Mabel Shot Part 3

I take a step back slowly and look at the floor as I open the apartment door, letting the big man pass. I watch his black boots matching his black jeans as he walks into my apartment. I had spent about two hours sitting on the bathroom floor, crying, until I managed to get Nate's voice out of my head. I took a shower, washed my face, and scrubbed my skin hard enough to hurt, as if I could erase Nate's touch on me. When I was finally in my room changing, I heard the powerful knocks on the door. I slipped on my nightgown, tiptoed out of the room, and looked out the living room window, seeing that Boris's car was no longer there. But still, I knew, my body knew who was knocking at my door.

I raise my eyes to him and slowly close the apartment door, staring at the big silent man studying the interior of my home. His eyes sweep across the living room, seeing my two-seater sofa and the TV on the shelf, pausing briefly at the hallway to the left that leads to my bedroom and the bathroom before turning back to me. He places a paper bag on the table and turns to me.

“I brought you food.” He points to the bag and returns his fingers to his black leather jacket, zipping it down.

My eyes drop from his and fixate on my bare feet. I lift my right foot and rub the tips of my toes against my left ankle, hugging my body.

“Boris…”

“He’s at his place,” he cuts me off, speaking seriously. The chair scrapes as he pulls it out and throws his jacket over the backrest before sitting down. “Eat!”

My face lifts, and I look at him, who has his eyes focused on me. He tilts his head to the side and studies me intently. I tighten my arms around myself and take a deep breath, unable to see any resemblance to the aggressive man from hours ago in this silent man staring at me.

“What happened to him, sir?” I ask softly, still unsure if I should have let him in.

“I took him to his place since he wasn’t in a fit state to drive.” I step back when he rises quickly.

His eyes stop on me briefly, then divert to the kitchen cabinets. He walks over and opens them slowly, searching for something, and soon finds it when he opens the upper cabinet door above the sink, pulling out a plate.

“Do you have anything to drink, or do you like to eat without having anything to drink?” He keeps his voice calm and opens the cutlery drawer, taking out a fork and a knife.

“I’m not hungry,” I say, distressed, looking at the big predator I let into my life. “Boris, he…”

“He’s alive, Mabel!” His large body turns to face me as he walks toward the table. “I took Boris to his place, and we had a pleasant moment while we talked.” He sets the plate on the table along with the cutlery. “By the way, I believe he won’t be able to come to the gallery this week, but he asked me to let you know that starting next week, there will be some changes to the staff uniforms.”

I let my body go limp and raise my hands to my face, rubbing it as I breathe more agonizingly.

“My God, Mr. Rumeu is going to fire me…”

Boris is going to ruin my future as soon as he opens his mouth; I’ll lose my exchange program and any chance of ever opening my own gallery. Mr. Rumeu won’t want to give me any references, especially after what happened with his nephew. I went out with a client from the gallery, even though I met Mr. Czar outside of my workplace, Rumeu will still think I was flirting with a client. There was no way to explain to the man where I truly met Gregovivk without letting him know the damn dirt that is my life.

“Look at me!” His large hands grip my face, forcing me to pull my fingers away and meet his calm, bright brown eyes. “Rumeu is not going to fire you, just like Boris understood that you’re far from his perimeter.”

“He’s going to tell his uncle; Mr. Rumeu’s private driver was waiting for me outside his house on Boris’s orders…” I close my eyes and shake my head, remembering Boris’s body over the car. There’s no way to hide the punches he received from Czar. “Boris will make him talk…”

“Mabel!” Czar’s voice deepens, speaking firmly as if issuing a command. I slowly open my eyes and watch him. “Boris isn’t going to say anything; no one is going to say anything.”

“How can you be so sure, sir?” I bite my lip, feeling the urge to cry again. Damn it, I got into this game to understand why I am this way, not to mess everything up in my life!

“You came to me because you trusted me, didn’t you?” He asks and takes a step forward, looking at me with such dominance that I feel my demons silencing inside me, in front of the great bear holding my face in his enormous paws. “Am I right, Mabel?”

I nod slowly, looking at him, feeling my breath calming. The truth is that even I don’t understand why I trusted him, what made me feel this connection. But I trust, I trust this great man who engulfs me in the power of his gaze.

“Great, now forget that, and never get into a car with another man without my permission again.” He runs his finger along my cheek and rubs it slowly, not hiding the anger in his voice, which has turned dangerously low.

“I didn’t know, sir…” I say softly to him, shaking my head. “I didn’t know Boris was going to do this…”

God, I want to die for being so stupid! I always knew Boris was a jerk, but I never thought he would try to do something to me.

“I didn’t know…” I murmur, lost, feeling my chest crush inside.

He takes a step closer and grips me tighter, applying a bit of pressure with his fingers on the side of my face. I feel small, fragile, and minuscule in front of his masculinity. Czar makes me feel like that lonely girl who lived in the orphanage, waiting to please some family that could give me a home.

“I know that, little bird, but don’t make that mistake again.” He takes a deep breath and eases the pressure of his fingers on my face. “Boris won’t say anything, not when he wants to keep secret the little money embezzlement he’s been doing from Rumeu’s gallery to his personal bank account.”

“Boris is stealing from his uncle…” I blink, lost, looking at him in shock now that I’ve received this information. “How did you know this…”

“He’s been doing this for years,” Czar replies seriously, his eyes dropping to my throat. “I have my methods for discovering the sins of souls, just like the rotten things some people wish to hide.”

His voice is now a complete growl, his chest expanding.

My head tilts back as he leans in, planting a soft kiss on my throat. An unrestrained moan escapes my lips, making me breathe heavily at the contact of his mouth on my skin.