CHAPTER 81: – UNKNOWN –

Nikolas stumbled into the apartment.

He knew Viviana was going to be mad at him. He hadn’t found his phone, couldn’t even recall where he’d dropped it after everything that happened with his mother.

Closing the door behind him, he glanced at the bedroom where he could smell her scent from. Not like he wasn’t an animal, but Viviana had this sweet scent that drove him mad. He could even tell apart her presence even in his sleep.

Making his way to the bedroom, he slipped off his shoes and walked over to the bathroom. He could hear some noises coming from there. The door was wide open too. She was in there, but what was she doing?

Popping the buttons of his shirt, he walked inside, turning to pause.

Viviana. She was knelt on the floor, hand inside the filled tub as if testing for the temperature of the water.

He blinked like an idiot. "Viviana."

Startled at the unexpected sound of his voice, Viviana turned too quickly, jolting and slipping off the wet floor. She fell into the tub filled tub, a large amount of water spilling on the floor.

Nikolas, who’d rushed over to her, grabbed her hand immediately and pulled her out of the tub, up to her feet. She fell into his. grabbing at his chest with shoulders rising and falling in heavy breathing.

His big palm glided up the small of her back to the back of her neck, before weaving into her wet hair. He tilted her head back to make her look at him. "Are you okay?"

Viviana blinked up at him. She was still breathing heavily, staring at him as if he wasn’t real. When had he come back? And after four days at that, without calling even once.

Shoving at his chest, she stepped back away from him, hands balled by her side. "I see you’re back," she forced out with clear displeasure painting her tone. She was mad at him as he’d expected.

But Nikolas couldn’t form a complete sentence in his head, not when he couldn’t look away from her.

She was in nothing but just a thin shirt that could barely reach her thighs. The water had made it almost transparent, lapped against her skin, and he found it hard to think.

His eyes left her body to her face. Hair was wet and thin, a few strands latching onto her skin. She looked like an art piece sculpted to perfection, and he thought...he’d never seen a person so beautiful. And that word felt like an understatement of what she truly looked like in his eyes.

Viviana swallowed. "What?"

"I lost my phone," Nikolas said, stepping up to her.

She took a step back.

He grabbed her, slipping his hands gently against the curve between her shoulder and her neck. "And I missed you." He caressed the spot under her eyes, leaning to kiss under her chin. "I missed you, Viviana, I felt like I could die."

Viviana felt as if she’d been set on fire, hot under his touch. Had she been touch starved? This man had been gone for four days and couldn’t even call her. She should be mad, not let him touch her like this.

But she felt so weak under his touch. She hated that a large part of her didn’t want to miss his warmth.

She threw her head back against the wall, baring her neck and letting him feast down her throat. "I couldn’t wait to come back to you. To hear your voice, to see your face, to hold you. I missed those eyes of yours, the way they looked at me. You drive me out of my mind, and this obsession eats at me."

"Nikolas, you..." A gratifying flush spread up her cheeks, teeth biting down on her lips unable to keep herself from feeling the pleasure of his body pressed up against hers. He had his bucked knees in between her thighs, and she could boldly feel her nipples, hard behind the thin fabric she wore, chaffing against his solid chest, against the dry material of his shirt.

"Did you miss me?" he asked, biting down into her shoulder, hands grabbing tighter against her hips.

She pressed her lips together, the flush on her face intensifying.

"Did you think of me while I was gone?"

The question made her snap her eyes open and she suddenly shoved him, grunting under breath. Nikolas took a step back. He looked at her, at the mess he’d made, the hickeys he’d just given her.

He said, "You’re mad at me."

"Good." she shot out. "And since you’re aware of that, don’t come close to me or touch me again."

"Viviana, I can expla—"

"I mean it, Nikolas," she quipped and pointed to the door. "Get out."

"I’m sorry," he said to her.

Viviana’s hands balled into fists. "Get out."

"Viviana—"

"Get out, NIKOLAS!" she snapped so hard this time around, he was a bit taken back. She was mad, really mad. And there was nothing he was going to say here that would calm her down.

"I missed you, and seeing you, even if like this, is more than enough to satiate this thing inside of me." He exhaled softly, turned and left the bathroom. The door was closed and Viviana swallowed, crawling her fingers up to her neck and shoulders where she’d felt his kisses and bites.

She blinked rapidly, chastising herself inwardly before stripping to get into the bathtub. "He’s no different. Those words are nothing but lies. I won’t fall for it. Ever. I won’t be stupid."

....

Nikolas tossed his shirt on the bed, feeling a bit annoyed. Not at her, but at himself. "How did I even loose my fucking phone. And that stupid big house, I didn’t even know which part I lost it in," he growled out under his breath, dragging his fingers through his hair.

He was about to turn and leave, but then he paused, because Viviana’s phone was on the bed and messages upon messages were pooling in, vibrating.

He cocked a brow.

Turned to leave, but then another message popped in. He couldn’t care less, but Nikolas was curious. Who could be bothering her like this? Just a look. Nothing more.

He picked it up, glanced at the pop ups. Viviana had her phone unlocked. She didn’t have a password at all, and he clicked into the message.

Who was this? The number was unknown.

Unknown: Please Viviana.

Unknown: Talk to me, I’m begging you.

Unknown: I want to see you. Just to have a word with you.

Unknown: Listen, I know you’re mad at me. And to be honest it wasn’t easy to get your number. I want to see you, I’ll apologise, I’ll even kneel if you want me to.

Unknown: I couldn’t stop thinking about you all the while I was in Chicago. You were the only thing in my mind. Viviana.

Unknown: Why? Why won’t you respond to me?

Unknown: I know that what I did was unforgivable, but one night only, my love. Please.

Unknown: Viviana, do you know it has always been you. You and you only. I couldn’t love any other woman. No one can replace you. No one could.