•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ The sound of Grace's footsteps became closer and closer. I started to panic, my palms turned sweaty as I looked between the door and Nikolai's feral eyes. I was sitting on the countertop, and Nikolai was standing between my parted legs with his hand fisting my hair and gripping my neck. And his fiancée was right outside the kitchen door. "Stop right where you are, Grace, do not take another step," Nikolai ordered, and the footsteps stopped almost instantly. I sucked in a breath, Nikolai's eyes were trained on me. His eyes narrowed from the edges as rage flashed through. My heartbeat accelerated, and my breathing became shallow. "Grace, if I told you to never fucking speak again, would you do it?" he asked her while his eyes were focused on me, his fingertips burning in the side of my neck. "I would..." came her light voice from right outside the door. "If I asked you to strip naked right the fuck now, would you do it?" "Yes..." her voice was absolut
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ I entered the gym and glanced at his back. He was facing the boxing ring as he took off his t-shirt, leaving him only in black boxer shorts. I kept standing by the door unsure of what I am supposed to do. Am I supposed to warm up or something? If it was before, I would have confidently walked up to him and asked him what I am supposed to do but now I felt so out of place. It felt like we were strangers. He belonged to someone else. There was a wall between us now that I didn't want to break down. Last night just proved how he would never fall for someone like me. So much has happened between us, the good and the bad. I don't know where we stand. When is all this going to end? How is all this going to end? After he gets married, what am I supposed to do? Where am I supposed to live because I refuse to be someone's dirty little secret, not after my own parents made me one. "Get in the ring," I got startled by his sudden order. His voice sounded so brusque
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ A week had passed since our kiss in the gym. I avoided being alone with him even when we were boxing, I made sure to give him a cold shoulder. But then three days ago, Nikolai had to go out of the country for his business or his mafia, I wouldn't know. He doesn't tell me anything about what he does. I went to the gym a few times alone but it didn't feel the same or right without Nikolai. Since Grace and I were alone in the house, I realized she wasn't so bad. She could be described as over-friendly something I'm definitely not used to. After my parent's death, I spent most of my time with Nikolai and Scott and they were the least friendly people on earth. Right now, Grace and I were reclining on the lounge chairs while she babbled continuously about ex-boyfriends. Grace had a long list of ex-boyfriends, all of them were Made men. Her father was abusive towards her mother, he beat her up a lot, so Grace was used to getting slapped around by her stupid boyfr
•Nikolai• ╌═❁═╌ We were sitting around the table at a restaurant with my father, Grace, Scott, and my Evangeline. She kept playing with the food on her plate, and haven't really taken an actual bite of it. Every two seconds, she'd glance in my direction, her cheeks would heat, and the flustered look on her face was enough for everyone to know that she was thinking of something inappropriate. She looked different today, good different. She seemed happier. I don't remember her being this happy since she got kidnapped. She wore a blue dress, her dark-colored hair was loosely curled and she was wearing light pink lipstick. Full, pink, and glossy, with a tiny mole above the left side of her mouth. A sudden urge to suck that lipstick off her lips crept up. I was really close to taking her this evening and I know she wouldn't have complained either but it didn't fucking feel right. I was still wearing Grace's ring on my finger and she told me that she won't have sex with me not until I
•Nikolai• ╌═❁═╌ "By the end of this week, you will be a married woman, Evangeline," I whispered on her lips. Her eyes went wide and all the color drained from her face. "No..." She stopped struggling, her body went completely still. A beautiful little crinkle appeared between her brows, she was confused and she seemed a little scared. "What do you mean?" she asked. I gripped her wrists tighter. "You'll know soon, Angel." "No, tell me now!" she demanded. "Kiss me back and I will." She shook her head. "Tell me first maybe then I will kiss you." "I don't negotiate with little girls." "Then I'm not going to kiss you back." "Or I could just forcefully take what I want," I wasn't planning on doing something like that to her, I just enjoyed unnerving her. She scowled, trying to fight me off her. "You wouldn't!" "I'm not the man you want to mess with, Angel. I'm downright cruel and I've never pretended otherwise." "You may be cruel but I know you can't hurt me, I know y
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ I took off the gloves, tossing them out of the ring before I laid straight down on the boxing ring. Nikolai stood over me, watching me with a hint of a smile on his lips. We'd been boxing for the past hour and he was barely out of breath and compared to him I was perspiring pretty heavily. "Good girl," he said. "You did well today." A full-blown smile crept on my lips. My chest filled with warmth, it wasn't every day that Nikolai appreciates or compliment me. "I'm exhausted... I wanna sleep." He frowned. "You woke up two hours ago." I nodded, sitting up. "Yes, and now I'm tired again not all of us are vampires," then I shook my head. "No, vampires also sleep during the day, I have never seen you sleep since the day I got here." He gave his head a shake as if finding this conversation ridiculous. "I sleep..." he just said. I scoffed. "Barely... you will get sick." "Are you worried for me?" he asked and I rolled my eyes at him not saying a word.
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ I squinted my eyes open as soft sunlight beamed in through the blinds, I shifted, stretching my body when suddenly my arm touched something. Something warm and hard. I pulled my arm back immediately and glanced to my side. A smile crept over my face when I saw Nikolai sleeping beside me in my bed. I had no idea when he got home last night or when he crawled under the sheets with me but I liked it. I liked having him in my bed. Was he trying to show me that he does sleep because yesterday I told him that I never saw him sleeping? God, this man... I turned on my side, facing him. He was shirtless, laying on his stomach while the sheets covered the lower half of his body, his strong arms held the pillow. He was in deep sleep and looked so damn peaceful. For a second, he looked so boyish, so young, not like the cold man I'd grown used to. His thick dark locks were roughly tousled and I had a sudden urge to run my fingers through them. I raised my hands and s
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ I was scared to go to Grace's bachelorette party because after the scene this morning, I have no idea where Grace and I stand. She must hate me, who wouldn't... She must think Nikolai and I were together the whole night and after we had been spending so much time together, it must feel like a betrayal on her part. Well, she did say she won't mind if Nikolai slept around, maybe, she will spare me the wrath of Grace Russell, the mafia princess. She had told me herself multiple times that infidelity is common in the Cosa Nostra but her reaction in the morning proved otherwise. She looked ready to rip my head off and rightfully so but then again, she contained her emotions... I don't know what to believe. I can't imagine what she must be feeling the way Nikolai treated her afterward, knowing that they both had no choice in the matter. Marriage of convenience was wrong and despicable, no one should be forced to spend life with someone that they don't want. Nik
Oh my god! Oh my god! You guys! I can't believe this story ended already. I'm not done with Nikolai and Evangeline just yet! It had been an amazing journey for me here on Goodnovel and the response and comments from you guys made it all so much better. All I want to say is thank you so much for your support. Thank you for being part of this moment. If you loved the story and then please, please, please, write a review and give a 5-STAR rating! It would mean a lot to me! Okay, now who's ready for — Mafia Men 2: Lorenzo's gilded Cage? Comment down below and let me know if you are waiting for it! ❤️I love you all so damn much, thank you again! XOXO JANE DOE
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ "Please, please, have mercy..." he groaned out, he could barely breathe but I didn't care as I jabbed another needle into his neck. I frowned, mockingly. "How can I? You don't fucking deserve it!" saying that, I slammed a plier onto his nose, probably breaking it. He let out gibberish as blood trailed down his nose, filling his mouth, and making him gag on it. I was in the tunnels under our mansion, torturing our captives—the ones who deserves it anyway. My hair was in a messy bun and I was wearing a light pink summer dress which was now covered in blood, filthy blood. My husband has gone out of the country leaving me alone with these imbeciles and Lorenzo. I went into the corner to get the toolkit when Lorenzo appeared beside me in a flash, "Let me get this for you." I smiled as we walked back to the man I was torturing. Phew! Even walking is a chore for me nowadays. Lorenzo opened the kit and before me; laid beautiful, the shiniest, and the sharpe
•Nikolai• ╌═❁═╌ "I wish you were here, Mama," I whispered as I rolled her diamond ring between my fingers, the same ring I bought for her from Sicily. She would have loved Evangeline. "Ready, Niko?" Scott's voice resounded in the room. I turned and saw Scott and Bianca, she grinned widely at me and ran up to me. She stepped closer to me and pinned a white rose boutonnière to the lapel of my tuxedo. She stepped back and smiled with satisfaction. "Now you look perfect! I'm gonna go check on the bride," saying that, she trotted out of the room leaving me alone with Scott. "What is it, Shitface?" "Nervous?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. I furrowed my eyebrows as I realized I wasn't fucking nervous at all. When I was about to get fake-married to Grace, I was going fucking crazy and the thought that Evangeline would be sitting with the guest made me lose my shit but today... I was about to get married to my wife and I felt content, relaxed, and calm. I clicked my tongue, "Not e
•Nikolai• ╌═❁═╌ “THREE MONTHS BEFORE THE BOLTON'S FAMILY MASSACRE” "Mama?!" I went into my parents' home, looking for my mother, "Mama?!" "Niko!" her voice filled my ears and my attention snapped in its direction of it. She stepped out of the kitchen immediately, her face contorting with glee as she saw me, and a wide smile appeared. A maid helped her take the apron off and she came running toward me. My mother, my beautiful mama. She pulled me in a hug, wrapping her arms around me. I rested my chin above her head and smiled, hugging her back. "Oh, I was so scared. I prayed day and night for you to come home safely. I hate this, Niko, first your father and now you. Every time you and your father stay away from home for more than a week, I die a little from the inside, Durak!" "I came to you the second the plane landed," I told her. She pulled back and held my hand, taking me to a couch, "Okay, what did you bring for your mama from Sicily?" She watched me with hopeful b
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ I waited for a few moments and then moved closer to the window to see where he had gone. I noticed the flickering light of a drugstore as Nikolai stepped out of it. I frowned, he left me all hot and bothered to get medicine or some shit? Maybe, he was getting condoms or birth control pills. I was still in my thoughts when the door swung open and Nikolai grabbed me like a savage and hovered over me, shutting the door behind him and locking the car. In a second, his hand was on my neck, choking me, pushing me down into the seat. "Shit, you're so fucking hot and it makes me fucking furious that I can't fucking resist you." My hands went to his arm—the one holding me in place. "Furious enough to fuck me like you fucking hate me?" I managed to ask, remembering what he once said to me. A dark look flashed across his face, his eyes turned a shade darker, oh, he was furious alright. "Furious enough to fuck you like I'd fuck a lowlife whore who doesn't even deserv
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ "B, I don't know why I am so damn nervous when I am already freakin' married!" I tugged at the wedding dress I was wearing, "Don't you think it's too tight?" "Maybe because now you are getting married to the man you love..." she said as a matter of factly, standing behind me as the woman adjusted the dress. I rolled my eyes, "He was always the man I loved..." I lightly touched the saleswoman's shoulder, "I don't think it's the right dress for me..." She gave me a polite smile, "I'll bring out a few more dresses, Mrs. Costello." Bianca blew out a raspberry, "Nope, he was the man you admired, you had a teen girl crush on him. My cousin, Niko is a handsome man, I have seen how girls throw themselves at him; you were just one of them that's why you jumped into marriage with him without even understanding what it was. You first married him because you wanted him but now it's different. Now you are marrying him because you love him, you need him because h
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ A huge cake was brought out, and Nikolai handed me a knife as I cut into it. His hand was glued to my back the whole night, he didn't let me out of his sight not even for a moment. I met with Alessandro after ages, I had met him once before in Sicily when Nikolai took me to the woods to shoot Grace. I stand corrected in my statement that Alessandro is still my favorite Costello of all—second to Bianca of course. "Happy Birthday, Mrs. Costello." I turned and saw Lorenzo with a gift in his hands. I pulled myself out of Nikolai's grip and jumped into his arms, "Thank you, Lorenzo!" "Here's your gift," he pushed it into me; he didn't hug me back as usual. "Thank you..." I took it and as I was about to hand it to a maid to put it with the mountain of gifts I had received tonight, Lorenzo stopped me. "Open it." I smiled, shaking my head, I pulled at the ribbon. I took off the lid of the box and saw red lipstick, "A lipstick?" "It's not just lipstick, it'
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ "Is Nikolai going to be there?" I asked Bianca as I ran my hand through my wet hair, blow-drying them. Today was my twenty-first birthday. Bianca being a party animal as always decided to throw another party for me. Sometimes I think she just needs a reason for partying, nothing else. I really didn't want another party after what went down last time. Also, Nikolai still hadn't wished me. Ugh! I don't know why I keep wanting him and pushing him away at the same time, my indecisiveness was getting on my own nerves. I really don't know what I wanted. One second I want him and the next second I remember what I went through because of him and that scenario ends up with me in a comatose. Bianca was laying on my bed, over her stomach applying nail polish over her fingernails as she blew on them, "I don't know..." I raised an eyebrow, her tone seemed way too carefree to talk about Nikolai, "What do you mean, you don't know? Aren't we going to his nightclub?" Sh
•Evangeline• ╌─═❁═─╌ "I know things hadn't been the same between us since I came back but I promise you, no more bullshit..." I said, looking at her with hopeful eyes. "I really missed you, E, and you came back as a completely different person, I couldn't even recognize you." I grabbed her hand. "Hey, no, come on, it's still me, B, I'm right here." "Then you went into a coma and I felt so guilty and I cried because I thought I'd never be able to talk to you again and I wished I could just turn back the clock and hug you one more time—" I cut her rambling off and placed an arm over her shoulder, pulling her closer. I rested my head against hers and sighed. We were sitting on our living room couch. Nikolai had been sending Bianca back every time she came to meet me but luckily it was me who found her today because Nikolai wasn't at home. A maid told me he never came home last night. After an hour or so, Bianca left. We had lunch together and hung out, she had gossip about almo