God Of Crimson : A Mafia Deal Sealed in Sin

The Game of Shadows

Nikita Volkov
It was nearly midnight when Nikita slipped into the library, her heart still pounding from Luca's unexpected arrival. The last thing she needed was her past reappearing and threatening to unravel everything she'd fought for.

As she poured herself a glass of whiskey, she sensed a presence behind her. She turned, and there was Nikolai, his silhouette cast in shadow as he leaned against the doorway, arms crossed and eyes narrowed with that dangerous glint she'd come to recognize. He moved closer, each step exuding intensity, as if he was stripping away her walls with every look.

"Can't sleep?" he asked, his voice low and thick.

She held his gaze, determined not to show her vulnerability. "I'm not one to lose sleep over ghosts."

He smirked, stepping closer. "Good," he said, his tone mocking, though his gaze softened. "Because neither am I."

The silence between them grew charged, his piercing gaze challenging her to look away. But she didn't; she couldn't. They both knew this wasn't about ghosts or past lovers. It was about the unspoken promise between them.

Finally, he broke the silence. "You need to understand something, Nikita. If Luca's here to shake you, I'm not going to let that happen."

She clenched her jaw, hating the way his words resonated. "I don't need saving, Russo."

"Never said you did," he replied, his voice softer now, almost gentle. "But you're not alone anymore, Nikita."

The Morning After

The first rays of sunlight crept through the window when Nikita finally managed to drift off, only to be woken by the sound of her phone vibrating on the nightstand. She glanced at the screen and felt a knot form in her stomach—there was a message from Luca.

It was a single line: "Meet me at the docks. Come alone."

She exhaled slowly, knowing there was no avoiding this. She dressed quickly, and as she slipped out of the bedroom, she heard Nikolai's voice.

"Going somewhere?"

She turned, finding him already dressed, leaning against the doorway with an unreadable expression. "Just handling a small... complication," she replied, hoping he wouldn't press further.

He raised an eyebrow. "Does this complication involve Luca?"

Her silence was answer enough. Nikolai stepped forward, his jaw tightening. "You're not going alone."

"Yes, I am," she replied firmly. "This is something I need to handle on my own."

He studied her, his expression hardening. "Fine. But I'll be close. I'm not letting you walk into a trap."

The Docks

The air at the docks was thick with fog, giving the surroundings an eerie, dreamlike quality. Nikita scanned the area, her eyes settling on a figure emerging from the shadows. Luca.

He looked at her, a smirk playing on his lips as he walked forward, hands in his pockets. "Nikita. You look... tense."

"What do you want, Luca?" she asked, her voice steely, refusing to give him any satisfaction.

He let out a low chuckle, shrugging. "What I want? Simple. I want you back."

She scoffed, crossing her arms. "Is that why you've thrown in your lot with Sofia? Because you think you can intimidate me into crawling back to you?"

Luca's eyes darkened. "Sofia has resources I need. You, on the other hand, have something I want."

"Which is?"

"You," he replied, his tone unsettlingly calm. "You were always mine, Nikita."

A flash of anger surged through her. "I was never yours. Not in the way you think."

Before she could react, he stepped closer, his hand gripping her arm. "You don't get it, do you? I won't let anyone else have you."

She twisted her arm free, her glare icy. "You don't have a say in my life anymore, Luca."

"Maybe not," he said, a hint of something dangerous flickering in his gaze. "But there are still things about you I know that Nikolai doesn't."

At the mention of Nikolai, she felt a chill. But she kept her composure. "Is that a threat?"

"It's a reminder," he replied, his smirk widening. "I know you better than anyone. I know what you're afraid of, what keeps you up at night. I know your weaknesses."

Nikita's jaw clenched. "Then you should know that I'm not afraid of you."

As he leaned closer, her instincts kicked in, but before she could make a move, a shadow emerged from behind Luca—Nikolai.

Luca's smirk vanished, his hand instinctively reaching for the gun at his side, but Nikolai was faster, grabbing him by the collar and shoving him back against a shipping container with a force that made the metal reverberate.

"I don't think we've been properly introduced," Nikolai said, his voice low and laced with menace. "I'm the man who will kill you if you so much as look at her the wrong way."

Luca sneered, but there was a flicker of fear in his eyes. "You don't scare me, Russo. I know your type. All bravado, no follow-through."

Nikolai leaned in, his voice a deadly whisper. "Try me."

The Stand-Off

For a moment, the tension between the three of them was so thick it was almost suffocating. Nikita stood between them, her heart pounding as she watched the silent, dangerous exchange.

Luca chuckled, finally shrugging Nikolai's grip off and straightening his jacket. "This isn't over, Nikita. Remember that."

He turned and walked away, his footsteps echoing as he disappeared into the fog. Once he was gone, Nikolai turned to her, his eyes dark with unspoken anger and concern.

"You were supposed to stay out of this," she muttered, crossing her arms.

He raised an eyebrow, his gaze softening slightly. "And let you walk into a trap? I don't think so."

She shook her head, a reluctant smile tugging at her lips. "You really don't know when to give up, do you?"

He smirked, his hand brushing a stray strand of hair from her face. "Not when it comes to you."

They stood there, the weight of the moment hanging between them. She could feel his breath, the warmth of his touch, and suddenly the tension of the morning melted away, leaving only the electricity between them.

"I don't need saving," she murmured, leaning into him.

"I know," he replied, his voice a whisper against her ear. "But I'll be here anyway."

And as his lips found hers, all her worries about Luca, about the war they were facing, faded into the background, replaced by the one truth she couldn't deny: Nikolai was her strength, her anchor, her future.

And no one—not Luca, not Sofia, no one—would stand in their way.