I heard mixed chatter, mainly consisting of Italian so, it went over my head. I clutched the ends of my chair in apprehension.

Nikolai came back and I jumped in my seat. He tugged the edges of his jacket back and tucked a gun into the back of his pants. I looked him up and down and then all around him, checking if he had any blood on him.

He noticed my stare and shook his head. "Nothing happened."

I visibly relaxed and smiled. I looked down at the menu and then back at him. "I don't know what to order"

He lifted a shoulder, "Anything you want"

I shook my head and slid the menu toward him. "I don't know, order for us"

He seemed amused; he picked up the menu and ordered a bunch of different dishes I have never heard of. I looked around the fancy restaurant and noticed how everyone in the room seemed afraid of Nikolai. His men were standing all around the room in nothing but black attires.

And here I sat in front of him, even though he punished me just a few days ago, I still wasn't afraid of him that much.

I know he gave me my parent's ashes and brought me out for dinner because he felt bad for what he did to me and this was his way of saying sorry. The thought made me smile.

"Is this your way of saying sorry?" I asked with a smile.

"I don't say sorry..." he answered.

My smile widened because this time he didn't say that I deserved it, "So, you decided to show me how sorry you are."

"I'm beginning to think that sending you to college was a bad idea, you were so easy to handle when you knew almost nothing" the amusement in his voice sent strange sensations to my stomach.

I squinted my eyes. "I'm not stupid!"

"I never said you were"

I rolled my eyes and looked around at the beautiful scenery. "I want to learn how to use a gun," I told him.

"Why?"

"Because I'm afraid of it and I don't want to be afraid of anything. It makes me feel... weak"

He nodded. "I'll teach you but right now, let's talk," his tone suddenly went ice cold.

"About what?"

He slid his tongue across his lower lip and my eyes followed it, his eyes still on me. "I realized I never told you anything about La mia famiglia, about Cosa Nostra. You were thrown into this world without knowing anything about it. It's time you understand it."

The waiter came back with our food, served us, and then asked Nikolai if we wanted anything else but he dismissed the waiter with a wave of his hand.

"What were you saying?" I asked.

He shook his head. "Eat first, you haven't had a decent meal in the last two days"

I bit the inside of my cheek, suppressing my smile. "You were worried about me?"

He held my stare, his eyes lit up with dry amusement. He gave his head a subtle shake before neatly cutting into his steak and putting it in his mouth.

Once we were done with the main course, he ordered dessert. While eating, he told me about his family, how big the Costello family is, and how everything works in his world. There were rules, oaths, code of silence. A list of rules every member of his world needs to follow. 

After the waiter cleared the table, Nikolai ordered all of his men to step out of the room. Once, we were finally alone he turned to me.

"Evangeline, I don't tolerate disrespect. Don't ever disrespect me, my men, or anyone in my family."

I fumbled with my fingers resting on my lap as I listened to his words. Biting the inside of my cheek, I asked. "What if someone disrespects me?"

He let out a breath of amusement as he constantly ran his thumb over his lip. "No one will disrespect you."

I lifted a shoulder. "Scott does and if someone else did... then what? Am I supposed to let them insult me just because they are your family or your men?" 

"If it comes to that, you will come to me"

I nodded as he gave me a list of rules I am supposed to follow while staying at his home.
•Always ask for permission before going out.
•Do not lie to him.
•I am allowed to drink but not too much because Nikolai hates it.

•Gain his trust to go back to college.
•No boyfriends—I rolled my eyes at that one.
•Do not interrupt when Nikolai's guests are present in the house.
•Not to be seen by men who Nikolai does business with.
And the list went on and on.

"When you are a part of my world, Evangeline. The only way out is death."

I shakily inhaled and then asked a question that has been bothering me for days. "Nikolai, what did my father really do for a living? Was he a part of your... world?"

Nikolai nodded slightly. "He was our enforcer when my father was the boss but when I took over, I made him a capo, a captain of my soldiers... he was the closest thing my father had to a brother"

Tears threatened to fall but I kept them in. "Before he died—murdered... he promised me that we will move to a new place somewhere, where I could go to college and finally live my life," I told him and squeezed my eyes shut. "Is that why he is dead? Because he wanted to get out of this life?"

My mind drifted back to that terrifying night that sent a chill down my spine. The door knocked in a specific sequence and Nikolai told them to enter. 

"Boss..."

That's all he said and Nikolai abruptly got up, buttoned his suit jacket, and told me to follow him. We walked out the way we came in. Marco opened the car door for me and I settled in. The door from the other side opened and Scott sat beside me, gesturing for Marco to drive. It all happened so fast.

"Um... where's Nikolai?"

"Busy," he replied.

I frowned. "Doing what?"

"Doing something that is none of your fucking business."

My mouth dropped open, I twisted my lips and looked away from him and out of the window. "Idiot," I mumbled under my breath.

"What the fuck did you just say?"

I cast him a sideways glance. "Nothing..."

He said something under his breath, something about spanking my ass till I can't sit. I rolled my eyes and scooted away from him. I looked out of the window while he kept using his cell phone.

There were some questions that I didn't ask Nikolai but I needed answers to. Nikolai knew how to twist a conversation the way he wanted but maybe Scott will answer. 

"Scott?"

He lazily glanced at me with annoyed questioning eyes. "What?"

"Did you know my dad?"

He nodded.

"How was he when he was with you guys?"

He grinned. "He was the most ruthless killer I have ever seen. I loved to torture them long and hard before he finally killed them off."

I released a sudden gasp and tried opening my mouth to speak but no words flowed out. I gulped. I could never imagine my dad killing someone, he was the sweetest man on earth. Then with a little more strength, I asked him another question, but it came out hoarse, barely audible. "And my mom?"

He scoffed. "The most annoying bitch of the Cosa Nostra"

Anger curled hot and unstoppable in my gut, like a blazing inferno that wanted to burn me from the inside out. I was about to insult him back but I bit my tongue. Nikolai's said I shouldn't disrespect any of his men and I had no wish to be locked in that room again. I closed my mouth and crossed my arms over my chest looking out of the window.

"She's probably the reason he's fucking dead..." he mumbled.

My head shot in his direction. "What do you mean?"

He opened his mouth to say something but his phone rang, cutting our conversation short. For the rest of the car ride, he continuously uttered profanities to the person on the other side of the call.

Scott was a good-looking guy but once he opens his mouth, everything just goes downhill from there.

We finally reached home and I ran up the stairs to my room. I changed into some comfortable clothes, an oversized t-shirt, and grey waist track shorts.

After whatever happened at the frat party, Nikolai had not given my cell phone back to me, so, I was basically back to square one. I lazily strolled down the library looking for the book I was reading the last time I was here, steering clear of all mafia-related books. I finally found it and settled on Nikolai's seat.

An hour into my book, I heard the library door being opened and closed. I heard the clicking of the lock, I put the book aside. I got up to see who it was and Nikolai came into my view.

I furrowed my eyebrows as I saw his bloodshot, empty eyes, he wasn't wearing his jacket anymore. His tie was halfway opened resting lazily around his collar, his sleeves rolled up, and his hair tousled roughly.

Nikolai took a good look at me, looking me up and down like he was taking in every single detail about me.

"Fuck..." he hissed under his breath and as he walked closer to me a waft of alcohol touched my nostrils. Was he drunk? The smell of alcohol exuding from his body got more and more intense as he walked closer to me.

I instinctively took a step back but when he was too close that I couldn't breathe, I placed a hand on his chest, telling him to take a step back.

I know I'm infatuated with him, he is the first man I have desired but the way he turned me down the last time was too painful and humiliating for me. I don't want to repeat that mistake and that too when he is drunk.

I looked up at him to stare into his eyes, they seemed the darkest shade of grey in the dimly-lit library. His face was set in stone with a glint of something dark, sinister.  

All of a sudden, a rough, big hand wrapped around my neck. Nikolai walked forward with his punishing grip on my neck, each step he took forward, I took a step back until I could feel my back gently touching one of the bookshelves.

He leaned closer and I turned my face to the side. "Ask me again" he whispered against my cheek.

From my neck, his hand slowly slid back and into my hair, threading his fingers into them before he yanked my head back, fisting them tightly. He then buried his face in my neck.

My hands flew to his chest, fisting his shirt. A whimper left my lips as his grip tightened, and his nose grazed up and down the length of my neck.

At the age of eighteen, I was completely foreign to the male touch, and whenever Nikolai touched me it turned me on instantly, my mind would fog up.

I wasn't wearing a bra, my nipples tightened and peeked through my flimsy t-shirt pressed up against his hard chest. His face constantly ran up and down against my neck and the back of my ear, like he was breathing me in.

"You smell so fucking good..." he slurred.

I could tell how drunk he was but I was too caught up in mixed signals my body was sending to my brain to comprehend anything. My heartbeat went haywire, a shiver ran down my spine as he lightly nipped my neck. I tilted my neck to the side giving him more access.

I gripped his shirt so hard as he peppered soft kisses down my neck and gently bit my skin in between.

He made a rough manly growl against my neck that I felt in my stomach. "Fucking ask me again!"

I swallowed, my throat parched, and my mind was all fuzzy. "What?" I breathed with difficulty.

"Ask me to kiss you again"

"Wh--what?"

His one hand kept my head in place while the other traveled to the waistband of my shorts. His fingers played with it, and my skin burned and itched.

And then I felt him... I felt his erection pressing up against my lower stomach, it was hard and bulging. It scared me and excited me at the same time. His hand which was fiddling with the waistband gripped my waist from the side and pulled my lower body into his erection.

I shook my head, still sane enough to remember what he did last time. "No..."

He made a rough, masculine groan before he finally faced me. His gaze dropped to my lips, his eyes were lidded with lust and hunger... for me.

The next second, his lips crashed on mine in a rough, bruising kiss. He nipped at my lower lips and my mouth opened for him. I wrapped my arms around his broad shoulders. His hand traveled up from my waist and stopped just beneath my breast, his thumb gently caressing my skin from under my shirt.

His tongue swept in and I was taken aback by the sensation I felt throughout my body. A loud moan bubbled up from my chest that got muffled by his kiss. Instinctively, I tried to mimic the movement of his tongue with mine.

He pulled his hand out from under my shirt and slid it down behind my thigh, he tugged it up, telling me to wrap my legs around his waist and I did.

The second my core made contact with his erection, even though we both were clothed, a fire ignited inside of me, burning my whole body.

This was all so new, terrifying, and exciting.

He bit on my lower lip and my hip jerked more into his erection.

"Angel..." he pulled away just slightly, our lips were almost touching when he whispered. "We need to fucking stop"

"Why?"

I surprised myself when I asked that question.

His gaze stuck on my lips which were only inches apart, our noses were almost touching. "Because I won't be able to hold myself any longer"

I looked at him, confused. "But I don’t want you to stop"

"You have no idea what you're getting yourself into, Angel"

He breathed out a laugh, and his grip on my hair loosened. With my legs still wrapped around his waist and my arms around his shoulder, he walked straight out of the library and took me to my room. I placed my head on his shoulder, nuzzling my face into his neck. 

He gently lay me on my bed and stood straight, looking down at me with an animalistic and lust-filled gaze. He turned to go back out of my room but I held onto his hand.

The burn in my body still lingered, I didn't say anything just looked at him, not understanding a thing.

He held my hand that clutched his wrist and brought it to his mouth, bending forward a bit because of his height. He kissed my hand and dropped it back on the bed before walking out.

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A/N

Thoughts?

Evangeline's growing up...