Four

NOVARIA’S POV

Collins stared at Sylvester for a long moment before looking back at me again. The surprise on his face was impossible to miss.

No, surprise wasn’t even the right word. Shock is.

It was obvious he knew Sylvester better than anyone else in this mansion, and whatever Sylvester was doing right now clearly wasn’t normal behavior for him.

From the little I had already seen tonight, I could tell Sylvester wasn’t the type to involve himself emotionally with strangers. He looked like the kind of man who handled problems, eliminated threats, and moved on without ever looking back. He would most likely have just left me in the alley after getting rid of those thugs; unless he just wanted to have fun with me. But it didn't seem to Collins that this was the case.

Collins felt that Sandrino shouldn’t have brought me home. Especially not here. 

They were the Muskegons. The most feared mafia family on the continent. Their name alone carried enough power to make grown men nervous.

And now I was somehow standing inside their mansion wearing Sylvester’s jacket. The absurdity of it all suddenly hit me.

“I…I’m sorry if I’m causing problems between you two,” I said quickly, my voice small compared to the intimidating atmosphere around me. “I can just leave and…”

“Absolutely not,” Collins interrupted sharply before sighing.

He rubbed a hand across his jaw and turned toward Sylvester.

“Sylvester, you can’t just bring a random girl here. You know that.” His tone lowered. “And what about her family? What if they start looking for her?”

Sylvester didn’t even react to his brother’s concern. Instead, he walked directly toward me.

Every step he took somehow made the entire room quieter.

“How old are you?” he asked calmly.

My throat tightened nervously.

“I’m eighteen.”

Sylvester immediately turned back toward Collins.

“There,” he said flatly. “She’s an adult. She can stay.”

Collins opened his mouth again, but Sylvester cut him off effortlessly.

“Look, I have other things to deal with right now.” His eyes shifted toward me briefly. “Just give her something to eat.”

Then without waiting for a response, he walked past me. As he did, his large hand landed softly on my head in a brief pat before he disappeared deeper into the mansion.

I blinked in surprise.

The gesture was strangely gentle coming from someone like him.

Soon, only Collins and I remained in the massive living room. An awkward silence instantly settled between us.

I nervously clasped my hands together while mentally preparing myself for interrogation.

Who are you?

Where are you from?

Why did Sylvester bring you here?

What happened?

I had already cleared my throat about three different times in preparation.

But surprisingly, Collins simply looked at me and said,

“Follow me.”

That was all.

I blinked. Then quickly followed after him.

The mansion somehow became even more intimidating the deeper we walked inside it. Everything looked expensive enough to belong in a luxury magazine. The floors gleamed beneath the chandelier lights while the air carried a faint scent of leather, expensive cologne, and fresh wood polish.

Eventually, we entered the kitchen. And my jaw nearly dropped. It was enormous. Bigger than my entire living room back home.

The kitchen followed the same black-and-white theme as the rest of the mansion. White marble counters stretched across the room while sleek black cabinets lined the walls beautifully. Expensive silver appliances reflected the warm lights above us. It didn’t even look like a place people actually cooked in. It looked staged.

I slowly turned around in awe, trying to take everything in without looking too amazed. Unfortunately, I failed.

Collins noticed immediately. For him, this was normal. For me, it was like stepping into another world entirely.

Meanwhile, Collins looked deeply inconvenienced by my existence tonight.

Not openly rude. Just… frustrated.

And honestly? I couldn’t blame him.

He was Collins Muskegon after all. A feared mafia member probably used to handling weapons and dangerous men, not babysitting frightened teenage girls in the middle of the night.

Yet somehow, there he was. Making me a sandwich. The image alone almost felt ridiculous.

I quietly sat at the counter while he moved around the kitchen with surprising skill, preparing food with the same calmness someone might use while loading a gun.

A few minutes later, he placed a plate in front of me.

The sandwich smelled heavenly.

“Thank you, sir,” I said politely.

Collins immediately grimaced.

“Please don’t call me that,” he said. “It makes me feel old.”

A small laugh escaped me before I could stop it.

“Oh… Sylvester didn’t like it either.”

Collins leaned casually against the counter, crossing his tattooed arms over his chest.

“I wonder why,” he muttered dryly.

I smiled faintly.

“I like your name though.” I said and that earned me a softer expression from him.

Now that I looked at him properly, Collins was almost as intimidating as Sylvester. Tall. Muscular. Covered in tattoos that disappeared beneath the sleeves of his black shirt. Even without seeing it clearly, I could tell there was a weapon hidden somewhere on him.

And yet strangely enough…Neither of them had actually treated me badly.

I was still nervous around them, of course. Terrified even. But not unsafe.

I was so much younger than the both of them, and even shorter. Collins found me cute, and actually liked the fact that my height ended at his chest. At first, he knew he could kill me with just his hands, of course he was still mad at his brother's mistake. The worst part for him was that Sylvester was now indirectly making him my caretaker. But he couldn't show off his anger before me, as I wasn't the one at fault.

 I was still shy though, and he didn't want me to be scared of him in any way.

Collins watched me quietly while I ate. I could practically feel him studying me, probably trying to understand why Sylvester had brought me here in the first place.

And honestly? I didn’t understand it either.

“Thank you, sir…..uh…sorry, Collins.” I immediately flushed in embarrassment.

He chuckled softly.

Just as he was about to say something else.

BANG!

The loud crash echoed violently through the mansion. I jumped so hard my chair nearly tipped backward.

My heart slammed painfully against my ribs as panic instantly flooded my body. I hated loud noises. Always had. But unlike me, Collins didn’t even flinch. He simply clicked his tongue in annoyance.

“Don’t worry,” he said calmly. “It’s nothing.”

Nothing?

How was that nothing?!

Before I could process further, heavy footsteps approached the kitchen.

“These motherfuckers never learn,” a deep voice muttered from outside. Then two men entered.

The first one was broad-shouldered with dark hair and sharp features. The second looked slightly younger but equally dangerous.

“Jerry, I have already told you to…” Both froze the moment they saw me.

“Oh,” the second guy said blankly. “Hey.”

Suddenly, three intimidating mafia men were staring directly at me.

My anxiety skyrocketed immediately..I lowered my gaze to my hands awkwardly, unable to handle the attention.

Maybe I should greet them? Wouldn't staying quiet be rude?

I slowly lifted my head to greet them and instantly froze.

Blood stains covered the front of the first man’s shirt.

Fresh blood.

A terrified gasp escaped me before I could stop it.

My chair scraped loudly against the floor as I stumbled backward several steps.

The man looked startled by my reaction and instinctively stepped toward me. But panic consumed me instantly.

Without thinking, I rushed behind Collins and grabbed the back of his shirt tightly like a frightened child hiding behind an older brother.

“Kelvin,” Collins sighed tiredly, “just leave her alone. She’s already scared enough.”

Kelvin blinked at me before looking down at his stained shirt.

“This?” he asked quickly. “This isn’t blood, it’s..”

“What the hell is going on here?” Sylvester’s voice suddenly cut through the tension.

Everyone turned.

He entered the kitchen looking irritated, probably from whatever business he had been dealing with earlier. But the second his eyes landed on the scene before him, his expression changed immediately.

He began looking around for me, and suddenly spotted me hiding behind Collins, Trembling and ready to bolt at any second.

His brows furrowed instantly. Before he could even speak, I moved. 

Almost instinctively, I hurried across the kitchen and stopped behind him instead. The movement surprised even me.

Sylvester looked down briefly before shifting slightly, placing himself between me and the others protectively.

The room fell quiet.

Even the dangerous-looking men suddenly seemed nervous beneath his stare.

“He wouldn’t stop pissing me off, Sylvester,” Kelvin muttered defensively. “I had to..”

“But who are you both even talking about?” Collins interrupted.

I felt like a little kid in the midst of these muscular men. I didn't dare to look at their faces, especially the new guys that just stepped in. And at that moment, I felt like following Sylvester to his house wasn't exactly the right option I should have chosen.

Sylvester ignored the question completely.

Instead, he reached behind himself, gently pulling me from where I hid behind his back. His hand settled briefly against my shoulder.

“She’s my guest,” he said coldly.

The atmosphere instantly changed.

“And I’d appreciate it if everyone stopped terrifying her.”

No one argued. Not a single person.

“Collins will tell you the rest,” Sylvester continued calmly. “For now, finish whatever you idiots are doing quietly.”