𝐅𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐎𝐔𝐓- 𝐐𝐔𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐀𝐋 𝐃𝐘𝐍𝐀𝐒𝐓𝐘 𝐓𝐖𝐎 - 𝟏𝟖+

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

A N D R E A

12 HOURS AGO

I didn't remember waking up with Lorenzo, let alone in his arms, to be a usual occurrence, but when I'd tried to turn to my side after waking up today, I'd been amazed to see Lorenzo's arm caging me with my back to him. My head was on his other arm, and I was certain this couldn't be very comfortable for him. It wasn't very bright outside, which made me wonder just what time was it, but Lorenzo grumbled behind me when I tried sliding to reach my phone on the bedside table.

"Stop, moving."

"Are you awake?" Lorenzo rolled on his back, and I turned around to look at him. His eyes were closed, his hair falling over his face messily, shadowing his eyes as he hummed his answer.

I took my time cataloguing his features, and unlike the past when I'd done this, it didn't feel illicit, there was a rush of butterflies in my stomach that came whenever I was around him, but this time a stranger sensation accompanied them. Perhaps it was the iridescent peace on his face that I hadn't been a witness to before today. My fingers reached out to brush the hair away from his forehead, and as I leaned over to do that, a gasp escaped my lips as he opened his eyes.

"What–" I shushed him with my finger on his lips, and he raised his brow in response.

"You have a knack for ruining moments,"

"This is a little counterintuitive," he mumbled against my fingers as he wrapped his fingers around my wrist, pulling my fingers off his lips.

I narrowed my eyes as he sat up against the headboard, and reached for his phone. He had barely gotten the phone in his hand when I snatched it up, and held it behind my back.

"Not now, please." I whispered, awfully aware of what today was.

We were all going to the safehouse today, and Lorenzo was going on a suicide mission, which if I had my way, he wouldn't be going on.

"Andrea." He said warningly, but I shook my head, swallowing.

"I know it's important. It's always important, but for now I don't want to have those ghosts chase us here."

"This won't make it go away."

"I know," I sighed, "but can you blame me for not wanting this shadow to linger above our head for one moment. I'm already dreading what's about to happen today."

"Mia cara," he leaned forward, cupping my cheeks in his hands as he made me meet his eyes, "I can't promise you something won't go wrong. It always does in my line of work," he closed his eyes for the briefest of moments as if battling himself, and my heart shrank inside my chest, "I can only promise that I'll be back."

"That's awfully vague." I couldn't help my voice from breaking, and I closed my eyes to stop my tears from escaping as I felt my throat close up.

Lorenzo used his hold on me to bring me to his chest as he wrapped his arms around me. Holding me close to him. I breathed in his scent, praying that he could do that again when it was all done. He pressed his lips against the crown of my head, and I could've sworn he mumbled something but it was too low for me to make out.

It was at that time that the baby-monitor crackled and two loud cries forced us apart. I forced a smile on my face, and got up, "I'll go check on them, you can shower first."

"I'll come with you." I pushed my hands against his chest and shook my head,

"No, it'll be quicker this way." I'll make their breakfast, you can feed them while I shower?"