"When are you planning on getting better, Ayva? Huh?" Silvano muttered as he sat beside me, huffing from the training he had been doing with a couples of guys.
"I am getting better, Silvano." I muttered back to him, watching as Linia tumbled to the floor with the guy who was boxing back with him. Linia landed a punch onto the guy's face, but the guy didn't even flinch as he shoved Linia off of him, Linia's face starting to bruise up from the harshness of it.
"Really?" He looked at me, lifting my hand and wrapping his fingers around my arm completely. "Cause I don't see it. I just see you becoming smaller and smaller, and paler."
I pushed his hand with my free arm and scowled at him, "that's because you have big hands, don't try to switch it around."
Silvano watched me with sad eyes as he nudged me with his strong shoulder. "Are you okay, Ayva?" He asked sincerely, and I opened my mouth to answer, but he continued. "Honestly."
I looked away from his eyes, fearing he'd see the tears fighting to come out and slide down as they had perfected in the shower and at night. "Oh, Silvano." I took in a shaky breath, and clenched my fists in my lap, I wasn't going to cry, not in front of him, not in the middle of a gym. "Go!" I shoved him off the seat beside me and forward, "it's your turn."
Thankfully, he didn't protest or pester me anymore and traded spots with Linia, whose ragged breaths heaved beside me. "Oh damn!" He panted, and I watched as Silvano shook hands with his partner before they started throwing punches at each other.
"Deep breaths, Linia, deep breaths." I advised him, watching as Silvano tumbled down to the ground as Linia had done a couple minutes ago.
"That's what I should be telling you." He panted and patted my back rather hard, pushing me forward a bit. "My bad, I forgot you're tiny." He removed his hand and I wanted to turn to glare at him. A month ago, I would've been able to take him on, maybe not win, but put up a good fight. Now? Not so much, so I didn't turn. "Vescovi wants to see you."
I turned to him at that sentence. I hadn't seen Vescovi for a week, and now he wanted to see me? "What for?" I frowned, fidgeting with my slim fingers.
"You'll have to ask him that, he just informed me to tell you to go see him. I'd better hurry too, he didn't sound in such a good mood." Linia leaned back to gulp down his water bottle.
"Alright, I'll see you guys around." I patted his shoulder gently and walked away, taking a last glance at the boxing ring where Silvano was gasping for air and tackling his partner down.
Taking the stairs, I walked down to Vescovi's office, where I knew he spent most of his time lately. I smiled kindly at the guards who were outside and knocked lightly, hoping Carson had heard me so I didn't have to knock again.
"Come in." His gruff voice answered, and I said a quick prayer before twisting the knob in my hand and pushing the door open.
"Hey," I said softly, entering as Carson looked up from his desk, his eyes softening a tiny bit before he clenched his jaw.
"Shut the door." He ordered, and I knew something was wrong. It had been a week and a half since the surgery, maybe he had found out.
I leaned back to shut the door before nearing him, staying on the opposite side of his desk, watching as his eyes stared back at me, and I could feel my hands sweating, my heartbeat racing against my chest, I was sure he could hear it.
Clearing my throat, I looked away from his cold stare and stared at the sheets of papers on his desk. "You wanted to see me?" I spoke calmly, despite the quivering I felt my knees make.
"Yes," his voice thundered as he stood up. "I want you to pack your bags and leave. I've had the maid go ahead and start your packing, and the guys are waiting outside, they'll t-"
"Wait, what?" I frowned and looked up at him, no longer afraid of him. "Leaving?" I baffled, staring back at his green eyes that now seemed to look at me in hatred.
"Yes, leaving. I don't want you here, I want you gone." He responded and I felt a stab at my chest.
"Why?" I searched for an explanation, but I could only come up with the conclusion that he had found out about the baby. "Is this becau-"
"Because I don't want you here. Because instead of expanding my business, I'm stuck taking care of you, who does nothing, but wastes my time. Now get out." He snapped, sitting back down, but I wasn't letting down without a fight.
"Carson, I know that it's-"
"Vescovi, to you." He interrupted, his rough voice hurting me, but I wasn't going to let him intimidate me, not without me telling him what I had to say.
"Fine, Vescovi," I agreed, clenching my fists, "I understand that I haven't been acting appropriately and have caused you a lot of trouble, but I'm changing, I won't run anymore, I'll take self-defens-"
"Why can't you fucking understand that I don't want you!" Carson growled, startling me. "I don't want to see your fucking face, I don't want you here, period!" He snapped, and I felt my heart break a bit to hear the man I loved yell those words at me.
"Carson, please," I ignored the knocks on his door and the way he glared at me harshly. "I'll get better, I'll stay by your side, I'll be mor-"
"No, Ayva." He repeated and the door opened behind me, but I paid no mind to it at all.
"Just listen to me, please," I begged and reminded myself of deep breaths.
"You called, sir?" A woman's voice asked from behind, and Carson nodded, waving her over. I watched as the woman neared him, her red and long locks trailing down to her tiny waist. Her skirt barely covered her bum, and her breasts were on the verge of exploding out of her tiny top.
"Yes, I did, and I was supposed to be alone, but she'll leave soon, right Collins?" Carson turned to shoot me a disgusted looked as his arm reached out to the woman and he pulled her into his lap.
Oh, fuck the 'deep breaths' and the 'I can't cry here's'. "No, Carson, I wasn't, because I fucking love you!" I croaked out, watching as his lips neared the woman's neck, he pressed a kiss on her before lifting his head to me.
"You love me?" He pondered, watching me intently. "Well, that's a shame, but, send me a letter, maybe I'll read it." His voice sounded careless, distant.
"Carson, please, I love you, I know things haven't been go-"
"Oh for fucks sake, just get out, and it's Vescovi." He growled out before turning to the woman on his lap, and he leaned down to kiss her on her lips, right in front of me.
I couldn't help the sob that left my lips as I watched them passionately make out, the view blurring from my tears that were spilling down. "I lost myself trying to protect you and your fucking organization," I cried out, ignoring the moan that left the woman's lips. "I let them almost rape me, treat me like no human should ever be treated," I wiped my tears with the back of my hand as Vescovi lifted the woman onto the desk, attacking her neck again. "I did it all because I love you, dammit Carson!" I cried out as he threw me another look of annoyance and hatred.
"Just shut the door behind you, Collins, I'm also guessing I won't get your letter now that you've disturbed me and this beauty?" He questioned and I felt my heart shatter now more than ever.
I shook my head, letting the tears fall now, I was done trying to hide that I was broken, I was too broken to even try. I turned and walked out, listening to the woman's laughter ring loudly, and I shut the door behind me, not bearing to look at the guard's faces. I knew they had heard everything and probably were laughing at me, thinking about how stupid I had been.
I rushed out of the building to where the black Escalade was waiting for me while the man tossed my suitcase with my belongings in the back.
"Ayva!" I heard a voice call from behind me, but I didn't want to talk anymore, I just wanted to be alone. "Ayva, please!" I was tugged back and I looked up through my blurry vision to see Silvano's worried eyes look at me. "What happened, Ayva?"
I shook my head, my sobs racketing through my chest, "I love him, Silvano." I cried as he pulled me to his chest, rubbing my back and hair.
"Dammit, he's just such a jackass sometimes." He tried to comfort me, but I just gripped his shirt in my hands. I kept my grip on him, trying to get some comfort, but it was just egging on my crying.
"I'm going back home, Silvano." I pulled from his chest, wiping my tears, feeling Silvano pull back from me as well. "Stay safe, and," I swallowed the knot in my throat and turned to look back at the building, "take care of him, yeah?" I turned to him, pleading as his sad eyes followed mine.
"Alright, princess." He joked, remembering the first time we met. "Get better, yeah?" He asked and I nodded, not knowing how that was going to happen with me anymore. "Goodbye." He leaned down to kiss my head and I fought back more tears at his tenderness.
"Goodbye, Silvano, tell Linia I said that if I see him one day, I'll take on his ass." I wiped more tears that were falling and Silvano nodded, opening the door for me and helping me in. "Thank you."
Silvano nodded before hitting the rooftop of the car. "Alright, Colombo, get her to safety, got it?" The man in front, Colombo, nodded and started the Escalade. Silvano gave me a last glance before I pulled my window up and leaned back, watching the building disappear behind us until it was gone for good.
The End!
Nah, I'm just kidding, there's still more, so stay tuned! :)