When The Sun Goes Down - A Midnight Mafia Novel

Chapter Fifteen

The time I had spent on my makeup was useless. When I woke up I looked like, well, like I had just woken up. Even without looking in the mirror I knew I probably looked like hell now. I felt groggy, and in my stupor rolled over as if I was still in bed. The smell of new leather attracted my attention and I opened my eyes. I was in a car.

I snapped up to an upright position.

"Easy." Alessio said and I grabbed my head. "Just take it easy for a few minutes."

I wanted to lay back down, but my pride had other ideas. My legs were across his lap, and though I briefly considered connected my feet to his you know what, I pulled them back to my side of the car. "You drugged me!"

"It's not like I didn't warn you."

"Oh, so that makes it alright?" I hissed. My head was swimming.

"Let's not repeat so much fuss when we go back? Si?"

(Yes)

"You're an ass." I turned to be facing forward in me seat and saw Pietro up front driving. I put a hand back up to my head.

"Are you going to pass out again?"

"No!" I yelled, even though I was pretty sure I might.

"How about a drink?" He offered me a glass of wine casually.

"You probably drugged that too." I scoffed but pulled the drink from his hand. I downed the glass in one big gulp and forced the cup back out to him. "Ass." I added for good measure.

"Do you want to go to your concert, or do you want me to shoot you and push you out the car and into a ditch on the road?" He asked in an even tone as he poured another glass.

"Concert please."

"Alright then." He said and handed me the glass again.

I gave him a dirty look and took the glass. This time simply holding it rather than drinking from it.

Alessio looked perfect as usual in his suit, although I remember the way he looked just before I passed out. A single strand had fallen out of place and hung down over his forehead. He'd had just the slightest hint of pink to his cheeks. It was the closest to flustered I would probably ever see him.

"What?" His sharp tone snapped me out of my reminesiance.

"What, what?"

"You were staring at me."

"I was just thinking about what an ass you were." I said and looked away from him and to the tinted window. "How long was I out for?"

"About four hours."

I snapped my head back to his direction. "What!"

"What, what?" He mocked.

"Four hours!? I thought you said it was a light sedative!"

"Oh relax. You probably would have been a big baby about the plane ride anyway."

"We were on a plane?"

He took a slow drink from his glass. Probably enjoying this. My eager gaze watching him with wide eyes, impatiently waiting. After his drink he smacked his lips today. "Ahh. That is good." He said and examined his glass.

"Alessio!" I groaned.

"It was more of a private jet anyway." He finally said.

"You have a private jet?" Why did that even surprise me? "Never mind."

"We're almost there now."

"Pulling in now." Pietro called from up front.

Not only had Alessio managed to get tickets, but he had managed to get box seats. We could see everything.

"These are nice seats." I admitted, not adding on the fact that I thought seeing the performance was far less important than hearing it.

He didn't say anything. Nothing at all. He didn't even look my way.

The silence was awkward and I was grateful for when the music finally started. I watched intently for a few minutes but eventually I closed my eyes and put my head back. Don't get me wrong, this orchestra. I mean, they really know what they're doing. They know how to put a show on. But I was a little disappointed that any orchestra felt they needed fancy lights, and fires (which I could never understand how this was even safe) But I just wanted to feel the music. And feeling it did not include open eyes.

They had a brief intermission and when I opened my eyes Alessio was watching me with a curious expression.

"What?"

"You're not even watching."

"I'm listening. I don't need my eyes to hear."

"I suppose not. You just looked..."

"Bored? Tired? Sick?"

"Engulfed. Filled. Overcome."

I shrugged. "That's how I listen to music that I really like. I get...engulfed, I guess."

He shrugged and looked forward again. "Do you want anything to drink?"

"I'm okay, thank you."

He promptly returned to not speaking to me for the remainder of the intermission. When the orchestra began playing again I watched for a bit longer this time. Trying to imagine Alessio on stage with that monster of an instrument between his legs as the flames behind him changed colors and burst higher at the more dramatic parts of the song. It was easy to imagine him holding a gun twice his size, but not the cello.

I looked over to him to try to take his image and transport it onto the stage and when I did he had his eyes closed and head resting on the back of his chair. Just like I had been before. If he wasn't such an asshole, I might have actually wanted to take his hand in this moment. Had I actually liked him, I might have wanted to do even more.

He opened his eyes and turned to look at me. I snapped my head away quickly, embarrassed that he'd caught me watching him.

His hand suddenly found mine, making me jump. When I turned to face him his head was back and eyes closed again. I understood what he'd meant before when he said I looked filled. I had admittedly thought that was a weird, and a little inappropriate of a word. But watching him again I got it. I watched the music fill him for a few more moments before closing my eyes and putting my head back as well.

I couldn't quite feel the music as profoundly as before. Not nearly as I had before. Not when the feeling of his hand in mine was so strong.

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This is a little short...but it's an early update anyway. I updated early because quite frankly I just liked this chapter but the NEXT chapter? The next chapter is even better, one of my favorites actually.

Next update will be on Monday!

VOTE && COMMENT so this book can grow in popularity and reach even more readers (: <3