Chapter 2
1029 Words
Niko turns and strides down the corridor, every step purposeful and silent. I follow quietly, watching the broad span of his back move with, solid and protective. If someone like him were beside me, would I finally feel safe?
Tears sting my eyes before I can stop them. But how could I ever make him see me? I’ve noticed the way he looks at Claire when he thinks no one’s watching. He likes her. I doubt he’d ever act on it, but still, what chance do I have? Maybe I can use this moment to learn something, find a crack to slip through, a way to reach him.
We reach the dining room. He gestures for me to sit before disappearing into the kitchen. The clock on the wall reads past three a.m.
Does Niko ever sleep? He must have been patrolling when I fainted. I know he has a room in the house, odd for a bodyguard. Doesn’t he have his own place? Family? Desires of his own? I’ve never seen him with a woman, but then again, he’s never around long enough for anyone to notice.
My thoughts scatter as he returns with a tray. He sets it firmly in front of me. So much food.
“This is too much,” I say softly, giving him my best pitiful look.
He doesn’t blink. “You need it. And maybe some exercise.” His eyes flick to my shoulders, something flickers through them.
Right. He thinks I look malnourished. Not a hint of attraction. Not good. If he doesn’t even find me remotely appealing, how can I ever get close? The thought crushes something small inside me, and tears pool again.
I hear him shift, uneasy. “Why are you crying?” His voice holds a flicker of surprise, the most emotion I’ve ever heard from him.
A small smile touches my lips. So he’s not completely made of ice. Maybe he’s just not used to crying women. Maybe he still sees me as a woman.
“I just… everything in my life is falling apart,” I say, wiping at my face. “I don’t know what to do anymore. I have no money, no home, nothing to my name. And I’m already thirty-two.” I sigh.
“That’s why you’re crying?” He glances at me, then quickly looks away, uncomfortable. “You’re living in this house now. If you need anything, I’m sure Claire would give it to you.”
I sniff and nod. “You’re right, but I still can’t finish this food myself.” I let a smile curl on my lips, hoping it disarms him. “Why don’t you join me?”
He meets my hopeful gaze with that blank look of his. “I don’t eat in the middle of the night.”
I almost gape. “Then why did you get me food?”
“Because you looked– ” he pauses, jaw tightening, “you fainted.”
“Well, what happens if you eat at night?” I ask, letting my frown speak for me. He stares. I stare back.
“It’s–I’m not hungry,” he says, stammering slightly.
Delight sparks through me like tiny electric currents. I smile, bright and genuine. “Then keep me company. I can’t eat alone, I lose my appetite.”
His gaze flicks over me once more before he sinks into the chair opposite mine. Wow. I can’t believe I actually got him to stay. I try to rein in my smile, but the satisfaction warms me too much to hide it.
The air carries the faint scent of garlic and chili from the steaming noodles. I twirl a forkful and bring it to my lips. The flavor surprises me, bold, spicy, perfectly balanced. Usually everything tastes dull and heavy, but this… this wakes something up in me. I chew slowly, savoring it, using the garlic bread to mop up the sauce. It’s so good. The best meal I’ve had in months.
“Why did you place a chair against the door?” he asks suddenly.
I choke. Only a little, but then I start coughing like I’m about to rupture something. Niko moves instantly, grabbing a glass and filling it with water. He presses it into my hand. “Drink,” he orders, edged with urgency.
I gulp it down and gasp. “The food’s so spicy,” I manage between breaths.
“Why were you eating so fast?” he asks. Good, he hasn’t realized it was his question that set me off.
“I didn’t want you to leave while I was still eating,” I say, smiling openly now.
“You can eat slowly. I won’t leave.” he says as if reading me. “And you don’t have to answer my question.”
My eyes flicker wide before I lower my head. Of course he noticed. There’s no way a chief of security wouldn’t know how to read people.
“Just know you have nothing to fear,” he says quietly. “It’s safe here.”
The words pierce through a cold dark corner in my heart. Tears blur my vision before I can stop them. I duck my head, letting my hair fall forward to hide my face as I sniff and keep eating. My throat feels tight.
That’s probably the kindest thing anyone’s ever said to me, and I know he meant it. For a Mafia man, he feels so painfully real.
When I raise a hand to wipe my eyes, he asks, “Are you still crying?”
“Who told you to be this nice?” I snap, lifting my face. “It’s all your fault.”
“Are you drunk on noodles and pepper?” he asks, a hint of amusement in his voice.
“And now you’re making jokes,” I accuse, and to my surprise, he chuckles.
Was he really this easy to talk to? I thought he’d be like Aleksei, cold, domineering, the kind of man whose presence makes people step aside. But despite the face being sharper and more ruthless than Aleksei’s, Niko is surprisingly kind.
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