CHAPTER FORTY - THREE

LORENZO GRAYSON\ VADIM KERZHAKOV ©

I sat in the lounge of my house, quietly sipping from a glass of whiskey.

The house was empty.

It was just like the way I lived before Vanya came back from Russia.

The silence surrounded me, and my mind couldn't help but drift back to the time I was sick.

I still couldn't believe Kyle brought Nick to my house to take care of me.

I sighed.

I found myself thinking about the kid again.

When did things between us become this complicated?

Before I could think further, I heard the door open.

The sound of heels echoed through the room.

“Drinking here all by yourself?” Vanya asked as she walked toward me.

“There are so many ways to avoid seeing Nick at Kyle's, Vadim,” she said and took a seat on the bar stool.

“When exactly are you leaving?” I asked with a slight grunt.

“This again?” she asked, taking a sip straight from the bottle of whiskey I had placed on the table.

“I’m here as Antonio’s right-hand person…” she started, but she didn’t get to finish before a small laugh escaped from me.

She looked at me immediately.

I barely laughed, but something about her words sounded amusing to me.

“What’s funny?” she asked.

I picked up my glass and drank the rest of my whiskey.

“I don't want to see you here tomorrow, Vanya. Goodnight,” I said, heading upstairs.

I hadn't even taken off my work clothes yet.

“Antonio's men are lurking around you. Be careful, Vadim,” she said.

I let out a scoff.

“What does that have to do with you?” I asked and she sighed.

“At least stay alive for the kid,” she said.

My chest tightened instantly.

“There is nothing going on between us,” I replied before turning toward my room.

“You can keep telling yourself that if it helps you avoid the truth. It's your choice, Vadim,” she said.

“Your first mistake was getting involved with him in the first place,” she added. “Now it seems impossible to walk away.”

I stopped and gave her a look.

“Don't look at me like that. You fell for the boy, but you just can't admit it,” she said.

“I'll advise you to keep your opinions to yourself. We already talked about this, remember?” I replied, giving her a warning look.

Vanya rolled her eyes, already understanding the meaning behind my tone.

I walked into the room, started taking off my clothes, and headed into the bathroom.

I let out a tired sigh.

“Stay alive for the kid, at least.” Vanya's words echoed in my head.

“You fell for the boy, but you just can't admit it.”

The words kept repeating in my mind.

What was I really refusing to accept?

I turned on the shower, and the cold water hit my skin, running down to my feet.

Why was it so hard to keep him to myself?

“Because you haven't admitted to yourself that you want him,” a voice in my head whispered.

I rested my hands against the shower wall.

No.

I shouldn't want him.

Everything about this felt wrong.

∆∆

~FIVE STAR CLUB AND BAR ~

{THE NEXT EVENING}

Everything felt different throughout the whole day. It wasn't like how things were between us.

I could feel Nick's eyes on me whenever he saw me with Alina.

I couldn't bring myself to look at him.

Maybe it was better if I kept my distance instead of putting him in danger.

I sat inside the VIP room with Vanya and a few other people.

They talked among themselves, but I wasn't interested in anything they were saying.

I just sat there quietly, drinking.

“Isn't that right, Lorenzo?” someone Vanya was flirting with asked me.

I didn't answer.

I only lifted my glass and took another drink, ignoring him completely.

Suddenly, the door flew open and Nick walked in with a tray in his hands.

He lowered his head politely before looking up.

The moment our eyes met, I looked away and swirled the alcohol in my glass.

“Nick? Why are you here?” Vanya asked.

“Uh... the manager... the manager asked me to serve this room tonight,” he replied, his voice slightly shaky.

“Oh, I asked for him,” a man said, his eyes lingering on Nick. “I noticed him the moment I entered the bar.”

What the hell?

I tightened my grip around the glass in my hand and looked at Nick.

He let out a nervous laugh before placing the bottle on the table.

“But he's quite young,” someone else said.

“It doesn't matter to me,” he replied.

He leaned closer to him as Nick sets the table.

“I like what I'm seeing,” he said, reaching out and taking Nick's hand, startling Nick.

“Get your hands off him,” I suddenly said and everyone turned to look at me.

“What?” the guy asked and I turned to him.

“Your hands,” I repeated and he scoffed.

“Who the hell are you…”

I didn't let him finish before smashing the glass against his head, ignoring the pain that shot through my hand.

Everyone in the room screamed.

He groaned and held his head.

I heard Nick wince, and I immediately grabbed his hand.

That was when I noticed his arm was hurt too.

“It's fine. I'm okay,” he said as I tried to move his hand closer to check it.

“Stay still. Let me see,” I said.

Suddenly, the guy grabbed another bottle and threw it toward Nick, aiming for his head.

Without thinking, I moved in front of him and wrapped my arms around him, taking the hit instead.

The bottle shattered against my back.

“Fuck,” I cursed as I held Nick tighter.

Vanya immediately grabbed the guy by his shirt and threw him onto the table, causing the table to shatter.

She placed her boot near his neck as he struggled to move.

A few people in the room quickly rushed out to call security.

Nick pulled away from me in panic and immediately looked me over.

“Enzo. Are you okay?”

He held my face, worry clear in his eyes.

I nodded and gave a small smile before gently ruffling his hair.

If I didn't want anything like this to happen to Nick again, then I had to be the one to protect him.

I was already involved with him, and it was too late to pretend I could walk away.

I pressed a soft kiss to his hair and looked back at his face before placing a soft kiss on his lips. His ears immediately turned red, and I pulled him into a hug.

“I promise I'll protect you, Nick,” I whispered.