The Mafia Assassin

Chapter Twenty

Alison’s heart raced as she followed behind Nicholas to the house. Her body was in pain but fear overshadowed every ounce of pain.

“Company.” The word echoed repeatedly in her mind, adding to the fear she was feeling.

Nicholas didn’t say much and moved quickly, his sharp gaze scanning the windows and doors carefully. He went straight to a hidden compartment under the living room floor and pulled out a black bag.

When he opened it, Alison’s stomach twisted: a collection of guns, knives, and bullets neatly packed inside.

“Go upstairs,” he ordered without looking.

Alison hesitated. "But..."

"Now, Alison." His voice was low, terribly serious, piercing her like a blade.

She swallowed hard, shaking her head as she turned toward the stairs. But halfway up, curiosity pinned her to the spot. She leaned forward, peering through the wooden railings, watching Nicolas load a rifle with full concentration.

A few moments later, a loud bang echoed through the house.

Nicolas was not afraid. He simply slipped the gun into the back of his belt, his face unreadable. He slowly approached the door, silently signaling Alison to stay put. She held her breath, her heart pounding. The door swung open.

A man stood outside. He was dressed in black, his face partially shaded by the brims of his hat. He looked like someone who didn't bring good news, or news worth hearing.

"It's been a long time, Nicholas," he said, his voice soft as oil, but charged with an underlying threat. Nicholas didn’t answer. He only stepped aside a little, just enough to let them in, but not enough to let his guard down. Alison’s fingers gripped the wooden railing tightly as she watched.

He entered cautiously, his eyes scanning the room. One of them noticed a canvas leaning against the wall—a forgotten piece of Alison’s recent work.

Too late to hide this, she thought bitterly.

He turned to Nicholas, smiling a little. "I didn't know you had company."

Nicholas's jaw clenched, but his face remained cool and calm. "It's none of your business."

“Oh, I think it's my business,” the man replied, his gaze lingering on the stairs as if he could sense Alison’s presence.

Nicholas shifted a little, blocking her view. His hand stopped near his belt, where the gun lay hidden. “State the reason why you're here.”

The tension in the room grew, like the calm before a storm.

The man laughed darkly. "Why tell you something you already know? Adrian wants the girl”

Alison's stomach clenched. Adrian. She hated the mention of that name, always whispering like a curse.

Nicholas' face remained unreadable. "It's not Adrian's problem."

The man's hand moved to his jacket, where Alison was sure a gun was hidden. But Nicholas was moving faster.

In the blink of an eye, Nicholas pulled his gun, the barrel pointed directly at the man's head.

"Bad move," Nicholas growled.

“We're just here to talk." The man said

Nicholas eyes darkened. "Then speak "

The man's smile disappeared. "Adrian knows where you're hiding." It's only a matter of time before he stops sending us.

Silence fell, heavy and suffocating. Alison's chest tightened as fear gripped her. She couldn't imagine Adrian coming himself. Just the thought of it scared her.

Nicholas didn't flinch. "Then you've already failed your mission."

Without warning, Nicolas pulled the trigger.

Click.

Alison froze. There was no sound, just a click. She waited for the bang but didn't hear any. Confused, she looked closely. The man was still standing but, a few seconds later, busted out laughing, confusing her all the more. Alison's jaw dropped.

"What the..." she whispered, her heart still pounding with fear.

The man patted Nicholas on the back. "Dude, you weren't kidding." She got guts, she stayed hidden the whole time. Nicholas didn't smile heading to the kitchen to grab a cup of coffee.

Alison fell down the stairs, her face red with anger and shame. "What was that?" " she asked.

“Consider this part of your training.” he sipped his coffee like nothing happened, but there was a flicker of something in his eyes.

Was that amusement she saw?

“Sorry to scare you, sweetheart; it was actually my idea,” the man said, causing Alison to glance in his direction. The man looked so handsome as his hat was no longer on his head but Alison was too angry to care.

“ I thought you killed him, you psycho” Alison snapped.

“Hey, I'm alive; Name's Tristan, by the way,” he said, but Alison ignored him, waiting for Nicholas's response.

Nikola shrugged, unfazed. "That's the problem." You can't prepare for danger if you don't feel it."

Alison was furious, her heart still pounding. She wanted to scream, to throw something—preferably at Nicholas's face. But deep down, she knew the lesson had worked. She had been alert and ready, even though she was overcome with fear.

However, she won't let go of this so easily.

"You're an i***t," she muttered as she passed him heading to her room.

Tristan laughed. "I think I like her."

Nicolas just watched her walk away, a slight glint of amusement in his cold eyes.

Maybe, just maybe, he enjoyed pushing her buttons more than he let on.