CHAPTER 55: – THE ROACH –

A car pulled up in front of the sky-high company with the bold name – Bratva –. As the person inside stepped out, high-ranking employees hurried outside, forming a straight line with their hands clasped behind their backs.

They bowed. "Welcome to Bratva, Chairman."

Elio opened the car door and bowed as well. He had his gaze lowered as Nikolas settled his feet on the concrete ground.

Nikolas straightened up, adjusted his suit jacket and started toward the entrance. As he passed with a brief nod, the line of employees rose and followed behind him.

Everyone in the company knew that he was the real boss of Bratva, and per the contract they’d signed, no one could ever reveal that confidential information. If they did, they’d lose more than just their job.

As Nikolas moved deeper into the building, the low- rank employees bowed as well, greeting him in turn.

"Has the meetings started?" he asked.

One of his female staff stepped closer with a smile. Yes, boss. The rest of the board members are in the waiting room."

"Good." He glanced to the side. "Elio–"

His phone vibrated suddenly, snatching his attention. He answered.

[Nikolas?]

"Yes?"

[The ruby necklace you wanted, I have it. But like I said, it’s worth twenty million. There’s only one of it in existence, which is the one I have now. You can get it checked if you want]

"No need for that. It’s the real one and I want it."

[Who are you spending this much money on, Nikolas?]

"My wife. And why are you so curious?"

[Nothing] A chuckle chuckle came through the line. [Just wondering who Nikolas Bastiani is going this far for. Twenty million? Insane. Hope it never gets stolen, there isn’t a replica after all. It’s the real thing. I’ll bring it over–]

"Give it to my brother. Also, be aware that he’ll put you six feet underground if you mess around. Lucian isn’t a very patient man like me."

[Ya think I’m not aware of that?]

The man scoffed. [You still scare me more than he does though. Hehe, goodbye, Nikolas. And please inform your twin not to break my legs. I don’t feel very comfortable with those kinds of threats he gives–]

Nikolas hung up.

"Let’s go," he said to his staff, and walked on.

—----

Viviana stretched her body, relief softening her face. The name change for her company had been processed, and the documents would be finalized soon.

The last thing she’d need was her father’s signature. But after what happened... would he even sign...

Her thoughts cut off as her eyes dropped to a roach crawling out of nowhere and pausing across the floor.

’A... roach.’

Viviana felt her soul evacuate her body immediately. Roaches, to her, were like dragons. The mere sight of one could have her hyperventilating.

Her pupils blew wide until they were so large, they could almost pop out. Her breath snagged. She couldn’t breathe anymore.

Screaming, she leapt from her slippers onto the couch, and bolted around the living room in panic.

She sprinted to the kitchen, grabbed a knife, and jumped climbed the counter, where she proceeded to squat down, eyes scanning and observing the situation.

"Please, don’t do this to me," she muttered to herself. "They’re so disgusting!"

Viviana patted the pocket of her sweatpants and pulled out her phone with trembling hands. She called Nikolas.

[Hello, wi–]

"NIKOLAS!" She yelled into the phone, loud enough she might have just burst his eardrum.

[What the–what’s wrong? Did something–]

"Roaches! Nikolas, I just saw a roach and it’s coming after me. You must help me. It refuses to leave!"

[A roach?]

"That’s right!"

[You can’t... kill it?]

"What the fuck do you mean by that? How dare you ask me that question?" she snapped. "What if it flies at me, huh? They fly! They fly, Nikolas, and they are disgusting! Get back here and kill it right now!"

[Okay, okay, calm down. I’m actually at the door. I just arrived–]

"Walk faster for goodness sake!!"

The door creaked. SHe snapped her head up instantly.

Nikolas ducked through the doorway so he wouldn’t hit his head on the frame.

Viviana launched off the counter without thinking and ran over, jumping straight into his arms, legs locking around his waist as she yelled in his ear.

Though startled, he held her tight and looked at the floor. "Where is it?"

"I don’t know!" She clung to his shoulders, not planning to get down. "You have to find it and kill it. I can barely breathe!"

Nikolas gave a crooked smile. "Sweetheart, you’re going to have to get off me first. I can’t do much with you–"

"No way! I refuse," Viviana refused. As a matter of fact, she tightened her grip on him. "I will not be putting my feet on that floor until I see it dead."

"How violent." Nikolas grinned. "Get on my back then. I can’t move with you like this."

"Move closer to the couch first. And do not abandon me there."

The man sighed. "It’s just a single roach, ya know?"

"That’s what you’d call it. But those things are far too terrifying. Have you seen their legs?"

Nikolas swallowed a laugh. He carried her top the couch so she could stand, then hunched so she could climb onto his back.

Viviana wrapped her legs around his waist and nodded. "It’s now or never."

"Sounds like a battlefield," he murmured, choking back his amusement.

"This is one for me," she shot back. "I used to pass out at the sight of this."

"Really?"

"What? Does my dear husband think it’s funny?" she bit out. "Go ahead, let me see you laugh."

Nikolas eyed the dustpan she held. "Mhm, I’ll be quiet."

"Now tell me," he said, "Where did you last see it?"

Viviana pointed near the table. "There." She tightened her grip on the dustpan. "I’ll watch the walls. You watch the floor."

"Yes, my lady." He chuckled.

"It’s not funny!" She smacked the dustpan against his head, then gasped.

"AH! There it is. One the wall, Nikolas, it’s on the wall. Take me there."

In the next breath, he was there, and Viviana splat the dustpan against the wall.

It was dead. ’I got it.’ Without a doubt.

"Slowly, Nikolas. Back away from the wall." She kept the pan pressed flat, not letting go.

He did as told. The second she eased off, the roach dropped with the pan b, and she scrambled in panic.

Nikolas staggered and tripped, but twisted quickly so she landed on him instead of the floor. His back hit the cold wood with a thud, and her forehead clipped his jaw.

He hissed, but his face didn’t show any pain, because he wasn’t hurt.

"Are you okay?" he asked, threading his fingers through her hair to brush it back off her face.

Viviana pushed up on his chest. "Did I hurt you?"

"No."

She blew out a relieved breath. Her gaze flicked aside to the dead roach and immediately, laughter bubbled freely out of her. "Finally!"

Her face lit up with smiles that almost made her shine like the sunrise. She looked back at Nikolas, then paused at the strange look on his face. "Nikolas?"

She frowned. "Why is your face so red? I’ve never seen you flushed before. Are you sick? Is that why you were gone all day?" She pressed her palm on her own forehead, then to his. "You do feel warm, but not–"

"Viviana." Nikolas swallowed thickly. "Could you please... get off me?" he forced out.

"Huh? Why? Are you–"

His hands slid to the back of her head, gripping with his voice strained. "Viviana. Get off. Now."

Viviana blinked rapidly and shifted off him, watching as he sat up, completely avoiding her eyes. It was something he’d never done before.

She stared hard at him. ’What is wrong with him?’

Her brows squeezed together and she looked down, mentally replaying how tense he’d been beneath her.

’Wait...’

Her eyes grew large.

She froze, blinking at nothing, but choking on air. "No way."

Her face went beet red. She darted a look at him.

"You. You." She couldn’t form her sentence, lashes fluttering frantically. "You..."

Nikolas was quiet. And he’d never been so silent, at least with her.

Viviana’s eyes dropped instantly to his pants. Her breath hitched and she gulped thickly. "That..."

She wouldn’t look away. Or better said, she couldn’t look away.,

Nikolas pinched the bridge of his noose. "I am sorry about this." He cleared his throat. "I’m going to step out for a bit." He got up and left as her gaze followed him.

The door clicked shut. She gasped softly and clutched the front of her shirt.

"It’s..."

Her chest was pounding quite erratically.

She touched her cheeks with her palms, exhaling deeply at the warmth spreading all over her entire body.

"...Ha..."