Adrian's plan was simple and effective.

It was my ultimate ticket to freedom and my original life, the life which is still waiting for me.

He explained me every step and every possible outcomes if anything goes wrong.

I tried my best to focus on what he was explaining, but my mind kept lingering back to how soft those lips were and how amazingly they molded with mine. I could still feel the tingling on my lips, the flips my stomach made and that indefinable body burning feeling I got by his single touch.

Nonetheless, this was a mistake.

People do mistakes all the time, right? Especially when they are drunk. I do know that. I have seen my brother, Freddy, dry humping our mailbox when he came home drunk one night after he partied with his friends right before a week he was leaving for college. My neighbours, the twins had recorded a video of that and I still have it safe in one of my drawers back home, away from his reach as well as mine.

Compared to what I did, this is nothing. Absolutely nothing. It's just a kiss.

My first kiss...

People kiss each other every time! It's common. Some even have a bad first kiss experience. I should consider myself lucky. It's not a big deal. Not a big deal.

Not. A. Big. Deal.

It's just a small slip of moment, a distraction and I cannot afford distractions after what Adrian had told me.

It was too late at night and Adrian saw my tired, shocked and hungover state so he eventually left saying that he would visit me after lunch time to explain me more.

Too bad I woke up after lunch time.

"I think I'm dying." I moaned in pain and rubbed my temples.

"Welcome to the world of hangover. It hurts like shit and I'm glad that I don't suffer from that anymore." Adrian chirped and handed me a glass of water along with some tablets.

I took them without any questions then dropped on my bed.

"I am never drinking again." I huffed and covered my face under the soft and warm bedcovers.

"Now you know how I used to feel, if you remove the blood on your hands and a bloody knife beside you." He said nonchalantly and sighed dreamily. "Those were the beautiful days."

I kicked him and shot him a glare. "Stop joking, will you? I'm still mad at you."

"Whatever." His nose scrunches up. "You stink. In reality and in lies."

I sighed irritably. "Shut your nonsense up and continue explaining."

"Oh yeah, right. Sorry about that. Any questions?"

"When is the flight?" I asked warily.

"This Friday night. It's a three day trip."

"And the first stop is..." I trailed off and waited for him to confirm my mental guess.

"Yes." I grinned mischievously and wiggled my eyebrows at him. Adrian scowled. "Don't give me that look, signorina. I have told you what I know. The rest is up to you."

"Why are you helping me? Isn't trust like a huge part in this family? You're breaking their trust."

Adrian laughed nervously and shook his finger. "I see what you are trying to say here, Amelia, but I am not breaking anything. I'm helping them."

My eyes diluted in confusion. "How so?"

"I have told you before, I am not like the others. After that unfaithful night, I had been suffering from nightmares and many sleepless nights because what I had assumed was that I killed your roommate...my first kill. Now that I know that I didn't exactly kill her, I still haven't been able to sleep because I feel guilty for what I had done to her. My guilt filled sleepless nights are now interfering my work life and the famiglia is not happy with that. So when I am helping you I am—"

"Trying to remove your guilt because I asked you so." I finished and laughed softly. "That thing somewhat makes sense."

"But you have to help me for asking signorina Rylie's forgiveness."

For the first time, I took a proper look at Adrian. A very proper look. I saw the same features I had been seeing for weeks, but I also saw the glimpses of dark circles he had hidden under his eyes with a very poor application of foundation. I got up from my comfort, held his face firmly and started rubbing the region under his eye with my thumb vigorously.

"Amelia, wh—ow!"

"It's true." I murmured as my eyes followed to the big, dark bags under his eyes.

"The face mask helps in skin glowing and fresh looking, but it doesn't hide them." He confessed.

Silently, I pulled back and sat beside him with a heavy heart.

"I can't...I can't exactly help you in that because we're talking about a freaking tongue here, but I can only say that try to see what she had suffered. It's unforgivable and I think you know that."

He nodded in understanding. "I know. But it's worth a try, right?"

"How's your, um, nose? Cheek? I hit that pretty badly, didn't I?" I asked with concern hidden in my voice.

"It's fine." He brushed it off. "I did deserve that."

I nodded. "So Friday night, huh?"

"Si. It's up to you about how you will get to the basement, without getting under the sight of capo's super powered vision. I can manage the rest."

I smirked. "No need to worry about that. I'm not going to make the same mistake twice."

"Okay then, I should get going." He got up and walked to my door.

"Waxing?" He stopped and turned around, giving me a lazy smile. "There are many airports in the State. Are you sure that it's the same one?"

"Si, Amy." He answered.

"And try not to apply any make up. You look ridiculous." I deadpanned.

He rolled his eyes. "Si, Amy."

"Oh, oh! And one more thing. I want the brand name of that foundation and face mask before I leave." I grinned.

"Si, Amy." He deadpanned then shut the door loudly. I released a shaky breath and dropped on my bed again.

Adrian's plan was simple and effective.

It was the ultimate ticket to my freedom and my original life, the life which is still waiting for me.

Because Leonardo Agostini himself was going to fly me back to America.

*****

I opened the door of my balcony and sighed in content as the warm breeze of Italy hit me at full force. I pulled out a small stool from the corner of the room, stepped into the balcony, placed it in the center and grinned to myself when I sat on it.

Then I started waiting.

Rylie came to know about my little girl party with the men of the house and to say that she went into shock would be an understatement. She did wrote that she came to give my breakfast in the morning, but my most favourite hated man in this world had told her, scratch that, ordered her to leave and come later in the late afternoon.

I do believe that it's high time that we have a proper chat without any snide remarks and bullets.

I told Rylie about my new escape plan. She listened very carefully. I did not tell her that Adrian was also a part of it. When she wrote, asking about how I got so many details, I simply told her that one of the men who got drunk last night at the party kept shouting how he was going to see the beaches for the first time, wear a red bikini and run very slowly like they do on Baywatch.

She believed me in an instant.

My heart stopped for a second when I heard the balcony door next to mine getting unlocked and opened accompanied by two small footsteps then started beating at hundred beats per second.

It's just a kiss. It's just a kiss. Not a big deal. It was my first kiss but it doesn't mean that I'll start fangirling over this monster!

Keeping a straight face and a marathon running heart, I began. "Thank you, for lending me this room. It helped me a lot for my recovery."

Silence.

I exhaled sharply. "I don't want to waste much of your valuable time, capo, but I think it's best for me to leave the room and continue living in my quarters and working in the mansion. My leg is now healed and I believe that you do know that."

More silence.

"I shall be moving out by weekend night." I said formally. "And I shall try my best to not to...um...disturb you until further notice."

Get a grip, Amy!

"And about last night..."

"Let's forget about it."

His voice was strong, authoritative yet strained and weak with something heavy. It actually made me want to take a small peek at his face and see what was wrong with him.

As if I will.

"That...That was exactly I was going to say." I giggled but it felt forced. "Let's forget about it."

I was met with silence again.

"So I guess that's it."

More silence.

Fine. Whatever. I got up went back into my room without any other word. I tried to have a decent conversation and he is the one who is not willing to talk.

Leonardo Agostini can go to hell for all I care.

Because I was going run away from here and I'll make sure that he won't catch me before I reunite with my family.

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