Beyond The Pale

8. Conflict

"Amber was over." I cleared my throat, picking up the red bowls and taking them to the kitchen sink.

"I remember Amber hating beer. And you girls never buy that much food." He raised an eyebrow, knowing I was lying. He always saw through my lies. And I would never buy that much food, only Rafael would. But they didn't know that.

"It shouldn't matter to you." I frustratingly grabbed the beer bottles, making them clank against each other and put them in the recycling bin under my kitchen sink.

I returned back to them. "Has that tattooed trash come by?" My father spoke up. My eyes widened, feeling my palms getting sweaty.

"Why does it matter?" I asked him.

"You're aware he's a criminal, right?" Leo gazed at me curiously, probably thinking I would react and lunge into his arms for protection.

"How would you know, exactly?" I clenched and unclenched my fist.

Leo sighed, looking at my father and back at me. "You know things in Chicago don't go unnoticed by me, I know everything." He clearly knew things that I knew but my father probably had no clue.

"Well save your speech, I'm fine," I said, watching his features soften.

"We just want you to be safe." My father gave me a small smile. "He's capable of doing things. And we want to make sure he stays clear of you."

"Well isn't this awkward." Rafael cleared his throat, Everyone's eyes were on him. Fuçk.My.Life. Both my father's face and Leo's were of complete shock.

"What are you doing here?" Leo's jaw seemed to be twitching. I gulped. Someone swallow me up.

"Why don't you ask your ex." Rafael grinned, casually walking between my father and Leo, to grab his phone from the couch.

Leo fumed, facing Rafael. "You son of a-"

"Watch yourself." Rafael's face fell, turning to stone. "Don't bother trying to act like a hotshot."

I cringed. I hate conflict

"I'm not the pathetic one that lives by breaking the law." Leo bit back, both men were now standing identical to each other, staring each other down. They were both the same height, same build but Rafael was more ripped and toned under his shirt.

Rafael chuckled, leaning his head towards Leo's ear and whispered, something me and my father couldn't hear. Leo's eyes burned with rage, pushing Rafael back with force, but Rafael reacted, shoving him just as hard. Both of them turned into animals, tackling each other and throwing punches. My father quickly moved the coffee table out of the way, yelling at them to stop. And me, being the idiot I am, just stood there watching them with wide eyes.

What the hell did Rafael say to him?

Leo managed to punch Rafael in the face, making him more enraged. Rafael got on top of him and grabbed him by Leo's suit jacket, punching him square in the face, twice, making blood gush out of Leo's nose. I almost fainted again. Maybe I wasn't too good with blood. But Rafael did something that made me finally move from my spot. He grabbed his gun out of the back of his jeans, pointing it at Leo's head.

I screamed. "RAFAEL! NO." Leo's face was ashen with fear. His hands up in surrender.

But from the sound of my scream, Rafael jumped off of him, shoving his gun back in his jeans.

I was stunned, was he seriously going to shoot him.

Why are you surprised? He's a freaking mobster.

Rafael avoided looking at me, walking out of the apartment without muttering a word.

"I'm disappointed in you, Christina." My father looked at me with disgust, whilst Leo got up, holding onto his nose that was bleeding.

"I'm so sorry," I whispered, ignoring my father and grabbing Leo's hand to guide him to the bathroom.

Leo squeezed my hand, making my heart warm. "It's not your fault." He muttered.

I quickly turned the tap on and gave Leo a bunch of tissues for his nose. Leo tilted his head back, stopping the flow of blood. I sat on the edge of my bathtub, watching him clean himself up. I thought about all the times I used to watch him shave.

Stop it, Christina. He dumped you.

Once he was done, Leo turned to me. lifting me up from the tub, by my waist. My breath hitched in my throat.

"Stop it." He muttered, his hypnotizing blue eyes searching my hazel-green ones.

"Stop what?" I breathed, feeling like I was going to melt in his hold. I won't deny that I missed his touch, I love him. Anyone who has been in love knows how hard it is to stop loving someone.

But he hurt me, over the damn phone.

"Thinking. You're thinking way too much." He murmured, his hand caressed my cheek. Making me lean into it. His lips were getting closer, a breath away. My heart was beating way too fast. Was I craving his soft lips?

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