Chapter 670
Nikolai caught the assassin’s wrist, pulling him closer, close enough to fall right into his arms. Angelo came easily, his fruity, dark scent was still on his skin, but he also brought with him clean sea salt and ocean breeze.
He deftly tied up the ribbons, Angelo sitting on him with his back to him so that he could do up the ties behind his neck. He pressed a kiss to the Omega’s nape before covering it up, letting Angelo get off him.
Nikolai watched him brush out his hair with practised motions, torn between appreciation for his outfit, and displeasure that his mark was covered up. The dark red of the satin shirt contrasted perfectly with the assassin’s pale skin, giving him an air of danger no less deadly than when he was in tactical clothing, fully strapped up.
Angelo easily found his rings a second time, slipping them on. He tested the mechanics of one, studying the tiny knife it revealed intently. He sighed and released it; it still wasn’t good enough, and once again, he considered a handbag.
He hadn’t taken off the necklace ever since Nikolai put it on, and he had also taken to doing the same with the diamond bracelet he wore. It was made of titanium, but it still required upkeep, he should think about doing that soon.
Angelo turned around to find out that Nikolai hadn’t moved from the bed, the Alpha patiently waiting for him to get dressed. His face burned slightly at that, he always got hung up on the little things.
"Did you get me a bag?" He asked curiously, not expecting much even as he walked over to his closet and opened it to peer in.
Nikolai rose to his feet then, but he didn’t come over, instead, he went to a dresser and pulled open one of the shelves, pulling out a delicate rhinestone bag.
Angelo’s expression shuttered, starting to regret that he had asked. It looked less like a bag and more like an art piece. It was more aptly a clutch purse, but it also had a thin silver chain attached to it.
Fortunately, his knives didn’t require much space, so he would be able to fit a couple in the bag. He took the bag from Nikolai with a straight face, congratulating himself for not smacking the Mafia King in the head with it.
He stuffed it full of knives, admiring it. It surprisingly had a spacious interior, so after placing his weapons in it, there was space for more. It had him wondering what else he could put in... what did people put in rhinestone bags? Lipstick? Perfume?
The potential options made him close the bag, and as he made to sling the long thin chain over an arm, he was stopped.
"Let me hold that for you," Nikolai offered, holding out a hand.
Angelo glanced down at it, his knives were stowed away in the bag. Even if there were danger, it would take him a moment to access them - it didn’t matter who held it.
"Thank you," He said politely, handing it over.
It was almost 9 PM when they left the manor, Nikolai driving. The skies were beautifully clear, not a single cloud to be seen in the dark blue skies.
By this point, Angelo was actually hungry, he fiddled with the ribbons on his wrist, which had been tied into bows, smooth jazz playing on the radio at a low volume.
This moment, just like the earlier one when he realized Nikolai was patiently waiting for him to get dressed, reminded him of his mom. He couldn’t really say why.
Maybe it was the love she could have gotten if she hadn’t run into Luis Caddel. The quiet moments he shared with Nikolai made it stand out glaringly. It filled him with a bittersweet emotion that made his heart full... How strange, he once thought he had dug out his heart himself.
"What are you smiling about?" Nikolai’s nosy voice interrupted his thoughts.
Angelo glanced over at the Mafia King who insisted on driving with a single hand so he could keep the other in his hair. "I’m thinking about you in a wedding dress." He teased, his eyes and smile soft.
Nikolai had to remind himself to look away so that he didn’t crash the car. He would wear the damn dress if Angelo would look at him like that the entire time. "I’m almost tempted." He muttered.
Angelo laughed at that, it was a soft, raspy sound, unfamiliar. "What can I say? I can be very convincing when I want to be."
The restaurant this time was on a rooftop, it was also in the 1st District. It overlooked the sea of lights, bright enough to rival the stars in the sky.
The cold winter breeze blew through Angelo’s hair, but he wasn’t cold even though he had taken off the coat he had worn over his satin dress shirt. The rooftop restaurant had half-walls around the edges, yet it didn’t stop them from providing heating, so it wasn’t bitingly cold.
The roof and the walls were all made of glass, so it truly felt like sitting under the night sky for a meal without any of the discomfort.
Angelo’s thin fingers held the stem of a wine glass, the red liquid in it reflected the flickering flames of the lanterns placed on the table. Nikolai had just poured him a drink, and as the Mafia King turned to the side to fill his own glass as well, warm light fell against the hard line of his jaw.
He didn’t know what to call these frequent bouts of tenderness that engulfed him, but he didn’t mind them. They felt comfortable, familiar... they felt like home.
"Like what you see?" Nikolai turned to him with a faint smile, his dark blue eyes seemed filled with stars tonight.
Angelo looked out to the view to avoid the question, but the warm lighting of the restaurant only highlighted the soft flush on his features. "You still haven’t told me what kind of wedding you want." He blatantly changed the conversation.
But Nikolai was in too much of a good mood to chase it, he drained his glass and placed it down with a smile. "It’s a surprise..."