8. Chapter Eight
Chapter Eight
Sasha
I try to keep my face neutral as I approach Nico in the foyer. He cannot know about Alek/Lorenzo and that he’s working for Mikhail. It’s my one chance to get out of here and I cannot lose it.
But Nico is good at reading me. He knows I’m really a virgin despite me lying that I’m not. How am I going to keep this Alek secret without him finding out?
Nico’s eyes rake me over and they send goosebumps over my skin. He’s always had that power over me. The ability to just make me uncomfortable while also making me feel seen .
“You look stunning,” he says.
“Well, you wanted me to wear this dress.”
“I did.” He trails his fingers down my arm.
There’s a small part of me that wants to lean into his touch; to see what it really feels like.
But I snap out of that. Nico may have saved my life a few times but he’s the reason I was in those messes in the first place.
I can’t ever find myself leaning into his touch.
“So, who’s coming to this dinner party?” I ask.
“A few friends. Business associates.”
“Like the one you killed in your maze?”
His eyes darken while his lips thin out. “I only killed Jeffrey because he was attacking you. And because you didn’t listen to my orders.”
“Because I’m a human being, not a dog for you to boss around.”
He cups my face in his hands and smiles down at me. Everything in me goes still. “Ah, Sasha. You are fun, aren’t you? But be a good girl for me at the party.”
“I’ll try to be,” I mutter.
“That’s as good as I am going to get with you, isn’t it?” His eyes drop down to my lips and back up again. Is he going to try to kiss me? Would I stop him if he did?
I’m afraid that I wouldn’t.
The doorbell rings. Nico drops his hands, stepping away from me. Saved by the bell.
His dinner party friends all arrive one after the other.
Adrien is among them. He gives me a slight nod and a dangerous look that sends a shiver down my spine.
He may be an incredibly handsome man but he’s someone I don’t fully trust. I don’t trust Nico either but at least I know Nico will save my life if I’m in danger.
With Adrien, there’s something… cold about him, despite the heat in his gaze. Something dark I don’t want to go near.
There’s ten of us in total. Me and Nico and eight guests.
Adrien is with a different woman tonight – not the blonde from the maze party but a brunette who’s just as beautiful as the last woman.
The other six people are ones I sort of recognize from the maze celebration but I never really got the chance to meet them.
The entire table speaks in Italian, of course, so I can’t follow any of the conversation. I pick up a few words here and there that I know from the Italian language book Nico got me but that’s about it.
Adrien is seated across from me while Nico is to my left, at the head of the table. I wanted to sit at the other end but that spot was claimed by one of the guests – a man named Jonathan, one of the Americans who lives here but works for Nico.
“I’m not sure your beautiful wife understands what any of us are saying,” Adrien says.
Nico snaps his eyes to him and they narrow a fraction before he looks at me. “You’re right. I apologize to my lovely wife.”
I give him a tight smile. “That’s all right. I was just enjoying the food.” I take a sip of the soup in front of me. “Tell Maria it’s delicious.”
“It is delicious,” the man next to me says. Antonio, I believe his name is. His accent is thick but still understandable.
I glance over at him to find him looking right at me. There’s something in his eyes that I don’t like. A hunger there, directed towards me. Am I going to be slaughtered at this dinner party?
“Antonio is looking at your wife like he wants to eat her,” Adrien comments.
“This isn’t a sacrificial party,” Nico says. “My wife isn’t on the menu.”
Antonio chuckles. “I am sorry. She just looks wonderful in her dress.” His eyes slide back to mine. “You really do.”
I shift away from him slightly but it seems that the entire table notices. All their eyes snap to me.
“Uncomfortable?” Adrien asks, sizing me up with his eyes.
“Sasha is fine.” Nico’s hand finds my arm.
I’m not sure if it’s supposed to be a comfort or a warning to stay still but either way, I find myself relaxing into his touch.
While I have my issues with Nico, he is the only one I know will truly keep me safe here and that means out of everyone, I can trust him.
God, I never thought I’d even think that let alone feel it.
I’ll never say it out loud though. Nico would have too much fun with that.
“She grew up sheltered,” Nico says. “She hasn’t attended many parties like the ones I throw.”
“An innocent then,” the brunette next to Adrien says.
“So she could be a sacrifice,” Jonathan says, laughing more to himself. “If she’s so innocent, then she must be a virgin.”
I take a long gulp of my wine.
“Careful,” Nico murmurs under his voice for only me to hear. “Jonathan, don’t talk about whether my wife is a virgin or not.”
“Why not? You throw orgies here. I thought we could talk about anything. So was your wife a virgin on your wedding night or not?”
I take another gulp of the wine and instantly, my head starts to feel fuzzy.
I’ve never actually drank any alcohol before.
My dad never allowed it and since I’m only twenty, I could never legally drink it anywhere with my family.
Denis is even stricter than my dad was. He prohibited alcohol in our house after he moved in.
I think that was mostly to hurt my mom who enjoys the occasional glass of wine here and there.
“Easy there,” Nico says, grabbing the glass from me. “You’ve had enough.”
I want to snap at him but a sudden feeling of happiness overwhelms me. It’s pure bliss. Pure pleasure.
“You didn’t answer Jonathan’s question,” Antonio says.
Nico snaps his eyes at him. “You want to know if my wife was a virgin or not. Well, she claims she’s not. But I think otherwise.”
“You haven’t claimed her yet?” Adrien asks, a glint in his eyes I don’t like.
“When the time is right, I will make Sasha fully mine. But I’m not an animal. I’m not going to rape my wife. I kill men who try to rape my wife.” The threat is clear: don’t come near me or Nico will hurt you.
The warmth of the alcohol spreads through my body. I never knew that one glass of wine could do this to a person. I start to giggle to myself as my hands skim along the table. The wood feels so powerful and strong and hard and warm. That thought makes me laugh harder.
Nico frowns. “Sasha?”
“Touch this,” I whisper, grabbing his hand and slamming it onto the table. “Feel how soft it is. How warm.”
“Is she all right?” Adrien’s date asks.
“A real sacrificial lamb,” Antonio comments, eyeing me over. I stare at him for a moment before I burst out laughing even harder. He flinches, then frowns. “You can tell us, girl, if you’re a virgin or not.”
“Don’t ask my wife that,” Nico growls. “Only I get to talk to her like that. I’m your boss, Antonio. Show some fucking respect.”
He averts his eyes from me. “Of course.” But then I feel his hand on my thigh and it makes me startle. I have to admit… it feels good. Even softer than the table. Warmer too.
I sigh as I lean back in my seat. Why do I feel so good all of a sudden? Everything looks brighter. Everything feels softer. Everything makes me feel alive.
I’ve never felt this way before. If I had known wine would make me feel this way, I would have started drinking the moment I showed up here.
“You have your hand on my thigh,” I giggle.
Nico shoots to his feet and grabs my chair, scooting it back with me in it. I almost fall right out of it but I grip the sides, steadying myself. Antonio removes his hand but not fast enough.
Nico sees it happen.
“Why the fuck are you trying to touch my wife?” he demands.
“You’re my boss. I respect you.”
“Oh, you do, do you?”
“You haven’t claimed her yet,” he objects. “It’s not my fault I wanted a little slice of innocence.”
“I’m not innocent,” I giggle. “Or maybe I am.” Why is everything so funny to me right now? Does wine really do this to a person? I don’t remember my mom ever acting this way.
Nico stares down at me for a long moment before he picks up my wine glass and sniffs it. “Is there something in her drink?” He sticks his finger to the bottom and when he pulls it back out, there’s a tiny bit of something powdery on his skin. “Did you drug my wife?”
Antonio raises his hands in surrender while everyone at the table looks at him in shock. Well everyone except Adrien. He’s smirking at me like he has a secret.
“No, I swear,” Antonio says.
Nico slams the glass down onto the table. “Did you drug my wife, Antonio? You touched her thigh. Why the fuck do you think you could do that at my own party?”
“Because you fucked me over!” he shouts, jumping to his feet.
“You were supposed to pay me for the job I did for you in Sicily and never paid me. You fucked me over, Nico. So fine. I wanted to have a little fun with your wife. Everyone has been talking about her. About how innocent she is. I wanted a little taste. See if it was real. I also heard she was high strung so I might have given her something to loosen her up.”
“You drugged her,” he says flatly.
“It’s for your own benefit. You were telling Adrien that you haven’t fucked her yet. I thought I was doing you a favor by speeding it along.”
“By drugging my wife? Why the fuck would I sleep with my wife when she’s drugged?”
Antonio drops his gaze. “Everyone knows you’re ruthless.”
“They think I’m a fucking rapist? I may be a murderer but I’m not a rapist. But clearly, you are.” He grabs my wine glass again and slams it into Antonio’s head. Everyone at the party gasps.
Well, everyone except me. I just find it funny and laugh harder.