The Don's Property의 모든 챕터: 챕터 51 - 챕터 60

NERO POV We’ve been stuck in gridlock for three hours, and it doesn’t look like it’s clearing up anytime soon. I try to keep my eyes on the window, but my eyes keep drifting back to Elara. Just like now. She’s clutching the painting to her chest like it’s her most prized possession, a soft hum filling the quiet air between us. Knowing she only hums when her spirits are high, a strange sense of unwanted triumph settles in my chest. A low grumble interrupts the silence, causing my eyes to lift to meet her eyes. Guilty as fuck, she clutches her stomach. “That wasn’t me.” Her voice jumps an octave. A second growl betrays her and I have to fight to keep my lips from curving into a smile as I arch a brow. “Fine, it’s me.” She pouts her plush lips, slumping against the seat. “We’ve been stuck in this traffic for hours and I’m hungry.” I shake my head, though I can’t bring myself to be annoyed at her. Minutes later, we’re in a roadside diner. Elara is stuffing her mouth with

ELARA POVWhen I step out, Nero was already out of the house so I have to eat breakfast alone with the resentment still burning inside me. Now, I’m pacing Diana’s room, telling her what happened between me and Nero yesterday."What did I ever do wrong?" I heave my shoulders, throwing my hands up. "I was on my own when he suggested we go out. Then suddenly he just couldn’t stand me. I didn’t even do anything wrong. Matter of fact, I was on my best behavior. I think?"I finally turn to Diana, whose ears I have been wearing out for the past hour. She’s busy stuffing one of her strange little dolls, paying me absolutely no mind.I cross my arms over my chest and frown. "Are you even listening to me?""Unfortunately," she grunts, stabbing a needle into the doll’s fabric."Seriously, Diana. I’m talking about something that hurts me greatly."She doesn't look up. "You’re talking about a man acting like a man. It’s hardly news, Elara."True, but still."Come on." I groan in renewed frustrat

NERO POVMy heart is beating fast. Too fast.Not in the adrenaline-filled, thrill-throbbing-through-my-veins kind of way. But in the I’m having a heart attack, I’m about to drop dead kind of way. If it beats any faster than this, it’s going to punch right through my ribcage.I snatch up my phone, furiously scrolling through my contacts until I find Gareth’s name. I dial, and he answers on the second ring."Don," he greets."Set her up with me," I demand."Who?""The person we talked about.""Ah the doctor." His voice holds a note of dawn realization. "There’s a procedure to follow even for you. An appointment has to be booked weeks in—""I don’t care," I sneer. "Put me on the list as her next appointment. I need to see her by 7pm.”Silence lingers for a moment before Gareth’s voice drifts to me again. “I’ll make it happen.”I end the call, sliding my phone across the table.The plan was to ignore her. Act like she doesn’t exist. I was going to stick to it, until I saw her crying profu

NERO POV“What?” My head snaps back as the single word hiss past my lips. “What happened?”“I don't know," she says, concern slicking her voice. “I went to bring her water and she was curled in a ball, groaning. She can even barely speak.”A cold fist slams into my gut, knocking the air from my lungs. I don't remember holstering the gun into the drawer. I don't remember pushing past Diana. I only know that one second I am in my room, and the next I am tearing down the hallway, the floorboards groaning under the force of my fast strides.I storm into Elara’s room, my gaze moving frantically until it drops on her sprawled on the bed. She has her knees pulled violently to her chest, a whimper slips past her lips and the sound tears straight through my chest armor and buries itself in my heart.“Uccellina.” The word slips past my lips with so much heaviness as I drop beside the bed. She’s clutching her stomach, sweat slicks her skin and her eyes are squeezed shut while my hand hovers over

Elara PovNero deadpans. “Your legs are barely holding, Uccellina.”“But still,” I say, worrying my lower lip. “I can’t let you bathe me, Nero.” “Why?” He has the nerve to sound genuinely puzzled.I blink in disbelief. Is he seriously asking why? Does he need me to spell it out? It’s hard enough to act normal when I’m fully dressed because his gaze already feels like it peels me open, layer by layer. I can’t survive him seeing me naked.“Because.” I dart my tongue out to wet my lip. “You will be seeing me naked.” I blurt the last word out, my cheeks burning instantly. God, this is humiliating.The corner of his mouth quirks upward. and I bite out. “Don’t you dare laugh. I swear Nero, I’ll tears you apart with my hands.”The smirk is on his lips anyways, not minding my threat and amusement glosses his face. “I didn’t know Uccellina is shy in front of me.”“I’m not,” I counter, but it’s weak. “It’s just…” My voice trails off, too humiliated to put my feelings into words. He’ll be the f