Dead By Sundown

Chapter Forty-Six: A Liars Reasoning

Chapter forty-six

  "Ciao, piccola," Lorenzo murmured when he noticed Nadia stirring from her sleep, an uneasy smile settling on his handsome features.

  He sat hunched in an armchair that he had drawn up beside her bed, no longer sleeping beside her. She creased her brow, trying to figure out why he wasn't beside her.

  "I had to deal with clean up," he rumbled, running a hand through his hair as he answered her unspoken question.

  Everything rushed back to her at once with the sound of his voice, a headache throbbing behind her eyes, head spinning.

  "Vitali—" she gasped out, hand reaching up to her throat where a fresh gauze sat.

  "Truly dealt with this time," Leo soothed, "Jade came and patched you up. They're all quite worried about you, you know. Even Giovani, though he'll never admit to it."

  His words were meant to ease her, an attempt at humour lilting his words. Nadia didn't seem to hear him, though, she was mad. More than mad, she was furious at him for not telling her about Vitali, for keeping that from her for so long. She doubted he even had intentions of telling her the Russian pig bastard was alive. Lorenzo was probably cursing himself out that she even discovered Vitali was still alive.

  There were a lot of emotions that Nadia needed to unpack but she wasn't quite ready to face them on her own... and she wasn't at all willing to share them with him, either. Not until she had all of the information at least.

  "I believe we have some things to discuss," she rasped, carefully pushing herself to sit.

  Lorenzo was at her side in an instant, cautiously helping her up, face drawn and serious. "Yes," he murmured, "I suppose we do."

  Despite the tension that grew between them, Nadia reached for the mafia boss, pulling him towards her. Nadia hated it, but she needed him, his warmth, his comfort. Even mad at him she still craved his touch.

  Although he promised himself to keep his distance to avoid her injuries, Lorenzo caved immediately, lowering himself onto his bed beside her, resting against his headboard tucking her back against his chest. Nadia could almost pretend that none of the events of that day had come to pass. A blissful moment passed where they stayed, simply holding onto one another, and let their chests rise and fall in sync. They became one.

  For a second, all was well.

  "Before I get mad at you for keeping him alive," she murmured into his neck, his grip tightening as shivers ran down his spine with her breath, "I need answers. What was he on about, Leo?" She asked, curling further into his embrace, "about his Tsvetkov. The whole 'a daughter for a daughter' thing?" Slowly, everything was creeping back in, all emotions hitting overdrive. The sweet scent of his cologne mixed with the smell of him was the only thing holding her in place.

  Lorenzo hesitated.

  "I need answers Lorenzo," she commanded softly, "What was he talking about?"

  Lorenzo planted a gentle kiss to the top of her head, clutching her tighter. This wasn't going to end well for him and he already knew it.

  "The Russian has a daughter," he rumbled beneath her.

  "Ivan doesn't have a daughter," Nadia denied, scrunching her face.

  The mafia boss paused long enough that Nadia had to peel herself away. The look on his face said it all.

  "Jesus fuck," she exclaimed, "You're withholding the daughter to the head of the Russian mafia?" She seethed at him.

  Lorenzo winced, "Technically no."