Chapter Twenty Three| Ava
"Ava, baby?" I ignore Kaden and continue to make breakfast for Lily and Aleksio. "You slept in the guest room last night." He mumbles.
Is this man being serious? Did he catch a case of amnesia?
"Lily? Aleksio? You still want chocolate chips in your pancakes?" I turn my head to look at them.
"Yes, Avey." She smiles. Aleksio simply nods his head and smiles.
"I'm sorry." Kaden's voice cracks. He goes to reach out for me but stops when I flinch.
"Don't fucking touch me." I whisper, so only he can hear. I take a quick glance and see he is still in yesterday's clothing and I can smell the stench of alcohol on him. "Can't even clean yourself up, you stink!" I continue to whisper harshly.
"I didn't mean what I said last night, baby. Please forgive me." He pleads, trying to be as quiet as possible.
"You said what you said, Kaden." I roll my eyes and start to place pancakes on two plates.
"Do you actually hate me?" He questions, his voice sounding pained.
"You still talking?" I retort and I hear him suck in a breath. I walk over to Lily and Aleksio and give them their breakfast.
"Thank you, Mrs Morello." Aleksio beams.
"Just call me Ava, Aleksio." I smile and he nods.
"Avey?" Lily whispers and I look to her. She glances behind me, to look at her father and then looks back at me; a worried look on her face. "N-Nevermind." She looks down and starts to eat her breakfast.
I sigh.
"I'm just going to have a shower." I tell her and see her frown.
"Okay A-Avey." She whispers and my heart clenches.
I turn around and make my way out of the kitchen, Kaden hot on my heels. I walk up the stairs, getting closer to the bathroom, but the annoying man stops me.
"Ava."
"Leave me alone!" I turn around and shove him back. "Look at the state of you, Kaden! You're a fucking mess. You think I'm going to forgive you for the way you treated me last night?" I throw my hands up in the air.
Luciano then walks out of his room, a confused look on his face. "What's going on?"
"Ask your brother." I cross my arms over my chest, Kaden just stands dumbfounded in front of me.
Luciano holds his hands up and makes his way towards us. "I'm sure we can sort this out, whatever is going on between the two of you." He stands in between us, I continue to glare at Kaden.
I scoff. "You want to tell your brother what you said to me or should I do it?" I take his silence as an answer and turn to face Luciano. "He told me that Lily isn't my daughter and I understand she isn't by blood but she treats me like I'm her mother." I try to keep my tears at bay. "He assumed my own parents were still alive but he didn't seem to care when I told him they died a couple years ago and I had no one apart from Charlie to help me get through it."
"I didn't me....."
Luciano cuts him off. "Shut the fuck up. Fucking hell, Kaden." Luciano rubs the stubble on his face. "Why would you say that?"
"I'd been drinking, I was upset. I promise I didn't mean to say anything so cruel." Kaden steps forward a little, his eyes pleading with me. "Please, baby. I'm sorry."
I shake my head and walk into the bathroom, locking the door behind me. I turn the water on so it can muffle my cries.
***
"You okay, Mrs Morello?" I look up from my cup of tea and see Ruben, taking a seat in front of me.
"That's not my surname and please, just call me Ava." I smile at him.
"Your smile is very pretty." He says, looking down at his hands.
"Thank you." He looks up and winks at me, making me giggle. "So why are you in the Mafia? Shouldn't you be in secondary school?" I joke.
"I'm twenty two actually! It would be very wrong if I was still in secondary school." I laugh at him pretending to be hurt. "I'm an assassin." He goes back to being serious and I laugh.
A nervous laugh.
"I was trained in Russia by my adoptive dad, he got killed, I ran away when I was sixteen and then Kaden found me and gave me this job." He shrugs casually. "That man helped me off the streets."
"Mmm." I take a sip of my tea and look at him.
"Although I like speaking to you, I came to tell you, I'm a little worried about little Lily." He frowns and I furrow my eyebrows.
"What do you mean? What's wrong with her?"
"Well she's very quiet, I tried cheering her up by putting on Princess and the Frog but she told me to turn it off." I raise my eyebrows in shock. "Her little friend, Aleksio, is trying to cheer her up but she's not saying much."
"I'll go and talk to her, thanks for telling me." I smile and he smiles back, helping me off my chair.
I walk into the living room and see Lily sat in the middle of the massive sofa. Aleksio is sat next to her, playing with her curly hair. "Lily?" She looks up at me with sad eyes and then looks away. I walk over and crouch down in front of her. "Baby girl, what's wrong?" She looks at me and her lips begin to tremble.
"You and daddy, argue?" She whispers and I freeze not knowing what to say. "Daddy made you sad. I heard you crying last night and I wanted to cuddle with you but I couldn't reach the door handle. They are very high up in this house." My eyes start to water.
"I'm sorry you had to hear that, Lily." I whisper and grab hold of her tiny hands.
"Do you not love me anymore? Do you not love daddy?" She whimpers.
"Of course I still love you, Lily!"
"I love you too, Lily." Aleksio beams brightly next to her. My heart warms at their friendship, she smiles and rests her head on his shoulder, whilst holding both my hands.
"Aleksio, look after Lily, whilst I sort something out. Okay?" He nods eagerly. "Good boy."
I walk out of the living room and close the door, I jump when I see Kaden standing to the side. "You never answered her second question?" We stare at each other and I see his eyes become glossy.
"As much as I hate you right now, I still love you." He clenches his eyes shut and a shaky breath escapes his lips.
"Forgive me, Ava. Please. I hurt you and I am so, so sorry, I can't take back what I said, I understand. I regret what came out of my mouth and you're right, I am selfish." He goes to reach out for my hand but I pull away. "I love you so much, Ava."
"What's to stop you from drinking again and saying hurtful things? You're not just hurting me, you're hurting Lily." I whisper.
I get ready to walk away but Kaden stops me by getting on his knees and wrapping his arms around my waist. "I'm sorry." He buries his face in my stomach. "I'm really sorry, baby."
I hesitantly lift my hand up and run it through his hair. "You need a bath." I mumble and he looks up at me. "I'll run you a bath." I remove his hands from around my waist and make my way into the bathroom.
Kaden quietly follows me. He closes the door behind him and goes to sit on the toilet seat, I crouch down and run the bath, adding some bubble bath. I turn my head and see him smiling at me, I awkwardly look away. After a few more minutes his bath is done.
I turn on my knees and my eyes widen when I see him standing naked in front of me. "Your bath is done." I stand up and watch him get in, I make my way towards the door but his voice stops me.
"Stay with me-" He pauses, "-please baby." I sigh and sit on the edge of the bath.
"What are you? A big baby?" I scoff, when he passes me a plastic jug, clearly wanting me to wash his hair.
"Your big baby." I just roll my eyes and grab the jug, I fill it up with water and then pour it on his head, making sure the soapy water gets in his eyes. "Ava!" He exaggerates, rubbing his eyes. "It's stinging." I smirk and continue to pour more water.
"It's what you deserve." I mumble.
He gently grabs hold of my wrists, stopping me from pouring the jug. "Get in with me." I shake my head, I avoid his eyes and decided to look at his neck.
"The fact that I'm sat here even talking to you, after what you said to me yesterday is enough." I pour the water over his eyes again. "I don't forgive you for what you said, it's going to take some time. You understand that right?" He nods.
After I've washed his hair, I just sit there, playing with my hands. The sound of Kaden moving around in the water, fills the bathroom
"I never want to drink again." Kaden says, sounding ashamed.
"Really?" I question, sarcasm clear in my voice.
"You're an amazing mother figure to Lily. You always will be." He picks up my hand and kisses the back of it.
"Let me go and get you a towel and change of clothes." I give a tight lipped smile, I watch his face fall at my reaction.
I walk out the bathroom and retrieve some clothes for him. When I come back, he still has a small frown on his face as he showers. Once he's all dressed he looks down at me, I look up at him with watery eyes.
I start to break.
"I miss my mum and dad." I whimper and he quickly pulls me into a hug. I cry into his chest. "They were all I had."
"I'm sorry, baby. I'm so sorry." Kaden whispers, kissing the top of my head.
"T-They were killed and the killer was never found. I tried so hard to get them justice but I couldn't do it." I clutch onto Kaden's t-shirt.
"You've got me baby. I'll help you find their killer." I look up at him with wide eyes.
"You will?" He nods and kisses my forehead.
He goes to say something but a loud gunshot stops him.
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