All Chapters of The Mafia King's Collateral : Chapter 31 - Chapter 40

99 Chapters

Thought I lost you

Liora's POVThe mansion had never felt so empty.Nikolai was missing. Possibly dead. And I was standing in the middle of the war room with blood on my hands and fear in my heart.The remaining guards stared at me. Some with respect. Others with doubt. I was no longer just the collateral. I was the only one left who could make decisions.“Status,” I demanded, surprised by how steady my voice sounded.One of the senior guards, a man named Ivan, stepped forward. “We lost twelve men. Rossi’s group retreated but they took prisoners. We’re still trying to locate the boss.”I swallowed hard. My hands were shaking, but I hid them behind my back.“Double the guards around Alora’s room. No one goes in or out without my permission. And get me a secure line. I need to speak to someone from the Rossi side.”The room went dead silent.“Ma’am… that’s not wise,” Ivan said carefully. “The boss would never allow—”“The boss isn’t here,” I cut him off sharply. My voice didn’t waver this time. “I am. And

I was scared

Liora's POVNikolai didn’t let me go.Even as his men tried to help him inside, he kept one arm wrapped tightly around my waist, limping but refusing to release me. His grip was almost painful. Like he was scared I would disappear if he let go.The moment we stepped into the bedroom, the mask cracked.He pushed me away from him — not roughly, but firmly enough that I stumbled back a few steps. His eyes were blazing with fury.“You were going to leave,” he snarled, voice hoarse from pain and rage. “You were going to trade yourself like some fucking martyr.”I stood frozen, tears still wet on my cheeks. “They were going to kill you—”“So you thought running to them would solve everything?” He laughed bitterly, wincing as he clutched his freshly bleeding side. “You don’t get to make that decision, Liora. You don’t get to choose to leave me.”His words hit like knives.I stepped closer, reaching out to help him, but he jerked away.“Don’t,” he growled. “Don’t touch me right now.”The reje

I've got you

Liora's POVThe cracks were spreading.I could feel them in the air, in the way the guards whispered when they thought I wasn’t listening, in the way Nikolai’s jaw stayed clenched from morning until night.Three days had passed since Sofia’s return, and the mansion no longer felt like a fortress. It felt like a sinking ship.I sat in the sunroom with Alora on my lap, reading her a story she already knew by heart. But my mind was elsewhere. Nikolai had barely spoken to me since the night I overheard him with Sofia. He moved through the halls like a ghost of himself — colder, sharper, more controlling.“Mommy, you’re squeezing too tight,” Alora whispered.I loosened my arms around her instantly. “Sorry, baby.”The door opened. Ivan, one of the senior guards, stepped in with a grim expression.“Ma’am. The boss wants to see you in his study.”My stomach dropped. I kissed Alora’s forehead and handed her to Maria before following Ivan down the long hallway.The study smelled of stale vodka

I'll beg if I have to

Liora's POVAlora had finally cried herself to sleep in my arms.Her small body was still trembling slightly, even in rest. I held her tightly on the playroom couch, rocking her gently, my own tears falling silently onto her hair.Nikolai stood a few feet away, watching us. The powerful man looked completely lost. His shoulders were slumped, eyes haunted with guilt.I didn’t look at him.I couldn’t.Not after the cruel things he had said.He took a hesitant step closer. “Liora…”“Don’t,” I whispered sharply, cutting him off. My voice was hoarse from crying. “Not right now.”He stopped. The silence stretched painfully between us.After a long moment, he dropped to his knees in front of me — right there on the carpet, the Mafia King on his knees.“I’m sorry,” he said, voice rough and broken. “I was angry. I was terrified of losing everything and I took it out on you. I said things I didn’t mean.”I finally looked at him. My eyes were burning with fresh tears and anger.“You called me a

Not for a second

Liora's POVThe poison changed everything.I hadn’t slept. Not for a second.Alora was moved to a sealed room on the top floor with round-the-clock guards. I sat beside her bed like a ghost, watching every breath she took, terrified that someone inside these walls still wanted her dead.Nikolai looked worse than I did.He stormed into the war room at dawn, eyes bloodshot, still favoring his injured shoulder. The moment he saw me, something raw flickered across his face — guilt, fear, determination.“We’re going to find them,” he said, voice like steel. “Every single person who had access to that kitchen is being questioned.”I nodded stiffly, still angry with him. Still hurt. But right now, Alora’s safety mattered more than my pride.We worked together in tense silence.Nikolai barked orders while I reviewed security footage. Every guard who had been near the kitchen. Every servant. Every delivery person. My eyes burned from staring at screens for hours, but I refused to stop.By mid

You're choosing her?

Liora's POVThe name "Gregor" haunted me like a ghost.Another traitor. Another knife in the dark.I couldn’t stop thinking about it as I paced the hallway outside Alora’s sealed room. My daughter was finally sleeping peacefully under heavy guard, but my mind refused to rest.How many more were there?How deep did Sofia’s poison actually run?I found Nikolai in his study later that night. He was hunched over his desk, reviewing security logs, his injured shoulder tense. The bruises on his face had darkened, making him look even more dangerous.I hesitated at the door.Part of me still wanted to stay angry. He had said such cruel things. But another part, the part that loved him — needed him to know what I had overheard.“Nikolai,” I said softly.He looked up. His gray eyes softened for a brief second before the wall went back up.“What is it?”I stepped inside and closed the door behind me. “It’s about Sofia.”His expression immediately hardened. “Not this again.”“She was talking to

Just one drink

Liora's POVThe new room felt like a tomb.I had moved with Alora to the east wing suite — far away from Nikolai’s bedroom, far away from the memories that haunted every corner of our old space. The walls were beautiful, the sheets soft, the view stunning. But it was empty.Cold.Just like my heart.“Mommy, when is Mr. Nikolai coming to see us?” Alora asked on the third night, clutching her favorite stuffed bear. Her little voice was so small, so hopeful.I forced a smile and pulled her closer under the silk covers. “He’s very busy, baby. There are bad people he has to fight.”She nodded, but her eyes looked sad. Too sad for a child her age.I held her tighter, kissing the top of her head. Every night she asked the same question. Every night I gave the same careful answer. And every night, after she fell asleep, I cried silently into my pillow.I missed him.God, I missed him so much it physically hurt.The way he used to pull me against his chest. The low rumble of his voice when h

What is it?

Liora's POVThe nights were the hardest.I lay awake long after Alora had fallen asleep, staring at the ceiling, counting the cracks in the plaster like they could give me answers. The silence in this wing of the mansion was suffocating. It pressed down on my chest until I could barely breathe.Five days.Five days of nothing but cold distance from Nikolai.I missed him so much it felt like a physical wound.A soft knock on the door made me sit up suddenly. My heart jumped into my throat.The door opened slowly.Nikolai stood there in the dim hallway light, wearing only a black shirt and sweatpants. His hair was messy. His eyes were tired, haunted. The bruise on his jaw had faded to a dull yellow, but the exhaustion on his face looked permanent.He didn’t speak at first. He just stood there, staring at me like he was afraid I would vanish.“Can I come in?” he asked, voice rough and low.I nodded, unable to trust my own voice.He stepped inside and closed the door quietly behind him.

Don't do it

Liora's POVThe Volkovs arrived like a storm wrapped in silk and diamonds.I watched from the second-floor balcony as three sleek black cars pulled into the courtyard. Guards in sharp suits stepped out first, followed by an older man with silver hair and a cold smile. And then her.Irina Volkov.She was breathtaking. Tall, with long platinum blonde hair that cascaded down her back like liquid moonlight. Her red dress clung to every curve, elegant yet provocative. She moved like she owned the ground she walked on — confident, graceful, and dangerous.My stomach twisted into knots.Sofia stood beside Nikolai at the entrance, looking far too pleased. She leaned in close to him, whispering something that made his jaw tighten. I couldn’t hear what she said, but I could guess.She’s perfect for you.She understands this world.Unlike the collateral.I gripped the balcony railing until my knuckles turned white. Jealousy burned through my veins like acid. This wasn’t just another woman. This

Done Begging

Liora's POVI was done begging.Done crying in corners.Done waiting for Nikolai to choose me like I was some prize in his twisted game.The next morning, I woke up with fire in my veins instead of tears in my eyes. I dressed carefully — a deep emerald green dress that hugged my body, hair pinned up, makeup subtle but sharp. I looked like a woman who refused to disappear.Not collateral.Not a distraction.A queen who was tired of kneeling.I stormed into Nikolai’s study without knocking. He was alone, reviewing documents, but the moment I entered, his head snapped up.“Liora…”“No,” I cut him off sharply, closing the door behind me with a firm click. “You don’t get to talk first. Not this time.”He leaned back in his chair, eyes narrowing, but he stayed silent.I walked straight to his desk and slammed my hands down on it, leaning forward.“You want to marry Irina Volkov?” My voice was steady, cold, and laced with steel. “Fine. But look me in the eyes and tell me you’re willing to th

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