James & Alessandro Part 13

The poor man let out a keen blood-curdling cry, alerting the rest of the workers and luring them out of their lofts. They paled at the horrifying sight that took place in front of them. Their eyes wide and confused about how this could even happen.

Tears dripped out of the widespread eyes of the man whose hand got impaled with the sharp utensil that belonged to the restaurant. His body raked with uncontrollable tremors as he reached for the knife stuck in his hand, trying to pull it out while gnashing down on his bottom lips only to realize that it was futile as Alessandro had used such a force to strike the knife down it was impossible to pull it out.

"M-My h-hand!" The waiter's legs lost their strength, and he flopped down, gazing helplessly at his hand that was still stuck to the table and bleeding profusely.

"There's one thing that you should know," Alessandro glanced at the waiter's name plate before continuing to speak in a demeaning manner. "Gary. I don't like sharing mine things with anyone, so when I see a rodent touching or even looking at what is mine, I have no choice but to exterminate it. Use the money unless you don't want to use your hand again."

If my brain wasn't so doped, my eyes would have dilated from shock, but instead I was spectating the bloody scene with a calming look while gulping down the water given to me. More than surprised, it impressed me how strong Alessandro was for being able to impale the guy's hand to the table.

"Are you able to walk by yourself?" Came the soft tone of Alessandro. His warm breath wafting against the shell of my ear to set an unwanted shiver down my spine.

"Of coursssee I can." I responded with a confident tone, but my words came out slurred. Informing Alessandro with enough information that I wasn't capable to stand on my own two feet and with no further words he hooked one of his arms under my knees while using his other arm to support my back and hoist me up as he stood, bringing forth a startled yelp from my lips.

Carrying me in his arms, Alessandro was on his way to stride out of the restaurant, ignoring the commotion which he caused. Walking past the hostess, the woman stopped him as she spoke with haste and worry, freighting her voice.

"I am so sorry for what one of our new employees did. I will make sure that something like this won't happen again. I hope that this won't stop you from visiting our place again, Mr. Valentino." Instead of calling the ambulance for one of her wounded employees, she was bowing her head apologetically at Alessandro, who didn't even spare her a glance.

I guess the fearsome name Valentino has reached every corner of Italy; I thought as I watched the sheen of sweat appear on the hostess forehead.

"We will see." Alessandro hummed indifferently before walking out of the restaurant and calling the chauffeur to pick us up. In a matter of few minutes, the limousine pulled up in front of the restaurant and Alessandro placed me inside before taking a seat himself and closing the door.

As the driver drives off, Alessandro pulled me back on his lap, bringing his hand up to stroke my head soothingly from crown to back. "How are you feeling?"

"I feel warm and slightly disoriented, but not disoriented enough to not stay seated in my place. So can you let me go?" I said, trying to wiggle myself free from his securing hold.

He pushed his bottom lip out as he gave this puppy-look, and I felt the small hairs on my nape standing up at the disturbing view. Why the hell is he trying to act cute!?

"But I don't want to let you go. Having you in my arms feels just right. Don't you think so?" He whined as he tightened his arms around me and, as if on cue, my rigid muscles loosen, and I found myself relax in his hold. The smell of his cologne brought me even further from reality, turning my eyelids heavy. I could easily fall asleep like this-

"Do you like me?"

And now I'm completely sober and don't feel sleepy anymore. My eyes locked with the curious blue-green eyes. "Don't you feel ashamed for asking me that question, knowing fully well that I am drunk?" I queried, raising my brows at him accusingly.

"It's when you ask them at the most unexpected moments that they will be the most honest. So do you like me?" He prodded. My lips parted to tell him I didn't like him, but I reluctantly closed them again and bit the inside of my cheek in a profound thought.

If it was a few days ago, I would have told him to dream on without hesitation. But now, whether it's because of my intoxicated mind or the alluring but calming scent of his cologne, I found it difficult to say no.

I sighed as I slumped further down in his hold, already mentally slapping myself for what I was going to say. "I will not say yes or no, but I tolerate your existence."

Alessandro chuckled lightly and tucked my head under his chin, hugging me tight as to shelter me from the cold even though the heater in the limousine was on.

The sound of the vehicle's engine was like a lullaby singing me to sleep, and whenever we went over a speed bump, it felt like I got rocked to sleep. My mind wandered off to dreamland as my heavy eyelids finally shut themselves and my head swayed together with the vehicle whenever it took a turn.

A despondent sigh sounded from above my head, followed by fingers taking a few locks of my hair between them. "Somehow with you, things never go as planned." Alessandro's voice was barely above a whisper as he thought I had fallen asleep and didn't want to wake me up. "I didn't plan to ask those overbearing questions, but when you mentioned those past relationships I…" I felt his chest vibrate beneath my head as he tried to contain his growl. "I just want to make you realize that I'm different from them. That I will treat you the way that you deserve."

The tenderness that was hidden between the surface of his quiet, even tones, made my body warm all over again. Or maybe it was the beverage that still hadn't left my system yet. There's no way that I could become his, not when there's a place that I must go back to, but my hammering heart wanted to witness the proof that this man had the offer to me. That he was truly different from them.

I stirred slightly in his hold, and his fingers stopped playing with my hair. My lips muttered words of a sleep talker. "I may start to like you more if you at least make it able for me to walk outside around the house." I suggested with a drowsy-soaked voice.

I couldn't see Alessandro's expression as my eyes were closed, but his laughter that was light and laced with a hum of amusement at my sleep talk.

"Sleep Bambino." Said Alessandro before planting a kiss on the top of my head and stroking it with his hand. "Sleep."

And that's what I did. I slept peacefully while listening to the calm beating sound of Alessandro's heart.

….

"Have you finally decided to become our Comare?" Came the inquiring chirpy voice of Piero, who sat opposite of me at the long dining table. Not expecting his sudden question, the soup that was about to enter my mouth dripped off the spoon back into the bowl as I spaced out. Alessandro and Antonio, who were also present at the table, turned their attention to me as they waited for me to respond to the question.

"No, of course not. Who gave you that idea?" My nose wrinkled up as if the food that I was eating had turned sour and placed my spoon down in the bowl.

"Well," Piero drawled, twisting his spoon in his bowl. "Tomorrow is the due day of the bet and you have been pretty tame the past couple days." He remarked with a palpable grin on his face.

After the first date, Alessandro took me out on different dates and our dynamic has taken a different turn ever since then. For one, they finally granted me permission to walk around in the front and backyard of the house under the supervision of Bear, but I am not complaining. Antonio hasn't been frowning anymore whenever he saw me and wore a stoic complex instead. Piero was still his weird self.

The side of my face was burning from receiving the intense stare that came from Alessandro, and I shifted my gaze to lock with his. I had seen many sides of this man. Like an onion, every time I peeled a layer, a new one would be discovered and the process of it was exhilarating. To see his standard aloof expression spring to a one of care or worry when it came to me was fun in a way where I couldn't help myself but tease him with it. And somewhere along the way, I lost sight of my goal to have my concept of time be twisted, where I forgot the existence of the bet.

What have I been doing all this time!? I groaned inwardly at my idiotic self, who just went with the flow and never broke out of it.

"Don't act like you guys have won the battle, you happy face." Bringing the spoon out of the bowl, I used it to point at Piero with a narrowing look in my eyes. His eyelashes fluttered with his blinking eyes as surprise overtook his face. He brought his index finger up and pointed at himself whilst turning his head to Antonio, asking him, "With happy face, does she mean me?"

"Who else keeps grinning from ear to ear like a fool if it isn't you?" Antonio rolled his eyes at him, shaking his head while looking heavenward as if he was asking God why he was still working with Piero.

"Besides, as long as I don't catch any feelings for Alessandro, I still win the bed." I pointed out. Disappointment puckered Piero's lips as he pushed his bottom lip out, brooding as he grumbled under his breath. And for a moment, I saw my mind playing tricks on me by placing withered dog ears on his head.

Is he a dog?

While Piero was wallowing in his own solemn thoughts, I noticed how Alessandro's attention hadn't shifted from me and turned my head to look at him with raised brows. "What?" I barked with a slight irritation in my voice as I felt my patients slipping between my fingers. "If you have something to say, then say it-"

"You still call me mafia boy. When are you going to call me by my name?" He remarked.

That's what bothers you? I stared at him ludicrously before I shoved my chair back and stood up. "How about never since you won't see me anymore after tomorrow. I'm done eating." All their gazes followed me in silence, how I excused myself and left the dining room.

Watching how the sun was descending from the sky releasing its golden glow, I was sitting down on the lawn of the front yard, gazing aimlessly at the front gate that bordered the mansion off from the town. With knees pulled to my chest and arms wrapped around my legs, I rested my chin on my knees, closing my eyes and enjoying the change of temperature in the soft breeze from warm to cold as the sun was setting down.

A blaring sound of hard core rock music startled me in snapping my eyes open and turning my head around to realize that this was the ringtone of Bear's phone who has been guarding me this whole time. This man could go through the day without being verbal, making the surrounding people wonder whether he was mute, but then he comes with this unprecedented side of his where he likes the aggressive sounds of distorted electric guitars.

Bear shifted his gaze between his phone and me with a frantic look as his movement became jittery. It must be an important phone call if he is acting like this, I pondered.

Letting out a sigh, I called the man who seemed lost, and I wondered to myself how he ever landed himself in this occupation, which didn't seem suited for his bunny-like personality. "Bear, just take the phone call. I will be fine. I was planning to go back inside anyway and it's not like I can run away, right?" Pointing at the collar around my neck, I offered the big man a smile. There was a splash of reluctancy in his eyes but he gave me a nod anyway and went away to pick up his call, leaving me alone. Confirming that bear was nowhere insight I went back to gazing at the horizon. When I felt a sudden drop of temperature after a certain time of me plucking the grass from their spots out of boredom decided that it was time to go back inside when my ears picked up the sudden sound of something sharp cutting through the air.

I jumped away on time before that something could graze me to see the head of the arrow stuck in the ground next to me with a note tied around its tail. Worry puckered the skin between my brows and my head whipped around to find no one.

Unwrapping the note around the arrow and unfolding it to read the words written on it, the corner of my lips turned down, my fingers clenched down on the paper, crumbling it unwittingly.

"So here's where you have been hiding, Oiran, after failing to accomplish your mission. It seems you have been getting cozy with the people inside the house. I wonder if it still stays the same after tomorrow."

They have found me.