Chapter 20
NICOLAS’S POV
I walked to the supply closet. Luca leaned on the bar, sipping a drink and looking upset. “Next time, pay more attention,” I said.
He glared at me. “You should worry more than I should. She’s your problem, not mine. Wait until she tries to burn you.
“I can handle Milene. Don’t worry 1 grabbed a mop and bucket, then went back to the kitchen. Milene stood in the same spot, staring at the floor with a frown
She kept surprising me. The pictures and articles I’d seen online had made her seem cold, proud, and weak like something that would break easily. But Milene wasn’t like that. She was strong willed and brave.
I handed her the mop and bucket. She took them without saying a word and went to fill the bucket with water. She didn’t look at me. It was obvious right away that Milene had never used a mop before. She poured too much water on the floor, making a mess
I leaned on the counter, watching her. She should’ve used a rag and gotten down on her knees to clean the mess properly. But I knew her pride wouldn’t let her kneel in front of me. She was proud, strong, and still beautiful, even with soup on her.
After a while, the floor still wasn’t clean. She gave up and said, “This mop doesn’t work right.
“The mop isn’t the problem,” I said. Trust me
“I wasn’t raised to clean floors; she snapped, her hair sticking to her damp face.
“No, you were
were raised to spread your legs to pl
ne a man and sleep in his bed,” I replied.
Her expression was filled with anger as her eyes widened. “I was raised to take care of a family, to be a good wife and mother.”
“You can’t cook, can’t clean, and have probably never changed a diaper. Being a good mother doesn’t seem likely for you.
She threw the mop on the floor angrily and took a step closer to me before stopping halfway. “What do you know about being a good parent? Or even a decent person?”
For a moment, I felt something tighten in my chest, but 1 ignored it. I know how to change a diaper, for starters. I also protected my brothers when they needed me. That’s more than you can say.
She frowned. “When did you change a diaper!”
“When Liam was a baby, I was twelve,” I said, revealing more than I wanted. My past wasn’t her business. “Leave it now. The cleaning staff will take care of it in the morning”
“You made me clean even though you have staff for this?” she asked angrily
“Your pride will destroy you,” I said simply
“And your anger will destroy you, she shot back.
“Then we’ll destroy each other, Isn’t that how all tragic love stories start?” I replied with a bitter smile. Love was pointless. I’d seen it before. Our mother loved our father, but it made her weak. She let him hurt her and us. She never stood up to him.
She was a coward. Worse, she turned his anger on us to protect herself. The only time she fought back was when she tried to hurt him by hurting us. Instead of stopping him, she let fear control her. In a house full of weapons, she didn’t even try to defend herself or us. She chose the easy way
“We won’t have any kind of love story. Not a tragic one, not a sad one, and not a happy one. But you can have my hatred,” Milene said angrily
“I’ll take it,” I said quietly. “Hatred is stronger than love.“”
That evening. Damien came out to the terrace where I was standing. “Luca told me what happened.”
“She’s stubborn, I sai
“She’s a problem,” he replied. “Keeping her here is dangerous,”
I smirked. “Don’t tell me you’re scared of a woman”
Damien didn’t react. “Luckily, fear isn’t something I feel.”
Chapter 20
“Good Fear is useless.” I said. “Even worse than love.”
“I’m worried about Liams. His initiation is in two days. Keeping Milene here might make him less willing to take the oath,” Damien said.
“You think he’ll refuse the tattoo?” I asked.
“I don’t know,” Damien admitted. “He’s pulling away from us. He won’t talk to me anymore. Kiara is the only one he spends time with now.”
“He’s rebelling, but he’s still a Russo. Should I push him harder?”
“No,” Damien said. “That will only push him away. We have to wait and hope he comes around”
“The initiation will happen in front of everyone, our underbosses and captains. If he refuses. I didn’t finish the sentence.
Damien nodded. He understood what it meant. If Liam refused the tattoo, it would be seen as betrayal, and betrayal had only one punishment:
death.
“We’ve handled betrayals before,” I said. “This wouldn’t be the first time we’ve dealt with disloyal men.”
“These men are loyal,” Damien said. “Killing them would be wasteful. And it would create too many enemies at once.”
“It won’t come to that, I said confidently Damien nodded and stood beside me. “Have you given Milene anything for the pain?”
“What pain?” I asked.
“Her wound might hurt,” he said.
“It’s just a
a small cut, li shouldn’t hurt that much.” I replied.
Damien shook his head. “That’s what I thought when Kiara got hurt, but she was more sensitive than I expected. Milene might be the same or worse. This could be the first time she’s ever been hurt or dealt with violence. She’ll feel the pain differently from us.
I thought about it and realized he was pr
probably right. From what Lknew, Milene had likely never even been hit before. The thought lingered for a moment before I pushed it away. “Do we have something for the pain?”
“I have Tylenol in my room. I can give it to her after dinner. Kiara is making her spaghetti again.”
“No, I’ll take it to her when I bring her some spaghetti” I said.
“Alright,” Damien said, watching me closely.
“What?” I snapped, annoyed by his look.
“Originally, you planned to keep Milene at our strip club,” he reminded me.
“I didn’t know what she was like, She’s safer here. I can’t let anyone else get their hands on her. That would ruin my plans,” I said.
counter.
“I’ll get the Tylenol,” Damien said, then walked away I walked into the kitchen, where the smell of spices filled the air. Kiara was at the co slicing tomatoes and tossing them into a bowl of lettuce.
“No one here eats salad.” I told her. She barely reacted this time
“I eat it. Damien will too. And maybe Milene wants to stay healthy as well, she said. I stopped beside her and looked at the oven. Inside, the lasagna was bubbling under a layer of melted cheese
“Milene has more important things to worry about,” I said.
Kiara looked up at me quickly, and I grabbed her hand before she could accidentally cut herself “Damien needs to teach you how to hold a knife,” I said, then let go of her hand.
She set the knife down. “When will you send her back!”
I didn’t answer. I just stared at her.
Kiara tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and looked away. She still gave in 100 easily. “You are sending her back eventually, right?”
Damien walked in with the Tylenol, looking between his wife and me. He frowned but didn’t say anything
“When will the food be ready!” I asked.
Chapter 20
“It’s done now,” Kiara replied, grabbing the oven handle. I stepped back as she opened the oven. She nodded. “It looks perfect”
Damien grabbed the oven mitts and gently moved Kiara aside. “Ill do it?
He carefully placed the bubbling pan on the stove. Kiara smiled at him and lightly touched his arm. Thank you”
His face softened, and I still couldn’t believe how much he cared for her or whatever emotion he was capable of feeling. Damien pulled the Tylenol from his pocket and handed it to me.
“Give Milene some spaghetti,” I said,
Kiara pressed her lips together but obeyed. “Why can’t she eat dinner with us?”
“She’s a prisoner not family.” Luca grumbled as he entered the room, still angry about the soup incident.
“She can still eat with us, even if she’s a prisoner. She’s still a human being Kiara argued, looking to Damien for support. He rested his hand on her waist and they shared a silent look I couldn’t understand.
I was tired of their unspoken conversations, so I grabbed the plate and Tylenol and left.
When I entered the bedroom, Milene was sining on the windowsill, hugging her knees. I wondered what kind of clothes she wore back in Minneapolis. I couldn’t imagine her dressing as modestly as Kiara
She didn’t look at me when I walked in or when I crossed the room to place the plate on her nightstand
“Tell Kiara I’m sorry for wasting her soup,” she said.
“Are you really sorry?” I asked, standing in front of her. She kept staring out the window.
“I’m sorry for wasting it, not for throwing it at your brother. I’m sorry I missed, though. You can tell him that”
I fought back a smile as I studied her. Her soft lips, flawless skin, and proud posture caught my attention. Then I noticed how she was holding her arm awkwardly, keeping it from resting against her leg
I
give
her Tylenol. “For the pain.” Isaid.
She looked at the pills in my hand, then at me, I could see her debating whether to refuse, but she surprised me again by taking them. Her fingers brushed the scars on my palm, and her brows drew together.
“Don’t you
think those are burn scars?” She asked. I quickly pulled my hand away and clenched it into a fist by my side. “Eat. You’ll need your strength for tomorrow.”
I turned and walked out of the room without waiting for a reply, locking the door behind me.
