Mafia's collateral (M Book2)

Reminder of what he is

!!!???

That caught me off guard. But right the next moment the door opened and I looked up to see who it was.

"Is something wrong?" Unexpectedly, or maybe expectedly, it was Azef who came out of the room but the only way I recognized him was through his voice.

It was dark, I could barely see anything but it felt like his clothes were stained along with his cheek

I stared

Is that blood?

"Aren't you sleepy? The sun hasn't risen yet." Azef said, "What are you doing here?" I couldn't stop staring at him. The stench increased when the door opened and it was the smell of rotting blood. I might be wrong, but then again, I might not be and that got my heart pounding and got my thinking all confused.

"Um, well, I was worried about Eris," I tried not to focus on it and not to ask about the room behind him, "I'm guessing you brought me back home?"

"Do you want to go back to her?" He asked softly.

I nodded but an anxiety grew in my heart. There was this ominous vibe coming from him. And not only that, there was this weird stench coming from that room behind him that was making it impossible not to focus on what he was doing in there.

"Yes..." I was looking into that room but he blocked my view with his body.

"Come," He placed his hands on my shoulders, "I'll take you to her." He turned me around and forced me up the stairs. I felt weird. My chest felt fuzzy and my mind was buzzing.

The screams I heard, were those real? That wasn't a dream? NO, NO. I shook my head. He could be doing anything in the room! He could be painting!

Even I knew that was a ridiculous excuse, I didn't want to think about it. I shouldn't have come down here.

We came into the dim light of the lounge and Azef closed the door behind us. Something told me not to turn around and look at him but the moment he let my shoulders go, I couldn't help it.

I turned to look at him and my heart dropped.

I was right about the stains on his clothes

My eyes went wide seeing it.

He was stained by blood.

"Azef," My anxiety turned into fear, "You-" I pointed at his face, "Blood," He was turning to leave when I said that and paused when I pointed it out.

He wiped his cheek, "Don't worry about it." He pushed me towards the stairs to go up, "Go wash your face, I'll take you to Eris," His voice was monotonous and he simply turned and went to his room pretending nothing he did was out of the ordinary.

My heart rate grew faster

It got me thinking all over again.

Right

He's a mafian boss. I looked back at the door under the stairs.

Did he kill someone there? Was that person screaming? Or is the person still alive? Did he torture someone? He must have... I mean, how else would he get so much blood on himself?

A violent shiver went down my spine. Just the thought of it made my heart tremble. But then again, why did I even forget what he actually is?

***

"Where are we going?" I asked as I followed Azef after entering the hospital. He and I both changed and came here but we weren't going to the general ward.

"I had Eris transferred to a private room." He was so proper at the moment, no one would be able to think that he had so much blood on him just an hour ago.

"Private room!?!?" I was baffled, "Why?" OH MY GOD! What would be the cost of that?!?

"I know what you're thinking," He seemed to read my mind, "But you don't have to worry about the cost."

"What?" I furrowed my eyebrows, "How can I not?"

"You don't need to because this was my fault," He had a serious expression on, like something was bothering him. Is it about what he had in the basement? He was quite lively for a few days and as night fell today, all of the sudden he changed.

What happened when I was asleep?

He cleaned himself up and even changed his clothes but because I saw him in that state, I can't seem to take my mind off of that.

"What's your fault?" I asked, still feeling a little scared.

"I knew Eris had gotten her bandage wet while she was playing at school but I didn't tell you."

"She got her bandage wet at school!" I moved forward and came to walk by his side, "That's how her wound got infected!?!" Worrying about Eris made me momentarily forget about his violence.

"Yea," He didn't look at me, "So don't worry about it. It was my fault and I'm taking responsibility."

"..." I wasn't sure what to say to that argument, "But..."

"I'm not in the mood to argue, so just let it go." His voice got stern and I honestly had no intention of getting on his nerves, so I didn't say anything further.

Something is bothering him. I can see it. But can I ask about it? Will that make him mad? Do I even have the confidence to ask about it? Will I be able to handle it? I'm sure it's got something to do with what he did in that basement but seeing all the blood on him made me scared.

I pursed my lips. Did I start liking him so much, I forgot that this is something gangsters do all the time? That kind of violence is nothing new to them...

I looked down on the floor.

But he's so nice to me and Eris. Even when he came out of the basement, he talked gently with me. He's on edge right now, but since that night when he was coughing up blood, he hasn't raised his voice on me.

We got in the elevator, and although the rest of the hospital wasn't brightly lit, the small elevator cube sparkled gold. I glanced at Azef, he seemed to be lost in thought. His tall study figure seemed so bright in that light, it highlighted his gray hair and his strong physique.

What do I want from him? I know our relationship goes as far as finding my father and him getting his things back. I looked down again. Then what? Then there's nothing. So, why am I feeling so many things?

I know very well, I wouldn't be able to handle someone like him. Not that he would want me...

The elevator dinged open and we walked towards the VIP ward.

But, what if he wanted me? I looked at his broad back as I walked behind him. What if he was being nice to me because he wants me?

He opened a room and walked in. I followed and my eyes landed on Eris who was sleeping on the bed peacefully. I smiled when I looked at her. I'm glad she's safe.

"You can stay here," He said, "I got a private room so you can sleep on the spare mattress, or use the sofa." Azef stepped back, it looked like he was planning on leaving.

I didn't have the courage to ask him about anything, "Okay," So a small affirmation was all I could let out. I moved my head around to look at the room, and that's when my eyes landed at a blind spot.

!!!

There stood someone wearing all black, with their eyes on me as if they were ready to attack.