The Highest Bidder

❊ Cʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ Fɪғᴛʏ﹣Nɪɴᴇ ❊

I began running again two weeks after my parents left. It reminded me of home when I would run to get rid of stress, even though I couldn't run far without losing breath. Enzo came with me each time, matching my pace and not judging when I had to stop to breathe. He didn't want me to push myself more than necessary, but I had to get back into the normality of running - even when it was freezing outside.

Sophia handed both Enzo and I a water bottle each after we got back from our run one morning, her lips smiling but her eyes dead as she looked at Enzo.

He blinked, taking a sip of his water. He was barely winded, while I was struggling to get air into my lungs. I hated it. I kept comparing my running to how I did before I ever met Enzo or went to the auction. It seemed so easy back then. But then again, that's what happened when people stopped for such a long period of time.

"Your father is here." Sophia shut the door and nodded towards the dining room. "He says it's important."

Enzo sighed. "You can go upstairs and shower, Eva. I'll-"

"He wants to see her too." Sophia smiled apologetically at me.

My eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but I followed silently behind her. By the look on Enzo's face, he wasn't aware that his father would come over. I wondered what he wanted with the two of us.

Nico was standing beside the dining room table, his hands clasped in front of his body and his head bowed. If I didn't know any better, he looked somewhat innocent. But I did know better. Nico Bianchi would never be innocent.

His head raised and he looked directly at me. Not his son. Me.

"I wouldn't have come if it wasn't important, so don't look at me like that." He clenched his jaw.

"Then what is it, father?" Enzo entwined his fingers through mine. "We just got back from a run and we need showers."

"Go ahead." He shrugged one shoulder. "I really only need to speak with Eva."

My eyebrows furrowed again. I was so confused. What in the hell would Nico need to say to me and me alone?

I took a seat across from him after he had sat down. Enzo sat down beside me, not trusting his father alone with me. Either that, or he sensed my hesitation towards him. I figured it was a bit of both.

I idly wondered what happened to the man who wouldn't look twice at his son and would scoff at me for just being in his presence.

Nico looked at me. "I wanted to apologize."

My eyebrows shot up. He wanted to apologize to me and not Enzo? What the hell?

He sighed. "If it weren't for me, you would have never been taken by Maverick."

My mind flashed back to the moment in Enzo's office when Nico found out where I came from. How angry he was at first, only to switch emotions moments later to one of pure calm. If I would have dug deeper into that moment, maybe I would have seen his plans.

I felt Enzo's entire body stiffen, preparing for the explanation that was about to be given.

"I called Maverick after I found out where you came from." He still didn't look at his son. All of his attention was on me. "I told him where Enzo lived and when the best time would be to come and get you. I gave him the code to get into the estate so that he could bypass the security out front. When he took you, I thought it'd be over. I thought Enzo would go back to being the boss he was supposed to be, but he only got worse. Then, after some time, I saw that he wasn't weak around you at all. He was happy."

Enzo growled. "So all of the generosity has just been from a guilty conscious? Do you know what your betrayal did to Eva?"

Nico closed his eyes and I had the chance to study him. He looked honestly heartbroken about the whole ordeal, but maybe that was just his acting.

"I'm aware of what it did to Eva." He opened his eyes and looked at his son. "If you remember correctly, I'm the one who came and picked you two up after you found her. I remember how close to death she was. I also saw the torment in your eyes, son. I just thought that the operations would be better without her in the picture."

"That was not your decision." Enzo's voice was calm. Deathly calm. It sent a shiver down my spine. "You have been a deadbeat father for almost half of my life. You have looked at me like I'm trash for fourteen years. Deciding Eva's fate was not your call. If she would have died, it would have been on you. And I would have found out, father. Trust me on that one. And when I did find out, I would have found you, forced you to confess, and carried out my own elimination order against you."

Nico remained silent, but he had the decency to look relatively shocked and worried all at the same time. It was more emotion on his face than I had ever seen. I knew why he was shocked. Enzo didn't make empty threats. He would have killed his father without ever second-guessing himself.

I laid my hand over Enzo's clenched fist that was resting on the table. He jumped as if he forgot that I was there before looking over at me.

I smiled slightly at him before turning to Nico. "I forgive you."

Nico's eyes widened.

I leaned forward, continuing to smile. "But if you ever do it again, I'll be the one coming after you. I suggest you mind your own business and stay out of ours from now on unless we specifically ask you into it. And stop being such a dick to your son. It pisses me off."

His mouth opened slightly, as if he was going to say something, but he closed it again and nodded once. He took my threats seriously too.

Good.

Enzo was looking at me, I could feel it. I glanced at him from the corner of my eye and shot him a wink.

I hoped that he and his father would try to mend their relationship again. Fourteen years of neglect and ignorance would probably make Enzo feel like it would be too much effort to try and mend it. But I would do all I could to get them on speaking terms. Family meant everything to me. And if he could begin to like his father, he could have a relationship with him. It would be hard at first, of course. But I'd be with him as long as he wanted me there.

He lowered his hand, from the table, onto my thigh and squeezed. A small smile played on his full lips and his eyes glittered. Eva Whelan was coming back to the surface and that made him happy.

To be honest, it made me happy as well. To know that I could speak my mind and not be punished was so refreshing. One month in that cellar and I had almost given up all hope of survival. I almost broke completely.

Almost.