Trapped by Seven Mafia Wolves novel Chapter 39

**Stain In My Mind**

**Jace’s POV**

I find myself utterly immobilized, my heart thundering like a war drum in my chest, as the sound of approaching footsteps reverberates ominously in the stillness. From the depths of the shadows, Nico materializes, a figure cloaked in tension, like a storm ready to unleash its fury. He stands just a few paces away, arms crossed tightly over his chest, his familiar scowl carving deep lines into his forehead—a mask of irritation that hints at something more tumultuous beneath the surface. But then, his gaze shifts, landing squarely on my shirt, and I can almost hear the gears turning in his mind as his expression morphs. His eyes widen, darting toward the small, crimson smear that mars the fabric of my sleeve, a vivid splash of color against the otherwise mundane fabric.

He glances down at his own hand, and I catch sight of the tiny droplets of blood staining his skin, stark against his pale complexion.

Blood.

“What the hell?” I whisper, instinctively raising my sleeve to scrutinize the dark spot more closely, my mind racing with questions I can barely articulate.

“Da dove viene il sangue?” Nico squints, his voice tinged with annoyance and confusion, as if the sight of the blood is an affront to him personally.

“She ran into me,” I blurt out, desperate to preempt any further inquiries. “Nearly knocked me over. She looked like she was fleeing from a damn ghost.”

A heavy silence stretches between us, taut and electric, as if the air itself is holding its breath.

Finally, with a frustrated huff, he shoves his hands deep into his pockets, his voice low and curt as he mutters, “Le ho afferrato il polso.”

(“I grabbed her wrist.”)

A knot tightens in my stomach at his admission, a wave of dread washing over me, cold and unrelenting.

“What?” I manage to ask, my voice barely rising above a whisper, as if the very act of speaking too loudly might shatter the fragile tension that envelops us.

“She pissed me off,” Nico snaps, his tone brusque, as if that explanation should suffice to absolve him of any wrongdoing. “I yelled, grabbed her wrist. She started screaming like I was killing her. Then she ran. That’s it.”

Nico scoffs dismissively, waving his hand as if to dismiss my concerns. “Barely touched her. She’s just dramatic.”

I clench my jaw, a battle raging within me. Part of me wants to agree with him, to brush off her reaction as an overreaction, a mere display of histrionics.

But that blood. That expression. The tremble in her voice. None of that was mere theatrics.

Something is amiss, and it gnaws at me like a stain in my mind, refusing to fade away, a haunting reminder of an unsettling truth.

As the weight of the moment settles heavily between us, a chasm of understanding begins to form, one that I am desperate to bridge. Nico stands there, seemingly unfazed by the gravity of his actions, while my heart races with the haunting image of her terrified face. I realize that I can no longer remain passive in this tangled web of emotions and consequences. The blood on my sleeve is not just a stain; it is a vivid reminder of the fragility of life and the darkness that can seep into our interactions. I feel a surge of determination rising within me, compelling me to confront the truth that Nico seems intent on ignoring. The panic that radiated from her was a cry for help, and I refuse to let it fade into the shadows.

In that moment, I choose to step forward, not just for her sake but for my own. The fear that has gripped my heart transforms into a fierce resolve, igniting a fire within me that I cannot extinguish. I cannot allow this to be the end of her story or mine. The stain in my mind will no longer be a mere whisper of dread; it will be the catalyst for action. I take a deep breath, ready to face whatever lies ahead, knowing that the path forward may be fraught with uncertainty but also filled with the potential for redemption. The stars may refuse to blink, but I will not shy away from the light, determined to chase it into the dark, no matter the cost.