Stay with me

92 Taming the stubborn

"You wouldn't dare," Signora Hortense hissed, turning pale.

"You think so?" Niko asked ironically. "How naive of you. After all, I am a person with a complete lack of morality, which means that I am capable of anything."

"Salvatore will curse you!" She threatened.

"I can handle it," Niko replied insolently. He went to the front door and flung it open. "You must go, Signora Hortense."

***

Jansu went to where she could throw off the queen's mask and cry on the shoulder of her loved one - to Defne. There was a taxi in the parking lot outside the hotel. Jansu sat in the front seat and dictated the address. The taxi driver looked apprehensively at her bare feet. Jansu took a large bill from her purse and placed it on the dashboard. The taxi driver silently took it, put it in his pocket, and started the car.

When barefoot, shivering from the cold and unhappy, she appeared on the doorstep of Iplikci's house, Defne gasped and dragged her into the house.

"Lord, girl, what happened?" she screamed, groping her head and hands.

Jansu buried her face in her shoulder and burst into tears. Defne hugged her, gently stroked her back, and said, "Cry. It will get easier."

***

Niko, not seeing anyone in front of him, swiftly walked through the huge hall to the exit from the hotel. Pajamas were replaced by gray trousers and a blue T-shirt - the clothes that first came to his hands.

Niko was in a hurry. He knew that Jansu felt bad now. She is humiliated and crushed by his involuntary lie. He wanted to quickly find her, explain everything, to tell her about the fanaticism and cunning of his mother, who mercilessly destroyed their marriage.

To say that he loves her. That he's loved her all these years and always will.

When Tony Remarco appeared in front of him, his first desire was to send him to hell.

"Tony, I'm in a hurry," He growled.

"Wow, what anger," he said ironically. "Strange emotions for the winner of the bet. I thought you would be jubilant."

Niko's chest went cold. The bet. Crap! He completely forgot about it. But what kind of victory is this idiot peacock talking about? How can he know about the last night?

"Tony, aren't you in too much of a hurry to credit me with the victory?" Niko tried to make his voice indifferent.

"But, since the lady herself confirmed it, I can only accept it," said Remarco.

Niko's heart sank.

"Did Jansu confirm to you?" He muttered in a hushed voice. "What are these idiotic fantasies? Where could you see her?"

"Where!" Tony Remarco angrily replied, "I saw her leaving your room - an hour ago. She looked like a woman after a stormy night."

The nightmare has become a reality. If this peacock told Jansu everything - Oh my God!

Niko grabbed Tony Remarco by the lapel of his jacket and pulled him closer to him. Looking menacingly in the eyes, he asked, "Did you tell her? About the bet?"

Fear flashed across Tony's face. His eyes darted around in search of guards. The doorman stood by the door and looked the other way. The administrator at the reception pretended to carefully study the information on the computer. No one was going to intervene in a quarrel between two respected guests, rightly judging that people of this rank would figure it out themselves.