Eva
The next morning I awoke to Carlos staring down at me. His eyes so bright as they searched mine. I grinned, running my hands through his face,
He leans down and captures my lips.
He wasted no time after that and left to attend to his duties.
I quickly went to workout, wanting to spark up my day. When I finished, I showered and went down the hall to Carlos's office space.
I stood at the corner listening to Carlos and Miles battle at each other, it wasn't a fight, or heated or anything, they were going on each other with words only they could understand.
After all, was done, Miles barged out of the room and caught sight of me, my heart hooked in my chest,
"I-I..." I stammer,
He snorts and just walks away,
I watched him leave before taking a step in,
stumbling over my own two feet as I walk in, a little nervous.
I peek in to find Carlos staring out the window, and sipping scotch, dressed in a well-pressed white dress shirt, and jeans.
Tears spring to my eyes as I look at him, It's such a relief seeing him like this, fresh, awake and on his two feet,
Suddenly all the misery seemed to have faded away, unremembered.
He turned to notice me,
"You okay?"
He steps out of the window and starts to stalk towards me, a smile growing on his face as he approaches me.
"What was that about?"
"The men and I are returning to Milan," he said suddenly.
"And, Miles doesn't buy the idea?"
"Miles doesn't buy a lot of things, he's afraid."
"As he should, Carlos you just got out of a coma, you should be resting." I wrap my arms around his neck, staring up at him, "You need to pause all this Mafia drama and put your health first."
"Three years isn't enough rest?" He smiled.
"Carlos." I glare at me.
"I do, and I appreciate your concern, all of your concerns. But I've been trapped in my head for so long, watching the very empire I built to hit the ground--"
"I'm sure a few more days wouldn't hurt, just a few more days."
"I said I'm fine."
"Or you think you are?" I tease.
His arm wraps around my waist and he pulls me into the room, closing the door softly behind me, he presses me against it.
Taking a step closer, he wounds both his arms around me as he leans down, and his lips descend softly down onto mine,
A smile creeps up my lips and I puss off of his chest, causing our lips to part slightly, and I grin up at him.
"I'll have to get you home first."
"Carlos, I want to stay--"
A knock on the door comes in suddenly, it didn't last though, whoever it was must have gotten the message and left.
Carlos goes to pour himself another glass, I watch him go.
"You heard about Aurora?"
He hummed in response, and sips his drink casually.
"I heard there's a huge bounty on her head, Miles is taking it pretty hard. . Either way, you're the boss, I want to know what you plan to do once you find her."
"I'm not going to kill her." He read my mind. Aurora is not the best person, but she doesn't deserve to die. "I've known Aurora since she was a little girl, raised her almost, so I'm well aware when she acts with reason."
"You think she stabbed you in the back for a reason?"
"I'm choosing to give her the benefit of doubt, isn't that what you English people believe in."
"Why?"
He turns to look at me,
"She's part of the family."
I scoffed, a little hurt by the statement.
"And, I'm not?"
Carlos stops and lifts a brow at me.
"What?"
There's a short pause between us before I threw in a faint smile,
"I should let you work--"
I turned and left him wondering,
I remained in my room the whole day, Carlos joins me sometime later.
I was too furious to talk or look at him,
He walks over and sits beside me on the floor, not saying a word, we both remain like that for a while.
"What am I?" I cut in between the silence, and turn to him, "A friend, some stranger you rescued from the road, a caretaker, someone you call up when you like, whatever I am I would really like to know?
He regards me for a while,
"What are you trying to say?"
"I just remember begging for a benefit of the doubt so many times in the past, I remember working very hard for your forgiveness, but each time you turned me away...I made one mistake and I've been paying severely for it, no one around here trusts me, not even Luis. Aurora not only tries to kill everyone, she took over your empire, rendered your family helpless, and without even seeing her you choose to trust her, why, because she's family."
He stares back,
"Do you trust me?" I added.
"I doubt that's the case here. What is it you really want, Eva?"
"Promise me you will say yes." I straddle on his lap,
He muses in response.
I lean down and savor his lips, he pulls me in, deepening the kiss,
"I want to join your gang for good this time," I mumble, my lips brushing against his.
He pulls away abruptly,
"I want to be a part of your world, I want to fight and not be tossed aside like some little girl anymore."
"No, it's too dangerous." he shook his head, disagreeing.
"You promised."
"That's before I knew what you were going to ask, that's a crazy idea."
"Why won't you let me stay with you?"
"Don't start, Eva. No is No." He snarls and walks away.
The next few days, was a ruckus. Everyone was getting ready to relocate to Milan. I grabbed my things and made it outside,
I approached Joe and Luis,
"Can I ride with you guys?"
"Sure."
"He means.. if Don says it's okay." Joe added, of course they would take his side.
I scoffed at them and went over to Miles, he had his eyes on his phone, and a cigar to his lips.
I clear my throat,
"Can I get a ride?"
He doesn't even lift me a glance, dragging his cigar.
I exhale,
"Please, Miles.."
Something sparks his interest and he lifts an eye behind me,
"Carlos and I aren't speaking right now, please."
"You're his problem, not mine." Miles brushed past me and walked away,
I scoffed in disbelief, no one takes me seriously around, they all treat me like Carlos's property and I'm tired of it
I turned around to catch the sight of Carlos,
He's talking to his men but his eyes were set firmly on me.
I exhale and start walking towards him,
He dismisses his men, watching me walk over to him,
"I'm coming with."
"I'll drop you off at the airport." He replied.
"I mean, back to Milan. I'm not going home, Carlos."
"There's a flight leaving for the U.S in an hour if we hurry we can catch it." Is he seriously ignoring me right now? "Come." He walks me to the car.
This man is unbelievable,
He opens the front door and gestures me in.
I scoff out in disbelief and got in the back instead. He takes the wheel and with that, we were on our way, his men trailed carefully behind us.
I remained glued to the back seat, each of us not saying anything for the longest time.
Each time I glance at him, I become even angrier.
I catch a glimpse of the airport, and scoff,
"You're serious right now?"
He peeps at me, and then pulls over on the side of the road.
I open the door and get out, he does the same after a while,
"We can't keep doing this."
"What exactly are we doing, Eva?"
"I'm tired of having this conversation." I spurned back to him, "Do you really want me to leave, Carlos?"
"I want you to be safe."
"That's not what I asked, do you want me here?"
"I do."
"Do you want me here?" I asked again.
"I just answered that."
"No, you didn't, there's a difference. Do you want me here, to be your call girl, to watch over you and be your puppet, or do you want me here?"
"I don't know what you heard, Eva, but you are not an insignificant part of my life, that's why I need you to be safe, away from this part of the world."
"I'm not that same old Eva, Carlos.. I can fight."
"You're not getting the point."
"I wanna stay with you."
"I'll come visit."
"I want to make a name for myself here, take me in."
"I said No." he adamantly refused.
"Fine, let's strike a deal, a duel. I heard that's how you pick most of your men. .I will fight Miles.." he laughs at the absurdity, I continue anyway, "If I win, I stay, and you never get to toss me aside or treat me like some vulnerable outsider again, but if I lose, I leave and we can be whatever you want."
"You want to fight Miles?" The humor lingered in his tone.
"Yes."
"Do you have a death wish or sometin?"
"I want to earn my place like everyone else in here."
"He will win."
"Then you'll win, it's a two-way street." I shot back.
"This is ridiculous." He turns away from me, his men are standing on guard at the other end, I watch them for a moment.
"I want to be part of the family, like Miles, Luis, Aurora."
"You don't have to battle to be part of a family you already are." he walks over and tries to kiss his way out of this.
"I know what you want to happen, but I don't want to be that woman, the woman who sits at home waiting for you, I've been there, it's the worst thing, it drove me nearly mad those few years..I'm not caught out for a normal life, I've never been. You made me this way, remember? you thought me how to fight for what I want and now you won't let me fight for it."
He stood still, regarding me.