Seven

Chapter 40

I search for my phone all over the downstairs rooms before heading back upstairs and finding it on the floor by the bed. I don't remember bringing it up here, maybe Lily did? Did she go through my phone? My stomach twists unpleasantly at the thought of Lilianna finding the multitude of sneaky photographs I've taken of her. Photos of her cooking, of her in a laughing fit, of her sleeping, of her reading, I even took one of her delicate hand in mine, I don't know what possesses me to take them but she never notices and I'd rather not be caught being a fucking creep. I do, however, love to look over them in the moments we are apart and I realise this is why I take them. It is so foreign to me, that someone as pure, as kind and as beautiful as Lilianna would even come near someone like me. When we're apart sometimes I feel like it's all been a dream, that I'm back to fantasising a different life for myself while breaking in someone's face at work. At least the photos remind me she is no longer a fantasy, she's real, and asleep in my bed.

For the sake of the moment I take a quick photo of her laying here. Blonde hair sprawled out on the pillow, the calmness in her face, the pout to her full lips, she looks beautiful. She always does but she looks most beautiful when she's asleep. I think it's the feeling that I get being able to see her like this, she trusts me, in her most vulnerable state she trusts me to lay there next to her and I get to share that trust in reciprocation with her too.

I trust her.

Fully and completely.

I grip my phone harder in my hand and leave Lilianna peacefully asleep in the room once again. Scrolling through my messages from Curby giving me shit about being beaten up by a pussy like Junior and a few digs about a particular awkward google search and find a missed call from Victor, made last night.

I press the call back option and wait for him to answer.

"Seven." He greets on the fifth ring.

"Uncle." I make my way back down stairs so as not to wake Lily while on the phone.

"How are you feeling?" He asks, I know he's referring to my injuries, it's not like Victor to actually ask how someone is.

"It's not too bad." I play it off.

"A hit to the head with your back turned. You should know better than to let your guard down." He scolds. How does he know all the details?

"Curby told you then?" I conclude.

"No, but news travels fast to me." He reminds me. Must of been one of the patrons, Henk the barmen possibly. Victor has eyes and ears everywhere, always chomping at the bite to tell him some form of information, whether it be small or large, offering any information puts you in his good books. Offering up valuable information, well, that gets you handsomely rewarded.

"Mm." I agree with him.

"I have a job for you." He states, the real reasoning for his call last night, I assume.

"Yeah?" I hope I'm not beating anyone up, my arm is fucked as it is. Give it a few days and I'll be back to standard practice.

"I'll arrange for Pugs to come collect you now." He says and my heart races, Lilianna is here still, her car is out front, Pugs will see it.

"No. No I can drive myself. I needed to come see you anyway." I tell him.

"What for?" Victor sounds intrigued.

"To talk." I offer up very little over the phone, I want to be able to gage his reactions in person.

"Very well. I'll be at twenty four in the office for the next two hours." He says before hanging up. Twenty four is one of the speak easy bars we have, the one on Mellory Street to be exact. The numbering system of the businesses helps keep any building, business or street names off the airways. It's a protection detail. You never know who could be listening in.