Word count: 2911

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*

The last few weeks had been hectic, needless to say. I had been going from one event to the other because Mrs Ritalin, aka Eros's mother had invited me to this and that event.

And each and everyone of them, I had been introduce to people she thought I needed to know. But those people were quite much to the extent that I just mostly forgot their names immediately we were done with the said introduction.

Today, I would be going on dress shopping with Malia and Eros's mom so I needed to get out of bed and prepare.

Eros's grandmother had began to warm up to me ever since we cooked together the few days after the dinner I had with his family. 

She now called to check on me more often even than Luca did. Also on several occasions, I'd done the calling as well, wanting to know how she was doing and sometimes giving her some travel tips which I knew would be beneficial to her ageing body.

All this seemed to please her greatly but I wasn't even trying to be a people pleaser, like she might be thinking. That was the normal thing I did with my own mother and with my friends whenever they were on a journey so it came off as a natural thing for me to do.

The blinking of my bangles as I fished them out of my jewelry case must have woken Eros because I felt him turn and shift behind me on the bed and I groaned internally.

It'd have been better if he could get some more sleep because he hadn't gotten enough sleep for two days straight due to the office works. He'd been spending so many evenings in his study and then migrating into the room in the middle of the night to cuddle me and sleep off.

We now sometimes slept over at his penthouse, with was one of the few houses at the Second Grand Avenue.

He told me that he preferred us staying there because he didn't want our relationship to have anymore lies or deceit but whenever he felt I was being too far away from him, he would sometimes come over to the house which he'd moved into when we just met.

I felt the warmth of a hard surface on my back and subconsciously leaned into the touch, smiling.

"You're getting ready now? Stay for a bit and cuddle me." The croaky, husky voice came behind me.

He pecked my back and I restrained a shudder, heaving a contented sigh.

"Eros, you know I can't. Your sister and mom will get to the store before me and I don't want that to happen. I'm still trying to break the cycle of me getting late to events." I explained  His offer was very tempting but I had to be on my way real soon. It was already past twelve and we had to meet there by two.

"I'll drive you there, kiss me please."

I rolled my eyes and shrugged him off with a playful laugh. "Nope. The hickey you left on my thigh after asking for a simple 'kiss' yesterday morning is just fading, you liar. Keep your lips to yourself."

"It's fading? Maybe I need to leave another one on that luscious thigh then." He raised a brow with a doting expression on his face but I flipped him the bird and went into his bathroom to have a quick shower.

I then exited it and applied some body cream. Next, I walked into my walk-in closet to change into my undies before putting on a red palazzo pant and a white silk shirt.

I left the spacious closet filled with clothes, bags, shoes, make-up accessories and jewelries he'd gotten for me and returned into the room to comb my hair.

It was getting very long again, almost going past my butt since I hadn't trimmed it in a while.

Our hairs easily grew out in the Alfonsi household but I also liked keeping long hairs anyway. Except when they got tangled and it became so frustrating to even dig my hands through.

"Let me come with you. I'll get ready too in a bit." Eros was already taking off his sweatpants and white tee as he spoke. I ogled his body in a dreamy state. He had tats from his elbow upwards and it trailed to his back to form the image of average male sized palms clasped together holding a rosary. But there was no single drop of ink on his torso. Just his upper arms and back.

The drawings on his upper arms were words written in Italian language, most of which I knew.

"I know you like what you see, I'm fulfilled as a man." Eros said slyly and my cheeks reddened as I looked away quickly. How long had I been staring at him anyway? "What do you say baby? Let's go together. Tell my mom you're coming with me instead."

He smiled and his dimples popped out.

Holy jeez! Staring at the sight of a tatted man taking off his clothes, with abs in all the right places, I almost forgot how to breathe at the gorgeous sight.

I looked away and applied some oil to my scalp, needing to do something so I wouldn't keep staring stupidly. "It's not right to see the bride in her bridal gown before the wedding day. Also, I can't ditch your mom. She has planned to see this day since forever and she is even more excited about this than I am."

"Okay, I'll just follow you since I'll be bored at home anyway." Eros shrugged and ruffled his hair with one hand, eyeing me with those beautiful hazel eyes. My eyes fleetingly glanced at his upper arm as his muscle flexed and I blinked.

You little horny shit, keep it in your pants, I warned myself.

"Really?" I stared at him with incredulous eyes but my excitement dampened when I remembered the huge pile of work on the table in his study room waiting for his attention. "I think you should concentrate more on your work for most of today so you can get a good sleep later tonight. You slept very late this morning."

"That's why I took today off. I need the rest and you're my stress reliever, I just don't know how you do it." He complained with teasing glint in his eyes but I ignored him and oiled the rest of my hair before stretching it with the electric stretcher.

Combing my hair was equivalent to fighting a battle so even throughout the time when Eros went in to have his shower and later came out and then went into his walk in closet to get dressed, I was still combing.

He stepped out minutes later looking too good for my eyes in black suit with deep blue tee peeking beneath the suit jacket. He styled his hair with one hand and took a pose with a hand in his pocket while raising a brow and I all but panted like a bitch in heat.

When I caught myself, I nodded in affirmation.

This was our routine whenever we woke up together. We'd never tried to have sex but Eros would always sleep with me by his side most of the time and I would wake up with us moulded against each other. We had made out a lot of times though and our connections was getting stronger by the day.

"Do I need a neck tie?" His question came out calmly.

"No you don't...yeah you do, put one on." I changed my mind, feeling like the tie would make his outfit perfect.

"Choose for me."

I approached him and he kissed my lips before leading me back into his walk in closet. The ties were all arranged in rows with each color a bit different in shade from the other one. It was the same with his wrist watches and eyeglasses. On the right corner was a rack full of all colors of shoes.

My hand caressed the neatly arranged neckties till they landed on one white necktie which had tiny dark blue dots and I nodded. It would go with the dressing.

He led us out of the closet and we stood at the center of his gigantic room. 

I helped him knot the tie and we left together with my face bare since I would be changing gowns and I didn't want to get the whites dirty.

Not long after his driver hit the road, Eros pulled out some papers from a blue folder and brought out the files.

"Have you seen the invitation card?"

"No. My mum is coming over to Stephano's place tomorrow so I've asked her to bring it along."

"Or you could've just asked her to send a house help. Anyway, have you given her the list of your friends and associates?"

"Yep. I had it typed and sent since three days ago. You?"

"Same. Your hair has gotten longer. What style would you put it in on that day?" His eyes raked over my form and I swallowed thickly, not used to the attention I was receiving since I'd never had this deep connection but I loved every bit of his eyes on me.

"You shouldn't be telling me that."

"Why? I'm wondering how long it'll take me to undo it so I can dig my hands into your soft hair while kissing you." He moved closer while speaking, his hazel eyes darting between my eyes and my lips.

His actions left me breathless and I wondered if it would always be like this around him.

"Eros!" I blushed when I had no words to counter his questions and he chuckled. "You'll know when the time comes. I'm not telling you that."

"Whatever. I'll end up putting my hands through the pins and taking them out so I can see your beauty again as we make sweet love anyway. I can't wait to see you in the gown, spread over the sheets. I'll kiss you all night and then make sweet love to you till we're both jelly like." He groaned and I blushed, feeling shy all of a sudden. "What?" He asked innocently.

I just shrugged without saying anything though I kept thinking of our wedding day too. Jitters filled my stomach as I wondered what I would look like that day. A very beautiful bride, obviously.

"How's the preparation going for you? I hope you're not stressing yourself." He picked my hand and placed soft kisses on it, making my breath come in heavy pants as his lips moved expertly over my skin.

I tried to be casual and smiled before pulling my hand away.

"Our mothers are doing most of the preparations. But I have gotten the number of the event planner and also the cake designer. I don't want any mishaps on that day."

"Whatever these mothers are in charge of can't have any mishaps. Have you seen the excitement on their faces whenever they mention the wedding? I mean, 'our wedding'?

I nodded and bit my upper lip in excitement. Butterflies still fluttered in my stomach whenever I thought back to the day Eros had proposed to me.

A simple proposal but nonetheless surprising. We'd been on a yacht, making out with heated passion when he popped the question and there were no paparazzi to capture the moment or family members to gush and tease us, just myself and Eros.

And that had been more than perfect for me. Even though we still hadn't made love, we'd gotten close to it several times. Each time, we would get interrupted either by an emergency at work or my mom suddenly calling incessantly just to seek my opinion on the shape and origin of the cups they could use in serving the guests. Like that would matter!

One time Eros almost smashed his ringing phone on the wall in utter frustration and another time, Luca had paid him a surprise visit. The mention of his grandfather alone had caused his erection to go flat in one minute.

Now, our wedding was due to happen in the second week of February, three months away. There was nothing holding us back since we were attracted to each other even though we met in October.

According to Eros and Stephano, the stalker issue had been resolved. Stephano also told me that Luca gave him a hard time for not telling him anything about the stalking earlier on and even Eros's grandmother wasn't pleased with both Eros and Stephano when she got to know about it.

She was an ex military officer and was clearly offended to know that some hooligan was toying with her future granddaughter in-law. I found it all funny, considering the fact that she made me know she didn't like me at first. Or so she made me believe.

When we got to the building and drove into the parking lot, the lot had only a few cars compared to how full it usually was on a normal day. Two bodyguards from the other day when I had followed Eros to Benjamin Coquito's place were waiting already and we walked into the building together. 

Nate also appeared just as we got in and Eros took a few minutes to speak with them in hushed tones while I just sat beside him on the sofa at the lobby and looked around since I had never been to this part of the mall before. I absentmindedly looked around and waited for his mom and sister.

A male attendant in white shirt and black pants who had been sneaking glances me since we got in finally approached me. He was on low cut and was heavily built. There was a cut mark on his left eyebrow which added to his rugged look. 

"Welcome to Springs and Blossom ma'am, what would you like to get for yourself or your loved one? Should I take you around or have you visited our mall before?"

I nodded and got up from the chair, motioning to Nate that I would be back in a jiffy because he'd consistently brought his eyes to me where I was sat even though Eros was addressing him.

"Yes, I'm here to test some wedding gowns for fitting and maybe get some other bridal materials as I'll see fit. Could I have a female attendant guide me through that?" I asked, not liking the weird vibe I was getting from him even though he hadn't even done anything.

He nodded. "Yes sure miss. Charlie?"

A girl cat walked over, putting on a similar outfit. "Yes ma'am, what would you like to buy and from which of our bridal wears?"

She smiled at me and I returned the smile. Just then, Eros's mom and Malia his sister appeared in my line of sight.

"Excuse me for one second."

I left the attendants and hurried to give the both of them warm hugs and we immediately started chatting. I looked over to Eros and realized he was now coming towards us.

The other men in black suits left the store but Nate stood on the same spot I had left him in minutes ago, his gaze watchful and alert.

"Don't you have work?" Eros's mom asked him with a sneaky smile.

Eros shrugged and just pecked his mom and sister on the cheeks respectively.

We told him to wait at the reception area and went off to speak to the lady from earlier and have them lead us to the store but I caught sight of a beautiful hairpin which looked somewhat ancient but of good quality. It was among several hairpins of different shapes and sizes in a large show glass.

There had to be at least a hundred of them in it. I was immediately attracted to this pretty hairpin and knew I had to go back and get it ASAP. 

"Just a second, ladies. I saw something grandma will obviously like." I told them both as they were speaking with the attendant and went back the store since we'd passed it. There was no attendant here so I took a few seconds to appreciate it.

"Well well well, if it isn't the famous fiance of Eros Del Peiro." A baritone voice suddenly came from behind me and just as I was turning around at the sound of the voice, a whimper escaped my lips as something instantly stung me in the neck before I could even move.

My eyes became blurry and I struggled to fight the hold that was immediately clasped on my midsection but I was loosing my strength.

"Eros...Eros..." I called weakly, struggling to hold onto a bit of my strength so I could at least turn around.

But my strength failed me because the more I fought, the harsher the person's grip on my midsection became. Coupled with that, my eyes stopped cooperating as I tried to keep them open.

And then I let out a forced groan, slipping into darkness.

*

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