Aurora (Book #1)

Chapter 20

Few days pass. My head is an absolute mess, but I have to go to work. Danger is everywhere and we have to be on guard. I'm coming on morning patrols and then I'm leaving around 5. And I didn't see Christian. He wasn't coming to the base at all, even though his assassins and uncle are here.
"Is Christian okay?" I asked Luca once.
"I wish I could know" he replies upset "I haven't seen him for a while, I really hope he is not in danger. In fact that boy loves to disappear time to time for this past few weeks"
It makes me to worry and a little suspicious. I shouldn't care. I know that I should've hated him for his words. But all I do is to hate myself for not hating him at all. This whole situation is massively affecting me. Not my skills, but my mood. And like on purpose Elena became more attentive. She often asks me if I'm okay, to which I always lie. When people ask me if I'm okay it makes me feel even worse. All I need is to concentrate on my work.
——————————————————————————
Friday. I came to the base for my morning shift. I walk to Elenas office to let her know that I'm here. I open the door and here he is.
Christian.
Right when the pain started to ease.
It looks like I interrupted important conversation.
"Scusi" I utter.
"No, no va bene, we wanted to see you anyway" Elena says.(it's fine)
We?
I glance at Christian, who is already looking at me.
"I need you to stay inside today" she continues.
What?
Why?
Did he request it?
"Bene" I have a very weird gut feeling about this all but I can't disobey. Before leaving, I glance at Christian one more time.
"Morana" he nods as a farewell.
No. Not Morana again. What did I do to him? I am supposed to be the cold one.
"Don Daloi" I reply coldly and left.
I find nothing better to do, but to smoke. I'm sitting on the windowsill, remembering our fight.
Would he really hit me?
Then I remember that he lifts me when i was about to step on the glass.
No, he would've not .
It's funny how he still didn't want to get me hurt, even when we fought. Without acknowledging it I smile and press my thumb on my lower lip, my eyes close. His lips. I wish that were his lips. I open my eyes and my smile drops. He's standing there, watching me.
How long he stood there?
He looks concerned and pale. I narrow my eyes, trying to analyze him. He takes a step forward and stops himself. He shakes his head, turns into different direction and left.
What the hell is going on?
I have a huge urge to run to him. Hug him from behind and kiss the back of his neck. But my pride is too wounded. I look out of the window again.
Suddenly, I hear gunshots.
They are here.
Salvadors are here.
I take as much weapon as possible. As I'm about to leave the building Elena stops me.
"You are staying" Elena says, tapping my shoulder.
"What?i am fucking not"
Some soliders pass by and leave the building, while Elena loads her gun. Christian stands at the entrance, waiting for Elena.
"Do as your told, Aurora" she says.
What the fuck is going on?
"I can't sit idly by" I exclaim.
"Then be a sniper"
"No, I'm not staying in" I clarify once more.
"Please" Christian says stepping towards us. I see something unusual in his eyes. Something I would never imagine to see. Fear. There's fear in his eyes.
What is he afraid of?
"Stay" he mouths, "Please"
As much as I want to, I can't disobey him at this moment. It's over my powers. I slightly nod, noticing relief brushing over his face. They leave. I went to get the rifle, hearing several gunshots , which makes me to rush. I quickly take it and climb on the roof. Our building is not high, so Orsis T-5000 (sniper rifle) is more than enough. I install the entire structure and load the rifle. I start to look through the scope. It's kind of hard to aim, because our base is in the woods. I can hear noises of fighting, but I can't see anything . And suddenly an open window. I inhale and pull the trigger when I exhale. The Spanish men falls.
One.
Another shot.
Two.
Bang!
Three.
Someone spots me and starts to shoot at me.
Keep dreaming, Spanish asshole.
Four.
Five.
I'm out of bullets. I reload.
Six.
Seven.
Suddenly, everything became calms. The noises fade and all I hear are light footsteps.
The fight is over.
I pack everything and get it all to armory. I get out of the building and find Elena. A blood came from her lips.
"Are you alright ?" I ask concerned.
"Si" she replies wiping the blood with the back of her hand. Christian appears.
"We looked around, no sign of Salvadors" he announce, "I think they backed off, for now "
I look at him and frown. I can see he is in pain. He tries to hide, but I'm very familiar with that kind of pain. His body is aching.I want to ask him if he is okay, but Elena cuts me off.
"So how many?" She asks with a small smile.
"Seven" i reply proudly.
"And now it's?"
"106" I reply and playfully wipe my hair to the side.
Christian makes a confused face, which I ignore.
"What's going on over there?" Elena asks and we all look at the group of gathered people.
I quickly walk towards the group. One of our soldiers,Frank, is laying on floor, not moving. I sit down next to him and check his pulse.
Nothing.
My heart stops.
This is my first loss.
He was our friend and colleague. He was a good man and a professional assassin. Maybe if I was here, this wouldn't happen. I held back my tears. I look up at Elena and shook my head negatively. She sighes heavily and sits next to me.
"It's alright, miele" she whispered "Don't blame yourself, he is in better place" she caresses my shoulder. Elena has been through this a lot, so the way she takes it isn't a surprise for me. She's surely upset and she learned the repressing this kind of feelings. She is a leader. She always has to appear strong and unfazed. No matter how much something really effects her inner world.
I don't answer.
"Take him to the basement, clean up here and I will go and inform his family" she orders in very heavy tone.
He had a family. A beautiful wife and two little kids. Finally, i close his empty eyes and look up. Christian is starring at me.
What is that in his eyes?
Guilt? Regret ?
I don't know why, but I feel that something's wrong. I can't explain it, but I can feel it in my guts. He walks away, not letting me to even utter a word.
——————————————————————————
Christian disappears again. And it's a torture.
Here.
I admit it.
I miss him, but I also have this very unsettling feeling in my chest. While I was buried in my thoughts, trying to practice Elena came to me.
"How you feeling, miele?" she asks.
You can't even imagine.
I tell her I'm fine, knowing really well that I'm far from fine.
"You seem tense this past week, what about dispersing?"
"What do you mean?"
"Today is our new club opening, which I have to attend and I thought you would join me" she says.
"Elena, I don't know" I reply catching my breath "Too much is going on, and we've just been attack a couple of days ago"
It's not like her to suggest something like this in the middle of a literal war, but she's right.
Maybe I need it.
"Don't worry about the attack"
"Don't worry?" I ask raising my eyebrows.
"Let's say if they'll want to attack again I will know before they do"
She knows something. Why she won't tell me?
"Come on, Rory, let's go" she says sounding like a a teen, "I'll let you were that dress"
No.Way.
"That dress?" I ask replacing my suspense with excitement.
She nods.
"Well only for that dress"
She kiss6 my cheek and leaves.
Elena never gave any limits to clothes, but She never let me to wear this one. It is very revealing.
Black v-neck, with hangers. It shows the middle part between breasts. The back is fully open, until the lower part. And forget about picking up anything from the floor, because then it'l leave nothing to imagination.
I stare at myself in the mirror. I look ravishing. The dress hugged me in all the right places, showing my curves.
"Santa Maria" Elena exclaims from behind, "Sembri delizioso" (you look delicious)
I giggle.
"You look tasty yourself, but what's up with the pants?" She always said that she doesn't like wearing pants, when she's not on a mission. But now Elena wore pants with a leather sleeveless top, which ,to be honest, barely covered her chest.
"Don Bruno might attend" she says messing with her hair "He hates when I where short dresses"
My eyes widen.
"Elena Rinaldi pleasing man? Unbelievable"I tease her.
"Oh, hush!" She barks, "it's not like that, i just want to show him that no matter what I wear I am still... desirable"
I look at her with a skeptical smile.
"You never really told me what's going on between you two" I commented fixing my dress for the last time.
"Because there's really nothing to tell" she put some lipstick on "it's the same as you and Christian"
"And that is?"
"That is "maybe a little more than just a sexual partner" " she looks at me trying to find a confirmation.
I fall into deep thoughts. I don't think it's a "maybe". It was always something more.
"Don't go there, miele, don't ruin your mood" she says and cups my face.
———————————————————————————
We enter the club. Everyone is dancing, laughing, drinking and smoking. In the dark corners you could see half naked couples, shamelessly devouring each other. Blinding neon lights are changing there colors every millisecond.
Hell for a epileptics.
Me and Elena find our places in the VIP zone. She orders tequila shots.
"Saluti" we exclaim in unison and drank our shots. (Cheers)
We drank them all. I start to feel a little light headed. But alcohol never really effects me. I'm still able to control myself, but Elena isn't really like that. Sometimes she could get a little out of hands, but nothing I can't handle.
We start laughing uncontrollably, i don't even know what we were laughing at. Everything seems so funny and easy, when you drink a little. A sudden feeling of someone watching me brushes over me. It sends shivers down my spine. There's only one person coming to my mind. There's only one person who can make feel that way. I slowly look over my shoulder. And there is Christian. Staring at me. His eyes slide through the outlines of my body, and fire breaks out in them. I don't know what got in t, but I evilly smile.
He is angry.
I know why he is angry. The dress was not approved by him. And why the fuck it should? I am a whore, as he claims, then why not to dress like one?
"Let's go dance" I turn back to Elena and shout in her ear. She nods and I take her by the hand.
We make our ways to the dance floor, hitting our heels onto the floor, swaying our hips. Christians eyes never leave me, so I make sure to add some extra sways to my moves. Elenas phone buzzes and she quickly checks it.
"It's Roberto" she says quite excited, "I'll be away for a while"
I nod In response. She leaves and I knowing nothing better to do i decide to leave as well. Suddenly, unknown hands grab my waist.
"Dove stai andando, bella?" The raspy voice asks. I push away and turn to the man.( where are you going, beautiful ?)
"Giù le mani da me, stronzo" I growl.( hand off me, asshole)
He grabs my waist again. Tighter this time.
"Non capricciare, bella" he moves his hands to my ass and squeezes it. I try to push him away. (Don't caprice, beautiful)
"Non toccarmi cazzo, Stronzo" and I hit him between his legs with my knee. (Don't fucking touch me, asshole)
He recovers more quickly than I thought he would. Unexpectedly, he grabs my throat.
"Mossa sbagliata" (wrong move) he growls "Ora mi divertirò con te, troia" (Now I'm gonna have fun with you, slut)
That word again.
The man is too big for me. I am too drunk and too tired to fight back. I start to accept my fate, when suddenly and he lets me out of his grip. He looks behind me and he's s terrified. While I tried to catch my breath,I slowly walk backwards and hit something hard. I turn around. Christian is standing there, his hands turned into fists, his jaw clenched and his eyes directed on the bastard. If looks would be able to kill, the bastard would've been burnt alive by Christians.
"Mi conosci?" Christian snarls through his teeth. (Do you know me?)
"S-si, sin-singore" the man stutters.
"And you still dared to touch my woman?"
My woman.
"I didn't know that she is with-"
"Well, than you should never touch a woman without her consent in a first place" he comes towards him, moving me behind him "But , if you didn't know, i forgive you this time"
What?
He really will just let him go?
"Grazie, singore, Grazie" the man thanks him. Taking Christian hand, he kisses it and starts to walk away. Christian makes a disgusted face, holding his hand in the air. A man with a costume came near Christian and offers him a wet tissue, which he gladly takes.
"Grab him" he says aggressively wiping his hand, "I'll deal with him later"
"Consideralo fatto, boss" said the men and left. (Consider it done, boss)
I'm standing confused and shocked. He turns to me, still mad. He looks up and down at me, than takes my hand and leads me to the quite hallway.
"Hey, you're hurting my hand" I take my hand out of his and rub it. "Are you mad?"
"Si" he growls.
"Why?"
He is truly unbelievable.
"Why!" he exclaimes, "Because that motherfucker dared to touch you and...what are you even wearing?"
Damn. He is really pissed off.
"Really, Christian? I was about to get raped and you're hinting that it's my fault"
"I'm not hinting on anything" he takes a step forward to Intimidate me, but doesn't succeed, "I just want to know what are you wearing"
"A dress" I snap at him.
"Since when a piece of fabric wrapped around your body is called a dress?"
"Since I'm a whore" i clarify and he turns speechless, "I should look like one, shouldn't I?" I snap.
His anger disappears. Now, it's only guilt.
"I didn't say that you are a whore, I said you acted like one"
Oh, well, it changed everything.
Asshole.
"Doesn't make it any better, Christian " I scold.
"I know"
Well, at least.
"And I'm sorry"
You're what?
Christian apologizing? I have to hear this. I cross my arms.
"I didn't mean it, when I said it"
"But you did say it however"
He sighs. He's struggling, and enjoy every second of it.
"And I'm sorry" he says, his voice steady and soft, "Look, apologizing isn't really my thing. This is novelty and it's quite difficult"
That is apparent.
"With my status I never needed to explain myself to anyone, but with you...it's different"
I soften my gaze a little.
"What I said to you was unacceptable and wrong" he continued "I was..."
"An asshole" I end his the sentence.
"Yes"He smirks, "Please forgive me"
I try to purse my lips to contain my smile.
"Alright, fiamma" I whispers, "You are forgiven"
He smiles like I have never seen him before.
"Now, let's fix this" he gestures to my dress.
I raise my my eyebrows. He takes his jacket off.
"Turn around" he orders and I do. He puts his jacket on me. Then takes my hair from under the jacket "Turn back to me"
He starts to fasten it.
"Christian!" I laughs.
"What? No one deserves to see you like this" he explains. He finishes fastening and leans close.
"Only you?" I asks playfully. I raise my chin to look into his eyes.
"Only me" he brushes his lips over mine, teasing me. And my mind leaves my head. I crush my lips onto his. He gets surprised, but he quickly catches my rhythm. Placing his hands on my hips, he presses me to the wall. Suddenly he lifts me and I put my legs around his torso. Feeling his erection I start to rub myself to it, not even acknowledging. He groans in approve. The vibration in his chest makes me moan.
"I've missed you so much" He mumbles between the kisses "Your lips, your touch, your body"
As an answer I moan even louder. He moves his lips to my neck.
"I want you.Here.Now" he demands.
"No. Not here" I giggle "My house is near"
"Then what are we waiting for?" he asks. He places me on my feet, take my hand and we literally run to his car.