GRIFFIN
"Griffin?" I hear mama call from the sitting room when I get home and am about to head up.
"Sí?" I ask, entering to see her, Alana and Ares all in there. Ares looks livid, Alana looks annoyed and Mama looks nervous.
"Are you busy dear?" she asks.
"No. Why."
"Meravigliosa! Griffin can take us." She perks up. Alana glances a curious eye at me.
(Wonderful)
"Take you where?" I inquire.
"They need to go shopping. Apparently it can't wait two days." Ares curses under his breath.
"I need clothes that fit my bump Ares." Alana glares.
"No. I will go with you when I can." he dismisses.
One whimper from her, a tiny tear then she whispers; "Please?"
I watch the exact moment he cracks, and walks over to where she's sitting and kneels infront of her. Jesus.
"Baby, I just want you two to be safe, that's my priority and I don't trust mere guards to do that. I need to be there with you or I will loose my goddamned mind." He grits.
"Griffin is literally a second you." She rolls her eyes. "He can keep us safe." her tone is facetious, as if she doesn't see the big deal. "Please." she repeats.
"Fuck. Fine." he relents. I almost laugh before Ariels soft features and doe eyes flash through my brain.
My fists clench because I suddenly have a bad feeling that if she ever used the word please, I would give her anything she asked me for. I was fucked.
I take a deep breath, zoning back into the present and away from thoughts of her soft skin and gentle whimpers.
In hindsight, I do agree with my brother.
"I can take them Xander. Only because the market is unsafe. And as tedious as it sounds, I suppose I did vow to support the Don however need be. I just didn't know taking his wife and mother shopping would be one." I half joke.
"I am your mother too." Mama admonishes.
"Thankyou!" Alana squeals, jumping up.
"Careful." Ares holds her hands.
"Shh. Im going to go change." she pats his chest walking away with her hand on her bump.
"Keep your eye on her at all times. I want you, personally keeping an eye on everything. Im serious Griffin, she's very fragile right now, just let them be there for an hour tops then push to come back. I'll take her myself when I'm free." He runs a stressful hand through his hair.
"She's pregnant, not made of glass." I smirk at his disheveled form. I want to laugh at him.
"She is for the afternoon, Griff. I'm serious." He actually looks stressed.
"Xander, I know. I won't let a scratch on her. She's my sister, nothing comes before her and mama." I pat his shoulder, feeling some tension dissipating.
"Fuck I have to go to work now, I have that meeting. I'll see you, call me if anything is wrong, capische?" He asks.
"Sí."
______________
That was 3 hours ago. Now, I feel I will murder the next sales associate who utters the words;
"Would you like to see the men's selection Mr. Moretti."
There was no breed I hated more than people in sales. I fucking despise how each single one of them seemed money-hungry, in every sense of the term.
I sit in a lounge of sofas at yet another carefully designed store. The screeching white marble and gold tapestry was making my eyes sore.
"Mama," an uncharacteristically exasperated sound escapes my mouth. "How much longer." I ask.
"You sound like your 4 year old self, caro. This is the last store I promise." She smiles, telling the waiting sales lady to add the shoes she's holding to their already large array of purchases.
"Does this look- Ariel?" The sound of that name uttered makes me sit up and turn to where Alana is looking. Yellow dress hugging her generous curves, face bright and happy, hair falling down her back. My eyes trail up and down, not getting enough of her in that dress. Or it's Color.
God she's gorgeous.
There is no sign of my marks that I left last night. This makes me scowl.
"Oh hi!" Her bright expression falters when her eyes fall on mine, the gentle lines of her throat ripple with a swallow. "Hi." she whispers.
My mouth quirks. I stand up, straightening my suit, Ariels doe eyes follow my movements. I briefly glance at the older looking woman next to her, the same gray eyes and brown hair.
It's her mother.
"Um, Alana, Mrs. Moretti." She blinks out of her trance, and walks past me to hug them. The familiar scent of rain and flowers seizes my senses as I, out of no fault of my own, turn my head to the side, savoring the sweet scent. A smile touches my lips at the memory of being buried deep in that very scent, getting to taste-
"This is my mom. Stella Russo." She introduces, who I guessed correctly, is her mother.
"It's a pleasure." She smiles, but it's a tight lipped one, reserved. My interest piques. "Ari, we should head out now honey, we'll be late for dinner." Again, her smile doesn't quite reach her eyes.
She's lying. I don't know what part, but I know when someone's lying. And she has a couple obvious tells.
"Oh." Ariel frowns. Her obvious confusion confirms my suspicion. "Okay, well it was lovely running into you all." She looks at me briefly. My lips tilt upwards. "Bye." she waves, walking out with her mother.
She takes one last look over her shoulder, and shoots me a wink and a cheeky smile before she's out of sight. Fuck, this girl is something else.
My chest expands in every possible way, and threatens to explode.
"Griff?" Alana calls after another 10 minutes, making me turn.
"Sí?" I ask, willing my face muscles to relax.
"We're done." she says.
"Right. You don't have anymore stores you want to go to? We can." I offer. Their faces turn surprised.
"Really? You were in such a bad mood just now." Mama questions.
"I still am." I lie. I don't feel an ounce of the irritation I did before she waltzed in here with all her, Ariel like sorcery.
"Okay." They shrug in sync. "But we're done, let's go home." Alana says this time.
I drive home, with thoughts of how to see her again plaguing my every thought.
