Mafia's collateral (M Book2)

His place

!?!?!

Total darkness took over, Leaving me disoriented and vulnerable. Panic surges within me as I fumble for the railing, my fingers grasping desperately for support in the sudden void of light.

Oh! God!

Is today a bad omen or something?! Bad things keep happening.

I strained my eyes in a futile attempt to pierce through the blackness, but all I saw was an endless abyss stretching out before me. That didn't stop me from going down though, I was already in the middle, I couldn't just stand there like a statue, so I chose to go down when it happened

A misstep,

A moment of imbalance that sent me careening forward with alarming speed. My foot caught on the edge of a step, and I felt myself hurtling downward, unable to stop the inevitable collision with the unforgiving ground below.

The impact sends a jolt of pain radiating through my body, my bones rattling with the force of the fall. I cried out in agony as I tumbled down the remaining stairs, each impact sending shockwaves of pain coursing through me.

Finally, mercifully, I came to a stop at the bottom of the staircase, my body a tangled mess. Tears stung my eyes as I lay there.

"Oww..." I groaned, cursing at myself when I heard the sound of hurried footsteps approaching from the other end of the house.

!!!

Hope flickers within me as I strained my ears,

"Hey!" I heard Azef's voice, his figure outlined in the faint glow filtering through the windows. With a sense of urgency in his stride, he rushed toward me, his concern etched deeply into the furrow of his brow. He came and crouched down next to me, "What the hell happened?!" There was a hint of anger in his voice.

He didn't wait for my reply and without hesitation, he gathered me into his arms, cradling me against his chest with a gentleness that took my breath away.

!?!?

I wasn't expecting him to carry me in his arms like that but he took me over to the couch. My lips just sealed themselves there when he carried me but as he sat me down I felt a surge of warmth flood through me because he sat me down there rather gently. I could tell he was being gentle with the way he put me down awfully slowly.

Which was strange, I should have been disgusted being carried like that yet it felt nice.

He crouched down on the floor near me and tried to examine me for injuries, "You're an idiot, aren't you?" The sternness in his voice made me feel small, "You should have stayed put if you couldn't see!", "You should have stayed put if you couldn't see!" He pulled my pants up to get a view of my calves.

It didn't feel like anything was broken, but I might have pulled a muscle 

I looked down in shame, "Sorry," I pursed my lips

"I don't need your apology," His voice was hard which got me to tense up in fear, "I despise people who keep getting in trouble." He raised his head to look at me and even though it was dark, I could still see his gray eyes glaring at me, "And you're on top of that list."

I bit my lower lip, "I'm sorry, I-" I actually did not have an excuse to present to him. I had been causing trouble since the moment I met him. I have been an absolute clown and have made things worse.

There's nothing I can do properly...

"Sir, I'll be more careful-"

"Shut it," He growled at me, making me zip my lips in fear, "You are already getting on my nerves with what you keep doing!"

My heart fell at his words when suddenly, a deep, guttural cough rips through his chest, breaking the tense silence of the room.

I froze, my heart skipping a beat at the sound, my concern shifting from my own pain to his well-being. Azef tried to suppress the cough, but it persisted, each hacking cough more violent than the last.

With a sense of urgency, he got up and rushed to the bathroom, his footsteps echoing in the darkness. I strained my ears, listening intently for any sign of his return, but all I hear is the muffled sound of his coughs drifting from the other room.

I don't know why, but it sounded like something serious...

Minutes pass like hours, the darkness weighed heavily on me as I waited anxiously for Azef to return. That's when lightning struck again and through the window, the lounge was illuminated.

It was a split second view but I noticed it immediately. The few red drops on the floor where Azef was sitting.

Wait, my heart beat rose

Is that blood?