Chapter 4

•Nikolai•

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"Niko, Elijah Bolton was murdered. His entire family’s been wiped out," Scott reported over the phone.

I leaned back in my chair, sighing in annoyance. "All of them?"

"Yes, boss. Except for Leopold, the butler. He’s missing—no sign of him."

"Find him," I snapped, slipping into my suit jacket.

"On it, Niko. But you might want to get down here; there's a situation—"

I cut him off, "I’ll handle it. I’ve got other things to do."

I ended the call and strolled to the dining room. Bolton’s corpse could wait. I took my seat, picked up the newspaper, and sipped my coffee in silence, more interested in my own routine than staring at Bolton's dead face.

"Don Niko," a maid spoke up.

"What is it?" I asked, not looking up from my newspaper.

"My daughter graduated at the top of her class," she said with a smile. "She wanted to thank you for paying for her education."

Georgia had been working for me for ten years. Her daughter was smart; I’d done what was expected for anyone in my employ.

"She’s a bright kid. Is she planning on college?"

"Yes."

"Have her talk to Scott. He’ll sort it out."

"Thank you, Don Niko."

I finished my breakfast in silence, then got up as Scott’s call came through again. I sighed, buttoning my suit jacket. I had to deal with the mess at the Bolton mansion.

Elijah Bolton was my father's best friend, he was one of my Caporegime, my father considered him a brother. In our world, when you consider someone a brother it means you will give your life for him.

After my father retired, Elijah voluntarily drifted away from our family. I have been made aware that he had planned to leave the underworld and move to another country. A twisted smile made its way to my lips, I think his plans for a fresh start were flushed down the drain.

My cousin Marco flicked his cigarette on the ground as he saw me and opened the car door. I settled in the back and asked him to drive to the Bolton's mansion.

When we got there, the mansion was crawling with my men, I stepped out of the car and saw the bodies of the household help piled over one another. My men pulled out another body from the mansion and threw it over the pile.

Scott approached me. "Niko, I think you need to see something."

"What is it?"

He gestured for me to follow him inside. I followed him into the front door of Bolton's mansion, the giant wooden door was shattered and broken. Chunks of vases and furniture were scattered all over the place. The place looked like the aftermath of a warzone

Scott gestured toward the two bodies sprawled on the floor. The strange part was the girl sitting beside them, her back turned, her clothes drenched in blood and tattered.

"She’s been here for hours, just staring at the bodies," Scott said, his frustration clear. "No fucking idea who she is."

"One of the maids?" I asked.

"Doesn't seem like it. She was holding Elijah’s body and wouldn’t let anyone near them. They must be connected somehow."

I frowned. "Elijah didn’t have a child, as far as I know."

"That’s right. He lived here with his wife and Leo."

I nodded. "Any updates on Leopold?"

"Still nothing. Our guys are still searching." He paused, then asked, "What do you want to do about the girl?"

"Have Alessandro find out who she is."

"Already did. He’ll call back as soon as he has something."

I scowled. "Hasn’t she noticed everyone around her?"

"Bianca tried to talk to her, but she’s completely unresponsive. Looks like she’s in shock."

Scott’s phone buzzed, and Alessandro’s name flashed on the screen. After a brief call, Scott’s expression turned puzzled. I raised an eyebrow.

"Alessandro said there’s no public record of Elijah Bolton having a child. However, eighteen years ago, his wife was admitted to our hospital in labor, and the baby boy died during birth."

"So the child died, I know that. Then who the hell is that?" I demanded, pointing to the girl, her back still turned.

"That’s the million-dollar question."

"Get Bianca back here and have her try again. I need to know who she is."

Scott did as he was told. I watched as Bianca approached the girl, she placed a hand over her shoulder and the girl stiffened. She talked to her for some time before she got up and gave her head a small shake.

"Niko, I tried. She isn't saying anything---"

Bianca's words got cut off as an ear-piercing shriek rang throughout the room. My attention shifted back toward the girl. One of my men was trying to pick up Elijah's body but she threw herself over it, screaming like a fucking banshee.

"Dad, no! Please, no!"

Dad? So, she was Bolton's child.

One of them held her back as the two men dragged Elijah's body out of the house. She fought relentlessly, and my men let her go to pick up Elijah's wife, Mary's dead body. She tried to pull Mary's body from his grasp but her feeble attempts were nothing compared to his strength.

They dragged their dead bodies out of the house, and that's when she turned. Her face and clothes were covered in blood, tears streamed down her face as she followed the men holding her parent's dead bodies.

She tripped on her feet and then got up again. As she was about to run past me, I grabbed her arm stopping her. She didn't look at me at first as she attempted to break free. She kept looking at the men dragging the bodies away from her.

Suddenly, she just gave up and her body went limp. She broke down, crying like a child. She finally looked up at me, her eyes shining with tears.

"What is your name?" I asked her.

She frowned at me, her lips parted before her head hung low and she started to uncontrollably sob again.

"I asked you a question!" I snapped and she cowered away from me, trying to pull herself out of my grip.

My grip on her arm tightened. "I don't like to repeat myself! What is your name?"

"Ev--- ev---" she couldn't even form words in this miserable state.

"Niko, maybe, we should let her calm down first..." Bianca suggested.

"W-who a-are y-you?" she asked through her sobs.

"I'm a friend of your father's," I said, so she would fucking talk to me. I could care less about Elijah fucking Bolton.

"Someone killed my dad... they killed him... my mom and dad" her shoulders shook with the force of her sobs.

Scott placed a hand on my shoulder and my attention shifted toward him. "Boss, there was a drug bust. Police knew someone tipped them off"

A boiling fury swelled inside of me. "Motherfucker!"

I turned to Bianca and pushed the girl in her direction. "Take her home, clean her up, calm her the fuck down, and tell me who the fuck she is!" I ordered as the girl looked between me and Bianca with wide eyes.

I strode out of Elijah's mansion and got into my car. Scott followed closely behind.

"Niko, with the recent attacks on our men and now the drug bust, I think it's all connected to him."

"Let's pay our friend Mateo a visit" I gritted through my teeth.

We got to our warehouse, right in the middle of nowhere. I was flanked by Alessandro and Scott. Four more of my men trailed behind me as we approached Mateo's cell.

Mateo is the underboss of Ignacio Reyes. We have been at a war with Ignacio since he butchered my men in cold blood and breached my territory. I don't forgive the blood of my men that easily. I will not fucking rest till I have killed every single man of Reyes's family.

Ignacio has been going crazy over the disappearance of Mateo, he had an idea that I had him but didn't have the balls to challenge me to my face, I really want him too, so, I can shoot his fucking head off. Now sabotaging my shipments and trying to piss me off discreetly was his coward's way of attacking me. Such a fucking pussy.

Our footsteps echoed off the walls of the warehouse. I stopped outside Mateo's cell as Alessandro opened the door. The room was lit by a single light bulb and under it, Mateo was tied up to a chair, swollen and pissed off.

I put my hand in my pockets as I stood tall before him.

Mateo laughed and spat at my feet. It didn't reach me, but he tried. "Any special reason for this wonderful visit, Nikolai? I'm guessing your shipment of drugs didn't make it, did it?" he grinned.

I placed my palms over the table before him. "How do you know about that?"

He laughed, he fucking laughed at me. "We are way ahead of you, Nikolai. We know your every move."

"You really like to laugh, don't you, Mateo?"

"Not really but laughing at you" he took a deep breath in, relishing the moment of his insignificant win. "It's something else, isn't it?"

"Alessandro?"

"Yes, boss?"

"Help Mateo improve his laugh."

Alessandro opened up his toolbox and took out a metal mouth gag and pliers. Panic flashed through Mateo's eyes, his lips pressed into a thin line as he tried to close his mouth as hard as he could.

A brutal punch connected with his jaw, and his mouth opened with a grunt. Alessandro shoved the mouth gag into his mouth as Scott helped him with it. Alessandro went straight for his front tooth. With his strength, he had no problem pulling his front tooth out, a high-pitched scream rang out through his cell. Saliva mixed with his blood trailed down his chin. Without giving him a chance to gather himself, Alessandro went for the second tooth and pulled it out. Mateo made an animalistic wail. I raised a hand and Alessandro stopped immediately. He took off the mouth gag and stepped aside as Mateo cried like a little bitch.

"Now, are you ready to talk?" I asked

"Go fuck yourself, Nikolai! You'll never get anything out of me!" he shouted.

"Well, I gave you a chance."

I glanced at Alessandro and he knew what to do next. I stepped out of Mateo's cell and strolled down the dark hallway of the warehouse I could hear Mateo's scream resonating throughout it.

Alessandro had the most creative ways to torture information out of people. Now or later, I know Mateo will talk.

I got to my mansion and took off my suit jacket, I threw it over the couch and unbuttoned my cuffs before folding them up.

Bianca entered the living room and walked over to me. "Niko, the girl..."

I leaned back on the couch putting my feet over the coffee table. "What about her?"

"She keeps on crying. The maid took her to take a bath---"

Fucking, shit, I forgot about the girl. "Where is she?"

Bianca reluctantly pointed towards the guestroom. I made my way to it and opened the door only to find it empty. I heard the water running in the bathroom and walked to it. I stood outside the bathroom, leaning against the doorframe.

She was sitting in the bathtub. Her knees to her chest, her brown long hair draped over her back. She was still crying her eyes out as maids poured water over her head, washing away the blood from her face.

She wasn't saying anything, she wasn't stopping the maids from showering her. I silently watched as her olive skin glistened with water, her whimpers and the running water were the only two sounds that resonated in the bathroom.

"Her name is Evangeline," Bianca voiced from behind me. "Evangeline Bolton... she is eighteen years old and Elijah Bolton's only daughter. At least that what's she told me"

"She talked to you?"

"Yes, but she is scared shitless, and I believe she is telling the truth"

"Bolton had a daughter, and he kept her a secret? How the fuck did he pulled that off for eighteen years?"

Bianca lifted a shoulder. "Bolton really loved her. She wouldn't be crying like this if he had abused her or anything. Maybe, he wanted to keep her safe from our world"

"Hm..."

It would make sense. Bolton hiding away his daughter so men like us won't find her.

"What are you going to do with her?" Bianca asked.

I haven't decided what I'm going to do with her just yet. I don't normally have to deal with a girl like this and I'm not even sure why I brought her to my house.

"I haven't decided yet."

Bianca nodded. "I can take her to my place if that helps. You don’t have to deal with her—"

I cut her off with a sharp shake of my head. "No. She stays here until I figure out what to do with her."

Bianca’s shoulders tensed, but she nodded. "Understood, Niko."

"Good. You can go now. I’ll contact you if she needs anything."

Bianca nodded and left afterward. I stood there and watched her, the maids put shampoo in her hair, and she let them. After they were done, the maids asked her to step out of the bathtub. Slowly and cautiously she tried to stand up.

I heaved a sigh and turned to go to my study. I wasn't a fucking pervert, I wasn't going to stand there and watch her dressing up, I left her room and let her do her thing.

Right now, I fucking had more important things to do.