The Billionaire Mafia’s Slave

CHAPTER 21: THINGS TO TALK ABOUT

LILY’S POV:

I’ve never liked hiking, it’s just endless walk for no reason. I remember when Papa would wake me up early for an early morning stroll and I would feign sick, now I wished he would ask me again and I wouldn’t even let him finish before agreeing.

I was tired and pressed, I tried if I could endure it but it won’t be possible. I had no other choice than to whisper to Ivan who I didn’t trust completely, but at least he was the one with the kind smile.

“I… I r-really have to go”, I said to Ivan, he looked at me in confusion, not sure of where I wanted to go.

“Go where?”, He asked.

“Uhm… li-like pee”, I said again, in a hush tone so Nikolai wouldn’t hear me, not knowing he has sharp ears.

“Ohh”, Ivan said.

I saw Nikolai stopped in his tracks and turned to us, he looks to me and I held my breathe in fear. Was he going to yell and cuss at me, I didn’t know.

“Why didn’t you do your business back in the mansion. We are only out for 15 minutes and you are already pressed”, He told me.

“Wha… what did you expect w-when you practically for-forced me to get ready in such a little time?”, I said.

After not so much arguments, he let me go behind a tree to ease myself. I went behind the tree but I was feeling shy.

‘What if they looked at me when I’m peeing?’, I asked myself and pouted. Too bad I had no other option, I took of my shorts and peed, put my shorts back on and I got this foolish idea to escape that very moment.

“Stop thinking rubbish Lily!”, I scolded myself quietly. But they were chances I could pull it off since Nikolai is in the woods, none of his men are here to stop me and I’m not being watched.

I peeped and saw Nikolai and Ivan were engrossed in a conversation, good for me. Without knowing were to go or anywhere in this woods, I let my head guide my feet.

I started off quietly, not to alert them, then when I was further away, I sprinted.

It seemed like I was running on air because I couldn’t feel my feet touching the dried leafs. I ran tiredlessly, feeling a little bit of joy in my heart. I felt happy.

After running for more time than I can tell, I came to a halt and I was panting and sweating.

I looked around me and that was when it dawned on me that I don’t know where I was. I looked left, right, left again, turned around, trying to figure out where to go to, the trees all seems the same.

“Fu… fuck Lily, you are l-lost!!”, I shouted.

I took out my phone because I knew I had no other option but to call Nikolai. He could scold me however he wants when I’m back safely in the mansion.

“Shit!!!”, There was no signal. I was already getting scared, only God knows what kind of animals are in this forest.

I tried retracing my steps back but everywhere seems the same.

I stopped and the tears came out, I cried at how foolish I was, I mean how can I ever imagine that I was going to escape the clutches of Nikolai by running into a forest I know nothing about? I was so fucked.

***

It was already getting dark and I have walked tiredlessly, trying to go back from where I came from, I was hungry and my feet hurt. Occasion I would take out my phone to check for signal but nothing.

I was still trying to retrace my steps when I heard something step on a twig. I gasped and turned to the direction of the noise.Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Who is it?!… Who is there?!!! I h-have a gun with m-me you know”, I said in fear.

I got no response, I took out my phone and turn on the flashlight, wiggling it at the direction of the strange noise but still nothing.

“Nikolai if that’s you, I’m sorry I ran away… just stop trying to scare me!”, I said, this time a bit more confident and I still got no response.

‘Maybe it is all in my head’, I forced a smile and continued moving, where to? I don’t know.

The thunder rumbled in the sky and so did another strange noise, this time I didn’t wait to ask who it was, I started running for my life, I ran like I was in a marathon. I turned back to see if I was being pursued but I couldn’t see anything.

I ran and my shirt got caught in a tree branch. I tried taking it off hurriedly but it wouldn’t get off, not knowing what to do, I yanked hard on it and it ripped then I continued running.

After running for a while I stopped and hid behind a very large dead wood. It was big enough to hide my small frame and I sat on the ground and held my mouth tight, scared of attracting what was after me.

‘If something was actually after me’, I said in my head.

I stayed there, resting my head on my bent knee and closing my eyes. I prayed that Nikolai was looking for me, or he sent his men to find me.

‘Why would he even? I was the one who ran away’, he might be at home by this time, sipping his whiskey and hoping I get eaten by wild animals. I shook my head to get rid of such thoughts.

I remained in that position till I slept off.

It was already raining and the sky was dark, I woke up to a something crawling on my leg, it was disturbing my sleep.

I opened my eyes and screamed in fear.

“AHHHHHHHHHHHHH”, It was a snake! a very big and large one at that!

It was very close to me and I couldn’t move due to fear.

This isn’t how I imagined I died! I always imagine being in the arms of the man I loved and we would go together. I haven’t even lived my life yet, I haven’t made Olivia pay for what she did to me! I have not taken my revenge on Troy! I have not made love before! I couldn’t die a sold out virgin! And I haven’t told Papa how much I love him till death.

I closed my eyes and prepared for my next fate when I heard someone call out to me.

“LILY?!! Lily?!”, Yes! It was Nikolai!

“Nikolai!”, I called back to him, I tried to stand up from where I was and the snake hissed the more and I stood still.

The rain became heavier, not feeling sorry for me.

“Nikolai help!”, I yelled. I was so relieved that he came for me and I started crying.

I looked at the direction he was calling from and I saw him.

“Lily, try not to move, stay as still as you can, I will come and get you”, He instructed and who was I not to obey? I nodded. I held my mouth with my palms and silently praying.

“Listen Lily, I need you to close your eyes really tight and block both your ears with your fingers”, he said again and I got curious, ‘What for?’.

“What?! what are you going to do?!”, I asked him.

“Just listen and trust me for once in your life Lily!”, He commanded and I immediately obeyed. I closed my eyes shut and blocked my ear, I could already feel the snake on my leg but I tried not to shout. Then I heard a gunshot.

I gasped at the loud noise and opened my eyes, the snake was lying on the ground, dead.

I was panting in fear and I cried even more.

Nikolai came to me and wrapped me in a tight hug, patting my hair.

“It’s okay, you are alright…”, he whispered to me. He helped me up and I felt dizzy. Before I could balance my feet I fell and Nikolai caught me, I was slowly loosing my consciousness.

“Li-Lily?! Hey!”, He called out, tapping on my cheeks but I completely lost consciousness.

***

I woke up and I was in my room.

‘How did I get here?’, I wondered. Last I remembered, I was still running in the woods. Then the events of what happened started playing back in my head. The rain, the snake, Nikolai, the gunshot and me fainting.

“Fuck”, I cussed as I tried to sit up from the bed.

“Hey hey, easy”, I heard a familiar voice, it was Nate Benson. He helped me sit up and supported my head with a pillow.

“Thank you”, I told him with a faint smile.

“Nahh, I’m just doing my job if not Nikolai would kill me hahaha”, He meant it as a joke but I didn’t interpret it that way.

‘What really does this Nikolai guy do for a living?’, I wondered.

“I was j-just kidding! Nikolai isn’t a killer?”, Nate tried to explain when he saw the suspicion on my face.

I heard Nikolai clear his throat from the door and I gasped in shock, wondering if he has been standing there all along.

“You may leave now Nate”, He said.

“Okay… Lily, take your medications and eat well, you will be strong in no time”, Nate assured me and smiled and I smiled back. He left and Nikolai didn’t even like at him.

Nikolai closed the door after Nate left and walked up to me. His eyes so ice piercing, I could feel his cold gaze.

“How are you feeling?”, He stopped right in front of the bed and asked me.

I was taken aback by his question, was he concerned for me?

“I… I-I feel okay now”, I responded.

“Good… because we have things to talk about Lily”, He announced and I swallowed hard, scared of the punishment he would give to me.