Chapter 39 – Elijah
39
ELIJAH
“ W hat do you mean she killed someone last night, Elijah?”
“She thought I was in danger. She thought you were in danger too. She needed to do it.”
Niko raised his voice even more, worry and anger burning in his eyes, “Eli, she killed a man in a bar! This is crazy; she cannot do that! She’s better than that, better than us!”
“Nikolai, calm down. Yelling won’t change anything. She made a choice, and now we deal with it. But let’s keep our voices down; she doesn’t need this right now.”
Niko shook his head. “ Lei vuole farsi uccidere ?”
“No, Niko. She doesn’t want to be fucking killed.”
Zanae’s delicate figure appeared before us, freezing us both in our tracks.
Niko spoke first, “What the fuck, Zanae? Do you have any idea what you’ve done? You walked into a bar, killed a man, and put yourself at a fucking risk!”
My eyes bore into him, “Niko, don’t fucking raise your voice at her.”
Zanae stepped forward, slowly, carefully almost. “Let me explain.”
He took a deep breath, trying to rein in his emotions. “You can’t act without considering the consequences, Zanae. We’re a fucking team, for God’s sake.”
“Nikolai, not now. Zanae did what she thought was right. Let’s make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Zanae whispered, “I’m sorry, I didn’t want you to clean my mess. I’m sorry.” And then she went out on the balcony.
I grabbed Niko by the collar, “You fucking made her cry, you idiot. She didn’t even have time to explain herself.”
Niko tried to push me away, but I didn’t budge.
And after a long breath, he confessed, “Eli she’s like a sister to me this is not okay, she’s in danger and she’s not thinking straight!”
“Listen to me, Niko. I’m going to go get my woman, and you’re going to talk to her. No yelling, and you’re going to be kind. Do you hear me? She’s not in any mental state where she could just think straight, so get a hold of your damn-self.”
I gently released Niko before heading to the balcony where Zanae stood.
Quietly, I approached her and wrapped my arms around her waist. “Niko is just worried about you, you know. Just like I am. But he isn’t as weak for you as I am, Milaya ,” I murmured.
She sighed, leaning against me. “You’re right. It’s just... I couldn’t let that woman threaten June, Miranda, Ben, him, and even you. I had to do something.”
I tightened my hold. “I understand, Zanae. But there are better ways to handle this now. You have us. You have me.”
“That’s exactly why I can’t risk it,” she replied, turning toward me. “Because I have you now. And I can’t risk losing you.”
My heart tightened, beating so fast it felt like it could burst out of my chest. This woman meant everything to me. Everything.
My thumb gently caressed her cheek.
“You’re never going to lose me, never.”
She rested her head on my chest and planted a small kiss there.
“Niko will hate me for this.”
I pressed my lips to her forehead. “No one could hate you. I’ll deal with him if he makes you feel that way. Let’s go back inside. He needs to talk to you.”
Guiding her back into the living room, I observed as Nikolai stood, his expression worried and stern. I gestured for him to speak with her and left them alone.
Zanae
Niko crossed his arms, his gaze angry as he faced me. “I can’t believe you did that, Zanae. Even if your friend took care of the body, it was reckless. I called a contact in the FBI to erase the surveillance footage, the DNA traces the gunpowder. You could’ve been in a really bad position or even dead!”
I met his gaze, determination etched all over my heart.
“This woman went after the two people I’ve always protected. You don’t know how much Miranda and June mean to me. I couldn’t just stand by and let it happen.”
He sighed; frustrated. “We have other ways to handle this. You’re part of this Zanae, you have to trust us. You’re not alone anymore.”
“And I’m not weak either. If I have to get my hands bloody to protect my people, I will. I’d do even worse if necessary. You need to understand that.”
“I know. But not when you’re under a threat, Zanae. At least let us know.”
Breathe Z. Breathe.
“I should have told you, but I needed to act quickly. I promise I’ll be more careful next time.”
Nikolai softened, his tone gentler. “Elijah wouldn’t make it if anything happened to you. And I wouldn’t either if anything happened to him or you. Please, promise me you won’t do that again, Z.”
I offered a small smile. “I promise. You’re kind of scary when you yell.”
He smiled back at me, still carrying some worry from yesterday. “We aren’t this kind with everyone, you know. With you, it’s different. You’re our little Z.”
“I guess it’s a good thing. But don’t yell at me; I don’t like it when you’re angry at me.”
“I’m your brother, Princess. Of course, I’m going to yell at you again,” he replied, pulling me closer for a brief hug.
Elijah watched us from a distance, leaning casually against the door frame with a knowing smile.
He always had my back.
He knew I would’ve been too stressed to talk to Niko about that alone, so he took the lead. This man embodied comfort in every sense of the word for me.
In the living room, two pairs of eyes were fixed on me, tense, expectant, and awaiting an explanation for what happened yesterday.
I took a deep breath before starting and then began, “I learned a few things from Marcelo. He was in multiple pictures with the woman. That’s how we found him with Brian. He knew who I was.”
Elijah’s jaw clenched; his eyes turned cold. “Did he mention a name?”
I shook my head, “No, he said she’s well-connected, but she’s still a big question mark.”
Nikolai leaned forward, gazing at me. “We need more information. We can’t keep playing this guessing game. We have to find out who she is.”
“I’m working on that. I’ll dig deeper with Brian.”
Pacing nervously in the penthouse, my mind raced with thoughts of the mysterious woman, I knew I needed more information.
I picked up my phone and dialed Brian’s number. After a few rings, Brian answered.
“Hey, Huntress. Feeling better?”
“Yeah, Brian. And thank you again. I owe you one. Marcelo didn’t spill much about the woman, but he hinted that she might have associates. I need to know who they are, where they operate, anything that can help us track her down.”
“Alright, let me dig into this. If they left any digital traces or appeared in the background of photos, I’ll find them.”
“Look for any connections to Marcelo or to her. If we can’t find anything about her, we’ll find her contacts one by one.”
“I’ll text you once I have something concrete. Stay safe.”
I hung up the phone and let out a long breath. The mission was in a few days, and I needed to make up my mind, my thoughts were all over the place.
Two days have passed, and a routine has settled in. I push myself to the limit during training with Elijah and Niko until exhaustion, and then Eli takes care of me—washing me, feeding me, and sleeping by my side.
I didn’t know how exhausting our bodies could relax our minds, but since I’ve been doing it, I no longer have time to think.
I hate thinking.
I hate silence too.
So, I try to make the two disappear when I’m awake.
There are moments when I wake up in the middle of the night because of nightmares, my heart pounding, cold sweats. Elijah always wakes up at the same time, as if he senses that something’s off. He usually sleeps with his hand on my heart or wrist, feeling my heartbeat. But he always manages to reassure me and lull me back to sleep.
One evening, Brian’s message finally arrived.
She discovered connections and identified potential allies associated with the woman and the organization.
Anxiety and anticipation filled my chest reading through the files. She’s a fucking genius. She had managed to trace digital footprints, cross-referencing data, and linking the ghost woman to a network of individuals with questioning backgrounds, some of whom are powerful judges, commandants, deputies—it’s insane.
They all turn to this organization to clean up their secrets, their shame, their problems.
There were names, faces that, until now, had remained hidden in the shadows. All these names were intertwined with the mob industry. So much information that we had never found before.
I knew it was time to take the lead, so I gathered the information Brian provided and began delving into every connection and picture. I knew I was close; while some names posed more challenges in analysis, much of it started to fall into place.
The patterns were clear—vendettas and conflicts among clans and gangs or powerful families. She consistently aligned herself with the leader, and oddly it was the leader she wasn’t with who endured a living nightmare. Daughters, wives, mothers, or even sisters were tragically murdered. Not many men were murdered, but it made sense considering that most of those seeking vengeance were fathers, brothers, or husbands.
This irregularity couldn’t be some kind of coincidence.
She was like a death incarnate.
Wherever she was, bodies were found—violated, lifeless .
I found Elijah and Nikolai in their office, and with my smile and a folder of info about the ghost woman, I entered, “Hey, you,” I greeted them.
Elijah looked up from his desk.
“ Milaya , what’s going on?”
Taking a deep breath, I walked over to their desks and placed the folder in front of them. “I’ve got something important to share. Sit down and listen to me.”
They exchanged curious glances before taking a seat, giving me their full focus.
“Oh, okay, I’m listening, Little Z,” Niko said, grinning like a proud dad.
I began laying out everything – the connections, the faces, the pictures, the position of some of them.
They absorbed the details, their expressions shifting from curiosity to concern.
Elijah reacted to one picture, “Stop on this one.”
Pointing at the image on my tablet, I explained, “It’s an old picture. And that’s the woman we’re after, and a man who weirdly appears in every photo she is in. Notice the physical proximity between them, almost touching. Normally, we keep a certain distance from strangers unless we share some kind of relationship with them.”
Niko tilted his head, curious, “What else do you see, Zanae?”
My eyes scanned the picture again, and I lost myself in analyzing every little detail to explain my thoughts to them. “The orientation of their bodies is so intimate. They are turned towards each other, like they’re focused on each other rather than on what’s happening around them.” What else, Zee? “The mirroring effect says a lot about their connection. Their gestures reflect each other, see how they’re both crossing their arms, they have the same head position too. They definitely know each other. And when I say know, I mean romantically .”
Elijah’s jaw clenched, his eyes narrowing as he processed the information. “We’ve got to dig deeper into this. Zanae, this man is Lukas Contini, Naevio’s father.”
“That’s insane,” I muttered, my mind reeling at the revelation. “So, she’s really with the organization, the woman that’s after me works with them.”
“She definitely is a member,” Niko added.
I nodded, adding, “The thing is, she’s not just a singular enemy; she has connections that extend to Russia and Poland too. I found pictures of her at some gatherings with powerful people from all over Europe.”
We spent hours discussing every detail we had surrounding this woman, and I couldn’t help but feel grateful for having them by my side. It felt like I had finally found people who trusted me and my capabilities.
I was sitting next to Elijah with my legs on his lap, his arms gently stroking my thighs. “So, tomorrow’s the big day,” I said. “We finally get to snoop around Naevio’s father’s house.”
Elijah chuckled, “You’re going to be careful, right? No reckless moves.”
Niko raised an eyebrow. “She won’t, or we’re going to have to kill her ourselves.”
I grinned and put my hands underneath my chin to mimic innocence, “No worries, I’ll be an angel tomorrow.”
Niko laughed. “An angel with raised middle fingers isn’t exactly my definition of an angel, Little Z.”
“Well, maybe you’ve got the wrong definition. Is that why you keep calling Elijah your guardian angel?”
Elijah leaned against me while I kept my middle fingers up to Niko, and then he playfully bit my finger and then the shell of my ear.
“Elijah, what are you doing?” I asked, confused but amused.
He straightened up, leaning back in his chair as if nothing happened. “Just trying to make you shut up, Angel.”
“How dare you? I thought we were on the same team, Eli!” I whispered, feigning outrage.
“We are, baby,” he smiled, then took my hand and planted a kiss on the skin of my palm.
After a few more minutes, we decided to call it a night and head home.
“Early to bed, early to rise,” Nikolai replied as we headed outside the building, his arm around my shoulder. “After tomorrow, we’re going on vacation, guys.”
Elijah, a hint of a smile on his lips, added, “We don’t do holidays, Nikolai, we run the fucking city.”
I nodded and looked at Elijah. “Oh no, I would’ve loved to. I’ve always wanted to go to Colombia.”
“We’re going there, la mia ragazza , don’t listen to him. We’re going there like two besties, you and I. Maybe Ben if he’s less of an asshole than he already is.”
Elijah chuckled, pushing me closer with his arm around my waist. “Over my dead body, Nikolai.”
We found ourselves heading to Elijah’s penthouse, three cars racing from one end of the city to the other.
I looked to my right, smiling. “Race?”
Nikolai laughed and glanced at the car beside him.
“Your girl wants to race us, Elijah.”
“Then we’re going to give her what she wants,” he responded, looking back at me, amused.
Our three cars sped down the road.
I drove mine like a complete lunatic, music blasting, my smile never felt so genuine. Nikolai followed closely behind me, while Elijah maneuvered around my car.
With one hand on the wheel, he winked at me before speeding ahead.
That sneaky bastard...
I loved driving; it was a feeling of freedom I only found when I was with Elijah on his bike. The speed, the wind, the city lights blurring at my sight, the adrenaline rush—it felt like my heart would combust from the surge of excitement.
After a few more minutes, Elijah arrived first, followed by me, and then Nikolai.
“Are you kidding me? I thought you were going to die after the first turn, Little Z.”
Elijah put his hand on the top of my head and pulled me closer to him. “He’s right, never do that again,” he said, leaning toward me. “I hope you had fun.”
I smiled at him. “I loved it, but I preferred the vision of Nikolai losing.”
Niko shook his head and walked away. “You’re just like your man, Z, a brutalizer.”
We gathered in the living room for a last-minute briefing.
I entered the place with pizzas in my hands. “Gentlemen, we need energy for tomorrow, and I’m so hungry right now.”
Elijah got up, took the pizzas from my hands, and kissed me softly. “Thank you. Go sit down now.”
Despite the stress and danger, I never felt more at home than now.
The guilt in me evaporated in these moments.
I just wanted to live, even if sometimes my mind betrayed me.
Elijah would squeeze my thigh, bringing me back to reality. For the first time I had control over my mind, no pretending, no fear, no voices, just life .
That night I received a call from Brian and stayed in the bedroom for some privacy. “Ready for tomorrow, Zanae?” Her voice came through the phone.
“Never been more ready. A bit stressed for the beginning, but we have to be perfect.”
“Don’t worry. I’ll be right there with you, guiding every step. We’ve got this.”
We went over the plan meticulously, discussing our entry points, security systems, and any potential obstacles.
Brian reminded me to rely on her if anything went wrong. “I’ll be in the van, safe. Focus on getting what we need, Huntress.”
“Will do. Have a good night, Brian.”
After ending the call, I returned to the living room, where green eyes awaited me.
“Everything sorted?” Elijah asked as he approached me.
“Brian will be with me, from the outside. We’re ready.”
He planted a kiss on my temple and affirmed, “I hope she’s as good as you say. I’m giving her the most precious thing I have to take care of. If she messes up, I may kill her.”
“She’s the best. You’ll see.”
In the quiet moments before sleep, Elijah whispered in my ear, “Let’s just sleep, my Little Nightmare .”
“I don’t like that you compare me to that and not a dream,” I breathed against his chest, looking up at those green irises.
A soft kiss brushed the tip of my nose, fingers tracing down my bare arm, awakening a trail of shivers. “You know why I call you Little Nightmare?”
I shook my head, and a sad smile appeared on his lips. The hand that was tracing down my skin settled on my throat, his fingers stopping at my pulse.
His eyes were fixed on the spot where my heart quickened faster and faster with each caress. He seemed perfectly at ease, as if knowing he had all the control over each little pulse.
The blood pumping craved his touch, the warmth and life he brought. Each crimson river carried his existence in my heart.
And Elijah knew it. The experience felt endless. My eyes followed his, breath by breath, caress by caress, euphoria mingling with oxygen.
After a few seconds, he bent down and kissed that place, leaving yet another mark.
“Another hickey?”
“I can’t stop myself, your skin needs me to devour it.” His proud smile returned as he began explaining to me. “People tend to remember nightmares so vividly—the emotions, the fear, the shiver of obscurity that makes you cling to your sheets, opening your eyes wide from the poisonous thoughts. They’re more impactful. Nightmares are my dreams. I thrive in them, that exhilarating feeling that makes my heart beat so fast, the sweat and excitement, the clear vision and memory I have of them. Like you, my beautiful Little Nightmare . I can feel you even when I’m asleep, and you’re beautifully dark, exquisitely indelible in my mind. I remember your amber eyes like I remember my favorite nightmares.”
Speechless.
Trepidation and fascination sank deep in my soul. Elijah owned my heart, he owned my darkness and my demons, and he liked it.
My eyes closed, and my head fell onto his chest again. “Then, I like that nickname.”