Seventeen

NOVARIA’S POV

The rain never stopped that night.

Even while asleep, I could still hear the steady tapping of raindrops against the large bedroom windows. The sound blended softly with the occasional rumble of thunder outside, wrapping the mansion in an eerie kind of silence.

I didn’t dream. I was far too exhausted for that.

Despite doing almost nothing all day, my mind had been overwhelmed from everything that happened earlier–the basement, Sylvester’s warning, his confession about the Mafia.

And maybe because of all that… I found myself clinging to him more than usual in my sleep.

His arms remained wrapped tightly around me beneath the blankets, warm and protective.

At some point during the early hours of the morning, exhaustion completely swallowed me whole.

Until.

CRACK!

A deafening thunderclap exploded through the sky.

My eyes snapped open instantly.

I shot upright on the bed, breathing heavily as another violent rumble shook the windows around me.

The room was pitch black.

For a second, my sleepy mind couldn’t process anything properly. My heart pounded painfully against my chest while lightning flashed briefly through the curtains.

Then I realized something. Sylvester wasn’t beside me anymore. The space next to me was empty.

Another loud thunderstrike echoed outside. I flinched violently. My breathing grew uneven as panic slowly crawled into my chest.

“S-Sylvester…?”

No answer.

The darkness suddenly felt suffocating.

The massive bedroom that usually comforted me now felt too large. Too quiet. Every shadow around the room began looking unfamiliar and terrifying.

Another flash of lightning illuminated the room for a split second before darkness swallowed everything again.

A frightened whimper escaped my lips. I immediately pulled my knees to my chest and curled into myself on the bed, too scared to move.

I hated loud noises. Always had.

And being left alone in darkness while thunder shook the walls wasn’t helping at all.

My hands trembled badly as tears slowly filled my eyes. The storm outside only grew louder.

The childish fear I thought I had buried years ago came crashing back so fast that I couldn’t stop it anymore.

What if something was in the room? What if someone was hiding in the dark?

What if…

Another thunderclap exploded overhead. I let out a frightened sob before covering my ears tightly.

At some point, tears started rolling down my cheeks uncontrollably.

I felt ridiculous. Embarrassing. But I couldn’t stop shaking.

Then suddenly, the bedroom door opened.

A tall shadow entered the room before the lights flicked on.

I froze.

Sylvester.

The second his eyes landed on me curled up helplessly on the bed, his expression changed completely.

“Baby?”

His voice filled with immediate panic.

Another thunderstrike sounded outside and I squealed softly in fear.

That was all it took.

Sylvester crossed the room in seconds and scooped me into his arms immediately.

“I’m here,” he whispered quickly, sitting on the bed while pulling me tightly against his chest. “You’re okay. I’ve got you.”

I clung onto him desperately, gripping his shirt tightly as my body continued trembling.

His large hand rubbed soothing circles against my back while the other cradled my head protectively against his chest.

“Shhh…” he soothed softly. “Daddy’s right here.”

The nickname barely registered in my panicked state. Barely. Because under different circumstances, I probably would have frozen from embarrassment immediately.

But right now? I was too relieved he had returned. Too desperate for comfort.

“I’m sorry, baby,” he whispered again while kissing the top of my head gently. “I’m right here now.”

Slowly… very slowly… my breathing began calming down. His warmth grounded me. The steady rise and fall of his chest helped quiet the panic in my head.

And after several long minutes of him stroking my hair and whispering comforting words into my ear, my trembling finally eased.

“There you go,” he murmured softly.

He pulled back just enough to look at my face.

His brows furrowed immediately at the sight of my tear-stained cheeks.

“Now tell me,” he said gently. “Why were you crying, princess?”

I sniffled quietly and rubbed at my eyes with shaky fingers, though I still refused to let go of his shirt.

The thunder outside continued rumbling faintly in the distance.

“You weren’t here…” I admitted softly. “And the thunder was too loud.” My voice cracked slightly. “The room was dark and I got scared.”

Sylvester’s expression softened instantly.

Without another word, he sat properly against the headboard and pulled me onto his lap, wrapping both arms securely around me.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered sincerely. “I just went downstairs for a moment.”

His hand slid gently through my hair..

“But I promise I won’t leave you alone like that again.”

I nodded quietly before resting my head against his shoulder again. The embarrassment slowly started settling in now that the fear had passed.

I must have looked ridiculous. Crying over thunder like a child.

But surprisingly… Sylvester didn’t look annoyed. Or amused. If anything, he looked genuinely worried. And somehow that comforted me even more.

The room fell quiet again except for the rain outside.

Sylvester continued rubbing my back gently while whispering soft reassurances beneath his breath.

Then suddenly, another thought entered my head. My cheeks warmed instantly..

Slowly, I lifted my head from his shoulder and started fidgeting nervously with my fingers.

“Sylvester?”

“Yes, princess?”

I hesitated.

Then forced myself to ask anyway..

“Can I…” I swallowed nervously. “Can I call you daddy?”

The second the words left my mouth, silence filled the room.

Sylvester blinked. Then his ears immediately turned red. Bright red.

I became painfully aware of what I had just asked and nearly buried myself inside the blankets from embarrassment.

Maybe he would think it was weird. Maybe he regretted saying it earlier.

But then he suddenly chuckled softly. 

Before I could panic further, he gently laid us both back down beneath the blankets and pulled me against his chest again.

“Of course you can, princess,” he murmured with a smile.

Relief instantly flooded through me. I smiled shyly against his chest and cuddled closer without hesitation.

His arms tightened around me protectively.

“You’re my little baby,” he whispered quietly..

My cheeks warmed again. But this time…I liked it…

I glanced briefly at the digital clock beside the bed.

4:30 AM.

Still early and Still raining.

But now, wrapped safely in Sylvester’s arms again, the storm no longer felt frightening.

I closed my eyes slowly. And this time, I fell asleep smiling.

—---------

Morning came too quickly.

Unfortunately, reality came with it too. The moment Sylvester woke up, Collins informed him about an urgent meeting involving the Omegas. And judging from the way Sylvester clenched his jaw afterward, he clearly wasn’t happy about it.

Lately, Marcus Omega and his men had become a constant problem for the Muskegons.

Ever since the failed meeting and attempted ambush weeks ago, tensions between both families had worsened dramatically.

The Omegas kept pushing boundaries.

And Sylvester hated it.

The brothers were now forced to leave the mansion more often to handle work, meetings, and missions. Something neither Sylvester nor I enjoyed anymore. Especially after last night.

Especially now that I had started calling him daddy.

The thought alone secretly amused him far more than it should have.

He already knew Kelvin and Collins would become jealous the second they found out.

And honestly?

That thought alone improved his mood slightly.

Still, work remained unavoidable.

This particular meeting involved plans connected to a bank robbery happening within Omega territory.

Not because the Muskegons cared about robbing banks themselves. But because several Omega men operating there were tied to illegal trafficking and underground laundering operations. Destroying their profits sounded satisfying enough.

Before leaving, Sylvester specifically instructed Kelvin and Chris to stay with me. Mostly because he knew I’d become upset once I realized he had left again.

Hours later, the meeting continued inside one of the Muskegons’ private warehouses.

The atmosphere was tense. Men surrounded large tables covered with maps, weapons, and blueprints while discussions continued regarding timing, entrances, escape routes, and Omega security positions.

Sylvester stood near the center of the room listening carefully while several men explained details.

Then suddenly, the warehouse doors burst open violently.

Everyone turned instantly. Fredo staggered inside. Bruises covered his face. Blood dripped steadily from a deep cut running along his arm.

And judging from the murderous look in his eyes…Something had gone terribly wrong.