CHAPTER 39: A day in the city

I don't understand Leonardo Agostini at all.

I get it that he can be all mean, tricky, heartless son of a son of a bitch. Excuse my language. He can go all in danger and pissed off mode and probably insert a bullet or two. Speaking from my personal experience. He can literally make a person regret crossing his path and won't hesitate to do something which I definitely not want to get the mental image of, but this does not mean that he can do whatever he wants to do when it concerns about me.

We are now at some science museum whose name I actually forgot. Was it Muse or Musa della something something? I don't really remember. Till now we have visited over two castles and I was in awe. I had no idea that outside those four walls of that stupid mansion, there would be paradise. Couple of months back, paradise would have been reuniting with my family again, having my normal life back, never looking back at this country again. Obviously things always don't go how they are planned. Google did say that the city is quite famous for its beautiful sceneries, but the pictures put that into shame when I actually saw it with my own eyes.

Talking about beautiful... He still hasn't left my hand and my senses have definitely turned into a mush. They are so warm, so perfect, so comfortable that if it were a giant bed, I would have curled up in a corner and drifted off to sleep.

Before this museum, it was his turn to read from the brochure. I was thinking that he would finally give me some time off to recollect my overwhelmed senses by leaving my hand but no. A very big no. This man has two hands and he used it to do two things simultaneously; to hold my hand and to hold the brochure. He was holding my hand while reading for me.

I was blushing too much that I actually looked like a girl who got an allergic reaction on her face.

He got a call or two and my hopes lifted up when I saw that he ran out of hands, but then they came crashing down when I saw him handing over the brochure to Adrian, pulled out his phone from his pocket and answered the call.

No matter what happens, Leonardo will not leave my hand.

I don't want to talk about bathroom breaks. He acted totally paranoid about that.

"That was an interesting place." I grinned as we walked out of the museum. "What's next? Haunted House and Disneyland?"

Adrian laughed. "We get lunch. What do you want eat?"

"I don't really know..." I mumbled, confused. "Maybe something which is not pasta."

I felt a squeeze on my hand. Ah! I have been getting those squeeze from time to time. They make my heart go 'wheeee!' Something is really wrong with my heart here.

"Wanna eat some Chinese food?"

I nodded enthusiastically. "Sure. I remember the last time I had Chinese food. It was New year's which was a couple of weeks before this shit happened. I still remember the loose motion my brother caught because he accidentally took my plate which was half loaded with chilli sauce and ate it. I tried to warn him, but him, being my so-called arrogant, overprotective brother said that I should take care of my stomach and keep limits to my spicy appetite." I laughed, remembering those memories. "Long story short, he pooped his pants on his way to the bathroom. Best New year ever."

An awkward silence filled in between us.

I sighed irritably. "Just because I am not there with my family doesn't mean that I won't talk about them as if they are forbidden. So you better get that thought out of your head!"

"Right. Sorry, Amy." Adrian muttered. "Let's get some lunch with extra chilli sauce on your plate."

"Perfect." I grinned.

After having lunch, we decided to head to the market place of the city. Just like breakfast, we had our lunch in the car. I did get the point where the brothers did not want to attract too much attention by simply walking into McDonald's or some Chinese restaurant to have food. Though it is very simplistic, it does not suit them. They have already gained enough attention from the public by roaming around like tourists with me.

"Oh, wow. This is a nice place." I looked outside the window and saw people shopping. I was bubbling in excitement to explore this place. It was a typical market place where people were selling goods in stalls as well as in shops. I recognised a few brands of clothing. "Oh look! They have H&M and Forever 21."

"Of course we do, Amy. They are international brands." Adrian chuckled. "We are not outdated unlike you."

I huffed, crossing my arms. "Stop calling me outdated, you idiot, because I am not."

"It is an unspoken thing. You are an outdated person."

"Shut up and find a parking spot, will you?" His brother hissed who was sitting beside him. "We have some places to visit!"

"Right. Sorry... again."

After searching for a parking spot for exact twenty minutes and forty three seconds, we finally found one. Adrian was the happiest amongst us. The moment everybody got out of the car, my fingers were entwined with Leonardo's and my senses turned into a mush again. I became a girl with an allergic reaction on her face again.

How can a simple touch of fingers do that to me?!

For a mere second, my eyes went to him. As usual, he was looking straight, his eyes covered with his Ray bans sunglasses while we walked into the small crowd, hand-in-hand.

I heard loud gasps and murmurs around us. I could feel people's eyes on our backs as we kept walking. It's a sure thing that the Agostini family is well known here, but I never wanted to be a centre of attraction. The museum and castles were fine. Most of them were tourists and were more interested in the place than the people. This a common street with shops, a market place. What was I thinking before I choose local market over a mall?

"Capo?" I whispered softly, squeezing his hand. "Can we leave? I don't want to be here anymore."

That made him stop on his tracks and lean towards my ear. "Why?"

"I don't feel so good."

His grip around my hand tightened. It felt concerning and somehow protected. "Are you feeling sick? Tired?"

"N-No. It's not that." I laughed nervously and gave him reassuring squeeze on his hand.

He frowned. "Then what is it?"

"People are watching." I whispered shyly. "It is making me feel a bit uncomfortable. What—"

"You get those thoughts out of your mind and throw it in the nearest trash you find, Amelia. People watch other people everyday. You are here to enjoy your visit to my country and I will not let anything happen to your happiness. I do not wish to see your day ruined by people looking at us so you better get a move on and ignore them."

I have this sudden urge to kiss him right here.

"O-okay. Let's get moving."

Suddenly I felt an arm wrap around shoulder. It was Adrian wearing his pair of Ray bans grinning at us.

"Let's do some shopping, shall we?"

My eyes diluted in confusion. "Wait a sec, shopping? Nobody is shopping. At least not me. I don't have any money with me."

He pushed my head in a playful manner. "Idiota! I am your sponsor for today. You like something, I buy it for you."

"Thank you, but I don't want anything. I just want to see this place. If you like something, you buy it for yourself. I will be window shopping."

"You sure?" This time the Agostini son asked me. "Even I can buy it for you."

"I don't want you to." I said. "I am perfectly fine with what I have. In fact, I am more excited to see this place. You think we can do that instead?"

"Anything you wish for." He smiled which made my heart go crazy.

"Thank you." I squeezed his palm, feeling the friction of his heat on my cold ones and he squeezed it gently in response.

We have been doing a lot of squeezing lately, haven't we?

"If that's the case..." Adrian ruffled my hair and I smacked his arm, glaring at him. He grinned mischievously. "Let's do some window shopping, shall we?"

I threw my head back and laughed. "We shall."

Ignoring the surprised stares of the public, we walked down the streets of Trento, Italy and went through every window, every article placed on display, laughed and joked about anything we could come up with. It felt refreshing. Adrian always had his arm around my shoulder and Leonardo never left my hand.

I remembered how I used to hang out with the Robinson twins. They weren't here. Nobody I knew was here yet I felt like... home. That sense of being safe, protected and welcomed, it was overwhelming yet scaring me. I hadn't felt like this in years. I shouldn't be feeling like this.

Everything was going fine until capo's phone started ringing. We were looking through items of a souvenir stall.

I frowned when I saw him frowning at the screen. "Is everything alright?"

"Si, si! It's fine."

"You know, you are supposed to pick that up." I pointed out to his phone.

"I know, but I will not." He swiped his thumb down and slid the device inside his pocket.

"Why?" I asked pathetically.

"I took a day off for the first time in years, little girl. No work for me today."

His phone started ringing again.

Adrian was trying out an 'I HEART ITALY' hat and it caught his attention. "Leo, you are supposed to pick that up."

"I will not." He declared.

"Just do it, will you?" I whined. "If that mini TV thing is going to ring for rest of the day then I won't hesitate a second to pick it up for you!"

"Oh really?" He raised a perfect eyebrow. "Are you willing to have a nice chitchat with padre again?"

That did shut me up.

"Leo, if padre is calling you then you should pick it up. You know he doesn't like to be ignored." Adrian stated it as a matter of fact.

"What an attention seeker." I muttered under my breath.

"Leo, just go to some quiet corner and talk to him. See what he wants." He took off the hat and handed it over to the man who was gawking at us. "We'll be fine."

"But... But..." His grip around my hand, not wanting to leave.

I touched his arm with my other hand. "We'll be fine. It's only for a few minutes."

"No."

"Adrian is with me. I'll be fine and I won't get lost." I joked. "I'm not a child anymore."

"Will you be safe?" He asked after a momentary silence, gently holding my face.

"I'll be fine, August-mini." I giggled. "Just get out of here and pick up the damn call, will you? It's ringing again."

He took off his sunglasses and sighed deeply. "Si. Just stay here and do not move. I will be back in a few minutes. Is that clear?"

I mocked a salute. "Aye, aye Captain. Now shoo!"

He gave one last look to his brother before he walked away. My eyes were fixed to the path where he left.

"You do know that he cares about you, right? Like a lot."

A frown etched on my face when I suddenly started to miss the feeling of his hand on mine. "I know but I never asked for it."

"You never do." I shot a look to Adrian. "He never did. Nobody ever does. Just saying though."

"I don't know." I mumbled and shook my head, pushing those thoughts surfacing in my mind. "We are just fooling around a bit, I guess. Not a big deal."

"Are you sure?" He asked, "Because that did not seem like fooling around and you know it too."

I groaned mentally. "Can we... Can we not talk about this?"

He raised his arms in surrender and chuckled. "As you wish, Rapunzel."

"I'm not Rapunzel." I grumbled, looking through a bunch of keychains.

He touched a loose strand of my hair. "Your hair doesn't say so. It's getting long again."

"I'll cut it again." I muttered and picked up a keychain. It had a small button so I pressed it. A smile appeared on my lips when it started blinking light.

"Mi scusi, signore?" I called out the seller.

"Si, signorina?"

"Can you change the letters in this?" He looked confused. Great. "Change? Modify? Modification to this?" I dangled the keychain in front of his face.

"Ahh, modificare? Sì! Sì!" He took the keychain and handed me a new one.

"No! Not a new one. This one." I grabbed the blinking keychain from his grasp and pointed to the letters stuck on it. "I want to change the letters. The letters! ABCDE. The letters!"

Poor man had no idea what I am saying.

"See here. I-T-A-L-Y." I recited the letters stuck on it. "Remove this and add something else. You understand me?"

"Rimuovere?" The man asked in confusion.

I nodded enthusiastically. "Si! Si! Remove, rimuovere. Apple, pineapple. Same thing. Can you do it for me?"

"You need help?" Adrian asked in amusement.

"Oh shut up and help me, you idiot." I chuckled. "I want to buy this."

He smiled. "Now that is something I wanted you to say ever since I stepped my foot here. Do explain me, why change the letters?"

"Because it's not for me. It's for your ass brother."

*****

"I don't understand. Why am I forced to do this?"

Through the mirror, I saw the brothers shaking their heads.

"Grey doesn't suit you. Try wearing the black shirt." Adrian said.

My eyes narrowed to slits. "You didn't answer me."

"We're just checking your size. Nothing serious." The Agostini son answered casually. He came back only a few seconds after Adrian and I did a secret shopping for him. Out of nowhere, he dragged me to the nearest clothing store and made me try out all these shirts and dresses I did not wish to try at all.

I have been stuck here for the past hour and a half, changing different outfits.

"I swear if I find any of you buying any of this stuff for me, I will make sure that you will regret the day you were born."

"Ooh, I'm scared." Adrian laughed. "Just try that black shirt."

"Which one? The one with the jacket or without jacket?"

The brothers exchanged a look with each other. "With jacket."

"Fine." I groaned and went into the trial room again. Few minutes later, when I came out wearing a plain black shirt with red leather jacket and saw the brothers, I lost it.

"You have got to be kidding me!"

Leonardo laughed. "You took your time."

"No. I didn't! You guys have some super clothes changing powers. Nobody can change from a casual attire to a three piece suit so quickly!"

The brothers were wearing the exact same suit with a perfectly made tie. I blinked and bam! They changed their clothes.

"Brother, what do you think about this one?" Leo asked, eyeing my attire from head to toe.

"Will you ever tell me why you are making me suffer like this?"

They ignored me.

"Black and red looks good on her, but it feels like this is not the perfect colour for her." Adrian said to his brother.

"Hello? I'm right here."

Ignored again.

"Maybe pink?" Capo suggested. "Or perhaps yellow?"

He cringed. "Yellow? No. You have no taste in clothing choices, Leo. Green would suit her."

"Hey!" I screamed, catching their attention. "You really need to stop this. You wanna talk about colours suiting me?! Guess what? Ask me because I know it. I might have not done any of these stuff in ages, but it doesn't mean that I don't remember how to choose what's suits best for me!"

"You look like a badass in this attire." Adrian whistled slowly. "A very adorable badass. You sure you don't want to buy anything?"

"A hundred percent sure." I gritted. "Can I change so that we can head to the park? It's almost sunset."

"You can change if you tell us the colour which suits you the best." Leonardo grinned. "We do wish to know."

"Deep blue or violet." I shrugged. "Maybe a bit of maroon or some nice bright shade of light colours. As long as it feels comfortable and good looking."

Why the hell was I blushing again? If they buy anything for me, I will annoy the shit out of them till they are forced to return it back. I don't mind them buying anything for themselves, but if they do it for me... There is no point in wasting money in something which I'll never get the opportunity to wear and it is also a painful reminder that in my twenty four year old life, I haven't achieved anything. No job. No family. No career. No money. I don't want to be depended on someone to buy things for me so it's better not to buy anything.

I looked at myself in the mirror. Damn, I looked good in this. My black jeans perfectly matched with the shirt and the leather jacket. I knew what it was missing. A contrasting colour which will bring out the best form. Maybe a light pink scarf would do?

No temptation, Amy. No temptation. Remember where you are.

From having my own mini closet to owning only a drawer full of clothes. That's my life. What an incredible life.

I exhaled sharply and walked back to the changing room to wear my original hoodie.

*****

We were strolling around the park. Adrian had gone to fetch us some ice cream so it was just me and capo, enjoying each other's company in silence and watching the children play. People did recognise the Agostini son and unlike those in the afternoon, they just smiled and waved at him and his brother.

I heaved a sigh.

"Something bothering you?" He asked.

"No." I mumbled. "I had a great day today. Thank you."

He nodded. "There is no need to thank me. I simply wanted to take you out, show you the city and I did. I do hope that you enjoyed."

"I did. One of the best things that has happened to me in a long time." I confessed shyly.

"That's good." He hummed. "But the day is not over yet. We still have the night with us."

I had no idea why but I was looking forward to it.

"Tell me, signorina Jones. What do you usually do in a park?"

"Um..." I bit my lower lip nervously, "I used to play catch with my brother, have tea parties with my friend or simply take a run. Why do you ask?"

He blinked rapidly. "I am not the perfect person to play catch with you or do tea parties. I do apologise for that."

I giggled. "Apology accepted."

"But I am the perfect person when it comes to running. So how about we make a run for it? It would be a good exercise for both of us."

"What about Adrian?" I asked.

"My brother is not a child. He will not get lost in this park." He smirked.

I grinned mischievously. "To make a run, you have to leave my hand signore, and you haven't done that since morning."

Where in the world is this boldness coming from? I will never understand.

He smiled and drew imaginary circles on my hand. "I do not see why this act of holding hands would be an issue. I think it fits perfectly fine."

I blushed deep red. "I-It does, but I am more of a solo person. Like a freelance. You must be knowing it better than anyone else."

"A freelance, you say?"

"Si, capo."

"Hmm. It is true, but you are a very slow runner. You have low stamina."

I gasped. "I do not!" He gave me a bored look. "Okay, so maybe I do. I haven't done much sport in the past years now, have I? Don't look at me like that."

He shook his head in amusement. "Like what? Like you're the only woman in my eyes?"

I punched his arm. Oh God! He is back to his flirtatious ways again. "Stop teasing me, you dumbhead!"

Since when did we started getting along so well? Only a few months ago we were after each other's neck. Wow. Times have really changed.

He chuckled. "You are so easy to mess with."

"I am not! Stop being such a dork. It would really do me good."

"Right. Okay. I will stop it. We were talking about running and you having the stamina of a snail."

"Oh God," I groaned. "You know what? I am done. I am so done with you and your stupid teasing because that is the last thing I need for today."

I tried to walk away from him, but my forgetful self forgot that he is holding my hand. He pulled me straight into his arms.

I laughed nervously, my heart pounding in my chest. "Okay... I can see what's going on here and I would really appreciate it if you could just let me go."

"I do not see the point of letting go." He whispered.

I gulped as I looked around. "People are watching."

"Let them watch."

Is he out of his mind? "You are a well known man, capo. I do not wish to see tomorrow's headlines as 'The Agostini son caught doing naughty business with a woman.' I do not want to be a part of a scandal like that."

His chest rumbled as he had a throaty laugh. "Naughty business? Oh mio Dio. Amy, you really are something."

"I had no idea." I muttered to myself.

He wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me closer than I already was. "People might be watching us, signorina, but no word will be going out to the media. I am sure of it."

"How?" I asked. "You can't just buy an entire city, can you?"

"As intriguing as it sounds, I cannot. It requires a lot of time."

A short laugh escaped from my lips. "You're so full of yourself."

He frowned. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing? Because I can be less too, if you want."

"It depends." I shrugged. "If I can get my hands on the ice creams Adrian is supposed to get for us."

His brows furrowed. "I think we both know that their fate lies in the hands of my brother and it's not a good one."

"Absolutely." I grinned.

He looked over his shoulder. "Speak of my dear brother, there he is, holding our ice creams and looking for us."

I followed the direction of his gaze. "Oh thank God. I thought he ate it all."

"Race you to him?" He challenged.

I scoffed and very slowly, I removed my sandals. I felt the grass between my toes and it was amazing. "You said it yourself. I have low stamina. How can I possibly race against you?"

"That is true." He copied my movements by removing his shoes. "I am always ahead of you."

"Remember the time I outran your car back in California?" I stretched out my legs.

He stretched his arms. "Ah, si. I remember, but I was driving slowly. I was playing with you."

"What an awesome game it was, wasn't it?" I tilted my head slightly and pouted.

He smirked, his eyes having a knowing glint. "I won that game by catching you."

"Oh really?" A cruel smirk appeared on my face. "It was a game full of tricks and lies. You think you can catch me again?"

"I did it before and I won't hesitate to do it again." He declared arrogantly.

"THEN TAKE THIS!" I shouted as I made a run towards Adrian's direction. He saw me and simply shook his head when he saw his brother running after me.

I had no idea how, but I found myself screaming when I felt my feet off the ground as Leonardo twirled me, grabbing me by my waist. My mind spun.

"OH MY GOD! LEO! PUT ME DOWN!"

He laughed along with me and gave me another twirl before he put me down. "I did say that I will catch you before you even realise that I had caught you, didn't I?"

One sentence. Two different meanings. Two different situations. It surprised me a lot. It was like everything – the reality, the unexplained connection between us, our unspoken nights together, the first meeting, the looks we exchange whenever we pass by, my confused feelings, soft kisses and touches we share, the cruelty he had done to me and my broken ability to trust – was coming back to me in flashes. It made my heart throb with such intensity that my eyes watered.

I caressed his jaw with my knuckles and whispered, "Yeah. You did."

Vote and comment 😁

Bạn đang đọc truyện trên: AzTruyen.Top