Chapter 4 - The Kiss Nobody Was Supposed to See
Elias moved Nakia into a secure property outside the city.
She hated it.
He expected her to.
"You can't keep me locked up."
"I'm not locking you up."
"There are armed guards at the gate."
"Protection."
"Same thing with better branding."
He almost smiled.
Almost.
The house belonged to his mother.
It had been abandoned for years.
Three stories.
Eight bedrooms.
A library.
A greenhouse.
And a security system designed for a small government agency.
Nakia stood at the front window.
"I don't belong here."
"Neither do I."
She looked at him.
"What?"
"This house."
Elias sat on the edge of a chair.
"My father built it for my mother."
"What happened?"
"They stopped speaking."
"Why?"
"He accused her of betrayal."
Nakia said nothing.
After a moment, Elias continued.
"She died believing he was wrong."
"Was he?"
"I don't know."
The answer surprised her.
"You really don't know much about your own family."
"No."
"Then maybe that's the problem."
He looked at her.
"You're not afraid of me."
"I am."
He raised an eyebrow.
"You don't act like it."
"I'm afraid of what you can do."
She paused.
"I'm not afraid of what you'll do to me."
Silence.
Something shifted between them.
Elias looked away first.
Later that afternoon, Nakia found him in the greenhouse.
He was standing among dead plants.
"You kill plants too?"
"No."
"Then why are they dying?"
"I don't come here often."
She smiled.
"Apparently."
She began watering them.
Elias watched.
"You don't have to do that."
"I know."
The simplicity of her answer unsettled him.
Most people only did things for him because they wanted something.
Nakia often did things despite not needing to.
She watered dying flowers.
She left food outside his office when she knew he was skipping meals.
She bought cheap socks because she once heard him complain that expensive ones were uncomfortable.
She never asked for anything in return.
He suddenly realized something worse than jealousy.
He had become dependent on her presence.
That evening, they ate dinner together.
Not takeout.
Not business food.
An actual meal.
Nakia laughed when he struggled to use the oven.
"You run an international criminal network and can't roast a chicken."
"I have people for that."
"You have people for everything."
"Apparently not."
She looked at him.
Their eyes met.
The room became quiet.
Then a glass shattered outside.
Elias immediately stood.
Nakia flinched.
Three shots hit the windows.
Security alarms screamed.
Elias pushed Nakia to the floor.
His men returned fire.
The attack lasted forty seconds.
Then silence.
Nakia looked up.
Elias's hand was bleeding.
"You're hurt."
"Nothing serious."
"Sit."
"I said I'm fine."
"Elias."
He sat.
She wrapped his hand.
Their faces were close.
Too close.
He looked at her mouth.
She noticed.
Neither moved.
Then Nakia whispered, "You're staring."
"I know."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
She swallowed.
"That's a first."
He almost laughed.
Instead, he leaned forward.
He stopped one inch from her lips.
"Tell me to stop."
She didn't.
He kissed her.
For one moment, Elias forgot everything.
The ledger.
The betrayal.
The gunshots.
The empire.
There was only her.
The warmth of her mouth.
The hand resting against his cheek.
The quiet gasp she tried to hide.
Then someone opened the door.
Marcus froze.
Nakia jumped backward.
Elias turned.
Marcus stared.
"I didn't see anything."
"You saw everything."
"Correct."
"Leave."
"Absolutely."
The door shut.
Nakia covered her face.
"We are never speaking about that."
Elias looked at her.
"I disagree."
She glared.
"Of course you do."
He stood.
"I've spent months pretending I don't care about you."
She went still.
"I can't pretend anymore."
Nakia's voice softened.
"This is dangerous."
"I know."
"No, Elias. I don't think you understand."
She looked toward the dark windows.
"Someone killed my father."
She looked back at him.
"And whoever did it is watching me now."
Elias stepped closer.
"Then they made a mistake."
"What mistake?"
"They thought you were alone."
May you like
He took her hand.
"You aren't."
