Desire Me

16- Fix This

It is not long before I hear the crunch of car tires on gravel and then Enzo's booming voice. I reach up to unlock the door, but then I hesitate as I hear feral shouts.

Recognising one of the voices to be Enzo, I shakily open the bathroom door and walk down the cream carpeted hall.

Wiping under my eyes, I suddenly catch sight of my own reflection in a mirror hanging on the wall. I startle and then grimace.

My face is red and puffy from crying and an angry red stress spot is appearing on my chin. I look as bad as I feel.

Sighing and unable to help it now, I pad quietly down the stairs, hoping not to deserve the argument which is still taking place.

I turn the corner once I reach the bottom of the stairs and see Paolo pinned against the wall by Enzo.

My boyfriend is spitting Italian so fast and so feral out of his mouth, I cannot discern it.

Despite my best attempts to remain quiet, Enzo turns his head as I watch and smiles at me.

"Are you ok, sweetheart?"

Paolo struggles against Enzo's grip, obviously hoping that he is distracted enough to escape, but Enzo merely slams him harder against the wall. His eyes don't leave mine as he reads my expression, my body language, my feeble nod.

He turns back to Paolo with an expression that even vengeance couldn't describe.

"Apologise." He snarls at Paolo, "say you're sorry for frightening her."

"I'm sorry." Paolo chokes out as Enzo tightens his grip around his throat.

"Enz," I murmur as I watch Paolo turn blue, "put him down."

I reach for him slowly and when my hand touches his bicep gently, Enzo jolts and sniffs.

"You are a disgrace." He hurls Paolo to the floor in disgust before taking my hand in his.

"You have an hour to get the hell out of Italy, otherwise you know what will happen."

Before I even have a chance to read into Enzo's comment, or Paolo's reaction, I am scooped up into Enzo's arms and carried out of the room.

"I'm sorry, Lucia, I couldn't leave you here alone. He was all I had. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. Oh god, I'm sorry."

"Enz," I reach up and cup his cheek, letting my thumb run over his chiselled cheekbone, "it's ok. He didn't touch me, I'm fine."

I've noticed that when Enzo is upset, he rambles, and is very hard on himself. It's something I hate, it wasn't actually his fault, it was Paolo's fault.

"I have to be careful. You're precious. You're too good for this life... for me..."

"Enzo!" I demand as he places me on the floor and begins to pace, running his hands repeatedly through his dark hair.

At my voice, he turns but I can tell by the twitch in his jaw that he is still spiralling. Unable to think of anything else to do, I race forwards and press my lips to his, forcefully.

After a moment, Enzo pulls apart from me and looks down at me with gentleness in his eyes. Just as I had done moments before, his thumb strokes over my cheek.

"I'm no good for you." He murmurs before bending down and kissing me again, "now, you tell me why you were crying, and I'll fix it."

Sighing, I curl up into his arms, resting my cheek on his chest and focus in on the steady rise and fall of his breathe, the warmth and stability he gives me.

"My foster dad, he...he..." I swallow hard as I try to find the words.

Enzo bends down and kisses the top of my head, "you take your time, sweetheart."

"He-he has cancer, he doesn't have long."

Enzo sighs deeply but says nothing, instead he pulls me to him even tighter than before until all I can feel is him, every breath is him, and every emotion belongs to him.

"A-and I can't even get to him!" I choke out as the loss finally becomes a wail.

I feel my knees give out and I collapse in on Enzo. Instead of holding me up, Enzo sinks down with me until we are both on the floor.

He wraps his arms around me and rocks us both side to side as I soak his chest with my tears.

"Why can't you get to him, sweetheart. Tell me why and I'll fix it."

"B-b-b-because I can't afford it."

"Well sweetheart, it's a good job I'm here, because I can get you there."

My head raises as I recognise what he's saying, "I-it will take me a while to pay it back." I mumble.

Enzo scoffs and shakes his head as he looks down at my undoubtably tear streaked face.

"Did I say this was a lend, or did I say I would fix it."

"The second one," I mumble sheepishly before pressing my face back into his silk shirt in embarrassment.

"Good," Enzo's chest rumbles with a light chuckle, "let's get packing."

"Can't I just wear your clothes?" I mumble, apparently loosing all my dignity today.

"Sure, baby." Enzo chuckles lightly and palms my back softly.

I don't know what Enzo is planning, but I also know I'm too drained emotionally to ask. I trust him.

As if he can feel my body slipping into some form of sleep, Enzo voices his thoughts.

"Would you like something to help you sleep, sweetheart? I can get everything sorted for us."

I hesitate for a moment and go to say no, but when I open my mouth to speak, a yes comes out.

Enzo nods and scoops me up, carrying me to the kitchen where he places me on the counter.

With one palm remaining on my thigh, he's obviously worried I can't keep stable and honestly I don't blame him, he reaches into a cupboard and hands me a pill.

I hold the small white pill in my hand, turning it in my palm as Enzo fills up a glass of water.

Swallowing it down, I stare up at Enzo as he stroke my cheek and I feel the sensual tendrils of sleep clutch at my head.

Leaning down, he kisses the top of my head as his hands clutch at my hips.

"Sleep, Lucia, I've got you know. Let me. take care of everything now."

A/N

I am really enjoying writing this story, I hope you are enjoying reading it just as much!

Ell xx