CHAPTER 22: — SCANDALOUS —

Francesca opened the door, blinking at Nikolas, who stood with Viviana in his arms.

"Oh my goodness. Is she okay?" she asked.

"Yes." Nikolas nodded. "She fell asleep."

Francesca stepped aside, letting them into the house.

Nikolas walked to the bedroom they’d been given and settled Viviana into the bed. He kept her bag aside, pulled the duvet over her, and then turned to leave. His finger, however, was grabbed, that warmth spreading up his cold hands again.

He cast his gaze down to her. She was barely awake.

Viviana’s lips curled into a weak smile, eyelids a tad bit apart. "You’ll abandon me too, won’t you?" she muttered, almost inaudibly.

Nikolas raised a brow. "What...?"

She didn’t explain.

’Is she awake?’ The pace of her breathing said otherwise, her hand slipping off his to dangle back into the bed.

He gazed at her, wondering what she’d meant. But he eventually left, walking into the living room, where he found his twin brother, Lucian. They weren’t very identical, but the fact stood they were born the very same day, though he was one minute older.

The man had Francesca’s cheeks cupped in his large palms as he left kisses all over her face like he couldn’t get enough of her. Francesca, on the other hand, was giggling.

’Love, huh?’ Nikolas thought to himself.

"Nikolas!" His brother suddenly snapped over to him with the fattest grin on his face.

The man was black-haired like him, though it was shoulder length. His eyes were a bright blue, which his daughter got from him.

"I heard something very scandalous about you," Lucian said, patting him hard against the shoulder.

"Don’t start with me, Lucian." Nikolas shoved off his arm.

"Oh, don’t be like this now. We have a lot to talk about."

Lucian’s smile reached from ear to ear. He walked over to the sofa, taking a seat opposite Nikolas, who sat with his head thrown back.

"My darling Francesca told me you’re here because you’re lying to your wife. You don’t want to tell her what you are or who you really are."

Nikolas pinned him with a look that made him grin wider. "You’re acting as if Francesca knew what you were from the start. I can see why you two are perfect for each other. Always ready to act like you weren’t once in the same shoes as me."

"This is not going to end well, you know that, no?" The smug look faded off Lucian’s face. "I’m sure you know how frightened she’ll be of you, learning the man she’s married to isn’t human."

"And that’s why she’s not going to find out," Nikolas shot dryly.

"Nikolas—"

"I don’t want to talk about this, Lucian."

"Hm," Lucian hummed. "You got married, and I had no idea."

"Francesca knew."

His gaze darkened. "Nikolas, seriously, you’ve got to stop involving my wife in your mess."

Nikolas pointed out, "You know she was my best friend before you married her, right?"

"Was. That’s the keyword there." Lucian narrowed his eyes. "She’s my wife now. And if you get her into any sort of trouble or even put her in danger, heaven have mercy, I’m going to kill you," he warned.

Nikolas digressed, asking, "Did you say a word about this to our mother?"

"Why?" Lucian grinned spitefully. "She doesn’t know, does she?"

"Lucian, I swear—"

"I’m going to tell her."

"I dare you," Nikolas challenged. "Watch me bury you alive."

Lucian smirked, leaning back on the sofa to cross his legs. "You married a human knowing she doesn’t like them. Bold of you, really."

"You’re speaking as if your wife wasn’t human once. And IS still half human."

"Well, shit Sherlock." Lucian rolled his eyes. "My situation was and is different. Think about it. I didn’t hide Francesca from her. You, on the other hand... are beyond done for when she finds out. You know how frightening she is."

He visibly shuddered.

"Gives me chills," Nikolas mumbled.

"She’ll lose it. And you are—"

"Daddy!!!" Lucia raced into the room all too suddenly, dressed in a cream-colored pair of pajamas.

Lucian’s smile grew quickly. He spread his arms out and scooped her up into his arms. "Why aren’t you asleep?"

"Mommy told me you’re home. I’ve been waiting for you to come home all day." She giggled as he kissed her cheek. "Hi, Uncle Niko." She waved over to Nikolas. "Daddy, did you know Uncle Niko brought his girlfriend home?"

"His girlfriend? How do you know what a girlfriend is?" Lucian paled. "Who taught you that?"

Lucia laughed. "A kid in my class said it. There is a boyfriend too."

His face grew horrified. "These kids! Sweetie, you cannot have a boyfriend. I forbid it!"

Looking at him, she blinked her large eyes at him. "But, Daddy, if I have a boy who is my friend, he’s my... boyfriend. No?"

"Oh! Right, yes, of course."

"I can’t have boyfriends? Why...?"

Lucian dropped his eyes close. "Sweetie, that’s... Francesca!"

"What have you done now, Lucian?" Francesca answered from upstairs.

"Could you please come for a bit? I’m stuck."

Nikolas laughed to himself, springing to his feet to leave for the bedroom. He shut the door behind him and his gaze drifted over to the bed where Viviana was still soundly asleep.

He slipped off his shoes and got into the bed next to her. He did nothing but turn over, his attention fixated on her face.

Nikolas stared at her. Intently. He reached out a finger to touch her cheek, and without even realizing it, he found himself trying to count every single strand of her lashes.

.....

The morning sun poured through the parted curtains, hitting Viviana full in the face. She stirred with a quiet grunt, blinking her eyes open.

Feeling something warm and soft beneath her fingers, she frowned slightly and lifted her head only to realize her palm was resting against Nikolas’s face.

The man was sound asleep.

Wait...

Viviana sprang away quickly from where she was curled up tightly close to him. Her head had even rested against his spread-out arm.

The last thing she recalled was being at the cinema with him. Had she fallen asleep? And if so, had he brought her home?

Her racing heart settled a bit.

She studied his face, gaze shifting to the few strands of hair that had fallen over his eyes. Slowly and cautiously, she inched back, closer to him.

She picked at the strands, rolling a few between her thumb and index finger. Gently brushing them from his forehead, she moved to pull her hand away, only to gasp when thicker fingers closed around her wrist, startling her.

Nikola’s green eyes lit up as he opened his eyes. He blinked up at her, and the corners of his lips stretched into a smile.

"Good morning, wife. Did you sleep well?"

Viviana’s eyes grew like saucers.

"Don’t touch me!" She rapidly crawled backwards only to slip off the bed to the floor with a heavy thud.

Nikolas raised a brow and sat up on the bed. He stretched his neck to look at her. "Are you okay?"

Viviana’s face flushed deeply as she got up to her feet, taking a step back. "Why did you sleep next to me?"

He cocked both brows. "What?"

"You’re meant to sleep on the sofa. We are not sharing a bed."

"Why?"

"Because I said so."

"Hmm." Nikolas left the bed to approach her. Every step he took towards her, Viviana moved back, watching him quietly.

"I don’t think that’s the case," he drawled with lazy cynicism.

Her back touching the wall startled her and she jolted a bit. "W-what do you mean?"

He stood too close. She could feel the body heat oozing from him. He pressed his palm flat against the ceiling, his shirt riding up and revealing muscular abs, shaped with a V that went into his pants.

He was such a man, and it threw her off. No doubt he was like candy to women.

"I think you’re like this because you’re having very dirty thoughts, Viviana."

She choked, coughing hard. "What? What in the world do you mean by that?"

He stared down at her with that knowing gaze and tipped his head to the side, adding, "Your ears are red. I wonder why."

"How vulgar!" She clenched her hands.

Nikolas reached out to grab her ear. He rubbed softly on the lobe, leaving her frozen where she stood. "Are you scared that you wouldn’t be able to control yourself if we slept in the same bed?"

Her pupils dilated. And she swatted his hand away. "Nonsense."

"Afraid you might jump me?" he further teased. "Can you deny I’m quite handsome?"

Viviana’s lips fell apart in a large O. "You! You! Are you out of your mind? Why ever would I jump you, huh?"

"You won’t?"

"Of course, I won’t!" she huffed, tossing her hair behind her shoulder.

"Then what are you so afraid of? I for sure won’t touch you. Not unless you want me to."

She weighed his audacity and pointed harshly at him. "That is never happening."

"And just so you’re aware, Nikolas Bastiani!—" She stepped aside to leave but stopped and glared at him. "—You may be very handsome, but you are in no way my type!"

She scoffed and stormed off to the bathroom.

"Hehe..." Nikolas felt a smile carving on his face and wondered, briefly, when was the last time a person had singlehandedly made him smile every minute of his day?

Never, actually.

Yet, a cold woman like Viviana Di-grassi effortlessly did.

And he couldn’t even begin to pinpoint why.