Chapter 28
The touch was soft. Gentle. Fingers threaded through my hair, slow and comforting.
For a second, I let myself sink into the warmth of it. My head felt light, like I was floating between sleep and wakefulness, my body sluggish and uncooperative.
Then it hit me.
The crash. The windows shattering. The accident.
Panic surged through me, snapping me awake.
I jerked upright so fast my head throbbed in protest. The room tilted, pain crashing over me in waves. A sharp inhale caught in my throat as my hand instinctively flew to my forehead, my fingers grazing rough bandages. My dress was torn at the sleeve and the neckline slightly ripped.
Then I saw him.
Nico.
He was sitting beside me on the bed, his dark eyes fixed on mine, watching. Too closely. Too intently.
My heart pounded violently as I took in my surroundings. A dimly lit room, unfamiliar and strange. The sheets beneath me were soft. I wasn't tied up. The door was closed. We were alone.
My stomach twisted.
Nico was here. Why the hell was Nico here?
I pressed my back against the headboard, trying to put distance between us but my limbs felt sluggish, my head too heavy. The pain throbbed behind my temples, sharp and insistent but I didn't care.
All that mattered was that I wasn't where I was supposed to be.
I was supposed to be at the penthouse. I was supposed to be with Luca.
And yet, Nico was the one sitting beside me.
"Shh" he murmured, like I was a child waking from a nightmare. Like he wasn't the nightmare itself.
"What—" My voice came out hoarse, barely more than a whisper. I swallowed, forcing the words out. "What happened?"
Nico looked at me like I was something fragile and delicate.
Like he actually cared.
"You were in an accident," he said simply. "Your driver didn't make it."
My stomach dropped.
Marco.
Oh, God.
I sucked in a sharp breath, my fingers digging into the sheets. Marco was with me. He had been driving. And now, now he was gone.
"You—you were at the accident?" I asked, my throat dry.
He tilted his head slightly, as if debating how much to tell me. Then with a slow smile, he leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees. "I was there before it happened."
I swallowed hard, my throat dry as sandpaper. My head was pounding, but it wasn't just from the accident, it was from him. From the way he watched me. From the way he sat so fucking close, like I wasn't supposed to question any of this.
I wasn't supposed to be here. I wasn't supposed to be with him.
"Before it happened" I repeated, my voice barely above a whisper.
Nico didn't blink. Didn't hesitate. Just sat there, watching me like he was enjoying this. Like he was waiting for me to put the pieces together.
My pulse throbbed, the weight of his words settling into my bones.
"You knew" I forced out. "You knew it was going to happen."
Nico tilted his head, a slow smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth.
"It wasn't meant to be like this" he said, voice smooth. "It was supposed to be cleaner."
My stomach twisted violently.
I tried to move, to shift further away from him, but my body felt heavy and slow, like I was wading through thick air.
"You are a monster." I spat out.
"I'm a monster?" He echoed, almost amused. He reached out suddenly, his fingers brushing my wrist, the touch deceptively gentle. "That's funny coming from the wife of Luca Moretti."
I flinched at the sound of Luca's name.
Something in Nico's gaze sharpened. "Ah." He exhaled a slow breath, "He did something, didn't he?"
His grip tightened slightly around my wrist. Not painful, but firm. Possessive.
"I know what he did to you, cara" His voice was low, almost hypnotic. "I know how he looks at you. I know how he hurts you."
My breath hitched.
"You don't know anything."
"I know everything." His fingers traced up my arm. "I know he called you a whore. I know he cheated on you."
My lungs squeezed tight.
I turned my face away but Nico caught my chin, forcing me to look at him.
"And I know that a part of you believes it," he whispered. "That's why you ran away, isn't it?"
Tears burned behind my eyes.
"I didn't run to you." My voice croaked.
"No," he said, almost thoughtful. "But you ended up with me anyway, like you were always supposed to."
His thumb brushed against my cheek, his touch sickeningly tender.
"No" I said, barely above a whisper.
His grip tightened on my chin hurting me. He exhaled slowly.
He leaned in, his forehead nearly brushing mine. "You are wrong" he murmured. "You belonged to me before you ever belonged to him."
The tension in his jaw eased. His grip loosened. And then he kissed my forehead.
When he pulled back, his eyes were stormy and dark.
"Don't try anything stupid, Alessa" he said. "Because if you do..."
He straightened, his hand grazing my hair one last time before stepping away.
"...I will have to tie you up."
Then without another word, he turned and left, the door clicking shut behind him.
The moment the door clicked shut, I moved.
My limbs were heavy, my head pounding but I forced myself upright, gripping the bedpost for balance. My heart was still racing, a mixture of fear and nausea swirling in my stomach.
I needed to get out.
I stumbled toward the door, each step making my legs shake. My fingers fumbled against the handle, twisting and pulling.
Locked.
A sharp exhale left my lips. My pulse thundered in my ears as I scanned the room. No windows. No phone. No way to reach Luca.
Luca.
He didn't even know where I was. Why did I even believe the text?
I swallowed hard, pressing my forehead against the door, my breath coming in quick, shallow bursts. My chest ached with the weight of it all.
There was no way out.
For now.
I forced my legs to move, dragging myself back to the bed and sinking onto the mattress. My body was exhausted but my mind wouldn't stop racing.
Minutes passed. Maybe hours.
Then the door unlocked with a soft click.
I sat up as Nico stepped inside, carrying a tray with food.
He shut the door behind him, locking it again.
"Eat" he said, setting the tray on the nightstand. His voice was calm, patient like he was speaking to a child.
I didn't move.
He sighed, picking up the spoon, stirring the soup. "You need your strength, cara."
I clenched my jaw, shaking my head.
His eyes darkened. "Alessa."
I said nothing, still looking away.
A muscle ticked in his jaw. He set the spoon down and leaned forward, his voice soft but carrying an edge. "Don't be difficult."
I didn't look at him.
Then, suddenly—
Pain.
A sharp, stinging slap across my cheek, so fast I barely saw it coming.
My head snapped to the side, the taste of blood filling my mouth. My pulse pounded against my skull, my skin burning from the impact.
Silence.
Then—
A breath.
A shift in the air.
When I turned back, Nico was staring at his hand, his expression unreadable.
Then, to my horror he exhaled shakily, fingers flexing like he couldn't believe what he had done. And just like that, the monster was gone, replaced by something else.
"Fuck." His voice was full of shock. "Alessa, I—"
He reached for me, his hands trembling as they cupped my face, his thumbs skimming over the mark he had just left behind.
"I didn't mean to." His voice was low, almost pleading.
"You" He exhaled shakily, pressing his forehead against mine. "You make me crazy."
I held my breath, my body rigid as he ran his fingers through my hair, the touch eerily tender.
"I'm so sorry" he murmured, brushing his lips over my temple. "I just—" His grip tightened. "You have no idea what you do to me."
I squeezed my eyes shut, fighting the tears burning behind them.
"I need you to eat," he continued, his tone coaxing, soothing. "You are weak. You need your strength."
When I didn't respond, he reached for the tray, scooping up a spoonful of soup and holding it to my lips. I kept them pressed tight.
"Alessa" he warned "Don't make me lose my cool again."
I didn't listen to him keeping my mouth shut.
His expression darkened, patience thinning. With one hand, he gripped my jaw, forcing me mouth open. The spoon slipped between my lips before I could fight it, the hot liquid sliding down my throat.
My eyes blurred from the tears spilling.
"That's it," he murmured approvingly. "Such a good girl."
When he was finished, he set the tray aside, brushing damp strands of hair from my face.
"I knew you would be good for me," he said before getting up. "Now rest, you will need it"
He left the room, locking it again as I cried.