Alara
Infuriating didn't even begin to describe how I was feeling. I was glowering at the seat in front of me and I had a scowl etched on my face.
"Stare at it any harder and you'll set it on fire," Cameron's smooth comforting voice floated through the empty space between us. There was a partition separating us from the driver, and my father. He had insisted on being in the same car as us, as though he even cared what happened to me.
20 fucking years he had left me thinking that I had a father that didn't even love me. I had tried to convince myself that Damon Mortello held some sort of affection for me, he always regarded me differently than how he did Theo. He only ever used me to get what he wanted and now I understood why.
There was something that I couldn't make sense of, when I had finally cut him off when I had yelled to him to go to hell, he had shouted with more passion than I had ever heard him before.
I am your father you will not speak to me like that.
And he had said it will all his heart. He had said it as though he truly was my father, and I wasn't sure if I was a fool to believe it or if there was something more there.
"I really do feel like setting something on fire," I quipped back at him and he had become so used to my antics that he didn't even bat an eye at the confession.
"So I've married a pyromaniac with a deadly shot," he smirked at me, with all the fervour that he had shown me the other night, "Good to know," and then in a low whisper as he leaned close to me, "Darling,"
I would never get sick of that word. It made me want to melt into a puddle in my shoes, but more so melt into his arms, and right now I needed that more than anything so before he could even get another word out my lips were pressed against his, with more hunger than before, it was like I thought everything was changing and maybe it was, I needed to cling to the only constant in my life.
And as my hands pressed against his chest, feeling the elevated heartbeat and smiling against the kiss, and even more so when I heard him let out a groan, "Alara, the things you do to me,"
I pulled back, and he seemed disappointed, my eyes were wild as I said, "No, not Alara, darling,"
He laughed as he pressed soft lips against my own, whispering in the most intimate way, "Yes, darling," and I think I was about to have a heart attack. Knowing that I had Cameron Grayson prepared to do anything for me.
The most ruthless man I had come to know, a man who would kill, who would come home drenched in blood, a man who I should be afraid of but I couldn't bring myself to. And if that was a mistake I would brandish it like a trophy I had one at a science fair.
Soon his hands were all over me, feathering over each curve in gentle caresses that shouldn't be possible for this man to do, to be so careful coaxing out contented sighs, through the art of touch. Kissing me roughly before sweetening each taste with the softest of murmurs against my lips.
I couldn't let go of him, my fingers curling around his shirt and pulling him closer, I couldn't get over how intoxicating this all was, and here he was, my husband.
It felt weird to say, to know that I was inexplicably tied to someone for the rest of my life, but I didn't feel afraid even of that because I didn't want anyone else to be this close to me ever.
I wanted this moment to last forever, and I was sure he did too.
There was a storm in both of our eyes like an earthquake, shattered brown and green fighting for each other, and there was something so irrevocably stolen from us that made every touch a blessing that may not last forever.
The car stopped, and so had our hands and lips, reluctantly falling from each other as the darkened glass of the partition lowered.
There was a look on Vincent's face that I couldn't quite place as he exited and opened the door for me, "Mi Cara," he spoke more softly than he had ever done before, spreading his arm out in a flourish displaying the mansion behind him.
If I had thought the Grayson estate was lavish I was completely wrong because the house, no the castle before me was the epitome of opulence. High archways and gold painted everywhere, with marble steps and a shining terrace that had a garden adjacent to it, blooming with flowers of every colour, the door itself was probably twice my height, a deep oak that was polished within an inch of its life shining deep brown hues in the disappearing sunlight, with golden knocker glinting in the light.
I think my jaw was trailing on the floor.
"Do you like it?" he asked the question and because I wanted to be difficult I responded.
"It's ok," and I almost cringed at my own lie.
He laughed though and it was a hearty sound, full and joyful not at all what I had expected from a man like Vincent.
It was at that point a woman came storming over to us, she had a deep black headscarf on and a white blouse paired with pin-straight dress trousers and a matching blazer, she looked furious, her deep brown skin flushed a ripe red, "Vincent, where have you been?"
She was half carrying a laptop in her hand, and it was precariously dangling from it but she still had a firm grip, she completely missed both mine and Cameron's figures her eyes trained on Vincent, "You missed the board of directors meeting, which is a big deal because get this stupido you're the literal head of the board of directors," I tried not to laugh at Vincent being told off by this clearly a business driven woman who didn't seem to care that she was shouting at the leader of one of the most terrifying Mafia's but then again maybe she didn't know about it, "It's kinda a big deal for you to be there, so what is your excuse this time?"
She lets out a heavy breath shutting her laptop and folding her arms across her chest with a poignant look on her face, "Aless, I had an urgent family matter, I hope you understand and I'm sorry for the inconvenience,"
At the word family, Aless's face softened her lips fell into a sympathetic smile, "You always get me with the familglia talk you're lucky my daughter likes you, heaven knows what would happen if she didn't have a soft spot for you," she shook her head laughing lightly and it seemed that her business mind began to subdue, as her eyes finally drifted to Cameron and me.
"Speaking of daughters, Alessia I'd like you to meet my daughter Alara," he gestured towards me and because I had no idea what to do being put on the spot like this, it was like all the confidence from me pointing a literal gun at my father had dissipated, so I gave a small pathetic looking wave.
"Um...Hi?" God, I wanted the world to swallow me whole. But Alessia seemed pretty nice.
"Oh you're beautiful lovely to meet you, I can't believe you're related to this oaf, you're far too pretty," I almost choked on my laughter at the disapproving look Vincent was giving us both as Alessia leant in to give me the traditional air kisses to frame my face. She pulled me into a warm hug which was strange for me as back in England no one was really this affectionate on the first meeting.
She paused a moment, her gaze lifting to Vincent, "Wait, Vince? Does this mean Cassandra's back?" she said it with a woeful tone, a certain melancholy that wasn't one that showed hatred but rather a particular sort of sadness mixed with hope like she really wanted the answer to be yes.
"Yes, Cassandra is here," he responded curtly and then a fire ignited in her eyes.
"Cassandra's here and you didn't even think to tell me!" it seemed if she didn't have religious restrictions she would have hit my father, and I wouldn't have stopped it. I knew from Haifa that Muslim women weren't really supposed to touch any man who wasn't their relative.
"Am I supposed to tell you everything Aless?" he drawled out and the answer was already primed on her lips.
"YES!" she huffed, "As your managing partner and more as your friend you're supposed to tell me these things!"
"It didn't seem important," he admitted and it was as though he had doused the flames in gasoline.
"Not important! You're unbelievable, you didn't think to tell me that one of my best childhood friends is back and that your daughter is here too! I would have made something, lord knows both of you were too busy to ever learn to cook,"
"That's what I have cooks for-"
"That's not a nice home-cooked meal that's practically restaurant food, there's a difference,"
Cameron decided to speak up at this moment after watching everything unfold with a stupid grin on his face he said, "That I can attest to, Alara's homemade pancakes are divine,"
I smiled back at him and then if a warm tone Alessia responded.
"Finally a man with taste!"
There was a cool look on my father's face and I noticed there was definitely something between the two, a shadow of something between hostility and care and it seemed so very familiar, I looked over at Cameron and I could tell he noticed it too.
"I highly doubt your taste in men," Vincent responded and was glared at by Alessia.
"Just because you were right the first time doesn't mean you are always right," now this was interesting.
"I told you he was an awful choice for you and you still got married to him," there was a sharpness in his tone a clear disdain for this mystery person.
"I was 19, and in love, we all do stupid things, I could say the same about you and Cass," they were bickering like a married couple and it was an interesting sight to see. These two polar opposites: a cool and composed leader, who I'm assuming Alessia didn't know the extent of his ties to the underworld. It seemed Vincent had other avenues of income, he was a businessman to her it was clear, and a spitfire of a personality all contained in a woman who didn't take crap from anyone. Even if it was one of the most powerful people in Italy.
"And yet here we are, discussing food and your non-existent love life."
She glowered at him once more, "And you're always right aren't you Vince,"
"Yes, the first thing you've said right this whole conversation."
The glare intensified as words fell from her mouth, probably influenced by all the talk of food.
"Bite me."