IF YOU HAVEN'T CHECKED THE TRAILER YET, WELL CHECK IT ^ , WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR !

[For those who keep getting confused with names,

Frank: Alex's father.

Isaac: Nik's father.

Maxwell: Cara's father.]

SHORTER CHAPTER THAN USUAL BUT NEXT UPDATE WILL BE UP SOONER THAN USUAL.

Alex's POV

"Do you have any idea what you're doing?"

I turned to the door when I heard Ashton's voice to see him standing there, his arms crossed over his chest, his eyebrow raised showing complete and deep discontent.

I nodded and went back to the files scattered in front of me on the bed, all of which are papers that belonged to my old limp dick of a father before, but now by being a leader, I am the one who is supposed to take care of them.

"So you know how dangerous this is?" That bimbo acting all wise and mature now.

I sighed heavily, I nodded my head again without even glancing at his side. I flipped the page and he continued his investigation.

"So you are not backing out?"

I shook my head as I flipped to the next page. WOAH, ARE THESE NAKED WOMEN HERE - what the -

Looks like this work is not so bad after all.

"As apparently you had lost your mind-" He sighed, "Consider me in."

My head snapped up at his words, The f-ck?

"In? Dude just go be in with your wife and leave me alone."

In my ass.

"Alex I am serious." He said.

Serious my ass.

"I am serious too." My eyebrow raised, "I am not dragging anyone with me into this mess."

He uncrossed his arms and walked further into the room, "You think I am just gonna stand here and watch-"He said with slightly furrowed eyebrows, "I want to help, okay?"

I let out an irritated sigh before I gathered the papers from around me and placed them aside. Giving him my attention, I said, "You want to help? Great. Go take your wife and son and go back to LA before sh-t hits the fan, i promised Cara to keep you guys safe and I can't do that with my hands full with-" I looked back at the papers, "With whatever they call this, so do me a favor and get as far as you can away from here."

His lips curled up in annoyance, "I am not going anywhere because obviously, you have lost all your senses, you are not thinking clearly." How am I even supposed to think clearly?

"You're driven by anger and rage and that will just get you hurt Alex so-"

"Look I appreciate your concern." I interrupted him, "But your help is not needed here, I know what I am doing, so leave Ashton, leave before someone gets hurt."

"I have a feeling you are the only one who is gonna get hurt."

He is not dropping this down, is he ?!

"Let me help." He added.

I ran my fingers from the edge of my jaw to my chin, "Why you want to help anyway ?"

His eyes widened a bit in disbelief, he looked like he is about to kill me I swear, "Why? Maybe because you are my friend!" His voice got louder, "And maybe because she is not just your girl but she is also my wife's friend-" Lined etched between his eyebrows, "Maybe because I care about her too !"

I resisted the smile that tried to touch my lips. F-ck good friends.

I rolled my eyes, "Just go back to your home Ashton."

They can't stay here. When Nikolas realizes that I have his right man and his sister, he'll want to get back on me, he'll go for the people I care about, and we all know who those are, so I need to get them away from here before things get f-cked up.

Ashton clenched his jaw before he said, "Put one thing on your mind, I am not going anywhere, whether you like it or not, I am staying here and I am going to help as much as I can." And with that, he angrily stormed out of the room. He makes me feel like we are a married couple or something.

I shook my head with a small smile. I'll see how to get them out of here later.

My phone buzzed in my pocket interrupting my thoughts, I pulled it out to see a message from Roman.

She's is here. It said.

Great. Let's see what the little b-tch got to say.

Within minutes I left the house, hopped into my car and drove to my father's mansion. When I arrived, Roman was already waiting for me inside.

He nodded his head to the door leading to the dungeon, "I brought her here."

Nodding my head, I opened the door. I took one step and paused, I turned to him and asked,

"Have you ever hit a woman before ?"

He gave me a weird look, lines etched his forehead as he confusingly answered, "No."

My lips curled up, I gave him a light shrug before I continued my way down the stairs to the underground floor, "Great, then consider this your first."

"W -- wait wait what ?" He said as he hurriedly followed my steps. I turned to him and raised a very unsatisfied eyebrow.

His lips curled up in annoyance as he understood the meaning behind my words, he sighed heavily and turned his face away from me, when his eyes settled back on me, "What the f-ck dude ?"

"What ?" I was the one getting annoyed now, "Look I saw the way you were looking at her back home, I won't let whatever f-cked up feelings you have for her change anything, better keep that in your mind."

"All I have toward her now is hate." He said trying to sound so confident while his eyes were saying otherwise. Little fool.

I scoffed, sarcasm dripped within my words, "Yeah you are just in love with her - nothing important."

"I don't love her." He stressed angrily at each word, "I may have loved the old her - or the girl she was pretending to be, but this girl inside means nothing to me now."

I nodded, I will play along if he is willing to, "Good." I pulled the sleeves of my shirt up preparing myself for what's to come next, my gaze flicked back to him as I muttered the next words, "Because if she was with no benefit, I will simply kill her."

I noticed the way his body stiffened, I noticed the bob in his throat, the hard swallow, he regained control and nodded, "Yeah, do it." He sucked in a deep breath, "And if I tried to stop you, please do kill me too."

I nodded with a smile, "I would love to do that." I said before walking down the corridor not missing the hard glare thrown at me by him.

Reaching the last room at the end, I opened the door and walked inside. My eyes first met a set of green ones. She stared back at me and a smile crept its way onto her lips as she said, "And I was wondering when you will show up."

Her eyes flicked to Roman behind me, her smile dropped immediately. She rolled her eyes and mumbled, "You again."

I walked closer to her, my patience was wearing thin, "Emma or Anna or whatever, just tell me now- " I leaned forward and pressed my palms over the armrest of the chair, I titled my head and asked, "Where is your brother ?"

Her lips pursed, "No hey, no how are you... you hurt my feelings, Alex." She said faking hurt. I sighed before my eyes roamed her face, from the big cut that ran from the side of her temple to above her eyebrow, to the dirt covering her pale cheeks, then to her chapped lips before they settled back on her eyes.

"Where is your brother?" I asked again, stressing on each word showing there is no place for negotiation.

She rolled her eyes, "Why everyone cares about my brother that much?" She mumbled then let out a low sigh, "Like I told that Roman boy, I don't know, my part of the deal finished the moment Nikolas stepped into your house. I don't work for him anymore, I am free, I don't know what he'll do next. So spare me the investigation."

"Why don't I believe you?" I said as my lips curled into a sneer. "You see if you don't tell us now everything you know-" my lips twitched in pity as I faked sadness, "You'll simply die."

"Don't be as stupid as the man in the next room." I said while shaking my head, "He chose his loyalty over his life, and do you know what that got him?"

Her eyebrows furrowed as if trying to analyze my words, "Probably all his bones are now broken, half of his skin is not even attached to his body anymore, the flesh of his nose touched his mouth-" I slightly winced at the image, "And I really can't point out the position of one of his eyes anymore." My lips pursed, "And you know what the best part?" I wasn't waiting for an answer, "I got to hear his screams as the acid flowed into his blood and slowly ripped him from inside as I did my worst from the outside -" I stood straight and eyed my watch, "The sad part is, he still have few minutes before he finally dies-" I said sadly, " And I am not yet done with him."

"But I have a feeling you are smarter than this, so tell me, Emma.

Tell me everything you know before you become a dead corpse too."

She broke into a smile, "Dark Alex." She said in amusement, "It suits you."

She tilted her head as her eyes roamed mine, "And I gotta say, you suddenly became ten times hotter."

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I tried my best to not lose my temper. Roman standing few steps behind me was silent all along. "What do you know Emma?" This is her last chance.

"I will tell you what I know if you give me something in return." She said teasingly, "You and I both know what that is." The smirk on her lips just fueled my anger more. Marching forward, I leaned and grabbed a chunk of her hair in my fist jerking her head backward, "I was taught to not hit a girl-" I said through gritted teeth, "But I can change that now."

"You like it rough too." She said with an unconquerable smile, "I won't mind that."

"You disgust me." I spat out.

"At least now you feel something toward me."

"Yeah, it is hate," I said as I loosened my grip and let go of her hair.

Oh god, I wanted to hit her so bad and it was taking every ounce of control in me to not do it.

"Well like they say, there is a thin line between love and hate."

Don't hit her. She is a girl, don't hit her.

"Why Nikolas sent you to me two years ago ?" I asked the question that was buzzing at me all that time, "Why you came into my life and lied about us knowing each other from before?"

She shrugged, "Nik wanted to keep an eye on you, in case Cara tried to contact you and you'd figure out she was alive, that would've caused trouble, and Nik doesn't like trouble."

"As for the pretending to know you from before part, well that was all on me, I wanted to gain your trust and be able to get closer to you."

"Why?" I asked.

She smiled, it was different this time. It was a small genuine one, "Because I actually did like you." She said, "And to be honest, I still do."

Don't hit her. Not yet.

"Nik is my brother, half-brother to be precise. I may care about him. He may care about me." Her lips curled up, she rolled her eyes as she mumbled, "I am not so sure about that."

"But the thing is, he doesn't trust me, he doesn't tell me everything, Nikolas trust no one, he doesn't even trust himself." She said, "But I'll tell you the few things I actually do know." She smiled as her gaze fell on my lips. She sighed, "Because it'll be a waste if Nik killed you."

"Then tell me, what do you know? What is your brother's master plan?"

"What I know is that the next step is killing Cara." My hand balled into a fist at her words, "But I don't think that'll happen, turned out my heartless brother do actually have a heart after all and he somehow found it in him to love her."

"Love her?" I said with a raised eyebrow. I clenched my jaw, "You call this love?"

She chuckled, "Yeah that's Nik." She shook her head, "Not all people love like you do, everyone has his own way, and my brother has no idea how to deal with his feelings, he is still discovering them, so if there is a time the big monstrous Nikolas can be vulnerable, it shall be now."

Her words just f-cked me up more. Every nerve in my body fired, chaos filled me up from the inside, voices overwhelmed my consciousness as I tried to fight my way through and stay sane, at least for now.

"Your brother raped her." My gut twisted painfully, "What kind of f-cked up love is that ?!"

She scoffed, "You call that rape?" She said, "It is not rape when both sides want it."

I shook my head, "Don't think your words can manipulate me."

"I am just stating the obvious." She said with scrunched eyebrows, "Why no one sees it? She left with him again, doesn't that mean something?"

"She left to protect us." Roman finally decided to talk.

Emma chuckled and shook her head, "That what she said ha? She simply ran back to him at the very first chance, the way I see it and whether you like it or not, Cara fell for my brother too."

"Shut up." I spat out. "I'd never believe this bullsh-t."

"You may not see it, maybe she doesn't even see it, but a part of her feels something toward him, a part of her actually loves him. You two may try to deny that but the truth will come out sooner or later."

She is bluffing. Of course, she is.

"And tell me, by the end of the day, who would she fall for, the man who couldn't fight for her and stood there as she walked away- " She said looking at me, her eyes telling me I am that man, "Or the one who is ready to make it rain blood just to have her back?"

"You may have darkness in you Alex but you can never be Nikolas."

"I'd never want to be him." I spat out.

"Then you'll never be able to beat him." She said.

"Nikolas is wicked, he finds pleasure in other's pain, he's willing to go as far as it takes to get what he wants, he is bad, but you are not. This is the truth, I am sorry, but you won't get him by just killing one of his men or by even killing his sister."

"What'd you know about that? You may be just saying this to save yourself."  Roman said.

"You think so-" She sighed, her eyes flicked between me and him before she said,

"Nikolas killed his own father."

What the-

"Our father, he killed him without blinking an eye." She added. "I was there, i saw it."

"What ?" Roman said before he stepped forward. Shock dilated in his eyes, "Isaac is dead?"

Emma nodded, "Years ago." She didn't even look sad.

"But everyone thinks he disappeared, that he just ran away from the mafia before they kill him for doing illegal things against them," Roman said still trying to digest it.

"Well yeah, that's what Nikolas convinced everyone whereas my father's body is actually swimming somewhere along the Pacific ocean."

"Woah-" Roman breathed out, "The only good thing he's done," he mumbled.

"Yeah, I agree," Emma said. I gave her a weird look, he is her father for god's sake. She shrugged in return and said, "I wasn't a fan of that man either."

"Spare me the daddy issues now-" I said, I was beyond irritated, I still have nothing about that f-cker, "You were telling me about your dear brother's plan."

She took in a deep breath then lightly shook her head, "You don't see it, do you?"

"Everything that's happening to Cara, it had happened before." My eyebrows pulled together at her words. The f-ck that's supposed to mean?

"Nikolas is doing nothing but repeating history." She said. "He may be smart but he had learned it from the best."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean if you want to figure out his next move, you have to first know what happened before." She clarified, "That's your only way to be a step ahead."

"And how the f-ck i am supposed to know what happened in the past?"

She licked her dry lips and said, "There is one thing that may help you."

"Spit it out."

She smiled, "My brother may kill me if he knew I told you this-" She pulled her lower between her teeth, "But I'll take that risk."

Her gaze flicked between us, her smile slowly faded away before she seriously said, "Figure out who Nikolas's uncle is -

- and the rest shall become more than clear."

~~~~~~~

"Who in god's name is Nikolas's uncle ?" I asked as I paced back and forth in the room, I stopped and looked at Roman - who looked even more confused than I am.  My eyes narrowed, "You grew up there, you never heard of an uncle?"

He shook his head, "I never knew Isaac had a brother, I asked dad thinking he may have heard something but he is just as clueless as us."

I sighed heavily, "Who the f-ck is this uncle and how the f-ck is he the answer to all our questions." I mumbled through gritted teeth.

That Emma was with no benefit, she claimed that she doesn't know who her uncle is, but she had heard Nikolas talk about him a lot.

Roman rubbed his jaw, "Okay so there are four families in the Italian mafia -" He said, "The Viarchi's, the Dolan's, the Palmero's and the Armone's."

"Nikolas is a Viarchi, so his uncle is a Viarchi as well, and as we know this family is scattered in London and all around Europe."

"Oh great so now we have every last named Viarchi in Europe as our candidate." I sarcastically said, "Your information is so helpful Roman."

He shot me a glare and mumbled, "I am just trying to figure it out."

"I'll ask my father to see if he knows anything," I said as I pulled my phone out.

"Hold on hold on-" Roman said as he stood up. I gave him a questioning look as he stared back at me with shock, "What is your last name? Your real last name ?"

My eyebrows furrowed at his stupid question but when I registered what he is trying to refer to my eyes widened, "No ! F-ck dude no, i am a Dolan, well my father is, i carry my adopted father last name." I winced at the thought, "Calm your d-ck, I am not a Viarchi, he can't be my cousin."

"Okay, I was just testing a theory."

"Go test it somewhere else." I snapped, "I swear I almost threw up at the thought of me sharing blood with that f-cker."

Nikolas and I share nothing but mutual hate.

Roman shrugged, "Okay check with your father if he knows anything and I will try to do some digging."

I nodded as I unlocked my phone, I was about to dial his number but the movement of my fingers took a pause as my eyes collided with the background wallpaper.. or more like with the person in it.

A pained smile involuntary came to my lips and a low sigh escaped my mouth as I took a look at my little bug. I took this picture when we last went to the beach, her clothes and hair all wet from swimming yet she never looked more beautiful, she was smiling at me, her smile so wide that her eyes seemed to be closed.

My smile faded away and a tired sigh left my lips as I ran my finger over the phone's screen. My heart twisted painfully that suddenly it felt so hard to even catch a breath.

I miss her.

I miss them. So much.

I was too lost in my thoughts that I almost jumped when my phone rang in my hand. My eyebrows pulled together as an unsaved number flashed across the screen.

Pressing the answer button, I placed it to my ears as I walked away from Roman, "Hello?"

There was a short pause before a very soft hypnotizing voice whispered my name,

"Alex."

My steps halted. I stopped moving.

I didn't talk. I suddenly stopped thinking, I think I even stopped breathing.

Something trembled within me.

The sudden rush of feelings that took over my chest was too much, too much that I had to take a second, close my eyes and learn how to breathe again.

Only her voice can stir these intense feelings in me, its softness touching my ears created a churn of need I couldn't comprehend.

With my eyes still closed, I whispered the word out, "Cupcakes."

"Hey." She said.

Relief left me in a stuttered breath, "Where.. Where are you calling me from?" I couldn't form the sentence without my voice slightly shaking.

"I am using the maid's phone." She said with a low chuckle as if the thought was so crazy to comprehend, "It can't be tracked but I don't care, i just wanted to hear your voice-" Her tone changed as she sadly said, "I miss you."

I stood there, breathless. Emotion tumbled through me and spilled into my stomach in a twisting pain as I said it loud, "I miss you too."

I sucked in a deep breath, my hold tightened over the phone, "How are you? Are you okay, Cara di-"

"I am fine Alex." She said interrupting me, "I am fine, don't worry about me."

"How can I not worry?"

"I am okay, if I wasn't I wouldn't be talking with you now." She tried to assure me but that didn't relief one bit of the twisting pain in my gut.

"How's Lilly?" I asked.

"She is fine too, she is sleeping now." She said, "Forget about me, how are you Alex, how is everyone?"

"Everyone is fine." I said then took a short pause, I sighed heavily, "But i am not- I am not fine Cara." I pressed the back of my head against the wall and closed my eyes as I truly admitted, "I need you."

"We'll be together very soon Alex -" She said, her voice a bit hoarse, "It's only a matter of time."

"Everything will be okay." She sniffled, and I knew for sure she was crying.

My chest tightened and nerves jackhammered my heart. My teeth harshly dug into my bottom lip as guilt taunted me from somewhere deep within my consciousness. Emma was right in one thing, I am the man who couldn't fight for his girl, I am the one who stood there as she walked away with another man.

She is mine.

My responsibility. My life.

Yet I couldn't save her from his hands that day.

A rush of bitter bile curled in the pit of my stomach, "I am sorry." Was the only sentence i could form at the moment.

"What are you apologizing for?" She asked confusion flared in her tone. 

"For letting you go back with him, for being this f-cked up man I am, for not being able to save you from him that day. " I shook my head when Roman's words from before replayed in my head, "I am sorry for the last two years you had to live."

"No, no, it is not your fault, Alex you had no choice, none of this is your fault."

I shook my head, her words won't change the way i see it.

But no matter what, I will bring her back, I will do anything to beat him, to overpower him. Even if it required me to be the monster he is, I am ready. He is bad, then I'll be bad too. Even if it meant letting go of the humanity in me. I'll do anything to not lose her again.

If he is ready to make it rain blood to get her, then he doesn't know, I am more than ready to set the whole f-cking world on fire.

I'll master the chaos tumbling through my mind, I am not gonna be the one thrown into the fire this time, I will be the fire. And I'll care less of who I may burn on my way as long as she stays safe.

It is a war now. A battle. And by the end, only one will stay standing.

"I will bring you back, I promise." I gave her my word.

"I know you will." She believes in me and that's what keeps me moving.

"Take care of yourself, please," I added.

"I will. Don't worry about me." She said, "I am fine as long as you are."

I smiled, I actually smiled and it didn't hurt. There is no putting an amount to it, no counting it up or figuring out how much this girl means to me.

Because it is beyond sanity, beyond reality to love someone this much.

"I have to go now, I will call you whenever I have the chance to."

"Please do," I said because her voice alone gives me hope.

"I love you, Alex. You know that, don't you?" She said and I breathed in her words. The connection we shared greater than anything possible.

With the smile still stuck on my face, I said, "Of course I know that."

I knew it long before she knew it herself.

~~~~~~~~~~

Cara's POV

I immediately turned off the phone and pushed it under the pillow when I heard footsteps nearing my room. I had taken it from one of the maids before. She looked more like my age and after telling her a small part of my sob story to make her feel bad for me, she gave it up. But she said it is registered in the system here so it can't be tracked, I cared less about that, I just wanted to talk with Alex and assure him that I am okay.

The door opened after a light knock and it was no one other than the monster I live with standing behind it. I hadn't seen him since I kicked his leg. I almost smiled at that thought but that smile didn't make it as I saw him step into the room, he stood few meters away from my bed, his eyes met mine and he raised an eyebrow, "You are not eating."

His sentence was followed by one of the maids' steps as she entered the room with a tray of food in her hands. She placed it on the counter and left leaving me alone with this man.

I sighed heavily. So what now, playing the caring husband role or what?!

He nodded his head to the tray, "Eat." He ordered, the stupid fool thinking he can order me around.

"I am not hungry, thanks for your concern." I sarcastically said.

He let out a sigh, "You are not eating well."

My eyebrows pulled together as I stared back at him, "Why do you care? What the hell is wrong with you ?" My voice got louder, "Before when I  used to say one wrong word, you would go all bash crazy on me, now you are acting all good and caring and --" I let out an angry groan, his actions are driving me beyond insane, "UGHH! I kicked your leg for god's sake, since when you became such a wimp?!"

I didn't just say that, did I?

He raised a very unsatisfied eyebrow.

I gulped. Oh okay, I think I said that.

He stared back at me as if I grew another head, "What are you referring to? You want me to hurt you?" he scrunched his eyebrows as if he couldn't understand, "Is that what you want?"

"No, I just - I just-" I let out a loud breath and he looked at me as if I am crazy, "It's just I don't understand you!" I threw my hands up in bewilderment.

"Well get used to it, because I am not gonna hurt you." He said and I rolled my eyes. GOSH.

"Yeah yeah, i heard that speech before," I said with a bored tone.

"I mean it." He added and I rolled my eyes again. "If I want to hurt you I would've done it uncountable time by now-" And I rolled my eyes again.

"Stop doing that!" He said with an annoyed tone.

"What? Rolling my eyes? It annoys you?" I placed my hand on my chest and faked sadness, "Sorry, I will do it more often from now on."

His jaw tightened as he stared back at me and I am sure he is planning my murder in his head, he let out a harsh breath before he said, "For example, that phone under the pillow-" My eyes widened at his words, " You see I hate it when people do things behind my back -- but I'll ignore it this time."

I gulped and looked away from him. He knows everything. Stupid jerk.

"Now eat your dinner-" He said making me look at him, he nodded to the tray, "It's peanut butter sandwich, without jam, just like you love it." He casually added.

I rolled my eyes again- but - wait-

My eyebrows furrowed, "How do you know I hate jam?"

His face expression changed a bit as if my question took him off the guard, "Uh-" He cleared his throat and regained control, "We lived together for two years, I know you better than you know yourself." 

I rolled my eyes again. His lips curled up in annoyance and I almost rolled them again just to play on his nerves more.

I stood up and walked to the counter, I took the toast and ate the first bite. I know I am not eating well and I should, at least for the baby, but whenever I put food in my mouth I just end up throwing it.

I took another bite as I saw Nikolas walking toward Lilly, he bent down to her sleeping figure, he removed her hair from over her face and tucked it behind her ear before he placed a gentle kiss on her forehead.

I swallowed my food and stared back at him, "Stop doing that."

He lifted his eyes from her and looked back at me as I harshly spat out, "She is not your daughter." 

His jaw tightened and he shook his head, "I never treated her as if she is not."

"It doesn't matter." I said as I placed the toast down and walked closer, "You are not her father, you have no right to be called dad by her, so stop doing that because she needs her real father, not you."

I sat down beside her from the other side. His hand was in her hair, gently stroking it so I wrapped my hand around his wrist and moved it away, "Stay away from her."

His eyebrows pulled together, "What are you trying to do?"

"I am just letting things be the way they should've been from the very start." I said, "Stay away from my daughter for your own good."

He shook his head, "No."

My eyes widened, "What do you mean no?" I snapped.

"I mean I am not gonna stay away from her, whether you like it or not, I care about her and you can't stop me."

UGH! I WANT TO KILL HIM.

"You have no idea how much I hate you," I mumbled through gritted teeth.

He sighed as he looked back at Lilly, "Believe me, I do." He said as he again ran his hand through her hair.

His movement suddenly paused, I looked back at him to see his eyes not on Lilly but on the teddy bear in her arms. It was little max, the one dad gave me when I was little. Before I left two years ago, I left it at the nursery room that was supposed to be for Lilly. I thought she'd grew up there.

But when we came back, two years after, the nursery room was still the same, Alex didn't change it, he kept it. And when Lilly saw the little brown bear she immediately took it and claimed it as hers.

I was pulled back from my thoughts when I saw Nikolas taking the bear from between her arms. My eyes widened, what the hell?

He took in his hand before he sat straight, a weird look in his eyes, he turned to me, shock dilated in his eyes, "You still have it?"

Ha?

What?

Has he gone mad?

I scrunched my eyebrows, "What?"

He looked back at the toy and shook his head, a small smile made its way to his lips as he said, "Nevermind."

Crazy. He is definitely crazy. There is no other explanation.

I leaned forward and snatched the bear from his hands and placed beside Lilly, "Give the bear to the girl, it helps her sleep." I said, I was beyond annoyed.

A low chuckled vibrated from him, "Like daughter like mother." He said.

I looked back at him and gave him a questioning look. The smile still on his lips, he tilted his head a bit, "You don't remember, do you?"

My frown grew wider, my eyes narrowed, "Remember what?" What in God's name is happening to this man?

He pulled his lower lip between his teeth as he shook his head, "Nevermind."

"You are so weird," I mumbled.

I swallowed hard when I suddenly felt my stomach tightens, a bile rose up to my throat and I fought against it. I should've not eaten that toast. I am gonna throw it up again.

He stood up and mumbled, "Says the girl who called herself snow white."

My eyebrows pulled together but I didn't have time to register what he said or even react to it.

I immediately stood up and ran to the bathroom. Kneeling down in front of the toilet, I let it all out. The tightness at the pit of my stomach increased along with burning in my throat as I tried to even my breath.

A wave of dizziness took over my sight almost knocking me down. My vision blurred so I closed my eyes unable to handle the tremor that shook within me. I felt a hand gently removing my hair away from my face and tucking them behind my ear. I felt a hand at the back of my neck and I heard a voice ask, worried, "Are you okay?"

With my eyes still closed, I nodded my head even though I still felt my whole body shaking. I leaned into the voice's owners embrace and gave my body few seconds to regain control.

When I didn't feel my whole body trembling anymore, I opened my eyes and when the touch of the arms around me didn't feel that foreign, my eyes widened as I immediately pushed myself away from him, "Get away from me." I said as I stood up making as much distance as possible.

I walked to the sink ignoring the shiver of nerves that tingled through my limbs. It's true he doesn't scare me anymore but I can't deny that his touch does. His touch stirs a kind of fear in me I can never explain.

Every cell in my body lit in searing pain. I placed water in my palms and threw them at my face trying to kick myself out of it. I struggled to draw a breath into my constricted lungs as I tried to get a hold over the overwhelming feelings the brimmed within my chest.

I felt the tears streaming down my cheeks, along with the water I kept washing my face with as if trying to wake myself up from this nightmare.

All day long, I act so strong but there is these moments, these small incidents that still somehow trigger memories I am not yet healed from.

I stumbled over the emotion in my throat as more tears resurfaced. I felt the same hands touch me again, I felt them wrapping around my wrist removing them away from the water I kept pouring over my face. The same hands turned me around, the same hands that once ruined me.

A palpable tremor rolled through me as his eyes met mine, as his hand went to my face and he wiped the tears - or the water away.

"Get away from me," I whispered. I couldn't raise my voice any louder.

"I am not gonna hurt you." He said as pain reflected off his eyes.

I sniffled, "Leave me alone." I said, "Please just leave me alone."

"You are not okay." He said, his hand resting under my ear, his thumb stroking my cheek.

I couldn't breathe.

"Just - just leave me." I hicupped a low sob. "Please Nikolas -- leave me."

My hands trembled at my side and i felt the same dizziness take over my body again. I almost lost my balance but the same hands held me again, saving me from falling.

I felt an arm underneath my knees and one under my back as i was swept off my feet.

I felt him moving as i slowly took control over my body again.

~~~~~~~~~

Nikolas's POV

I took her in my arms before i walked back to the room. Carefully and slowly i laid her down on the bed.

She blinked her eyes and looked up at me. I stayed by her side, "Is there is anything hurting you ?" I asked.

I knew exactly what was hurting her but i sucked it up.

She shook her head silently.

"You sure you're okay?" I asked again barely able to form those couple of words.

She nodded her head, she didn't fight me back this time, instead a lone tear left the corner of her eye and scrolled down her cheek.

Guilt fluttered along the fringes of my consciousness as i stared back at her.

At everything i have done.

The destruction i have made.

I gripped the back of my head, doing all I could to try to calm myself, to hold in the remorse that built and spread.

Pain seized my heart as i realized the fact that I destroy everything I touch.

Voices and faces and memories pressed in too close, clouding my mind.

Bitterness roiled and I stumbled back.

It was just too similar.

Too similar to what happened to - her, long ago.

I did it. I actually did it.

What i always wanted. I repeated history.

But why i am not content with it.

**FLASHBACK**

"You're okay ?" I asked.

She didn't respond, her eyes blankly looking down, tears falling and pouring over the sheets.

When I placed my hand over her arm, she flinched and pulled away from me. She didn't look back at me. She couldn't look at me.

"Please talk to me." I whispered.

She kept silent. She stayed silent.

From that day, silence was all i got.

**END OF FLASHBACK**

I froze as images of her face beat against my consciousness conflicting me more.

It was all forgotten. I always kept them locked, why they came up now?

I lifted my head and my eyes roamed the room, this room, this house that harbored so many memories.

I hated it, knowing how those walls once held her presence, how she'd lived and breathed in them.

I couldn't think about it.

I can't.

I shook my head shaking these images away. Shaking my fūcked up past, burying it all back to where it belonged. In the deepest parts of me.

I tried to get control of my thoughts, to put them into words.

I looked back at Cara, "I am sorry." Was everything i was able to let out.

She blinked at me and i said it again, "I am sorry."

Her eyebrows pulled together as she silently stared back at me.

"Why do you remind me so much of her?" The question left my mouth without even thinking.

Lined etched her forehead as her confusion grew more. I swallowed hard and got off the bed. What the hell did i just say?

I stood straight ready to leave the room, leave her alone.

That's what she wanted.

But when i turned my back, a hand came to my wrist and stopped me. Confused and shocked, I turned to her, "What do you mean ?" She asked as she sat up.

I shook my head, "It's nothing."

Her hand kept holding mine and it did something to me.

She shook her head, "Who is her?" Her hand left mine and i freaking hated it.

She got off the bed and stood right in front of me.

She was close. Too close. Dangerously close.

She lifted her head and her eyes met mine, her eyebrows pulled together, "Tell me."

Don't answer that. Don't.

My gaze fell on her lips as she talked, "You apologized. For what?"

"Everything." I answered.

She licked her lips and i eyed their movement, "Why? Why you did it if you now regret it?"

A low breath left my mouth, "How many times i have to say it?"

"Say what?" She said, her voice getting louder.

My jaw tightened as my gaze flicked back to her eyes, "That i love you."

I don't know what came upon me, i just inched one bit closer, my hand went to the back of her neck drawing her closer till my lips touched hers.

I promised to not touch her against her well, but this time, I couldn't fight it.

It was forbidden and that made me want it even more.

I kissed her.

And the weird thing, and for the very first time,

She kissed me back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

This chapter was supposed to be longer, but I can't write more than this so here you go.

Btw, just to make things clear, don't ever think i am showing Nikolas as a good person, when i write I don't show my opinion, I don't write from my pov, i write from the characters pov, from how the incident is happening in their eyes.

I don't put my feelings in it.

The thing is, Nikolas is not normal, you can't understand him, one moment he acts weak, one he go all bash crazy, other moments he acts all nice and all, he doesn't even understand himself and you'll come in terms of that and understand more later when everything clears up.

Just remember, I don't reflect how i feel about a character when i write, i keep my feelings aside and i show them the way they're supposed to be.

Anyway, whatcha ya think would happen next ?

Stay tuned for the next 2 to 3 chapters because things will get interesting *puts my black shades on*

Love ya all♥️