Nikolai carefully tucked Lilith into bed after rocking her gently to sleep. Earlier, she had spent hours outside playing in the mud while making tiny statues with her dirty little hands. Even with mud smeared across her cheeks and dress, he still thought she looked beautiful.
He leaned down and kissed her lips softly before the doctors continued examining her condition quietly.
Nikolai himself looked intimidating as always.
He wore a gray three-piece suit consisting of trousers, a vest and a jacket accompanied by a white shirt and a black tie with a gold tie bar. Over it, he wore a long black coat. Accessories included a pocket watch chain attached to the vest and black leather gloves.
Meanwhile—
"Yeah I just got into the office. The girls forms are on my table. I will fill them out for you," Asif Rima said over the phone.
"Thank you Ria," Asif answered warmly.
"You're welcome love. Goodluck on the job," she said with a smile.
"I will," he replied before the call ended.
A few seconds later—
"Ma here is the school form and also the classes form too," Rima's assistant Marina said while handing over files.
"Thank you so much Rina," Rima replied.
Around the company, everyone sat inside their offices working quietly.
Then—
Several black luxury cars pulled up outside the building.
The atmosphere immediately shifted.
The car doors opened and several women stepped out confidently before walking into the company building.
"Your boss," one of them demanded at the reception.
"Do you have an appointment madam?" the secretary asked nervously.
The woman smirked.
"No. Now don't waste my time so am walking to his office myself," she replied coldly.
"You can't—"
SLAP!
One of the women slapped the secretary across the face.
"Shut up," she hissed.
Inside the elevator—
The lady boss calmly applied red lipstick while arranging her dyed fire-colored hair.
She wore a long black halter neck gown with a daring cut-out at the bodice and high leg slits. The dress was form fitting, made of a smooth silky material. The halter neck wrapped around and crossed at the front creating a unique neckline while the cut-out revealed part of her midriff. The high slits on both sides exposed her tattooed legs as she walked.
Soon—
The elevator doors opened on the last floor.
Nikolai's office.
The meeting room.
The women walked inside and instantly saw both mafia groups sitting while chatting casually.
Everyone immediately recognized them.
Krasnaya Prikaz.
(The Red Order.)
Ten deadly women.
Feared everywhere.
Vindicata — half Latin half Russian.
(The War Widow.)
Kaida — The Red Saint from Georgia.
Astraea — The Silk Serpent, half Azerbaijan half Russian.
Nerezza — Italian.
(The Lady Agony.)
Tsillah — The Silk Fox, half Slovakia half British.
Luiza — from Brazil.
(The Empress Noire.)
Hana — half South Korean half Polish.
(The Duchess of Blood.)
Seris — from Belgium.
(The Pale Raven.)
Crya — half Greek half Colombian.
(The Shadow Commander.)
And lastly—
Their leader.
The woman who almost killed Lilith.
The woman who ordered attacks against her.
The woman who wanted Lilith removed so she could become Queen beside Nikolai.
The same woman who constantly sent messages and calls to him.
Kalma.
(The Blood Sovereign.)
Half Russian.
Half American.
She smirked slowly at Nikolai while he calmly inhaled cigarette smoke.
For an entire hour—
Nobody moved.
Nobody spoke.
Nikolai completely ignored them.
Instead, he watched Lilith through the CCTV camera on the screen beside him.
Lilith was awake with his siblings.
They were outside playing basketball.
Well—
The others played basketball.
Lilith only bounced around while giggling adorably.
A soft smile appeared on Nikolai's face while watching her.
"We are talking to you Nikolai!" Crya snapped angrily.
"And who the bloody fuck are you yelling at or do you think we are scared of you?" Addison growled dangerously.
Kalma crossed her legs calmly.
"I just want your boss. That all I want simple and the tiny bitch is in the way. I want her out," Kalma said coldly.
Silence.
Nikolai slowly looked up.
His blue eyes darkened completely.
"What did you just call my tiny wife?" Nikolai asked quietly.
The gangs immediately moved back slightly.
"She called her a tiny b—"
Before Luiza could finish—
WHOOSH!
Nikolai hurled an iron rod directly at her face with full force.
AHH!
Luiza screamed as blood poured from her cut nose.
BANG!
Nikolai slammed his fist onto the table so hard it cracked apart instantly.
"HOW DARE YOU!!!"
His voice shook the entire room.
Before anyone could react—
Nikolai grabbed Kalma by the throat violently.
She gasped immediately while trying to kick him away but his grip was too powerful.
She could barely breathe.
"Now listen carefully…"
His voice turned deadly.
"I WILL WIPE YOUR GROUP OUT IF YOU DARE SEND ANY ATTACKS TO MY WIFE!"
Kalma clawed at his arm desperately.
"Do you know how I felt when they told me she wasn't alive but came back to me?!"
His eyes burned with rage.
"I WILL NOT LOSE HER AGAIN!"
The entire room froze.
"Lilith is my wife now and forever! IF YOU DARE HURT MY LILY AGAIN I WILL SEND YOU TO HELL!"
Then—
He threw her violently across the room.
CRASH!
Kalma smashed directly into the glass doors.
"Boss!" the women shouted.
Nikolai immediately pulled out his gun and pointed it directly at her bleeding body.
He was furious.
Truly furious.
"Do you understand what I said? If you go close—"
RING!
His phone rang suddenly.
Everyone looked at him.
Nikolai glanced at the screen before answering instantly.
"Nikki!"
A tiny cheerful voice echoed through the phone.
Immediately—
Nikolai's entire expression softened.
"Oh hey Bambi," he said gently.
The women stared in disbelief.
"He just threw our boss and spoke to us in a cold dangerous voice and now he talking to her in a marshmallow tone?!" Tsillah whispered in complete shock.
Nikolai slowly looked at her.
His blue eyes turned dark again instantly.
"Yes love tell me?" he asked sweetly into the phone.
"N…Nikki mama here!" Lilith said excitedly.
"My mother is there why?" he asked softly.
Then Mrs Francesca spoke.
"Hey Nick please come home there is something important your father and I have to tell you."
"Hm okay I will be home in ten minutes," he answered calmly.
"Lily love you!" Lilith suddenly shouted.
Nikolai smiled softly.
"I love you Bambi. I will bring ice cream for you okay?"
"Hm mkay bye bye!"
"Bye Bambi."
He ended the call smiling while typing something into his phone.
Across the room—
Kalma's face twisted with bitterness.
"You chose a mentally unstable girl over the most powerful mafia woman that can rule by your side and love you?" she asked bitterly.
Nikolai laughed coldly.
"Love?"
He leaned back in his chair.
"Kalma… I know you are gay."
The room went silent.
"You sleep with your assistant and other strippers in clubs. You couldn't accept being gay so you wanted to use me as your sperm donor and use my name and title that doesn't belong to you."
Kalma's expression darkened.
Nikolai inhaled slowly.
"Have you ever seen my tiny wife kill someone?"
"No."
"You haven't."
His voice became lower.
"She burned down an entire mental institution just to get back home."
The women froze.
"When the house was attacked she killed the man who gave her wrong pills to destroy her brain."
"Every goon who tried taking her ended up dead."
"Not even one breathed again."
Nikolai's eyes remained emotionless.
"In her eyes if you mess with her she will not only hit you brutally…"
"She will kill you in ways you never imagined."
Krasnaya Prikaz became completely quiet.
"I don't love you. I never will."
"I belong to Lily now and forever."
He leaned forward slightly.
"I think you should meet her face to face. Then you will understand what I mean."
Kalma slowly wiped blood from her mouth.
"We will."
"Tomorrow then. Lunch," Brandon said.
"Deal," Seris answered.
"Behave yourselves," Rima warned coldly as the women carried Kalma out of the room.
"Boss are you sure about this?" Astraea asked carefully.
"Yes," Kalma answered quietly.
"I want to meet the tiny girl."
Outside—
They entered the cars.
Kalma looked upward and saw Nikolai watching from the window.
He gave her one cold look before driving away.
Meanwhile—
Nikolai walked into the mansion carrying ice cream.
The house was quiet.
He immediately spotted Lilith asleep on the couch.
He bent down and kissed her forehead softly.
Then he frowned.
She felt hot.
Very hot.
He touched her cheeks again.
"Lily is burning up," Nikolai muttered worriedly.
Just then—
Dr Leonid walked in while removing his coat after work.
"What wrong Nick?" he asked.
"Lily is burning up."
Leonid checked her temperature carefully.
"She getting a fever," he confirmed.
Nikolai nodded quietly.
"Hey Nick!" Mrs Francesca called happily.
"Hi Mom," he answered while hugging her.
"Alright your grandpa wants to see you. He missed you so much and he also knows about Lily. The family reunion is next week so we all going to Mexico!" she announced excitedly.
"Lily was excited too!" she added.
Nikolai groaned dramatically.
"I don't wanna go."
"Nikolai William Devereaux don't test my patience young man. You will go or I will take Lily with me and you will not do anything about it got it?!" Mrs Francesca snapped while grabbing his ears.
"Ouch mom!" Nikolai groaned.
Caspian burst out laughing.
Soon everyone else laughed too.
"What funny?!" Nikolai complained while they immediately became quiet.
Suddenly—
Taran(Massimo) ran into the room crying heavily.
"Taran calm down!" Zhanna shouted while running after him.
He rushed upstairs immediately.
"What happened?" Nikolai asked seriously.
Daria sighed heavily.
"We went to the mall and he was picking toys for Dylan then he saw a lady."
"I think he recognized her."
"She recognized him too."
Daria's expression darkened painfully.
"She started talking about how she missed him."
"She was one of the people who raped him."
Everyone fell silent.
"He got so angry and killed her right there in the supermarket."
"He hasn't calmed down since then."
Nikolai immediately turned toward Zafraan.
"Zafraan give me Elena number please."
"Uhmm… okay," Zafraan replied while handing over the number.
Nikolai walked toward the window before dialing.
"Hello?" Elena answered.
"Hey it Nikolai. Lily husband," he said.
"Hi Nikolai how are you and Mahira?" Elena asked softly.
"You are in Russia right now?" he asked.
"Yes I am."
"It Taran. He very sad and angry right now. He isn't opening the door. I was wondering if you could come talk to him. He crying a lot."
"I'm on my way. I just picked Dylan and he was meant to come meet us today anyway but am coming," Elena answered immediately.
"Thank you," Nikolai said before ending the call.
He walked back toward everyone.
"She coming," he announced.
"Wait Elena is Sohan younger sister right?" Mrs Francesca asked.
"Yeah."
"Massimo asked her on a date and takes care of her son."
"Two broken people coming together," Nikolai said quietly.
Three minutes later—
Elena arrived carrying Dylan in her arms.
"Greetings," she said politely.
"That his room," Nikolai pointed upstairs.
Elena nodded before walking toward the room.
Dylan immediately ran ahead and knocked excitedly.
"Tarry! Tarry! Tarry!" he shouted happily.
Inside the room—
Taran(Massimo) sat smoking with red swollen eyes.
Then he heard Elena's voice.
"Taran open the door it me."
Quickly—
He crushed the cigarette and sprayed air freshener everywhere before opening the door.
"Tarryyy!" Dylan cheered while hugging his leg tightly.
"Hi buddy," Taran whispered softly while lifting Dylan into his arms and hugging him closely.
Then he looked at Elena.
Without hesitation—
She leaned forward and kissed his cheek gently.
Taran instantly blushed.
From downstairs—
Yulian.
Arina.
Daria.
Nikolai.
Meghan.
All watched them quietly with soft smiles on their faces.