*Lucia*
Well, no one had ever asked me that question before, so for a while, I was quiet. I have never thought about this question. But I had to answer it honestly. There was nothing to hide. It was my plain truth. After my parent’s death, I lived each day hoping it wouldn’t be my last. Praying I would be able to stay alive and eat. I prayed there was. Kind-hearted human somewhere who would offer me food so I don’t have to steal and get beaten.
Well, that was in the past now. I had enough. And though I was happier than I had ever been all my life, I didn’t think about the future; I lived each day as it came. “How about you? What are your dreams?” I asked Bruno. I wanted to know his.
The car was quiet once more. The wind rushed into the car, ruffling my hair, and I straightened it from time to time. I waited patiently for Bruno to speak, but he didn’t. He only smiled and turned to me when he stopped in front of a red light. “You didn’t have to ask back,” he said. I scoffed. “So you are the only one who gets to ask?” I ask him.
“Isn’t that obvious? I am the boss,”
“I am the boss,” I said at the same time as him. I took a deep breath. “I get that you don’t want to tell me. I won’t force it,” I said, giving up. If he didn’t want to say it, I won’t force him. I had no right to force him, so I would stop asking, and I did stop asking.
“Well, I’m living my dream,” I heard him say. I turned to look at him. Waiting for him to continue speaking. Before he could continue, we heard the blaring of a horn. The red light had turned green, but we were too engrossed in our discussion to notice.
Bruno drove off.
He didn’t speak about it again, but I made up my mind not to ask him some other time. “How about now? Do you have anything you want? Like a wish or dream, as long as it is something possible on this earth, I’ll surely make sure you live it, even if it means burning the entire earth for you,” he says.
My heart softens. Warmth spread all over my body. Bruno sure has his way with words. He knew how to make me weak just by speaking. “I have something I want,” I said. I didn’t know what it was yet, but I was sure there was something I wanted. We sped past a car. Bruno was not the best driver, but I think I was getting used to his driving skills.
” I want to become a spy,” I said. He raised a brow. “You what?” He asked.
“I’m sure you heard me the first time. I want to become a spy. I want to wear long blazers and paint my lips with red lipstick,” I said. That was one thing I wanted. And I meant it. I wanted to be a strong woman. I want to be able to protect myself.
Bruno may not be able to save me all the time, so I wanted to get prepared, “that …” he searched for the right words, “I don’t know what to say. But you have my support,” he said.
“Maybe he would be able to help me realize my dream. Maybe the dream was not in vain after all. I smiled. “I want to be strong. I want to learn how to fight so I’d be able to defend myself in the needed time,” I say.
I saw him nod. For a minute, I thought he was going to mock my dream, but he didn’t. “Consider it done,” he says. I laughed. “You make it sound like it is that easy,” I said.
“It is. It is easy. Just wait,” he says.
I thought he was joking when he said he would make sure I live all my life. Bruno was hell-serious. I was standing in his office. Beside me was Rave, “you still haven’t told me why you called me in here,” Rave said. Bruno sent him a glare, “I mean, not that I mind watching your handsome face for as long as you desire,” he said quickly.
I almost laughed out loud. The way he changed was too swift. Earlier, Bruno had said what he wanted to do. I couldn’t help but wonder what he was thinking about. And why hasn’t he told Rave that he would be in charge of making me stronger?
“I want you to take care of Lucia. You are going to teach her how to fight,” Bruno says.
“What? Why? Don’t you want her to be all girly?” Rave asked. “You have everyone to protect her, so I still don’t understand why you have to learn how to…”
“Since when does she explain to you?” Bruno asked him to cut him shut. He stopped talking immediately. I was nervous, too. I think we were finally going to talk about me trying to run away from him. Maybe that was why he was trying to give an excuse for not being able to teach me how to protect myself because he was still angry.
Rave didn’t have any other person to tell him, he didn’t have to refuse again. He agreed at once, and we both left. It was as exhausting as I thought, but I was sure I would be able to take it all.
“I’m sorry, Rave,” I apologized to him before we started. “I know it has been so long, and I never really got the chance to apologize to you. Or maybe I was just too ashamed to be in front of you. I shouldn’t have run away that day, and I shouldn’t have…”
“There’s no need to apologize to Lucia. I was never angry with you. Maybe to some extent I understood you,” he said.
It was easier than expected. “Thank you,” I whispered. Now, I’ll be able to learn from him with a free heart.
******************
*Bruno POV*
“What do you mean you understand her more than me?” I asked Rave.
“Not just her, girls in general,” he said. I never thought a day would come when I would discuss a girl with Rave, and we drank. “So what are you trying to say?” I asked him.
“Confess to Lucia. Spell it out. Tell her you love her,” he says. “But I have already done that,” I said. He raised a brow.
“You confessed to her?” He asked. I shook my head. I didn’t confess to her, but I was sure she knew how I felt about her. “No,” I answered honestly.
“Then go confess to her,” he said. I squinted my eyes.
“Why should I?” I asked. “She is already aware of how I feel about her. We’ve made out and kissed a lot. Everyone in the club already knows that she is my woman. I used to think that I needed to tell her, but not anymore,” I said and downed a shot of alcohol.
Rave sigh. He looked tired of the conversation already. “But you’ve not told her anything. She hasn’t heard a word from you. I doubt you have even told her you love her yet,” he says.
I almost laughed. He was trying to sound like a professional or something. He kept forgetting that I was his elder and was more experienced than he was. “I have shown her. I have shown her everything she needs to know. Action speaks louder than words, and I’m pretty sure that she has already gotten the message. After all, she likes me too. A lot.” I said.
“That doesn’t work for women. They need you to spell out every word for them. No matter how much you love her. Even if she is aware and she is in love with you too, as long as you’ve not said anything, it’s as much as not saying anything. You have to make sure she knows. You have to make sure she doesn’t use the fact that you didn’t tell her anything at any point. So man up and do what you have to do,” he said.
Thinking about it. He did have a point.
I had missed the fact that she is a woman. Women like to share things. They like it when everything is spelled out for them. Maybe I have forgotten about it but it wasn’t too late to correct myself. “So, what do you suggest I do?” I asked him. I wanted to hear from him. Not because he knew or had the best solution but because I trusted him.
” Where is Lucia?” He asked.
“She is at home,” I said. She had earlier volunteered to make dinner for both of us at home. “That’s even better. Go meet her at home and confess to her. Tell her to date you. She likes you, so there is no fear of rejection or getting heartbroken.” He said. I nodded in agreement.
I never knew Rave had sense. This is a discovery. I took my phone and car keys and immediately left for home. I was going to confess to Lucia today. Although I knew she was in love with me, too, I couldn’t help but feel nervous.
The ride back home had my heart racing as fast as never before. I parked in the underground car park. I sat in the car, trying to steady my emotions, which were all over the place. My phone beeped. It was a message from Rave.
Rave: Click the link below to see some perfect words used for confession. Check it out.
I furrowed my brows. What was this? There was a link and the end of the message. I contemplated clicking on the link. But then, do I need to confess to her by reading from this site?
I stepped down. My eyes were still glued to my phone and I raised it a few times to make sure I didn’t walk and hit a car. When I got inside, When I got home, Lucia had an apron wrapped around her. She had just finished cooking and was setting the table. “You’re back,” she says, turning to me. I nodded with a smile. “You came just in time; I have prepared your favorite.” She says.
I sat beside the table. She was still as good at cooking as she had always been. “How about a ride after dinner?” I asked, and she nodded. “That doesn’t sound so bad,” she says. “How was your meeting with Sam?” She asked. I sighed.
Sam was a rival of mine. My men and his had clashed over a parcel. “It didn’t go too well, but I’m sure he knows he will be bringing more harm if he decides to push the matter,” I said, wiping my lips with a napkin. I was done with the food, and she was done too.
“I’ve finally come to accept the fact that sometimes you need to be intimidating,” she said. She was done eating, too. I smiled at her. She has become so used to the mafia life. She talked about everything that went on in the club. “Do you want to go on a ride?” I asked her.
“Got somewhere to show me again?” She asked back, one side of her lips pulling up into a mischievous smile. “You bet,”
“I’m suddenly wondering what surprise you’ve prepared this time,” she says. I volunteered to clean the table since she cooked but she refused. But still, I had to help her.
After that, I led her to my car and opened the door for her. “You’ve never been taken around the City. So you don’t know how big it is,” I said. “I’ll show you,”
“If it’s so big that we can cover it in an entire night, then it’s not as big as you are making it sound,” I ignited the car.
“We’ll see about that,”
I wasn’t just going to take her around the city. I was going to confess my love to her and officially make her my woman.