Chapter 20
Ariel
I truly meant it when I said that I didn’t want to have anything to do with him anymore. He’d crossed the line by pulling a knife at me and if there was any hope I had for this sham of marriage, it had already shattered.
My phone rang and I sighed, hesitant to pick it up as I just wanted to enjoy the comforting silence of my room, but I went ahead and picked it up, forgetting to check who the caller was.
“Hello,” I yawned tiredly, staring at the talk grasses that danced in the direction of the evening breeze.
“Ariel?” Came the familiar voice that rang with fear and uncertainty.
My heart skipped for a bit and I clutched tightly to my phone, prancing to the door to ensure that it was locked. Satisfied that no one could barge in, I sank on the bed.
“Guilia, is that you? Are you alright?” I asked worriedly.
She sighed and I could hear how scared she was. The urge to protect her and take her from the hellhole she was in overwhelmed me, unfortunately, my hands were tied.
“I’m so sorry for ratting you out. It wasn’t my intention, but they found out about Raphael and I couldn’t allow them to hurt him,” She explained and I banged my fist against the headboard.
“It’s fine, Guilia. I don’t care about what you did, I just want to be sure that you are fine,”
Silence ensued and my heart pounded in anticipation. I knew Guilia too well and that pause too, I wasn’t expecting a good news and my father was to be blamed for it.
“Are you still there?”
“They killed him,” She murmured and sniffed, trying to hold back a sob.
Instantly, the world stopped moving and fury shot through me. My chest clenched with pain and concern for my friend whom I wasn’t even currently capable of comforting.
My emotions ran wild and there were several things I wanted to do, including hurting the men that hurt those innocent people, including my husband.
Raphael was Giulia’s driver and boyfriend. She was two years older than me so she had the liberty of doing whatever she wanted aside from being with a man who wasn’t her husband.
After getting close to her driver, she fell in love with him and they started a secret relationship that only I knew about. I was so happy about it because she got to experience the love I read about in books and now he was gone because of me.
“Oh, Guilia, I’m so sorry. It’s all my fault, if I hadn’t brought up the crazy plan of running away, he wouldn’t have taken the fall,” Tears trickled down my cheeks with guilt welling up in my chest.
I wasn’t one to entertain regrets, but after everything that happened, I strongly regretted running away especially now that two people died as a result of my lost cause.
My father, Dmitri, Alberto, I hated all of them. I hated the world I was in and I wanted a breakout, my soul desired it strongly, but again, my hands were tied.
One more mistake and another person would take the fall. I didn’t want that.
“No, Ariel. I’d have done the same if I were in your shoes so don’t feel bad for what happened. Blame our parents for being callous and insensitive about our feelings. Blame them for bringing us into this abnormal world,”
I nodded against the phone because she was right.
“Are you feeling better? I’d have loved to come over but I’m not sure Dmitri would even let me cross the gate,” I snickered even though my heart was bleeding.
She didn’t respond immediately and then I heard a knock in the background. “I have a favor to ask of you,” She blurted hastily.
“What is it?” I became alert.
“I want to come to Seattle, I hear that’s where you are presently. This house gives me the creeps and if I stay here for one more week, I’d lose my sanity. My father won’t let me come over if I asked, but if your father speaks to him, I’m very sure he’d listen,”
I knew where she was headed and I wanted to help her but everything looked bleak. Dmitri was the last person I wanted to ask for anything after what I’d said to him.
“Guilia, I’m not sure it will be possible for me to do that-”
“Please, help me. I know it’s hard but I’m losing my mind and I miss you so much. I won’t stay for long, I just need to clear my head,” Her voice echoed with grief and that influenced my decision.
She rendered help to me when I needed it, I’d be selfish not to do the same for her.
“When do you want to come?”
~~~
I marched to Dmitri’s room, hoping that he was still around and luckily I heard him engaged in a conversation with whoever it was.
Seeking to rile him up, I let myself in without knocking. I also wished I could see him without the mask, but he seemed to have expected such a scenario because his mask was still on.
“You should learn to knock before coming into my room,” He rumbled and dropped the call, taking off his shirt and revealing his broad shoulders.
My body shuddered involuntarily when I did a scan of his sturdy chest my fingers itched to caress his ripped muscles that flexed with each movement. A cross-shaped pendant from his necklace rested between his chest, giving his upper body a sexual appeal.
I dug my teeth into my lower lip and sucked in air. He wasn’t supposed to be sexually appealing to me, yet, I was hot inside.
For a second, I forgot why I barreled into his room like a soldier marching to the war front and my tongue was tied, my brain taking a momentary vacation.
He turned around and then it occurred to me that he had no tattoos on his body, just scars, which was strange for a Capo like him. Even a newly initiated made man took pride in the number of tattoos they had on their skin.
“Why are you staring at me like you want to eat me up?” He teased and I inclined my head.
My face turned crimson in embarrassment while he advanced toward me. I gulped and raised my head, peering at him squarely. I’d beat myself up later for the stupidity I displayed here, but right now I had an important score to settle.
“Eat you up?” I snorted, “I have no intention of doing whatever you’re thinking so get those dirty thoughts out of your head,”
He folded his hand and took another step toward me until my back hit the wall, my heart racing faster. The closeness between us was weird and strangely comfortable and titillating.
“Please, move back,” I gasped, trying to control my ragged breathing. “I have something important to say to you and we can’t talk like this with you trying to intimidate me,” My voice trembled.
Dmitri’s posture was nothing close to imposing, but he didn’t need to hear that and I had to get a grip on these stupid feelings that were springing up.
“Oh tell me, why can’t we?” He mused.