Page 33 of Forced Mafia Bride

“Call my name again, princess,” he rasped.

In a heartbeat.

“Niko...!”

He slammed into me again, and I shattered like a glass wall into a million pieces, screaming as I came all over him.

He didn’t come.

I had a feeling that it was deliberate, but I didn’t bother to clarify.

Sudden exhaustion wrapped my entire body like a wet blanket, and I fell to the bed, my chest swelling with elation and strange satisfaction as my gaze fixed on the ceiling. Many emotions bombarded me, and I was beginning to think the moment was special when, from beside me, his movement rustled the sheets, and he lifted himself off the bed, leaving a coldness behind.

I refused to watch him.

Not when he quietly picked up his clothes and put them on.

Not when he left the room without a word.

Chapter 14 – Nikolai

Five Days Later

Ronan didn’t care much for his sister; that was understood. But he’d been publicly humiliated in his own territory. Knowing him as well as I did, that should have been enough to spark an irritation that would propel him to come after me. He never really allowed sleeping dogs to lie, so it was surprising that the past weeks had been met with nothing more than cold silence from his end.

Aiden said he’d refused to discuss the incident at the church and kept mute since. But I knew the Irish mutt probably better than anyone did. Years ago, I’d spent months studying the asshole. He was not going to let it go. And if Aiden was unaware of his plans, it meant he secretly plotted to take me out.

I tapped my steering wheel and adjusted the rearview mirror. The flash of a Mercedes bumper reflected through the mirror, and a smile tugged at the corner of my lips.Surprise, surprise.It was almost as if I had manifested the situation and was now living it. I’d been driving for hours already, completely bored. Finally, somethinglively.

A rush of adrenaline bolted through my veins, and I floored the gas. The Mercedes followed, and I noticed the tinted windows and the gleam of the chrome wheels. Then, it swerved into the next lane, pulling up alongside me. The windows rolled down, and I glanced over to see a masked face staring right back, a gun pointed directly at me.

I smiled. My instincts kicked in, and I floored the Tesla, grinning when the Mercedes kept up the pace. Whoever the driver was made quite the impression, holding his ground. We weaved in and out of traffic, and the speedometer climbedhigher and higher. I heard the roar of the engines, the screech of tires, and the rattle of gunfire bouncing off the steel.

The driver was firing at my car.

Bullets whizzed past my head, shattering the side window. I ducked and chuckled as I fought to maintain control. I took a sharp turn. The tires screeched in protest, but the Mercedes driver wasn’t giving up easily.

He fired again and, this time, had a bit of luck on his side.

A bullet hit my front tire, sending my car careening out of control. I fought to steady the wheel, but it was too late. The tire blew, and my car skidded onto the shoulder, sending up a cloud of smoke and dust.

Swiftly, I reached for my gun and phone tucked away in the glove compartment and leaped from the car. I wasn’t backing down without a fight. I returned fire, my bullets shattering the Mercedes’ windshield. The driver swerved momentarily, losing control.

That was when I saw my chance. I aimed carefully, squeezing off a shot that hit the driver’s arm. His grip on the wheel faltered, and the Mercedes careened, crashing into a guardrail. But the driver didn’t slip out as I expected him to; he floored the gas and sped as quickly as the car could take him.

I kept shooting, frustration building up. I’d recognize the lazy assassination attempt anywhere—Ronan’s.

****

I’d put a call through to have one of my men pick me up at the crash site, and Avian’s response was quick. He pulled into the compound, the gates sliding open with a soft creak. As I stepped out of the car, Avian moved to park the car elsewhere, and I noticed a figure waiting for me at the front of the house. Anatoly.

He was leaning against the pillar, his eyes fixed on me with an unreadable expression that I understood too well. “Who attacked you?”

“Ronan.” I walked past him, and he pushed off the pillar.

“Ronan?”

“Let’s go inside.” I gestured toward the door, and his movements were fluid when he followed me.