what he was doing when he locked her up." Irritation surged through me. It bothered me how having her in my house made me feel a strange sense of ownership. It's only been three damn days, and I already started thinking of her as my property, and that realization annoyed me even more. From behind the door, I could hear my father's muffled laughter. I placed a hand on Scott's shoulder. "Don't even think about it." Without hearing what he had to say, I pushed open my father's study door and stepped inside. Paul Russell along with his daughter Grace stood up. "There's my boy!" I shook hands with Paul and settle opposite the father-daughter duo. My eyes met with Grace's familiar green ones, she smiled at me. She was an attractive woman but whenever she opened her mouth it made me want to shoot her fucking brains out. The thing about her that annoyed me the most was her habit of sleeping around. I was a fucking mob boss, the most feared man in New York City, and I had to marry a girl that had probably slept with few of my men just because of my father's word. Father and Paul started to discuss the plans for the future and how this union will affect the relationship between our families. Marrying Grace Russell was a smart move for our business, so, I had to fucking swallow this pill. I don't have to have a relationship with Grace. She will be my wife in the title and she will bear my children. I don't have to play fucking house with her. Father seemed too pleased with his plans and that is when I decided to speak up. "I have one condition" Paul raised an eyebrow. "A condition?" he looked between Pops and me. My father cleared his throat. "What condition, Nikolai? You know everything is---""We will get married after a year""A year?" Paul repeated. "Why?" Father asked, turning to me. "I need some time. Grace and I will get engaged, but we will get married after a year. If you don't agree with this then I will---" Grace fucking Russell cut me off. If she is going to be my wife, she better learns some fucking respect. "Nikolai is right, I need some time as well. I'll graduate from university in six months, so, I don't mind if we wait." I turned to her as she beamed up at me. "Don't ever fucking cut me off again when I'm talking," I turned to Paul. "Teach your daughter what it's like to marry into La Famiglia" before my father or Paul could add anything, I stood up. "Now that it's done, I have to be somewhere" I walked straight out of the office and strode to my mama's room. I opened the door and saw her lying on the bed with an oxygen mask over her mouth. A certain uneasiness settled in my chest, it always happened whenever I visited her. She was unconscious, her meds made her pass out like this. I bent over and kissed her forehead. "You're going to be alright..." I whispered against her forehead. Staring at her for a few more minutes, I stepped out of her bedroom only to see Grace. "Grace?""Niko," she smiled and held my hand. She pulled me into one of the guestrooms and locked the door. I know why she had brought me here. She faced me and slid the straps of her tight dress off her shoulders. She reached behind her, unzipping her dress making it fall to the ground and pool around her feet. "I wanted to do this the moment you walked through that door," she said to me with a sweet smile. "Grace, I'm not here for this.""You don't have to do anything, let me do all the work" she kneeled before me and unbuckled my belt, she zipped my pants down and stroked my shaft from over my boxers. I gathered her hair in a makeshift ponytail and tugged her head back. I liked to be the one in control of everything, whether it was my business or my bedroom. I wonder what that little angel Evangeline is like in bed. Her submission the other day had me spellbound. She is a meek little thing, the things I could do to that sweet, virgin body—Fuck! I looked down into Grace's eager eyes. She swiped her tongue across her lower lips while stroking my hardened dick. "I don't have much time, Grace" She knew what I meant, it was all she needed as she eagerly removed my dick from my boxers and put it in her mouth. I forced my dick deep into her mouth before pulling it back out and then back into her throat again. I roughly fucked her face, and she was enjoying it like a good little slut. I closed my eyes and threw my head back as I thrust into her mouth. I wonder what Evangeline's little warm mouth would feel like, her plump lips wrapped around my cock as she sucked me off. Fuck! I looked back down at Grace, her eyes had watered and drool was dripping down her chin. Her mascara was running down her cheeks. I need to stop thinking about that little distraction in my house. With a few more strokes, I came deep down her throat. I pulled my dick out of her mouth and tugged myself back into my pants. Grace wiped her chin and sucked her fingers clean while eyeing me seductively. She grinned up at me, still kneeling before me. I raised an eyebrow. "What are you so happy about?""We are going to get married, I still can't believe it" she heaved a sigh dreamily. "I'm the one who won Nikolai Costello in the end.""We still have a year..." I reminded her as I fixed myself. "I know... it will pass by quickly..." I pulled out my cell phone and saw a string of calls and messages from Scott. Furrowing my eyebrows, I called him back as I stepped out of the room. "The fucking FBI raided our Vegas nightclub," Scott's voice came through, tense and urgent. "They knew, Niko, they knew about the drugs. Someone tipped them off. It's Mount Vernon all over again."

Chapter 7 Chapter 7

•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ "You are free to do whatever you want," Bianca told me. My mouth fell open and I was out of words. I didn't know how to react. No one had ever said those words to me. Hearing her words, I brightened up a little despite still mourning my parents' death. I was free to do whatever I wanted... I wanted... When I was locked up in my room I used to think about all the things I'd do when I'd get out of there. Now that I had the chance, I had no idea what I wanted to do first. I looked around, taking it all in. I have been living here at my dad's friend's house for four days now and everything has been so surreal. I have never lived this life before, there is a single lock on the door that is for me not for anyone to lock me inside. I don't really have anything to do, I roam the gardens in the morning just like I always wanted to, it was nice to feel the sunlight on my skin. There is a huge library in the house, it has so many kinds of books, the kind of books I have never seen before or read about. But I still didn't want to stay here, I wanted to go back to my home. I wanted to live my life independently now, maybe go to college and get a job or something. Suddenly it felt like I had so much to do in so little time! I jumped up in Bianca's arms. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you so much!" She laughed and hugged me back. "You should thank Nikolai" I pulled back, my stomach sank just as his name slipped from Bianca's mouth. For some reason, he intimidates me... he intimidates me a lot. Maybe, he just had the kind of personality that scares people. He is dark and brooding and his eyes are murderous. His eyes scare me the most. "I will when I'll see him..." I replied, fumbling with my fingers. "Now, I need to go back to my place, my boyfriend is going crazy without me" she laughed. "You sure you will be fine, kid?" I nodded eagerly. "Mhmm..." The last thing I needed was more supervision. Giving me one last short hug, she walked out of the room. My stomach grumbled, and I realized I hadn't had lunch today. I descended the stairs and went to the kitchen. I hadn't seen many kitchens in my life before but I know this kitchen is something out of the ordinary. It was huge and all day long, the kitchen staff was available if a person needed anything. Even if I asked for the weirdest meal on the earth, they would somehow make it for me but I wasn't going to ask for it. Right now I just needed a snack. "What would you like, ma'am?" the elderly woman asked. "Um, do you have a bag of potato chips?" The entire kitchen staff looked at me as if I have grown two heads. Suddenly, they all dispersed and started to rummage through the cabinets, they all seemed alarmed. "It's okay if you don't... I'll have a sandwich instead" They let out a breath of relief and whipped up a sandwich for me in under ten minutes. "I'm so sorry for the chips, ma'am. We'll have them in the kitchen by tomorrow" I smiled. "It's fine..." With my sandwich in one hand and a drink in the other, I went straight to the library. I pushed open the door and set my sandwich and the drink on a table, the table was perfectly set by a very comfortable armchair. I started searching for the perfect book to pass my time. I needed another activity, tonight when I'll go to Nikolai to thank him. I'll ask him if I can go back to my house, so, I could finally start my life. I finally found a good book and went to settle on the armchair. I started reading as I ate my sandwich. I was almost ten pages into my book when the library's door kicked open. My attention shifted toward the door as two men entered. They were talking among themselves, they hadn't noticed me yet. My gaze followed them as they walked further in. Then I noticed that one of those men was Nikolai, he was the one who was walking ahead while the other one followed. They disappeared from my sight and went to the back. Although the nosy part of me wanted to go see what they were doing; the cautious side of me stopped me from doing so. Shaking my head, I shifted my attention back to my book but my focus has been lost now. I was more concerned with the presence in the library than my book. A few seconds later, I heard the footsteps coming back from wherever they went. I moved around in my seat as nervousness crept up, what if he saw me here and got mad at me? When they appeared in my eye shot again only then did they notice me. Nikolai halted and then a frown appeared on his forehead. Uh oh! He's mad, isn't he? I think he is. He looked at me the same way as before like I was an odd creature out of this world and he was appalled by my presence. A whistle came from behind him and my gaze went to the man in the back. He seemed to be in his early twenties with dark black hair, green eyes, and a slight smirk on his face. The man behind Nikolai appraised me up and down and then his eyes settled on my bare legs, where they lingered. Uncomfortable under the scrutiny of their gaze, I shifted in my seat. I tugged my dress down to hide my legs. The dress was short, almost every single dress Bianca has bought for me was quite short. They all ended over my mid-thigh, leaving most of my legs bare. Nikolai put his hands in his pockets and strolled toward me. He stopped when he was at the foot of the couch. I slightly pulled my legs more into myself, so they won't touch him. Both of his big, inked hands landed on the armrests on either side of me. I clutched my book a little more tightly and held my breath, slightly startled. He was so close that his smell lingered in my nose, he smelled like heady, expensive cologne, it was so clean and masculine. I just couldn't describe his smell in any other way. "Look at me," he said in his authoritative tone. I'm pretty sure that any person will do whatever he wants them to do whenever he uses such a tone. Unable to not listen to him, I looked up. His jet black hair mopped over his forehead contrasting beautifully with the bluest eyes I have ever seen. It was the first time I was looking at him from this close, I took in every single feature of his. He had a really sharp bone structure, the dark stubble only added to his good looks. I may not have seen many people in my life before but I know Nikolai was one very good-looking man. "How long have you been here?" he asked, his voice deep, so gravelly low, and rough. An unwanted jolt traveled to my stomach, was it fear? "Did you follow us?" he asked I frowned at that and immediately shook my head. "No, I didn't... I was reading my book. Bianca said I could.""Hm..." A low masculine hum. His eyes then traveled down my body while mine stayed on his face. His eyes dropped to my chest, and then toward the book resting on my lap before they settled back on my face. He leaned in and tilted his head to the side. I felt my heartbeat in my throat. Is it even possible to feel your heartbeat in your throat? He leaned in until his mouth was by my ear and his stubble pricked into my cheek. Involuntarily my eyes closed and I breathed in his amazing smell. "You are sitting in my chair" he whispered, his warm breath fanning my ear and the side of my face. Blood rushed to my cheeks, nose, and ears with embarrassment. I should have asked for permission. I shouldn't have barged in here like I owned the place. I opened my mouth to say something but words had abandoned me. How can this happen to a girl whose whole life has been spent reading books? How can words betray me like this? He chuckled, like very deeply and darkly. The sound of his chuckle traveled between my legs. How can one feel someone's laugh in their stomach? I gasped as I felt a throbbing down there... between my legs. How the hell? The feeling was so foreign and odd and it nearly took my breath away. Nikolai finally moved a little back and faced me, looking me in the eyes while his nose was almost touching mine. "I..." I swallowed to help with my parched throat. "I'm sorry, I didn't know..." With his thumb and his forefinger, he gripped my chin. "Do you know what happens to girls who find themselves alone in a room with a man like me?" My breathing seized, and my eyes went wide, my lips parted ever so slightly. My skin burned from where his fingers were touching me, I have never felt this way before. It felt good but not good, I just couldn't understand it. A tantalizing bolt traveled between my legs and I tightly closed my thighs together. My throat dried up, I chewed on my bottom lip to come up with an answer And then my eyes fell on the man leaning against the bookshelf behind him. He had crossed his arm over his chest and had a full-blown smirk on his lips as he watched us. I mustered up some courage and breathed out. "But we are not alone..." Nikolai raised an eyebrow like he was not expecting me to answer him. His eyes lit up with dark amusement as if he found my answer extremely funny or stupid, I wouldn't know. His grip on my chin tightened, and he tugged my face closer to his. My skin burned underneath his touch, I could feel the heat emitting from my ears, and every single part of my body. "Do you want to find out? I could send him out..." he asked, amusement lingering in his eyes. Find out? Find out what? The way he said it, scared me to death. No, I don't want to find out what he does with girls when he is alone with them. It sounds terrifying and my knees were getting weak with each passing second. With the little courage I had left, I shook my head. "No..." He laughed and his hand left my chin. He stood back to his full height, giving me one last glance. He stepped back and turned to leave. The guy standing behind him winked at me, giving me a full-blown smile. Uneasiness seeped into me as Nikolai walked towards the door. I needed to talk to him. I wanted to thank him for everything and also I wanted to ask if I can go to college or back to my home. Not knowing what to do, I blurted out his name. "Nikolai!" It was the first time, I had said his name out loud. He halted immediately, his shoulders squared. I don't know why but saying his name like that felt wrong, very wrong. He turned to face me, all the amusement disappeared, and his facial expression turned dark and menacing. "I... Um... I need to talk to you..." I said, playing with the book in my hand. He stilled for a second and kept watching me like a hawk. "Tonight... my office..." I nodded and looked down at my lap, waiting for him to leave. The guy who was with him laughed. "Goodbye, Evangeline" He knew my name, I didn't know his name. I finally looked at him and gave him a little smile back. "Bye..." Nikolai gave his head a gentle shake before they both turned and left the library. I finally let go of the breath I was holding in. There was just something about Nikolai that scared me to death but he also didn't seem that bad. I don't understand him but then again I don't understand most of the things around here. Gosh! I'm such a freak! Why couldn't I be normal and not embarrassed and not half-die when someone talked to me?!

Chapter 8 Chapter 8

•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ I paced back and forth in my supposed bedroom. I will leave soon, go back to my home. I shouldn't get too comfortable here like I did with the library. You are sitting in my chair... God damn it! I should have asked for permission first. I glanced at the wall clock and it was almost midnight. He asked me to come to his office at night but he didn't specify exactly when. I combed my hair and smoothed my dress before I stepped out of the bedroom. I descended the stairs and then stopped, is it appropriate to go to his office in the middle of the night? "Hey, sweet cheeks." I jumped up at the deep voice from behind me, I turned and saw the man who was with Nikolai earlier in the library. He was almost as handsome as Nikolai but less intimidating, he and Nikolai could almost pass off as brothers—maybe they were brothers—but this guy had a friendly aura, the kind of personality that one can easily warm up to, Nikolai, on the other hand, seemed like he was carved with ice. I tucked my hair behind my ear and shifted on the balls of my feet. "Hi..." I was still a little hesitant with all these people. It was natural as I have never spent time with anyone but my parents and Leo. He offered me his hand. "Scott Mancini" I placed my hand in his and we shook hands. "Evangeline Bolton" He grinned. "I know who you are, Evangeline" he paused and thought for a while. "Well, now I do, a week ago I didn't even know that you existed""A week ago I didn't know you existed either" I replied, shrugging my shoulders. He laughed at that, for some reason he found it amusing. He leaned against the nearby wall, putting his hands in his pockets, he appraised me up and down. "Is it true that your father had locked you up in a room your entire life?" I wrapped both of my arms around myself and nodded. I don't know why everyone kept making a big deal out of it. From what dad told me, most people hide their children from murderers and really bad people. And he was right, I could never forget how brutally someone had murdered them, the only reason I was spared is that they didn't know about me. "Yeah..." He raised an eyebrow. "He used to hit you or something?" My eyes widened at his words. "No, he would never, well he did once..." my heart suddenly drowned, thinking about my parents' death all over again. "My dad loved me. He loved me so much, he didn't want me to get hurt, so, he always tried to protect me.""That's fucked up! What about your mother? She never said anything to your father about his creepy ways of protection?" Irritated by his words, I pursed my lips. "Creepy? Did you call my dad a creep?" He snorted. "A psychopath is a more accurate word but then again in the underworld everyone is" I frowned. "What's the underworld?" The amused expression got replaced by shock. He stood up straight and approached me with calculative steps. "You don't know anything about the underworld? The fucking La Cosa Nostra?" I shook my head. "No one has ever told me anything about it" Then a smile stretched across his face, he laughed a little. "What did your dad say he did for a living?""He worked at the bank," I told the truth. "The bank?" he laughed while saying the words almost like it was unbelievable for someone to work at a bank. "You poor little thing..." I crossed my arms over my chest. "Stop talking to me like I'm a stupid person. I may not know many things but I'm a fast learner." The way he talked to me made me feel less about myself. It's not my fault that I have been kept away from many things. The only world I know is from books, movies, and documentaries that my father had shown me. He grazed his thumb over his lower lip as his eyes dropped to my chest and then to my bare legs. He stepped closer and I stood my ground. If it was Nikolai I would have been intimidated but Scott didn't have that effect on me. I wasn't afraid of him nor did I get nervous in his presence. He frowned. "Aren't you scared of me?" I shook my head. "Nope, not even a little bit" He chuckled lowly, the previous playfulness swept off of his face and now his gaze turned dangerous like he wanted to eat me alive. My confidence wavered a bit but I still stood my ground. My mother did not raise me to be a coward. "You should be scared of me, maybe, I'm the monster your father warned you about..." his voice changed, he suddenly became so brusque. "You don't look like a monster..." I know I was playing with fire here. He might be dangerous, he might murder me the way my parents had been murdered but I wasn't going to cower away from him. I will run to Nikolai. "Appearances are often misleading, sweet cheeks. Didn't your father teach you that?" I finally took a step back as it was getting a little too strange for me. "Are you trying to scare me?""Maybe..." I swallowed uneasily. "Well, it didn't work" He finally chuckled, getting rid of the tension between us. A part of me was a little relieved that he changed his demeanor. "You have so much to learn about this world, sweet cheeks" I stuck my nose in the air. "And I will, I told you I'm a fast learner." He then wiggled his eyebrows. "Have your parents ever told you about the birds and the bees?" I titled my head, lots of thoughts conjured up in my mind. "The what?""Sex..." he said as a matter of factly like I was supposed to know everything about it. "You mean gender?" His eyebrows shot up, and then he burst into a fit of laughter. "How old are you?" I shifted my weight from one foot to another, my teeth gritted, and I dug my nails into my palms. I felt embarrassed and agitated by his constant degradation. "Eighteen!" Before he could say anything, his phone started ringing. He pulled it out of his pockets and glanced back at me. "It was fun talking to you," he winked, "Sweetcheeks..." He turned and disappeared into the next room. I was so glad that he had left. I know I might come off as ignorant that is because I have never had the privilege to learn things as normal people do. I have taken my dad's words over everything, I had no choice. I had nowhere to go, or no one to ask. It's only been a few days but I have come to realize that people knew so much, there was so much in this world that I know nothing of. People who worked here looked at me like I was some kind of stupid animal, it made me feel embarrassed and less about myself. I didn't like this feeling at all. I wiped the single tear that slid down my cheek and continued on my way to Nikolai's home office. Once outside, I knocked on the large wooden door and waited. "Come in..." came his low manly voice. Heaving a sigh, I entered the office and looked up to see him sitting behind his desk. He was busy working on something as he typed on his laptop. My dad had one exactly like it. He seemed angry, irritated over something. He wasn't wearing his coat, his tie was hanging loosely around his neck and he had folded his sleeves, revealing more of his tattoos. How many tattoos does this man have? I cleared my throat. "Is it a bad time?""Yes..." Blunt. I nodded. "I could come by later...""No, spit it out. Whatever you wanted to talk about" he still seemed deep into his work as he waved his hand for me to talk. Nervousness crept up again, all the confidence I had washed away like it was never there. "I wanted to say thank you..." He stopped typing, his fingers stopped mid-air. "Thank you for everything you have done for me, now I'd like to go back to my home" His one hand rested on the table while he rubbed the back of his neck with the other. He seemed tired, worn out. Slowly, incredibly slowly, he shifted his attention toward me. And just by his single look, a shiver ghosted beneath my skin. Silence took over the entire room, and my chest tightened with incredible force. What is wrong with me? He reclined back in his seat, his two fingers brushing against his lips, his dark gaze drinking me up, taking me in. I forgot all about the brave girl I thought I was a second ago with Scott. "What home?" he asked, he looked like he was genuinely confused by what I had said. "My home, where I lived with my parents..." He nodded like he was having a conversation with himself. "But your parents are dead." He said it with such indifference that it hurt me. I knew that but I needed to go back, live my life, study, and find a job to get by. I didn't want to be a burden to someone else. My heartbeat drummed against my ribcage. "It's still my home...""What will you do?" I raised one of my shoulders. "I don't know... find a job first" His eyes turned a shade darker, and a look of resentment crossed his face. "You think it's easy?" I chewed on the inside of my cheek, I didn't want to face humiliation again like did with Scott. His question made me rethink my decision. I didn't know a thing about the real world, my brief information came from movies and now I don't think they are a trusted source. "I don't know..." He got up from his seat and keeping his gaze on me he walked around his desk, with a menacing aura that made my heart jump out of my throat. "Evangeline, do you have a death wish?" My eyebrows shot up, and a strange sense of fear washed over me. I shook my head. "What do you mean?""The people who had murdered your parents... Don't you think they will come back to finish the job?" The sudden shock from his words made me tense my muscles. Goosebumps rose on the back of my neck, I swallowed, there was a bitter taste at the back of my throat that I couldn't seem to get rid of every time my parents' death was mentioned. "Do you think they will?" I asked "Probably..." he walked over to me, he stood so close that I could feel the heat of his body warming mine. Intimidated by his closeness, I looked down at the ground. "Look at me when I talk to you, Evangeline" A stern order. As if by reflex, I obliged and looked up at his face. "You are safe here. You are not going back" his tone was definitive, leaving no room for an argument. "I don't want to be a burden..." I whispered. He raised his hand and with his pointer finger, he tucked a strand of my hair behind my ear from one side. His finger grazed my skin, and then I felt it again, the heartbeat between my legs. "A burden?" I pulled my lower lip in. "Um... Uh... I don't want to be a freeloader..." He chuckled... a dark low chuckle that managed to get underneath my skin and set my body on fire. "I have enough money, Evangeline. You can freeload as much as you like" I really liked the way he says my name. It rolled off his tongue so smoothly. I liked the sound of it. I nodded still looking into his bluish-grey eyes. "Now is there anything else you wanted to talk about?" he asked, "If not then get out." It was rude how he told me to get out but I still said what I wanted to say. "College...""What?" I intertwined my hands before me and smiled up at him, my cheeks heated. "I have been homeschooled my entire life, I graduated recently. I want to go to college, a real college with other people" He gave me a stern nod. "I'll see what I can do" My eyes lit up and my whole body tingled with excitement. "Thank you, Nikolai!" my voice came out as an embarrassing squeal. A slight smile appeared on his face. "It's late, go back to your room, Evangeline, and sleep" I turned and made my way out of his office. I went straight to my room as he had told me and shut the door just to lean against it for a few minutes. I wanted to make sense of what I was feeling for Nikolai. He affects me in a really weird way, I feel funny in my stomach. Am I in love? My eyes widened, the only real couple I have seen in love are my parents. Apart from them, I have only seen Disney's cartoon movies and animated characters falling in love. Maybe, I feel this way because he is the first man I have interacted with, for the first time in eighteen years. My body seemed to have a mind of its own whenever he is near. I really don't understand this feeling but I like it. I heaved a sigh; slumping onto the huge bed and nuzzling my face in the pillow. But then suddenly, my parent's dead faces appeared before my eyes and I squeezed my eyes shut. Good night, precious—my parent's voice resonated in my mind before I slowly drifted into a deep slumber.