ILARIA (book 3)

12. ASAHI

I've never felt a mattress so soft.

I stretch as soon as my eyes open, my bones cracking slightly.

I look beside me to the empty bed, but could smell food being cooked.

I take a second before getting out of her bed, relieving my bladder and then walking into the living room.

I just watch her cooking.

She was bopping her head to some tune and singing it quietly. She has a pretty voice.

I walk up behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist. She smiles. "I'm cooking." She turns her head to the side, then makes out with me.

She pulls away quickly though to check on the food.

French toast.

"Need me to do anything?"

"Wash the fruit. They're in the fridge." She points to a hidden fridge, blended in with the cabinets.

So organised.

I grab the berries and wash a handful of each.

She then puts ice cream on the french toast. "Ice cream at 8AM?" I ask.

"Food is food." She puts the berries ontop and then drizzled it with honey. She then carries both plates to the balcony.

I make sure her cooker was turned off before walking after her.

She had a couch out here with a garden table, there was fresh coffee already here. "You should feel so privileged right now."

"Why's that?" I ask.

"I never cook, not when I have people to do it for me." She bites into the french toast.

I sip the coffee first. "Do you get ever sick of living a life of luxury?" I ask. "I did."

"How?"

I bite into the french toast, savouring the taste because it was fucking good.

"Mom and dad were busy a lot growing up, so we always had maids. The maids were under order to do everything we wanted. I got everything I asked for, never had to work a day to earn it. Sometimes I feel so out of touch with reality when I'm with my friends and they struggle to pay for their meals."

"I never feel like that. I like it."

"Constantly?"

"Yup." She says confidently. "I'll never be out of touch with reality though."

"And why is that?"

"I do a lot for the community."

I felt like laughing but I didn't want to discredit her like that.

"Elaborate."

She stands up, pulling me up too and to the balcony. "You see that yellow building down there."

I scan the view, my eyes settling in on a large yellow complex with some people walking into it. "I bought it. I go there every time I have time. It's for the homeless. There's heating, electric and a food truck stops by two times a day." She then points to another yellow building, not too far from this one. "That one I set up to help children and women. It's like a refuge centre with temporary accommodation until they find somewhere else."

I look at her.

There's so much about this girl that just goes unknown because everyone only pays attention to her name and looks.

"When I was younger, every other day mamma and I would visit the homeless. I made some friends, gave some guys the okay to join the gang." She sits back down. "I also scout."

"For what?"

"Strippers." She says. "They bring in a lot of money and most of the time, we just pick up prostitutes for it." She shrugs, eating another bite. "I like humbling myself every once in a while. I know when to not flaunt my wealth, but I also make no means to hide that I am a millionaire."

"You are a beautiful person." I sit beside her.

She smiles at my compliment again and we finish eating while talking. She dumps everything in the sink and then texts somebody. "Did you bring clothes?" She asks.

"Yeah."

"Through there. You can shower." She points. "There's new everything."

I grab my bag from the hallway, kissing her cheek before walking away.

I shower, then change into my usual work attire, a pair of black sweatpants and a black cotton tee, paired with a zip hoodie.

When I walk out, I could hear her music playing still and just sat in the living room.

A maid comes in and tidies away everything, then starts cleaning.

Ilaria walks out of her bedroom wearing a white summer dress, pink floral patterns splattered around it. She paired it with a pair of pale pink heels and a pink bag.

"I'm guessing pink is your favourite colour?" I ask.

She nods her head. "Ever since I was a baby." She smiles. "Okay. I need to go to the warehouse... I'll see you..."

"Only free Wednesdays." I hold her hips.

"That will work." She puckers her lips and I had to bend down to kiss her, her tongue slides into my mouth and she holds the back of my neck, then pulls away. "You're too tall."

"Want me to drop you at the warehouse?" I ask.

"No can do. Have those four hunks with me at all times." She claps, and they all walk to the entrance.

Jesus.

We all take the elevator down and she doesn't say a word, but she makes them all get in her pink Jeep.

"Okay, call me when you're free, goodbye and sorry for not..."

"Don't say sorry." I pinch her cheek lightly, getting in my car.

I watch her get into hers and beep her horn twice before driving away.

I drive to work. Dad raises an eyebrow. "You didn't come home."

"I stayed at a friends."

"Was this friend, hy any chance, the daughter of a mafia boss?"

I smile. "She's beautiful."

He sighs. "Get to work."

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He's so in loooovvveeeee

wc:959