Alek

Chapter 27: Mae Kazimi

Chapter 27: Mae Kazimi

When I finally peel open my eyes it's around 12 AM in the morning and my head is pounding like I've never felt before. My throat is sore and my back is on fire and I don't think I've ever been in so much pain in my entire life.

But as I turn to my left, my eyes come into contact with Alek Russo who is sleeping in a chair beside me, head tilted slightly to the side and fingers crossed in his lap. And for a moment, his face looks so relaxed and peaceful and he's not scowling like he usually is and he looks beautiful.

He's an asshole, I remind myself as I try to sit up on my bed. There's nothing beautiful about that.

I let out a gasp as pain shoots up my shoulder and I double over, hands clutching my stomach as I try to will the pain away.

Instead, Alek Russo's eyes snap open and he sits up, blinking.

"Are you well?" he asks, his voice slightly raspy from sleeping. He clears his throat.

I take in a shaky breath and point to the glass of water on my nightstand. He hands it to me and for the first time, I realize how close his chair is actually to my bed.

I swallow all the water and hand the glass back to him, trying to sit up properly on my bed but I can hardly move my spine.

"Are you trying to sit up?" he asks, standing up to pull up my pillow from behind me. When I don't respond, he adds, "Don't move too much or you'll pull your stitches."

I say nothing when he helps me sit up, his large hands brushing the smooth part of my neck as he helps me sit upright.

And then his hand is gone and he's sitting back in his chair, those black demon eyes watching me.

My curtains are open and I can see the sparkling lights of New York as cars whizz past and the buildings across from us sparkle under the light. The lights in my room are shut and the lamp on my right is the only thing providing light in the room. Alek's sharp jaw is slightly lit up by the lamp and the light is making his eyes look as if they are glowing orbs and he looks so much like a breathtaking fallen angel under all the shadows that I have to look away.

And so, I glare at the wall across from me and say, "Well, if you're here to gloat, hurry up and get on with it. I want to be alone."

Alek says nothing and I can feel his cold gaze on me. I will not look at him, no matter what happens. I refuse to lose whatever stupid game he's playing and I hate his guts.

"I don't gloat," he says in his 'I'm the most ruthless Italian mafia heir' voice and it makes me want to fling my knives at him. Except my knives aren't here.

I can't help but turn my neck to say, "Go screw yourself, Russo. Leave me alone."

"I'm here to give you company."

"I don't want your company."

"But you seem terribly lonely here, Mae. I feel bad."

I narrow my eyes at him and suddenly I don't know whether I want to shoot him or myself, "You feel bad? When have you ever felt bad about anything? Are you even capable of feeling bad?"

"Despite what you think, Mae," he says my name with slow deliberateness, "I actually do have a heart."

"Why don't I stab you in the chest so I can make sure?" I say sweetly.

He doesn't even blink twice. Instead, he says, "Now that I know who you really are, I also know you are capable of doing just that."

Is he....is he....complimenting me?