Chapter Nineteen
chiara
I t settled over the room like a heavy fog.
The silence became deafening, broken only by the sharp inhale of Papa by my side.
Dario’s expression twisted, so dark and angry. He opened his mouth, no doubt to object, but before he could say anything, Isaak raised a hand, commanding complete silence. The only thing my brother did was glare at him.
Isaak’s gaze on me was steady and piercing as he tried to read me, no doubt trying to pull apart the intent behind my words.
I glanced between Nikolai and Mikhail, both stood across from me in the room, both tense and unreadable.
Nikolai’s eyes met mine briefly, his jaw tight, and his expression closed, but I saw the weight of my words reflected in the darkness of his gaze.
I took a deep breath in, looking over at Mikhail, feeling my chest tighten slightly.
“Chiara.”
Papa began to say as he broke the silence, his voice shaking slightly as though he was desperately trying to hold onto all control.
I shook my head, not allowing him to say another word.
“Please!” I said once more. “Just let me speak to them for a moment. Please, Papa.”
He exhaled sharply, his breathing shaky as I turned to face him, a small, pleading smile on my face.
His lips pressed into a grim line, and he nodded slowly.
He. Nodded.
My heart began racing in my chest as Papa helped me up from the bed, and Dario escorted me to the bathroom to freshen up.
And now that I’m done, I step out of the bathroom, my hands trembling by my sides. My legs feel unsteady, but I push forward anyway, taking a step towards them both.
My voice is a little softer now that I’m so close to them both.
“Where can we go?”
Neither one of them speaks, but they move in unison as they take a step towards me, moving to stand on either side of my body.
Together, Nikolai and Mikhail silently guide me out of the room, their gentle hands pressed firmly to my body.
Nikolai, with his hand around my arm, and Mikhail, with his hand against the small of my back.
With their presence this close, and so protective, the three of us leave the room, and leave the other men behind.
As we step into the hallway, I glance back over my shoulder.
There’s concern etched in Papa’s face, and it’s obvious that Dario’s fury is barely contained. Isaak simply stares back at me as he watches me walking away with his two sons. And Alessandro watches us leave with an unmistakable glimmer of satisfaction in his eyes.
“This way.”
Nikolai says in a low voice, bringing my attention back to where we’re heading.
As we reach a room, this one even bigger than the last, the door closes behind us with a soft click, sealing the three of us away from all the chaos.
I swallow hard, tilting my head back a little to look up at them, feeling their eyes searching my face already, waiting for me to say something. But I don’t know what to say—not yet.
My mind is still a little fuzzy.
My chest is tight with the weight of everything pressing down on me, and I’m not too sure how to process it all.
I breathe out, trying to steady myself, when they both move.
Their arms wrap around my body once more as they pull me in between them, their warmth so comforting against this overwhelming storm that’s currently present in my mind.
I don’t hesitate to wrap my arms around them either, sighting softly into their chests.
“How do you feel, beauty?”
My body trembles at the use of that word—now hearing it from his lips after so long.
Mikhail’s voice is so soft, and so full of concern.
My breathing hitches.
“I’m okay.”
I manage to whisper.
Nikolai’s voice is tight with something darker.
“Are you in any pain?”
I shake my head quickly, needing to reassure them.
"No, I'm not in any pain.” I say. “I just feel a little tired.”
They both exchange a glance, then they both look down at me.
Sighing, I rest my head against Mikhail’s chest, the steady beat of his heart grounding me.
Despite everything, despite the confusion and the chaos, I know that I’m safe here with them.
I'll always be safe here with them.
Mikhail cups the back of my head as he holds me close, and Nikolai strokes my cheek with the back of his finger.
Together, they speak to each other in Russian, their voices barely murmured whispers.
When they stop, I open my eyes to look at them both, and Nikolai tilts my chin up a fraction.
“Whatever happened between our parents means nothing to us. We are not bound by their past, darling. We are not our parents.”
I nod slowly, curling my bottom lip into my mouth.
“What matters is now. What matters is you.” Mikhail adds in agreement, his eyes softer now, less guarded too. “Do you remember anything else now?”
I swallow hard as I slowly pull away from Mikhail, looking up at both of them.
I shake my head.
“Not really, Mikhail.” I say softly, noticing how the corners of his lips twitch slightly, like he’s amused with what I’m saying. “Everything is still a little fuzzy in my head.”
He doesn't move his hand from behind my head, but he does hold onto me a little firmer.
Leaning down, he brushes his lips against my forehead, whispering softly to me.
“That’s okay, beauty. Nikolai and I are here to help you remember.”
A shiver runs down my body.
Again, Nikolai turns me so I’m facing him with his fingers on my chin.
I take a deep breath in, trying to steady my nerves, waiting for what’s to come.
“We can address everything else after. For now, we need to discuss what Alessandro has said, darling. Do you understand what he means by a united front?”
My breathing turns shaky.
My eyes dart between the pair of them, and slowly, I nod my head.
“He wants us to be…together. Is that right, Nikolai?”
My voice trembles as I say it, the gravity of this all still feeling so unreal.
For a moment, Nikolai doesn’t talk. And neither does Mikhail.
Instead, they both look down at me, icy blue eyes boring into mine, watching me.
Finally, their stony features soften, and there’s something almost…hopeful in their eyes, happy even.
Nikolai slides his fingers from my chin to my jaw, cupping my face, holding me close.
“We’ll make you ours, and everybody will know it.”
The eagerness in his tone catches me off guard, and as Mikhail mirrors his brother’s expression, his eyes light up with something like satisfaction.
“We’ll take care of you, and we’ll make sure that nothing happens to you. You’ll be ours, Chiara, and we’ll be yours.”
My lips part as my throat goes dry.
I want to say something, but all the words seem to be stuck in my throat. I don’t even know what I can say.
Their eyes are so intense, so ready for all of this, that everything quickly becomes overwhelming.
Together, they move in closer towards me, and before I can even process it fully, I’m trapped between their bodies.
Every inch of me is pressed against them, and from the looks on their faces, they’re happy with this arrangement.
I hold onto both of them with shaking fingers, feeling their solid presence surrounding me.
“How did this all happen?”
It’s barely a whisper that leaves my mouth.
Everything has shifted in the blink of an eye, and I’m still trying to catch up, and to make sense of this entire situation.
The ache in the back of my head isn’t doing much to help me either.
As Mikhail’s hand moves lower to my back, he rubs soothing circles against my body.
When Nikolai speaks again, his voice is calm, almost tender even.
“It’s not about how this happened, Chiara, it’s about what happens next.” He swipes his thumb along my cheek, pressing it gently to the corner of my lips. “Mikhail and I are back now, and we’re here to take care of you. Properly, this time.”
Nodding, Mikhail speaks, turning slightly so his body is pressed to my back so I can feel his hard length against me.
“We’ll treat you like our Queen.” He promises me, his voice a soft murmur. “We’ll claim you, and we’ll make sure that everybody knows it.”
A heavy sigh escapes me as I tip my head back against his chest, and place my hand above Nikolai’s hand.
How has it ended like this?
I still can’t understand it; going from being taken to being theirs.
Willingly.
Freely.
But it doesn’t matter now.
The only things I care about is their warmth around me, the strength of their words, and the quiet promises in their voices.
I wrap my arms around them both, pressing myself even further between their bodies.
Together, the three of us stand together in this quiet room, and it’s everything that I’ve ever needed.
I close my eyes for a moment, resting my forehead against Nikolai’s chest, trying to collect myself.
“I don’t know what is expected of me.” I admit slowly. “I have no idea how to handle all of this, but if you both are here…I’ll try. I want us to be together.”
Mikhail only presses further into me, leaning down to whisper into my ear.
“We’ll be here with you every step of the way. We’re in this together, and we’ll figure out whatever happens next.”
I nod, pulling away from Nikolai, and take a small step backward so I can look at both of them.
They watch me like I’m theirs, because I am.
Nikolai’s gaze is dark and possessive, a silent vow that nothing in this world will ever take me from him.
Mikhail’s is different; it’s hungrier, wicked too, like he’s daring me to run just so he can chase me, pin my body beneath his, and keep me trapped.
There’s a small part of me that says I should be scared of them, of the way they consume me whole, but instead, I feel worshipped, like I was always meant to belong to them.
Together, they reach forward again, cupping my face in their hands. They lean down, both whispering soft words to me in Russian, and although I have no idea what they’re saying, I can feel the affection of their words in the way that they’re holding me, and in the way that they’re speaking to me.
I realise that it’s almost like a vow, the words that they’re saying.