Chapter 19
Belle's POV
I run my fingers through my hair and collected it to a ponytail. I washed my face and gargled water. I look like human again.
I went downstairs and smelled something familiar. Cooked rice and oriental chicken. When I entered the kitchen I saw the chef from Dile and another woman. He's all smiles at me but he looks like he doesn't want to initiate a conversation.
The woman offered a sweet smile and handed me a glass of water. It's refreshing to see another female in this house. I have been surrounded by men as of late and most of the women I encounter are either bat shit crazy or sexually obsessed and deprived by Nikolai and Alexei.
"Thank you." I offered her a smile
She smiled back but I noticed that the chef is looking at her like he was telling her something. She returned to helping the chef and quickly ignored me. What is up with them?
I decided to go to Alexei's room down the hallway. I knocked twice and called on him. Moments later he opened the door for me. His hair is disheveled and he's only wearing his boxer shorts.
"You're awake. Why are you already standing up? You're supposed to be in bed!" He scolded.
"I want to eat, Alexei."
"Go back to bed now princess, I'll just send over your food."
"But I don't want to eat alone."
To my surprise, Alexei carried me in his arms and placed me on his bed. His room is as big as Nikolai's but he has a huge ass TV. He's watching sports news. He then tucks me to his bed like I'm a five year old girl. This guy is too much.
"Don't move princess, or I'm not going to hesitate to tie you down to bed." Well he's crazy.
He went out of the room and shut the door on his way out. I looked around and saw the remote control on the table on the other side of the bed. I tried to reach for it without removing myself from my current position but it's just impossible. I removed the blanket and quickly reached for the remote.
"Princess." Oh shit.
Alexei is holding a tray of food in his hand.
"But Alexei, I just reached for the remote, I got bored waiting for you. It's not my fault." He placed the tray on top of the bed. "You have to eat, Dr. Marcus' advise."
"Dr. Marcus was here?"
"No, when you passed out we brought you to the clinic. The Boss decided to bring you home so we can tend to you personally."
"I can perfectly take care of myself Alexei." He just ignores me.
Alexei took some rice from the bowl and attempted to put it in my mouth. I just smiled at him.
"Open your mouth."
"Alexei, let me teach you how to feed me okay?"
"Okay."
"You feed me the soup first of course. Then you take a piece of chicken and put it on top of the rice, then shove the rice and chicken together. Get it?"
Alexei is paying attention to every word I say.
"Got it, my princess." His princess?
"Uh before that can you please put some shirt on." Alexei lets out a naughty grin. He grabs the shirt right next to me and puts it on.
"I really miss this, back home rice is the staple food. No lunch or dinner is complete without it."
"So the doctor was right. You have been starving because of your sudden change in diet."
I can sense that he's going to start lecturing me again. "No I was not starving. I'm just not used to eating American food that's all."
I then took some rice and chicken and shove it to Alexei's mouth. "I told you I don't want to eat alone." Alexei just smiled and ate the food I forced to him. We ate in peace for a few minutes.
He handed me two tablets of I don't know what, but I'm guessing, vitamins. He then placed the tray on the table next to the bed.
Alexei and I are watching a hockey game. Another very brutal sport. I'm on my side hugging a pillow while my bruise is tended by Alexei with an ice pack.
I think this would be a perfect time to ask him the questions that have been bugging me. "Uhh Alexei."
"Hmm?"
"What does an Underboss do?" I'm still looking at the TV. There's a moment of silence between the two of us. "The women from the beach house mentioned you as the Underboss. And that you stopped going to this place where they say they work." I did not include the sex part those women were trying to imply.
Alexei still did not answer me. He remained silent.
"It's okay if you're not ready to talk about it Alexei."
"I'm the Boss' successor. If anything happens to him, I take over the business."
At this point I'm on my knees, facing Alexei.
"Why would something happen to Nikolai?"
He did not answer me.
"You don't have to answer Alexei, but you have to promise me that you don't let anything happen to Nikolai. Promise me?" I look him in his eyes.
"I promise princess." Alexei's hazel eyes are looking at me intently, the same look he had when we were in the car after our lunch in Dile'.
"Thank you Alexei." I jumped to hug him. "I know Nikolai has got your back as well."
"I know."
Suddenly I hear someone clear his throat, it's one of Alexei's men and he's standing at the door but he's trying his best not to look at us. Alexei must have left the door unlocked.
I then removed myself from Alexei.
"Stay here."
I just continue watching TV. A few minutes past I hear a familiar voice, and it sounds like it's calling my name. I quickly went out of Alexei's room, I walked the hallway towards the main door.
My mouth parted in horror, Alexei is standing at the door, and he's squaring off with Dylan. Alexei's two other men are at Dylan's both side. Dylan himself does not look like he's backing down. The chef and the woman are observing the commotion and it looked like they are just waiting for something to happen.
"Alexei, don't!" I quickly ran towards their direction. I squeezed myself right in the middle and faced Alexei first. I feel like I'm having an adrenaline rush. My heart is beating a million times. "Alexei, let me just talk to Dylan please?"
"I told you not to leave my bed." Alexei looked at me sternly.
"His bed? What the fuck Belle? You lied to me twice, all because of this guy?" Shit.
I then faced Dylan to explain myself. "No Dy, you don't understand."
The look on Dylan's face quickly changed when he saw the bruise on my arm. Dylan held my bruised arm and he looked even madder.
"You son of a-" Dylan is already balling his fist. Alexei on the other hand did not even move a single bit.
"No Dy, It was not Alexei!"
I try to stand on my toes to meet Dylan's eyes.
"Dy please stop this. Alexei did not do this to me."
I now face Alexei, "Alexei tell your men to back off please?" A few seconds past, Alexei signaled his men. The two stepped back several feet from us.
I then look at Alexei pleading for him to move back as well. "Alexei please?"
"I'm not going anywhere. The only one who needs to leave now is him." Oh my god Alexei.
My heart jumped when Dylan tried to grab my hand towards him. "Let's go back to your apartment Belle!"
Alexei then grabs my other hand. "She's not going anywhere." Alexei and Dylan is now having a stare down while clutching both my hands.
"Unless you're her boyfriend, It's not your call isn't it?" Dylan said.
"She now lives here and she sleeps in my bed, you don't have to be a genius to figure that out." Alexei is trying to spite Dylan and I think that he's getting into him.
Dylan's grip on me loosened. I can see the look of defeat all over his face. He lets go of my hand completely. He then turned his back on me, placed his helmet on and drove his bike. "No Dylan, please stop, listen to me!"
Alexei tries to hold me but I brush him off. What was that all about?!
I quickly walk away from him, and ran up to Nikolai's room. I locked myself inside, wipe my tears off and sat on the floor beside the flowers my Nikolai gave me. I then grab my phone. I read Dylan's texts to me which were mostly sent yesterday. He asked why I'm not in my apartment and that he's been worried. He also reminded me to call Amy, mama and papa. My bestfriend and my parents must have been worried about me. I completely forgot to call them.
I checked the time and it's past 11 in the morning here, which means it's past 11 in the evening back home. My mama and papa are already asleep. I try to dial Amy but her phone is just ringing.000------------