SIXTY-SEVEN

Nick Ross

For days,,, I've been having attitudes that don't match my personality or way of life. I'm not a passionate man, that was never part of me. I'm Nick Ross, leader of a criminal organization, I'm known by all as king of the underworld. Cold, cruel, tyrant, that's me and not a fool in love. Kamilla has been challenging me with this irrelevant feeling, the times I want to hurt her, I want to love her. She leaves me surrendered to her sweetness and naivety, so beautiful and so perfect.

My attitudes in the last few days are sincere, but for me, they are strange, I have never done what I am doing for her. Kamilla may be finding it weird just like I am, but what I'm doing is just sincere and genuine, and I'm not enjoying it at all. I am sitting in the office armchair, I open the desk drawer, and again I face the small velvet box, I open it and admire the beautiful ring with a diamond in the center, it will be perfect for her.

At that moment the door knocked, I kept the ring and ordered him to enter, it was Fabricio Bellucci, Kamilla's father. He enters the office and approaches, I ask him to sit in a chair.

— What do you want? I asked without delay.

— I want to talk to you. Right now, I'm a dad, not a mobster. He says, lining up his suit on the chair.

— Go on.

— I see you are so cordial with my bambina, not so loving.

— Fabrizio, this is none of your business.

'We're talking about my Paola, so yes, it's my business.' I know you don't want me to get involved in her attitudes, for me, it doesn't matter what they are, however, that it doesn't hurt my daughter.

— Your daughter is my wife, I'll take care of her.

— I'm not saying it isn't, but it's no use having her willingly, that will have to come from her, be hers.

— What do you mean? I asked with a serious look.

— Answer me a question. You love her?

— What question is that?

— Just answer truthfully. I know you're not a man to show feelings, but I ask you to be honest right now. So do you love her?

I thought for a moment about your question. Kamilla makes me feel things I've never felt, I feel a need to take care of her, to protect her, to have her by my side, taking care of my son, of me.

— Yes, I love her.

— I know that, if I didn't love her I wouldn't have gotten her pregnant, I wouldn't have kidnapped her, much less gone after her and brought her back.

— How do you know all this?— I asked suspiciously.

At the moment, my role is that of a father, but don't forget that you're talking to the Italian leader. He manipulated the contraceptive to trap her. In Brazil, it is the women who do this.

— Pathetic....

— Yes, your attitude was pathetic. I understand that she decided to break up with you to find out who you really are, but even so, she didn't stop loving you, she just got scared.

— I tried to understand her, gave her time to come back on her own.

— That's not how it works, it's not you who chooses the time, but her. You forced her to understand you, kidnapped her, forced her to stay in your life.

All those words were making me impatient, I took him seriously, he's second in trying to give me advice, I hope he doesn't know my under boss, Viktor.

— I'm too selfish to let her go, I don't want to lose her.

— You will lose her love with these attitudes, if you want her to love you, let her choose.

Fabricio got up from the chair and walked to the door, before he left, I informed him.

— I'm going to ask her to marry me.— He turned to me and said:

— I hope she accepts, if not, I'll take her away from you.

— Is this a threat?

— A promise. — Fabricio left my office and I remained seated in the armchair, for the first time I felt afraid of being disowned by a woman.

Kamilla Lopez

I'm in front of the mirror, watching the way I look presentable for dinner. I was wearing a beautiful black dress, my hair was beautiful and well— groomed, on my face a light make— up, but on my lips there was a red lipstick, I was beautiful. I got ready alone for the night, Nick thought of calling a woman to help me, however I didn't accept it, for the first time he answered my request immediately.

I organize my hair, I didn't do much to it, I just washed and dried it, but it was shiny and soft. I don't know what he intends with this dinner, even more calling Bianca and Viktor, something inside me tells me to be smart, that I shouldn't expect good things from him. The door is opened by him, Nick enters the room, his body is covered with a black overcoat, perfectly aligned on his body.

I turned to look at him, his hair was damp, letting me know he'd just gotten out of the shower. I smelled his scent, instantly took a deep breath and closed my eyes, his woody scent made me intoxicated. He stopped in front of me, I lifted my head and looked into his dark blue eyes, so beautiful with his serious expression. I lower my eyes, I can't look at him for so long.

Nick lifts my face, so I can look at him again, he says tenderly:

— You're beautiful. I feel my cheeks heat up

— Thanks!

— Turn to the mirror. He asked in a soft voice.

I turned and had my back to him, watching him through the mirror. Nick took a red box out of his suit and opened it, handed me the box and waited for me to admire the beautiful emerald necklace, it was perfect.

— It's beautiful.

— My green eyes. He said, the color of the emeralds matching my eyes.

Nick brushed my hair and placed the beautiful necklace around my neck, then placed a kiss on my shoulder.

— Now you're perfect, my girl.— He smiled at me, I asked suspiciously:

— What's your game?

— I told you, baby, there's no game.

— I don't know, but I can't trust it.

— I'll give you reason to trust. — Nick turned my body to face him, he rubbed his hands over my face gently: — I want you to stay with me by choice, not by threat.

— What does that mean?

— That I.... — We were interrupted, the door was opened by Erick.

My heart sped up as I realized what he was about to tell me. Erick approached us, he wouldn't go out with us, some friends from his school came to spend the night at the house, which was strange to me.

— Uncle Viktor and Aunt Bianca have arrived. He warned, along with the small group that was standing in the doorway.

Nick held out his hand in hand in hand we left the room, walked to the stairs, before going down, I felt a small pain below my head, I made a small expression of pain, but Nick didn't notice. We arrived in the main room, we saw Viktor next to a window with a serious look and Bianca sitting on the sofa, they quickly looked at us.

— Wow, you look thinner in that dress.— Bianca praised me, smiling soon after.

— And am I fat?

— You look beautiful pregnant, that's what matters.

After the exchange of words we went to the entrance, got into different cars and followed outside the property. In the car with Nick, he added the exact place where we were going to have dinner on the GPS, it was the same place where we had dinner when we decided to tell Erick about our relationship. The vehicle was parked, and we got out, we went to the entrance of the restaurant.

An exclusive table was already waiting for us, we approached, sat down and started to place our orders. Everyone was very silent, Bianca and Viktor were silent, I looked at them well, something happened.

— So.... — Viktor decided to break the silence. — Is it really a girl?

— Yes. I replied.

— Have you already chosen a name, Kami? Bianca interacted.

— Not yet. But I'm thoughtful about some names.

— Hmm! Interesting.....— Nick murmured.

— Do you have any in mind, dear?— I asked sarcastically.

— Several, dear.

At that moment dinner was served, we started to eat, again silence settled in, this time I decided to break the silence.

— Why are they so silent? I asked, referring to Bianca and Viktor.

— She's mad we had sex again. — Viktor said, Bianca looked at him quickly.

— Do you have to talk like that? She said angrily.

— You seduce me, come, and you're the one who gets angry? — Viktor questions with a serious expression. — I'm the one who should be angry!— I'm feeling used!

— He's a real bastard....

— And you're very stressed.

— That will never happen again, I swear to you.

— Don't swear, Bianca.

At that moment, I broke the discussion and started talking about preparing my daughter's room, soon the angry expressions disappeared from their faces, Nick continued eating in silence.

— Nick.... — Viktor drew attention. — Aren't you going to do what we came to do?—

His question caught my attention and Bianca's.

— What are you going to do? I asked him.

— Patience.

— I'm anxious, I need to see before I take who knows who home. — Viktor spoke referring to Bianca, she quickly spoke to Nick.

— I think you can already give me my freedom, honestly I have no thoughts of denouncing you for kidnapping.

— He won't give you your freedom. — Viktor said, with a smile on his lips.

— If you want Bianca, you can go.— Nick said.

Bianca and I looked at him seriously, even Viktor was surprised.

— What are you saying? Viktor asked, Bianca smiled happily.

— That she doesn't have to stay if she doesn't want to. Nick continued to speak.

Before we could say anything else, he took my hand that was on the table and made me face him. His eyes met mine, my face warmed, my heart raced, my God!

— My green eyes, how can I say what I feel for you?

— Holy shit, — Bianca muttered, quickly shutting herself off when Nick glared at her.

— What do you mean, Nick?— I asked, squeezing his hand tightly.

— Since I was very young, I never had the opportunity to meet someone as sweet and as special as you. I have never known anyone who awakened in me such an intense and fatal feeling. You are the woman I want to wake up next to for the rest of my life, you are the woman I want to have several children, have intense and incredible moments....

I was surprised by those words, it was the first time I saw such sincerity in his eyes. My lips were parted, my hand was ringing. For the first time I've never wanted something like I'm wanting at the moment, I want to give myself body and soul to him. I felt a nuisance below my belly, a strong but bearable pain. Nick kept talking.

— You make me do crazy things that I would never do for another woman, for you, I'm capable of killing, I'm capable of being someone better, just to have you. My green eyes.... Do you want C.....

— I need to go to the bathroom. I interrupted his little speech, the pain was building.

I got up from the chair and asked Bianca to accompany me, she did without protest, Nick and Viktor continued sitting on the table. I walked into the bathroom, quickly walked over to the sink and bent over to quell the pain.

— You interrupted that beautiful speech, he was going to ask you to marry him! She said with euphoria.

— That's why I asked you to come to the bathroom.

— Don't you love him?— Are you afraid to accept?

— I'm afraid of being a prisoner.

— The man is in love with you, do you really think you'll be a prisoner?

— I don't know, Bianca. I said breathlessly.

The pains below my belly increased, I bent over even more and moaned in pain, Bianca quickly grabbed my arm in concern.

— What's wrong with you?

— I'm in pain.

— My God! Is it now?

— Now? No.... One week to go and....— Another strong pain, I groaned louder in pain.

I felt my legs slip liquid, I lifted the dress, Bianca looked terrified.