The Fall
915 Words
Everything began falling apart after the kiss.
Niko stopped sleeping entirely.
Ela became the first thing he thought about in the morning and the last thing haunting him at night. He buried himself in work harder than ever, taking case after case, forcing himself into twelve-hour days just to keep from driving to her apartment every evening.
It didn’t help.
Nothing helped.
Because now he knew what she felt like in his arms.
And that knowledge ruined him.
“You look like hell,” Marcus muttered one morning as Niko stormed into the law firm conference room.
Niko tossed a stack of files onto the table. “Good morning to you too.”
“I’m serious.” Marcus frowned. “You missed two meetings yesterday, threatened a prosecutor, and nearly punched a client.”
“He lied to me.”
Marcus leaned back in his chair slowly. “This is about her, isn’t it?”
Silence.
That was answer enough.
Marcus sighed heavily. “Niko, whatever is happening between you and Ela… it’s affecting your judgment.”
“My judgment is fine.”
“You assaulted one of Adrian Vale’s men in public.”
Niko’s eyes darkened instantly. “Watch your tone.”
“There it is,” Marcus snapped. “That right there. You’re losing control.”
The room fell silent.
Because Niko knew he was right.
And he hated it.
Meanwhile, across the city, Ela sat in the parking lot outside Lily’s school gripping the steering wheel hard enough to hurt.
Adrian’s voice still echoed in her head from the phone call earlier that morning.
“You think your lawyer boyfriend can protect you?”
Fear crawled down her spine.
He knew about Niko.
Which meant he was watching them.
Again.
Her phone buzzed suddenly.
Niko.
Just seeing his name tightened something painfully inside her chest.
Niko: Are you okay?
She stared at the message for a long moment before replying.
Ela: Fine.
The response came immediately.
Niko: Liar.
Despite everything, she smiled faintly.
Then another message appeared.
Niko: I’m outside.
Her heart skipped violently.
Ela looked up through the windshield.
Across the street, Niko leaned against his black car wearing a dark coat, watching her with the same intense expression that always made her pulse stumble.
God.
This man would destroy her.
And the worst part?
She was beginning to want him to.
A few minutes later, Ela climbed into the passenger seat beside him.
Neither spoke immediately.
Rain tapped softly against the windows while tension filled the silence between them.
Niko finally looked at her.
“You didn’t sleep.”
“You can tell?”
“I can always tell.”
The quiet possessiveness in his voice sent heat crawling beneath her skin.
Ela looked away quickly. “Adrian called.”
Instantly, every trace of softness vanished from Niko’s expression.
“What did he say?”
“That you’re making things worse.”
Niko’s jaw tightened dangerously.
“He threatened you?”
“He doesn’t need to threaten me anymore.” Ela laughed bitterly. “He just waits. Watches. Makes me afraid enough to ruin myself.”
Niko stared at her for a long moment before speaking quietly.
“Come stay with me.”
Ela blinked. “What?”
“My apartment is secure. Adrian won’t get near you there.”
Her chest tightened painfully.
“You can’t solve everything by protecting me.”
“Yes,” Niko said coldly. “I can.”
The intensity of his answer startled her.
“Niko—”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.” Ela’s voice cracked slightly. “You’re becoming obsessed.”
Something dangerous flickered behind his eyes.
“Maybe I already am.”
Silence swallowed the car.
Ela’s breathing became uneven.
Because part of her already knew.
The way he watched her.
Touched her.
Protected her.
Niko Varela loved like a man standing too close to fire—fully aware he might burn alive and incapable of stepping away.
And that terrified her.
“You should stay away from me,” she whispered.
Niko stared at her in disbelief.
“That’s what you want?”
“No.”
The honesty slipped out too quickly.
Pain crossed her face instantly afterward.
“Ela…”
Tears burned behind her eyes. “Every person I’ve ever loved eventually hurt me.”
Niko reached for her slowly.
When his fingers touched her face, she nearly broke apart.
“I’m trying very hard not to become one of them,” he admitted quietly.
The vulnerability in his voice shattered something inside her.
But fear still won.
Ela pulled away.
“You need to stop this.”
His expression darkened immediately.
“Stop what?”
“This.” She gestured helplessly between them. “Whatever this is.”
Niko’s gaze became glacially calm.
“You kissed me back.”
“I know.”
“You said you needed me.”
“I know!”
Her voice cracked through the silence.
Pain flashed across Niko’s face before disappearing beneath cold restraint.
For a long moment, neither moved.
Then he nodded once.
Slowly.
Like the motion physically hurt him.
“If that’s what you want,” he said quietly, “I’ll leave you alone.”
Ela’s chest tightened painfully.
Because she knew immediately it was a lie.
Men like Niko didn’t walk away once they loved something.
They destroyed themselves trying to hold onto it.
And deep down, she feared he was about to do exactly that.
- Writer
