As the daughter of a Mafia Boss, Camilia Caruso knows to keep a secret. After 3 years of flying under the radar at Dalton Preparatory Academy, Camilia Caruso's long kept secret of her family's business is discovered by the last person she'd expect;...
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Camilia slammed the bathroom door, leaving Jonah and Sebastian out.
"You shouldn't have said that to her," Jonah said.
"Well I did,"
"Both of you are such hotheads, its like working with two mean Leos. Can't you see that she's hurt?"
It pained Sebastian but his eyes were on the prize.
"Open the briefcase," he replied. Jonah put the briefcase on the table and pulled it open. Documents fell out. Sebastian felt the tension leave his body. He could rest. He could close his eyes and not feel the impending doom.
Jonah picked up a sheet, "Its fake,"
His eyes shot open, "What?"
Jonah gave him a sheet that had the date in the future. "They're photoshopped. The dates don't make sense."
Sebastian rummaged through the documents, reading the emails where none of the dates added up. Trash documents. He wanted to scream but no sound came out but instead his hand hit the briefcase, sending it scattering across the floor.
"I'm making tea." Jonah excused himself.
No tears came out, nothing. He was suffocating, hands shaking, eyes stinging. How much more did he have to give?
To contain his anger and not trash his loft, he slid the roof doors open and stepped out. Cold air bit his cheeks. He walked and walked until he was till the edge where guardrails were put up. The city was alive beneath him. He took a deep breath in of the icy air, freeing his thoughts.
There is something bigger here. Something that is worth looking for.
"Hey asshole!"
He opened his eyes and looked back at Camilia by the roof door.
"Where's the first aid kit?"
He was brought back to the ground. Returning to the loft, he got the first aid kit from his drawer and knocked on the bathroom door. Camilia was sitting on the edge of the bathtub, nursing a wound on her hand.
"You're hurt?" He said surprised at the bloody towels around her.
"Just give me the kit,"
"Why didn't you say anything?!"'
Her hand gripped a bloody towel, a curtain of hair hiding half her face.
"Just go away, Sebastian. I don't want your sympathy."
"I'm not leaving," he entered and she didn't protest. Her eyes were bloodshot, cheeks wet from tears.
He put the kit down and sat beside her, holding out his palm. With annoyance, Camilia gave him her injured hand. There was a gash on her forearm, cracked and bloody. Her skin was fiery hot.
He felt like a complete moron. He picked out a swab and began cleaning the wound.
Restrained, he asked, "Did you get this before or after we jumped in that dirty moat?"
"Before."
"I'm taking you to a hospital."
"No, " she said, tugging her hand out of his grip. "They will ask too many questions. Just fix it. You're the guy with the plan right."
"I'm sorry," his eyes stung. He wished he could be different. He's used to leading with his brain and not his heart. He was seeing that he had hurt someone he cared about deeply.
"I'm so angry with you, I don't even know what to say."
"I didn't mean it," his thumb lightly caressed her wrist. Her skin was searing hot.
"When you were drunk last week, you said something to me. You said 'I'm not nice' and I didn't believe it at first but now I do. You're not a nice person. You're just not, I don't know why I didn't believe you," she wiped her eyes and Sebastian swallowed the lump in his throat.
He bit his tongue, feeling the emotions bottled inside him spill. He didn't want her to hate him. He couldn't take that.
"Hurting you is the last thing I wanted. I'm sorry." He said, sincerely. He lightly kissed the palm of her hand. Camilia was surprised and her stomach flipped at the feather touch of his lips on her hand. It was strange to see Sebastian so gentle. "Please forgive me. I can't think when you're angry at me."
"Maybe I like it when you don't think."
"You wouldn't be the first."
She chuckled. "I have a plan by the way. I just haven't told anyone. I'm not telling you to prove anything but so that you'll shut up. I applied to art school in Florence, Accademia di Belle Arti di Firenze."
Sebastian's mouth fell open and he surprised at the wave of sadness that hit him. He reminded himself, this was good news for her and wished her congratulations. "You'll be moving to Florence?"
"Once I get accepted, yes."
"I'm going to miss you, Astore," there was heartache in his voice.
"I haven't even got the acceptance yet," she exasperated.
"They would be foolish not to."
"Well, I'm sure its nothing compared to Harvard. Richard told me that's where you're applying."
"Yeah, its just because my father wants to. All Howl men have been Harvard men." Sebastian bit his lip. He was so close to losing it that it made him do the unbearable; tell the truth. "That's not all. I have a deal with my father. I get him Prigou and he gives me shares of the company when I turn 18. Its an absurd amount of money if I can pull it off. If I do it, I don't think I'll be joining Harvard."
"I don't understand, why would you do that?"
"We're not the same, Camilia. You want to impress your father. You want him to be proud. I want to spite mine. The truth is, I have no true desire to be exceptional. I only want to be powerful enough to remain untouched. I know it doesn't excuse my behavior tonight but I just wanted you to know I'm sorry. I didn't mean what I said, I just get caught up in it all. And I haven't slept for like 38 hours and...I just...I'm sorry."
He put the bandage over her cleaned wound.
"I know how you are, but for some reason I can't turn away. Maybe I just caught up in all too," she said.
They had gotten closer, fingertips brushing. Her eyes were kind and caring and he felt engulfed in warmth.
"Got tea!" Jonah's voice came from outside. She moved her fingertips and straightened up.
"Thanks for this," she held up her wrist.
Sebastian snapped out of his trance and got up, the first aid kit falling.
"Don't worry about it," he said, gathering the fallen items and hoping to cool the heat in his face. "The documents are fake,"
"Are you serious?"
He frowned. "I'll do better next time. I should've vetted her better."
"No, Sebastian. You're doing fine." She stopped. "We're a team and we work together, its not on just on you,"
He swallowed, feeling some relief. She didn't hear it but he still said it under his breath. "Thank you."
