Mafia Men: Nikolai's Inferno novel Chapter 5

•Evangeline•

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I don't know where I was. I don't know any of these people. I have been sitting in this room alone in the corner after the maids bathed me, they tried to get me to eat something but I couldn't. All I could think about was my parent's dead bodies, their dead eyes staring at me emotionlessly. Bile rose to my throat, I wanted to throw up, food was the least of my concerns right now.

All-day long a lot of questions have been running through my mind. I needed answers, I needed someone to talk to. I needed to see my parents again. They deserve a funeral and proper burial and a final goodbye that I never got a chance to say.

There were a lot of people in this house, mostly, servants. They couldn't have the answers to my questions. I needed to talk to the woman who brought me here, what was her name? Bianca? That's what she told me.

I needed to know, who they are? What do they want from me? Why am I here? What happened to my parents? Who killed them? What will happen to me? What are they going to do to me?

An unexpected wail bubbled up from my chest as I thought about my parents again. We had so many plans... I sobbed even more as I realized that we will never get the chance to be a normal family.

I miss them...

I miss them so much...

A knock on my bedroom door startled me, I wiped my tears away immediately and croaked out a rough come in. The same maid re-entered my room with a tray full of food. Her face contorted with pity as she approached me.

"I'm not hungry..." I whispered

I pulled my knees to my chest and dropped my head over them. I didn't feel like doing anything, a certain weight had settled on my chest. I felt like I was drowning.

"You need to eat"

I shook my head. "I can't... I just can't... I told you I'm not hungry"

Another knock startled us, I looked towards the door, and the same woman who had brought me here entered. I don't know why but after seeing her relief washed over me.

"Hey..." she smiled at me.

"Hi..." I answered

She nodded at the maid and the maid nodded back at her before she walked out of the bedroom. She approached me and settled down beside me.

"Eat" she ordered.

I looked between her and the tray full of food. I shook my head, telling her that I couldn't. She breathed out loudly.

"Why, Evangeline?" she asked

I swallowed. "Who are you?"

"My name is Bianca like I told you... and we are your friends, Evangeline. We won't hurt you, okay? You need to eat or the boss won't like it"

My stomach sank as I remembered the tall, tattooed man from before. "Boss?"

"Yeah, Nikolai Costello. This is his home, and he would like to see you in his study after you have had your meal"

I chewed on the inside of my cheek. "I don't feel like eating anything..."

She placed a hand over my knee. "Why?"

My lower lip quivered and my voice broke. "I miss my parents..."

"Evangeline..." she sighed. "Your parents are gone, they are never coming back. Now you need to pull on your big girl panties and try to learn how to live without them" she picked up a bowl of soup from the tray and offered it to me. "Eat..."

"I have never had a meal without my parents... We always used to eat together..."

"I'll eat with you, will that make you feel better?"

I reluctantly took the bowl of soup from her hand, she sat there and shared a meal with me. After we were done, she stood up and offered me her hand.

"Come on, you need to go see Nikolai"

"Nikolai?"

"Yeah, come on"

I placed my hand in hers and stood up. I smoothed my dress and my hair and rubbed my eyes to get rid of the tears. She strolled out of the bedroom and I followed her silently. We stopped outside a large wooden door and Bianca turned to me.

"He's inside, keep your eyes on the ground and honestly answer any question he asks, alright?"

I nodded. "Okay..."

My legs trembled and my breathing got shallow. I don't know why I was so scared, no one here has hurt me. They all have been nice to me and whoever Nikolai was, I hope he was as nice as Bianca.

She gestured for me to go on inside. I looked at her alarmed. "You are not coming with me?"

She shook her head. "No, now go on" she pushed me towards the large wooden door.

With trembling hand, I turned the doorknob and the door opened. I held my breath as I walked in. I know Bianca told me to keep my gaze on the ground but curiosity got the best of me as I looked up at him. Fortunately, his back was facing me, I immediately dropped my gaze back to my toes.

I stood rooted next to the closed door, I could hear him pouring a drink. I suddenly felt incredibly vulnerable, and so alone. My father's words rang in my mind on a loop.

The world is a dangerous place for someone as innocent as you, Evangeline.

A strange fear crept over me, maybe it was because of what my parents had told me all my life. What if all these people are nice and I'm making a big deal out of nothing? But the fear overpowered every other emotion and goosebumps crept over my back. I thought that if I moved, he would eat me alive.

The atmosphere of the room didn't really help my situation either. The thick curtains were drawn, and the room was dimly lit.

I made the mistake of looking at him one more time and my breath hitched as my eyes met his. For some reason, I couldn't take my eyes off of him.

He was leaning against his desk, facing me, a drink in his hand. He emptied the glass tumbler in a single go without taking his eyes off of me. His eyes raked up and down all over me like he was studying me like I was not human but an odd creature that had caught his attention.