15. Moth to a flame🥀
I froze on my spot for a few moments. I couldn't believe what he just said.
Did he really say that he was going to let me go?!
"You are going to release me?" I asked to make sure what he just said.
"Yes," He turned to the window again and took a big puff of his cigar. "I just need to make some arrangements. So, I would need three-four days."
I was going to be free! Finally! I should start dancing out of happiness. But why did I feel like my heart just dropped like a heavy stone? Suddenly I felt a little empty from inside. What was that feeling?
Was I disappointed that I had to go from there?!
From him?
No way! No!
I was not sad at all!
But I would really like to know why he changed his mind. He was so determined to keep me until he got his revenge on that Vincenzo guy.
Why did I have a feeling that last night's incident had a major role in his mind change?
"Why?" I cleared my throat. "I thought you would use me to get back on Vincenzo."
"About that, I gave it a little thought and decided to believe that you are telling us the truth. And also I got the information that Vincenzo really brought you from some auction a few days ago. So, I don't think Vincenzo will pay us back anything at all."
"So, you are saying I am completely worthless." I tried to smile. But failed.
He looked up and started into my eyes. He just bit his bottom lip as if he was suppressing his inner self. My eyes also searched into his.
He averted his eyes and looked outside of the window again.
"Now, if you can excuse me. I have some work to be done."
"Sure." I gulped hard to ease the lump feelings in my throat. "I won't disturb you anymore. I turned away and left. Without looking back.
When I came back to the dining table, Robert was gone. Bella was eating some dessert with a delightful expression on her face. I sat back on my seat while lost in some deep thoughts.
"...sme, Esme." I was brought back to reality when Bella called me out for a few times. "Try this out." She placed a small barley white pot in front of me. "Our chef, Giuseppe, makes the best Crème Brûlée in the world."
"Yeah," I tried to act cheerful. "Oh I love Crème Brûlée." I dipped my spoon in the pot, scooped up a big portion of it and put it in my mouth. The dessert instantly melted in my mouth. "Umm, delicious." I looked at Bella to find her looking at me disappointedly.
"That's not how you eat Crème Brûlée." She shook her head and took another pot. "Look, First you have to use the edge of your spoon to gently crack the hard sugar surface and scoop up some custard. Be sure to get both the brittle topping and the creamy custard in each bite."
"Oh come on," I laughed. "It's all about how you like you. Who cares how you eat."
"NO!" Bella scolded me strongly. "If you are going to eat Crème Brûlée, you have to eat it the right way." She handed me another pot. "Try again." She was in her strict teacher mode.
"Yes mam." I picked up another pot.
*~*~*~*~*~*~
The next day I got called again to Alex's study room. That time Robert was also present there. They stopped talking when I entered the room. The way they were talking it seemed like Robert was confronting Alex for some reason.
"So, Miss Shenton." Robert cleared his throat. "As you know that Alex wants to free you, we need you to know a few things before you get out of here."
"Yeah, I am listening." I took a seat in front of them.
"As you were brought here illegally and without any visa or passport, we can't send you back with the usual process. So we are thinking about sending you to the nearest police station with...."
While playing with the end of the hand rest of the leather chair I was seating, I stole a few glances at Alex and froze.
Alex was also staring back at me.
THWAP!
I abruptly turned to the source of the sound to find Robert was looking at me with an amused expression on his face.
"I am done talking. Did you understand what I said?"
"Yup." I nodded my head even though I didn't hear a single thing he said. "Just tell me what I have to do."
"You did not listen to me at all." He narrowed his eyes on me then glanced at Alex.
"I will leave you two for further discussion." He got up and slid his hands in pockets. "I have some important matters to attend to." He glanced at me for the last time and took his leave.
Robert turned his attention to me again. "If they ask you about our names, don't say anything."
"Don't worry, I won't tell the police about you guys." I sighed and focused on the conversation.
"Not even Vincenzo's name."
"What?! Why?!" I was a little shocked. "I thought you guys are enemy. Why are you protecting him now?"
"Every group has some inner source in police. So anyone find hat you tell police Vincenzo's name, it won't do any good to you. "
Right. I didn't think about that.
"I will just tell them until the attack." I started to tell them about my made up story. "Then how about I tell them I was hiding in their house....how long I am here again?"
"Two weeks."
"I can hide for two weeks in someone else's house, right?"
"Why not." Robert looked around with an amused smirk on his face. "Just tell me if anyone tries to stop you."
"You know, I really like you." I laughed.
"But I don't."
"You have no manners on how to be polite to a lady." I gave him a fake glare.
"And I don't need that shit." He smirked at me smugly. "Ladies already find me charming and pleasing."
"Too much self compliment." I rolled my eyes.
"That's the truth, amóre."
"I am leaving tomorrow, Bellé." I said to Bella as I snipped off a dried rose. We were having our little pruning time in the green house.
"What?" She was so shocked that she accidentally cut off a full bloomed rose. "Why?"
"What do you mean by why?" I chuckled softly. "I eventually have to return someday." I started to play with the snipper in my hand. "I can't stay here forever." A deep sigh came out without my consent.
"I am going to miss you." She looked really sad. "I will visit you, right?"
My finger stopped playing with the sniper on this question. There was not any chance that I could return there. Not when Alex was the one who was pushing me away.
But did I want to come back?
Even if I wanted to deny with my whole being that I didn't want to come back,
....I actually want to.
My inner self gasped in horror.
Did I lose my mind?! What was I thinking?!
I hate that place! I hate that I got kidnapped! And I hate Alex....
Alex.
I wouldn't see him anymore! Would he forget me if we wouldn't see each other for long.
PANG!
That thought made a sharp pain in my heart. It hurt so much that I had to clutch my chest. A drop of tear slowly slid down by my eyes.
I don't want to forget him!
"Esme, what's wrong?" Bella asked me panickily.
"Nothing," I smiled as I closed my eyes and slowly rubbed them. "I think something went into my eyes."
"Oh no!" I heard her gasping. "Alex, thank god you are here. Can you please take a look at her eyes. Something got into her eyes."
I snapped open my eyes to find Alex in front of us. Standing tall and straight.
"No, no. I am fine. I am fine." I quickly waved my hand.
"Of course, you are not." Bella scolded Alex. "What are you waiting for you giraffe? Hurry up."
Alex sighed and stepped forward towards me. The place where I was sitting was moist soil covered with emerald green thick moss. He kneeled down in front of me carefully with one leg and used another one to fold and placed his knee on that wet moss to keep his balance.
"Excuse me." He whispered and lifted up my face by using his two fingers under my chin. Our eyes drowned in each other's as our faces were only apart by merely a few inches. I could feel his hot breath on me.
His touch ignited something inside my heart as same as his manly odour, which made me realise that night's intense moments we shared together. I clenched my jaw to get my thoughts together. My fingers clutched on the wet moss and I could feel the soil slowly sipping inside my nails.
"I am going to give a little blow, alright?" He asked and I nodded. He huffed his cheeks a little which made his prominent Adam apple bobbed up.
Damn tempting!
I gulped hard to wet my dry throat.
As soon as he blew some hot air in my eye, a magical bubble burst inside my body. I felt thousands of electric waves run through my blood, to my brain which made every single brain cell explode in every direction.
My hands got up on their own and grasped his arm tightly. He stopped blowing and looked down on my hands which were holding on him dearly. He slowly looked up and asked me in a deep voice.
"You okay?"
Right that moment, right that place I made a decision.
I wanted to be with him.
I released a long deep breath, which I was holding for a long time and smiled at him.
"Yes, I am."
*~*~*~**~
I looked at the clock to see it was two a.m.
And I was still wide awake.
I couldn't help it. That was my last night there in that house. Every single nerve in my body was so active as if they just took a drive in some caffeine river.
I groaned and turned over to the side.
It was my last chance to go and talk to Alex. I had a strong belief that we had a strong connection from before.
I could understand that we started from the wrong foot because of some misunderstanding. But like I said it was a misunderstanding, and we could work on it and move on.
Right that moment a bond was created between us and I wanted to continue it. And I believe he also wanted the same.
I thought he was just waiting for me to take the first move.
Fine, I was a strong, independent woman. I could ask him out. There was no need for men to always have to take the first step.
I nodded my head, got up from my bed and walked out of my room. Because Alex decided to free me, there wasn't any guard outside of my room. I quietly and very cautiously tried to take every step as I crossed the long corridor.
Alex should have been in his room at this hour.
"A volte è davvero difficile capirti." I stopped at the entrance of the big hallway. I sneaked a little to see Robert and Alex at the bar counter, drinking together.
"Believe me, I know what I am doing." Alex said and drank some of his drink.
"E che cos'è, esattamente?"
"Come on, she is not Vincenzo's woman. What could we have used for her?"
"Quindi la stai rilasciando solo perché è utile, come pensavamo che fosse?" Robert narrowed his eyes at Alex. Alex stopped drinking and looked at Robert.
"Stop beating around the bushes and just say what you wanted to say."
"So, you are not pushing her away because she is slowly starting to grow on you?"
"What nonsense are you talking about?"
"Don't tell me you didn't notice that this almost fifteen minutes we are talking, you only talked in English."
Alex was about to take a sip of his drink, but Robert's words made him stop.
Robert smirked. "You know you can't hide anything from me, right?"
Alex slowly and silently put down his glass on the counter and rubbed his face out of frustration. I clutched the door frame as I was waiting for his answer eagerly.
"Yes, you are right." Alex said. "She had grown on me."
I felt butterflies inside my tummy.
"That's...a good thing." Robert looked happy. "Then why are you pushing her away?"
"Can't you understand, I am losing myself for her." Alex slammed his fist on the counter. "I am becoming obsessive over her and it isn't really me."
"Alex, it is natural to become possessive of the person you like."
"Vincenzo never brought any woman in his bedroom, but he brought her there."
"So?" Robert looked confused.
"What I am saying is I don't want to be the moth to a flame." Alex straightened on his seat. "I will simply eliminate her from my sight, before she blights my heart with a desire to make her mine."
My hand slowly slid down the door frame as my mind became blank out of angst.
*~*~*~*~*~
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