Captivated by the deadly mafia boss

Micah’s expression softens. “He is.”

“I need to see him. I know I messed up, but he should at least talk to me.”

His brows furrow. “What do you mean you messed up?”

I shake my head. I don’t have the energy to go through it all. “It’s a long story.”

“I have a feeling it’s not as complicated as you think.” He glances at the bandage on my left arm. While I was half dragging Joseph from the warehouse, I managed to get a burn that will most likely leave a nasty scar. But at least Joseph escaped without more injury than his leg.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

“I need to see him.”

He gives a curt nod. “Of course.” He pulls a business card from the inside of his suit jacket and pen. After scribbling something down he hands it to me. “Here’s the code to get into the condo. I’ll text Lena and let her know you’re on your way up.”

“Thank you.” I take the card.

“Don’t let him off the hook so easy, understand?” He points a finger at me with the look of authority I’ve seen too many times on Jakub’s face.

“I won’t,” I vow. After I’m done yelling at him for just abandoning me, I’ll apologize. Maybe I should start with apologizing? I mean, it was my fault. I did tell him I wanted out, I said we were over.

“Good.” He checks his watch. “I need to go, but Lena can get a hold of me if you need anything.”

“Of course. Thank you, Micah.”

Once inside the elevator, I punch in the secret code then hug the envelope with the papers to my chest. These men and their security codes, it’s getting to be a bit much. But after seeing what his enemies are capable of, I suppose they serve their purpose.

As the elevator glides up to the top floor, my stomach twitches. What if he doesn’t want me? What if this is his way of getting rid of me, and I’m being a crazy bitch who won’t let go?

By the time the elevator comes to a stop, I’m in full panic mode. Maybe I’m doing the wrong thing. But before I can make my escape, the doors slide open and Jakub is standing in the foyer with his fists on his hips. “What the hell are you doing out of bed?”

“Seriously?” I step off the elevator, my misgivings dashed with his rage-filled glare.

“You’re not supposed to be moving around this much, Nicole. Little movements,” he continues to lecture me. From the right corner of my eye, I see Lena peek out at us from the living room. She ducks back in when she meets my gaze.

“And you’re not supposed to move in with your sister while your wife is recovering from a car accident and attempted murder by a complete psychopath, but here we are!” I dump the envelope on the large table placed in the center of the foyer. A vase with bright blue flowers wobbles at the force.

His eyes move to the envelope and his anger cracks. “You got the papers.”

“Yeah. You coward. I got them.” I fist my hands and put them on my hips. The movement takes my breath away for a split second.

“Coward?” His voice is raw while his eyes fill with confusion.

“Yeah. I know I fucked up, Jakub. I never should have left the apartment that night. I should have waited for you to come home to yell at you for being an overbearing asshole. I know that. And I was telling the driver to take me back home when it became apparent we weren’t going to the airport. I wanted to go home. I didn’t want to leave.” I point at the papers spilled out of the envelope. “But apparently, I should have.”

A sob catches me off guard. I was angry when I saw the papers at first, hurt, and mad. But now, seeing him standing right in front of me, the size of this hits me. He’s stayed away from our home since I was released from the hospital. He’s been talking to lawyers to end things between us. This has been his priority.

“I know you didn’t mean it when you agreed to make our marriage temporary. I know you only did that because I never would have agreed if you hadn’t. But even when I let myself pretend this wasn’t a real thing, our marriage wasn’t real, you told me you’d never let me go. You swore I was yours forever. But I guess you were lying. Just saying what you needed to say so you got what you wanted.”

His jaw clenches.

“You think this is what I want?” He picks up the papers and throws them back down. “This is for you. You’ll never have a normal life married to me. There will always be an enemy. Always. You were right.”

Hot tears roll down my cheeks. All the stupid pain meds have me loopy, and I can’t control my feelings. I can’t stop them from showing all over my face.

“You think being without you is better?” My throat closes around the words. That can’t be true, it isn’t true.

“I think it’s safer,” he says, taking a small step in my direction. He’s wearing a pair of jeans and a light gray t-shirt. Dark circles sag beneath his silver blue eyes, making him look older. His hair is soft. Without any product in it, it hangs haphazardly around, pointing in all directions.

I take a step to him, grabbing his arms. “Do you love me?”

His eyes fly to mine, widening with my question.

“Do you?” I ask, shaking him a little. Well, attempting to. The man is too bulky, even with his lean physique for me to do much damage.

“Of course I do.” He says it real low, like admitting such a dark secret could get us both killed.

He wraps his hands around the back of my neck, his thumbs trace my jawline. Even with the roughness of the action, he’s gentle as he holds me. As though I’m breakable. Doesn’t he know how much strength he gives me?

“I love you, Nicole.” He brings his forehead to mine. His lips are so close, it hurts to be so close and not touching.

“I love you too, Jakub.” I move my hands from his arms, to his neck, holding onto him the same way he is me. “I don’t want to choose safe over love. I don’t want to choose anything over you.” More tears roll down my cheeks.

These damn meds.

He catches my tears with his thumbs and rubs them away. “You didn’t sign the papers, I take it?” he asks, running his thumb across my lip.

“You’re lucky I didn’t burn the place down just to see those destroyed.”

“My family is lucky. You would have destroyed hundreds of thousands of dollars in product, and probably set us up for some federal prison time.” He’s half smiling.

“I won’t let you divorce me,” I say firmly; there’s no joking in my tone.

He closes his eyes, takes in a deep breath then his lips spread wide into his arrogant possessive grin, sending the butterflies in my stomach into a flurry.

“Understood.”

“So never try that again,” I say, uncertainty filling me. He’s never been so compliant before.

“I won’t.” He tilts my head back. “This marriage has no exits,” he says and presses his lips to mine. A simple kiss, but it brings me back to the first time. How easily he swept me off my feet and spun my world out of control. My toes curl, my fingers dig into his neck, I want more than a kiss. I want every bit of him. But when he tightens his hold on me, my ribs remind me breathing isn’t as easy as it was before.

He pulls away quickly. “Shit. Are you okay?” He searches me as though any injury I have will signal to him.

I take a slow breath. “I’m perfect, Jakub.” I have him, nothing else matters. I didn’t ruin the one good thing I have in my life.

He frowns. “You need to be home relaxing. What am I paying that nurse for if she lets you wander the city like this?” He lets me go.

“Well, she saw the papers and sort of sided with me,” I explain.

“Lena!” He calls for his sister who pops out of the living room in a pair of yoga pants and long t-shirt. Her long blonde hair is pulled into high ponytail. The woman has such an easy beauty to her. “I’m taking Nicole home. I’ll send someone for my stuff.”

She beams at us. “No problem.”

He points at the pile of papers on the table. “And burn those fucking things for me.”

She nods. “Absolutely. I told you, you were being stupid.”

I laugh at the absurd glower he’s trying to give his sister. Lena doesn’t fall for it in the least and merely waltzes to the table and scoops up the offensive documents.

Moving makes me wince again.

Jakub turns his frown on me. “Let’s go. You need to get back in bed.”

“Being in bed isn’t good-”

“We’ll discuss you being good later, right now you need rest,” he says, purposely misunderstanding me. “Did you take a driver or a cab?” he asks as we step into the elevator together.

“A driver. One of your guys from downstairs. He looked a little scared, so you might want to forgive him quick, so he doesn’t piss himself when he sees you.”

He cradles me against his chest as the elevator slips down to the lobby.

“Forgive him? I’m going to give him a fucking bonus for getting you here to me.” He kisses me again, harsh and demanding. “I hope you heal fast.”

“Me too,” I say.

He raises his brow. “You may change your mind when you remember all the things you said to me, and then there was the running away… you have quite the punishment coming your way.”

The elevator doors open, and he helps me step out.

“I’ll take whatever you dish out,” I promise him.

And he laughs.