The Mafia Assassin

Chapter Seventeen

Everything seemed to going slowly for Alison. She tried her possible best to be out of Nicholas's sight. She rarely sees him anyway. He was mostly out. She buried herself in her painting nowadays. It was the only way she was able to escape this harsh reality, ironically also what got her into this huge mess. She wasn't going to blame anyone, including herself, for the past days, she had come to accept her fate now.

She stared in awe at her masterpiece which she just completed. She missed this. Just staring at the painting made her homesick, she thought about her parents and friends. Do they realize she's missing? Are they desperately trying to reach her? So many things came to mind. She had the urge to find where Nicholas hid her phone and call them but she knew that was just a big risk. She will risk Nicholas's wrath and the possibility of them being caught. She quickly banished the thought.

She sighed as she stared at her painting once again. The painting reflected how she was feeling, completely in chaos, and it reeked of her desperate need to be free. Each stroke screamed her frustration, and she couldn't help but feel a part of her was released into this painting.

Her mind drifted to Nicholas, who was one of her sources of frustration. Living in him was so unbearable. She missed her old life, visiting her friends, having sleepovers, working, and painting all night, but she couldn't do that anymore. The thought aches her. She knew Nicholas didn't like her, and she didn't like him either, but what was his aim of saving her if he wasn't going to treat her as a person? He could at least talk to her. He did not talk, but at least acted as if he was living with someone.

She could feel a throbbing headache. All this thinking was causing her head to ache. As she started cleaning the brushes, she heard the sound of the front door opening. Without turning to look, she knew it was Nicholas. She felt a bit relieved he was back. They weren't really in talking terms but his absence did make her feel quite uneasy.

She heard him moving in her direction. Shortly she felt his presence behind her. He didn't say anything and she glanced at her. He was staring at her painting with his face unreadable. She wondered what was on his mind.

He gazed at her, his sharp gray eyes staring deep into her eyes; for some reason, she didn't understand. She felt her heartbeat quickened. “ Get dressed; we have to fight,” he said, confusing her.

“ Fight, how? I don't understand,” she said, totally confused. He didn't say anything, but the look he gave next was as if he reminded her of his rules.

Without saying anything, she walked to her room, her mind racing about what was going to happen next.

Nicholas watched her as she left for her room. She could have been confused, but he saw the need to explain to her, or he didn't feel like it. He has spent some time monitoring the area and checking some information on Adrian’s men. He still had some Intel on the Castellanos, but he was careful with his actions. He knew the place was carefully hidden but he also didn't underestimate Adrian. It could be found out.

He needed Alison to protect herself when he wasn't around. He wasn't always going to protect her. He was going to teach her, he has been trained by the Castellanos since he was a kid. He was confident in his teaching.

He didn't want to be close to her especially since she reminded him of her but he could tell they were close which left him with no choice.