Chapter 12 When I keep saying the wrong thing

I threw the pillows stacked in the shape of Mia's body under the linen onto the floor. "Fuck!" I shout as I batter towards where my phone laid on the ground and grab it on my way outside texting Achille to get the word out that Mia was gone and I wanted her found. "What the fuck am I paying you for?" I grab the first man I see standing outside on the pathway leading to the cars.

"Tell me how the fuck Mia can just walk out of here without any of you stopping her." I shout as I run him into the wall.

"Boss." Two other men drag me off of him. "Carlo said that you knew." Lorenzo's words charred into my ears as I let go of Luca.

"Call him and tell him to bring her back now." I order kicking the garden gnome into pieces. "And get rid of the fucking gnomes." I hated the fucking things.

"He is not answering." Lorenzo notifies me.

"Then why the fuck are you still standing here?" Go fucking find her!" I shout as I head to my car. Suddenly four black Trofeo's flood the road with me following behind them until we reach the first traffic lights. We separate in our own directions.

"Brother, what the fuck did you do?" Achille's voice echoed through my car as soon as I hit the highway. I didn't know where to start or where to go, but if she was with Carlo she was planning on going home.

"Why the fuck would you assume that I did anything?" I snare as I swift through the cars.

"She is not a runner Ben."

"She had help. Carlo is with her."

"I will activate the tracker." I listen to him as he enters data onto his screen and after a while, a red blip appears on the screen of the car's radio. "Got it?"

"Yes." I turn the car around and head back towards the opposite side. He is heading for Genoa. I was kind of hoping that he would try to jump a plane with her, but I guess the waters are safer.

"Brother..." I breathe I am going to kill him.

"I know." Achille answers as I change the gears and the Maserati gets lighter underneath me. It was like he read my mind. He knew me very well. Sometimes better than I know myself. He was right from the start, she meant something to me. "Luca is closing in on them." My brother informs me.

"Tell him to pull them over, I don't care what happens to Carlo, but if one of them lay a hand on her they are as good as dead. He should call me the moment they are ceased." I end the call to leave Achille to do his work.

I push my foot harder on the pedal as I watch the red blip on the screen. She was that red blip. I fly by more cars as I near the blip on my screen when my phone starts ringing through the stereo."Put her on the phone." I bark the moment I answer the call.

I heard some muffled sounds and then it was quiet, but I could hear her breathing. "Mia," I spoke but she didn't reply. She was mad. "I am on my way to you. If you leave now you are on your own. I won't come to you. I won't think of you ever again." I promised her. If she wants to go home so badly she should go, but this time I won't stop her. I will not spend any more of my time or money to help her. It felt like a knife stabbed through my chest; as I listened to her breathe over the line. "Mia. I am sorry for touching you like that. I promise not to touch you again, ever." I gave her my word. I would not ever lay my hands on her like that even if she begs me. I won't touch her. "Give the phone back to Luca."

"Boss?"

"Let her loose. If she walks away don't stop her. Give her the keys to Carlo's car and let her go." I end the call. It felt like my heart dropped into my stomach. I turn the GPS off. I didn't want to know what she decided. If that blip starts to move again I don't know how I might respond.

My eyes scan over the scene of the two SUV's parked alongside the road. Carlo's car was still here, but I didn't see her. Where the fuck was she. I withdraw the gun from the side as I walk towards where Luca had Carlo suspended in the back seat of his car. "Boss." He started but there wasn't enough time for him to explain anything before I pulled the trigger and a bullet pierced through his head. There was no goggling, no panting. He was shot dead on the spot. Blood seeped across his face as his head fell back.

"Take care of him." I bark as I turn on my heels heading back to my car ignoring Luca calling after me. I wasn't in the mood for any more explanations or stories. I wanted to go to Tomasso's club and drink myself into oblivion.

"Benvenuto!" The sound of my name rolling over Mia's tongue made me stop in my tracks. Did she stay? "I am sorry." Her breathing was elevated.

"Get in the car." I ordered as I open the passenger side door for her.

"I really am sorry. I overreacted. I just..."

"You just what?" I turn towards her as I close my car door. "You call me the Mafioso and claim that I am this horrible person, yet you defy me. You throw yourself at me every chance you get, yet when I give you what you are obviously begging for, you run away from me." The car roars into life and I turn hard on the steering wheel turning the car around before I push the car to its limit. Mia didn't say anything, but I could see that she was scared. She obviously didn't like speed, but I didn't care. I needed away to get rid of my anger. "You fucking drive me crazy!"

"I said that I am sorry." A hint of annoyance attaches her voice. She didn't look sorry. I was about to answer her when my phone started ringing. I wanted to ignore it, but her shaky forefinger swiped over the screen when she saw Achille's name.

"Ben, you need to slow down. Take the next exit." I immediately do as I am told. My brother wouldn't call me just to tell me to slow down. Something was happening. "Luca will meet you there."

"Why?" Mia made her presence known.

"Ciao, Mia. I am glad you are back. My brother almost cried when he realized you were missing." He chuckles through the stereo.

"Concentrate," I warn him as I take the exit into a quieter street. "Where to now?"

"Take the next right." He instructs me before continuing his conversation with Mia. "Are you planning on leaving soon?"

"No. I will stay." She shrug. "For now." She adds her eyes taunting me, but I don't react.

"Good. Next time you're in the mood for a speedy car chase rather give me a call. Turn right." He orders and I do as he says. "At the end of the street, you will see where you are headed, park at the back." He instructs. "And Mia... have fun." He adds before ending the call.

"Please tell me we are entering through the front this time." Mia cocks her head to the side as she watches me park the car at the back of the building.

"Why would you want to go in at the front when you can easily enter through the back?" I question her curiously.

"Because I have been at clubs like this in New York and usually I stood outside for hours as I watch rich people walk by and suddenly they are allowed in and by my guess tonight I will receive the special treatment. If you know what I mean." She wiggles her eyebrows weirdly.

"That was fun!" Mia's voice screech over the loud music. That was not fun. I don't see why we had to walk around the place to enter freely when we could have entered through the back freely. "Let's get something to drink." She screams as she drags me through a crowd of people towards the bar.

"We don't sit here." I utter once we reach the bar. She stares at me confused and I point towards the upper deck that is covered with one-sided mirror glass.

"Cool!" She shouts back and darts for the stairs where a man stood guarding the entrance. I watch her struggle to get a pass for a while. Her finger pointing into the man's face as she threatened him. I couldn't hear what she was saying, but I am sure the guy was about to throw her out so I stepped forward and once he saw me behind her he apologized and let her pass.

"Did you see that?' She purrs once we step onto the top floor and the music dies out. "I think I learned a few things from you."

"I am sure you did." I smile letting her take the credit before showing her towards an empty lounge chair in the corner. I waited for her to sit before I took the seat opposite her. I was trying to keep my distance.

"Old Armour for you sir?" The young woman questions and I nod my head before she places the glass of fine whiskey on the small table beside me. "And for the lady?" She turns her head to Mia.

"You know what, give me that." Mia bends forward and wraps her fingers around my glass and swallows it. "Keep them coming." She coughs and the waitress who seems to be stunned by her behavior nods as she returns for more. "Normally the women get served first." She snaps as she places the empty glass back on the table.

"Benvenuto, it has been ages." Theo takes a seat next to me. "Who is this lovely lady?" He extends his hand in Mia's direction taking her hand into his and plants a kiss on the top of her hand as she introduces herself. "You should join us at our table."

"Maybe we will." Mia smiles.

"We are waiting for someone. We are not staying long." I interject.

"Another time then." Theo shakes my hand and sends a kiss to Mia before heading back to his table.

"What was that all about?" Mia wanted to know.

"He traffics girls like you." I snare at her. "I might accept the offer when he sends it." I mock her mimicking Theo as I send her a kiss.

"That is not funny." She looked horrified. "I don't like it upstairs. Achille said I should have fun and this is not fun. This is boring." She rises to her feet in the air bringing them down quickly as she pushes her body up.

I had to take giant steps to keep up as Mia ran down the stairs and onto the dance floor, which was where I stopped. I walk towards the bar ordering the half-naked woman serving drinks to get me a bottle from upstairs. I doubt they serve what I drink down here. She willingly does as she is told the smile on her face told me.

I find a seat at the bar where I could keep an eye on Mia who was now bouncing around like a crazy animal. I couldn't drag my eyes off of her for a second as her body moved from side to side, her black curls bouncing off her shoulders. She is such a beautiful mess. An unknown face wearing the same uniforms the waiters wear upstairs block my view as she places two glasses on the bar, her body inches away from me. "I asked for the bottle." I grab onto her arm holding her steady with a tight grip.

"I am sorry sir, but we don't serve by the bottle." She informs me shouting over the music and me with a movement of my wrist I pull her closer to me so that I didn't need to shout.

"I get served how the fuck I desire." I speak directly into her ear. "And tell Theo I said nice try." I let go of her arm. Theo was a pig, but he loved to party. He is always conning his way into friendships by throwing his money around. Lucky for me I didn't need his money or his kind gestures; I can bet my life that those drinks had more in them than just whiskey. Like I said he was a party guy.

My eyes scan through the people searching for Mia when I spot her at the other side of the bar with some drunken fool doing shots. She must have felt my eyes on her because she suddenly started right into my eyes. I didn't do anything. I just looked at her, but fire flashed in her eyes as she stomps over to me, her arms at her sides and her hands in fists. "So you are allowed to have fun, but I wasn't?" She screams as she places her hands on her hips. I wasn't going to say anything, I know how she gets when I open my mouth and I was not in the mood for one of her fits so I just kept my eyes on her. "I saw you with that waitress." She points her forefinger at me. "Two can plan that game." She ends the one-sided conversation as she purposely sways her ass onto the dance floor.

She mouthed some unfamiliar song's lyrics at me as she threw her arms in the air and move her hips from the one side to the other and back matching the beat when the same guy she did shots with wraps his hands around her waist. He pushed his front against her back matching every move she makes. My first reaction was to walk over there and break his arms, but I fought against it with every fiber in my being. I gave her my word that I would not touch her again because I wasn't her boyfriend and that meant that she could be with whoever she wanted to be. I am not allowed to get jealous or intervene so I did the only thing I could do. I picked up one of the glasses Theo send and lifted it up in the air towards Mia in a manner of cheers before I place it down beside me again not taking a sip. I didn't trust Theo.

"Boss." Luca broke my line of sight. "What are you doing down here?" He questions confused as I sat alone, but I point my head towards Mia and he nods in understanding.

"Tell Lorenzo to keep his eye on her, but he shouldn't intervene." I order once I am on my feet. Then I head out to the back where a soundproof room is located.

"What happened?" I bark when Luca and my brother both enter the room.

"You fucking shot him in the car." I wasn't sure if it was a question or a statement as Achille steps in front of me. "On the side of the road with passing cars." He continued. It was already dark out and there wasn't much traffic passing. He is overreacting.

"Did anybody see anything?" I question him as I step up against him. He was mad at me.

"Someone called the fucking cops." He swears.

"Someone called in suspicious activity." Luca pushes in between me and my brother.

"We had to clean up your mess. Get your shit in order." Achille orders.

"Step back!" I order and after a few seconds, he takes a step back. This was the first time Achille has ever spoken freely in front of my men, but he was right. When it came to Mia I took chances that I otherwise would never have done. My personal feelings were affecting my judgment. "I overstepped." I admit.

"Boss." The door flung open revealing a very drunken Mia flopped over Lorenzo's shoulder. "I caught her trying to sneak out."

"Take her to the car and keep her there. I don't care if you have to bind her." I scold diverting my attention back to Luca and Achille. How the fuck was I supposed to keep my personal life from my work when she popped up everywhere? "Is the car at the pound?"

"The car has been dealt with. There is nothing leading it to you. Go take care of your woman." Achille throws a set of keys at me. "Take my car. I will bring your car as soon as it is cleared."

I heard Mia mumbling as soon as I get near the car. She was giving Lorenzo crap about how he couldn't just keep her here and how disrespectful he was. She called him names; I was surprised that he didn't gag her. "I've got it from here." I thank Lorenzo as I get into the front seat of the car.

"Oops... better go. The boss is here." Mia pouts as Lorenzo gets out of the backseat and then closes the door. "I like him." She continues giving me details about how strong he was and how he picked her up in his strong arms and carried her to the car. "He is kind of cute." She adds as I drive us home. I ignored her as she sat with her hands bound at her back talking about Lorenzo the whole ride home. There were a few times that I wanted to gag her myself, but I wanted to get home more.

"Mia!" My patience was wearing thin as I try to get her out of the car and into the house she was kicking and biting my back as I tried to keep my balance and not let us fall.

"Are you going to leave me like this?" She pants as I throw her onto her bed and turn away from her heading for the door. Yes, I am leaving her like that. I am tired and she sure as hell couldn't be trusted to not do something stupid.

I struggled to fall asleep at first with Mia's constant singing next door, but somewhere between Britney's, Oops I did it again, and Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody Slept came like darkness clouding me and nothing could keep it away.

"Well isn't this a nice surprise?" Angella smiles opening her arms as she near Mia. "I would have never thought that we would have you present here?" She squint her eyes at me over Mia's shoulder, mouthing: "Why is she here?"

"Neither have I." Achille's voice echoes through the quiet room from behind me attracting the attention of the men that already sat at the big conference table for a moment, but they quickly return to their own conversation when he places his hand on my shoulder when he takes a stand next to me, but he quickly removes it almost instantly to support Mia's weight when she withdraw her body from Angela's grip whipping her body around and dart directly into Achille. Wrapping her arms over his shoulders she pulls him in for a hug. "Oh... Ciao cattivello." He chuckles putting his arms around her and swirl her around a few inches from the floor before putting her back on the floor. "What are you doing here?" He softly questions her, but I knew the words were rather directed in my direction.

"She will be joining us today." I remark not in the least interest on explaining my actions today. In fact it might be due to the inability to admit that Mia seemed to careless and calm in Achille's presence. They behave like they have known each other for years. Not once have I seen her get mad at him, or have she yelled at him or even run away from him. She appeared to comfortable to my preference of him list Ook ng her into the air with his hands all over her, touching her. I don't like it. Call me jealous, because that I was! I wanted that with her so much, I wanted to be her safe place. "She can sit there next to you seeing that the two of you clearly missed each other a lot." I extend my hand showing her the way before we join the rest of the table who rise when I get closer. "Good morning." I greet everyone before I take a seat and they follow.

"Ciao, Mia." Tomasso shows of his pearly white teeth also eagerly happy to see Mia again. "It is good to see you smiling for a change." He winks at her playfully, just like I learned to accept him. Always playful, funny or having fun. His life was all about enjoyment.

"It is nice to see you in some light and clear air for a change" She bites back.

"Touch." He chuckles. "I will take you into the dark and smokey places if that is what you are asking? I bought some new stationary too" He drag his tongue over his front teeth, tilting his head to one side and his long hair follow.

"Only if I get to use it on you!"

"That is enough." I warn them. "We have important things to discuss and I am needed alsewhere." I place my suitcase on the open space on the table in front of me clicking both sides open simultaneously. "These files are almost completed. Gian is picking the kids up as we speak." I inform everyone as I remove the files from it's casing. "I assume the home checks panned out?" I focus my attention on Elena who seems like her old self again. That boy of hers must be behaving.

"Let me see if I get this?" Mia pipes in. "Some of your rich friends place an order for a child." She frowns at me diverting her attention to Elena before she continue. "and you check them out and a prove such said transaction." I could see the bitterness in her face. She didn't like the idea, but I couldn't focus on her likes and aversions. She wasn't even suppose to speak, I should have warned her, Like that was going to help. I mentally roll my eyes.

"Don't." I hold up my for finger in the air when I push out my arm towards her in a manner of telling her to wait or stop and she listens. You could have killed me right there... Or at least the look on her face almost did. She was throwing daggers with her eyes and I knew that I was going to face them later on.

"Everything on my side is in order, there doesn't seem to be any hiccups with the clients." She speak with authority. "I believe that all the children will be going to good homes." She add for Mia's benefit and through the corner of my eye I could see her listening with intend, but she doesn't say anything. She crosses her arms and lean back into the chair.

"The birth certificates?"

"Here they are." Elena pushes a small heap of papers towards Angela. "All eight of them." She adds with a smile. I am glad to see her back to her old self, she even look a few years younger.

"I will have everything signed and delivered by the end of the day." She pronks. "I will need the next batch anywhere during the next three days, otherwise I won't be able to have them ready in time. I am going to my sisters wedding and I am switching off my phone for the whole week." She reminds us playfully. I knew she wasn't actually going to switch of her phone, because in our kind of work it was impossible, but I knew what she meant. "I have been telling you this for almost a month now so please if there is anything urgent that you need me to look into send them through to me so I can attend to them before I leave." She addresses everyone at the table.

"There might be a client during the week that is interested in an adoption, but he has a very specific criteria, so it might be longer, but I will let you know. He can be a very good alliance in the future for business." I add to let her know how important the client is.

"Criteria?" Mia scoffs next to Achille. She should be so glad my brother was sitting in between us. I would have stuffed something into her mouth a few sentences earlier. "These are people you are talking about. Children, not some accessories for the rich." She throw the upper part of her body forward in the chair so she can see everyone at the table.

"Mia." I warn, my voice stern and my eyes focussed on her, willing her to shut her mouth and sit back in the chair, but of course she wasnt intend on backing down or keeping her sweet rosy lips sealed.

"No Ben. I refuse to sit here and listen to you planning and orgastrating multiple kidnappings and selling of children on the black market. What type of person..."

"Can we talk about this when we get home." I interject. It wasnt a question although it might have sounded like one. "Or I can ask Achille to strap shut that smart mouth of yours." I threaten her, but she doesn't settle down until Achille bends to her side and whisper something into her ear. She looks pissed but at least she is quiet and we can continue with what we came here to do.

Do we have any word of how far things are going with the college? I have a dinner with the pooh bear that has his hand in the honey jar."

"That is done and dusted. Congratulations Ben. You are now officially the owner of the college." Angela announce clapping her hand together, very pleased with her accomplishment. "You may make and break as you please now."

"Good." Something was working out smoothly for a change I nod reverting my attention to Tomasso. "Tell me you also have good news for me?"

"Unfortunately, no. The deeper I dig the more questions arise. All that I am currently sure of is that someone from outside is using local kids to distribute heroin to the clubs and boss... This is now targeted to only clubs owned by Damian." I became aware of the sudden flood of narcotics, but I didn't know that it was due to a cease of dealing at the clubs. This was news to me. "The heroin is cheap and cut with many other ingredients, there is no sign of it ever being pure and the overdoses are rising rapidly. I am almost everyone that used it before died. They are definitely not looking for new clients boss, this is a massacre." He shake his head from side to side.

"I guess the question of how they die so quickly after we catch them has been answered. Whoever is using them to sell is scaring the shit out of them and I want to know who that is!" I place my fists on the table, my knuckle turning white when Mia opens her mouth and quickly shut it again. She obviously wanted to say something, but Achilles prevented her with his words earlier. What the fuck did he tell her? "What is it Mia?" I address her before she explodes. Her face turned almost red and her fingers tapped against the chair as she kept her breath letting her cheeks swell up.

"May I speak?" She raise her hand into the air showing of the bluish discoloration around wrist from the previous night and at the sight it felt like somebody stabbed a knife right through my thorax. I needed to stop hurting her, she needed me to stop hurting her.

"Yes, Mia?" I sigh giving her permission to speak her mind. I want sure if it was the best decision, but I couldn't let her suffer for much longer.

"You said that these people are all overdosing from heroin?" She questions Tomasso who nods in agreement as an answer. He did just say this much. "and the heroin is badly mixed with other substances?"

"As they usually are." Tomasso roll his eyes looking a little irritated for having to repeat himself, but he doesn't mention it.

"Have you had someone look at what it was mixed with?"

"No, there never seem to be any drugs on the guys we catch selling. The person behind this is clever. We are unsure about how they hide it or if maybe they swallow it when they are caught. They are hiding it somewhere where we are not looking, but it has to be near them for them being able to sell it to the others."

"Check their cigarette." Mia surprises me and everyone around the table if I was reading their expressions correctly. They seemed impressed and maybe a little dumbstruck and she noticed. "What?" She shrug innocently. "I have done things." She inform us laying her eyes onto mine. She was going to have to explain this to me later on, but not right now.

"Now that you mention it. These guys were all smoking and I found it strange that they were all smoking the same brand of cigarettes. I did of course check it, but it never occurred to me to rip open the cigarette itself. The weight and size appeared the same as normal cigarette's."

"Give me your phone?" She extend her hand to me, palm facing the roof and without hesitation and way too much trust in her I hand my cellphone over, almost immediately regretting it has her expression and demeanor shift when she unlocks it and a photo of me and Liliana comes to light. I completely forgot to change the picture of my shirtless self looking at the camera as Liliana snaps the picture laying back against my chest. The sole purpose of the photo was meant to keep my mother from setting up on more blind dates, not to piss of Mia which I seem to be have been doing quite well myself. A lot has happened after that picture was taken and I have been meaning to remove or at least change it, but I have been busy with more pressing matters than a meaningless picture on the background of a phone I don't even like to use.

"This is from four months ago." She hand me back my phone and opened on an article in one of New York's newspapers about a string of heroin overdoses laced with fentanyl on the streets of New York City. All of them are fatal.

"When did the overdoses begin?" I raise my eyebrow at Tomasso.

"A little over three months ago."

"The exact same thing happened in New York four months ago," I inform all the waiting eyes in the room sliding my phone across the table to Tomasso. "This cannot be a coincidence."

"That fucking Colombo family., Achilles interjects. "They are well known to the underbelly for heroin distribution and it does explain why they were trying to kill us back in New York. They might have thought that we found out and was there for retaliation, but since we never mentioned anything or reacted they assumed we had something else planned. Maybe that is why they are now only targeting your clubs. They want to close you down, connect you with the bad narcotics. At least that is what I would do if I had a bad batch of heroin and an enemy."

"They want you out of the picture." Mia breathes softly barely audible, but her words are drenched in worry. Was she referring to the crime family or herself regarding the picture she saw on my phone?

"We better fix this before it ends in war," Achilles mentions the obvious.

"I will have a sit down at the hotel opening."

"I will arrange the invitations," Antonio speaks for the first time.

"Good." I nod my head in agreement. "I need all the heads of their families to attend. Arrange a private sit down and make it worth their while to come." These men won't dance according to the newcomer's strings, but they all have a love of money and an appetite for making new business alliances. "Arrange enough security, it is going to be a tense-filled afternoon."

"Consider it done." He nods.

"Piero?" I mention the man with the least problems at the table's name.

"Everything is smooth sailing on my part, sir. Nothing to report." He grins.

"Isn't it always?" Tomasso rolls his eyes. "When was the last time anything exciting happened to you? Maybe you should come by the club tonight, I bet I can find you something to your liking or should I say, someone?" He winks at Piero.

"God, you are such a..." Mia stops mid-sentence. Was Mia at a loss for words? This was a first.

"A what?" He taunts. "Oh, Mia..." He breathes her name a little too easily to my taste, but I knew Mia could handle herself. She has proofed it over and over again. Besides if I got involved now she will only end up pissed at me for reasons unknown. "Jealous you aren't invited? You could have just asked. I am sure we can find someone to get you excited too." He chortles.

"Thank you, ladies and gents." I ignore the two of them biting at each other so the rest of us can continue with our day. "Angela get your sister something nice for her wedding and don't worry about the price. Put it on the company card." I hand Angela a credit card with my name printed into it.

"Will do." She winks accepting the card, thanking me when she takes it from my hand in between her middle and forefinger. "I need to run." She greets everyone as she darts for the door, followed closely by everyone else.

"That was nice of you." Mia speaks softly taking a seat on the dark wood of the boardroom table next to where I was busy placing the deed to my new college into my suitcase.

"She is family." I explain shortly. Angela is family and that made her sister family by default.

"The woman on the photo? Is she also family?" I was certain that this was going to come up today, but I assumed it would have taken her a little longer to pull together the guts to ask. I guess she was getting comfortable in my world.

"No." My answer was quick and shirt, because I was I going to explain that the purpose of a half naked me and another women was for the expense of my mother. What will she think of me if I tell her that I felt nothing for the woman on that picture and was only fucking her as a way of stress release. How do I explain any of this to her when she already believe her own thoughts.

"Are you in love with her?"

"No."

"But you did sleep with her?"

"We fucked..."

"After we met?"

"Yes."

"While I was sitting in your house, waiting for you to come home?" I wasn't aware that she waited for me to return when I wasn't there.

"You wait up for me?"

"You have a dangerous job, okay. It doesn't mean anything and don't try to change the subject. Answer me!" Her voice rise slightly getting a little higher, but she controls her temper. Barely by the sight of her knuckles turning white as she grip the table on both sides of her legs.

"Yes, but..."

How could you say those things to me earlier? Oh... God!" Tears start to form in her eyes. "How could you even touch me like that... While you are sleeping with her." Mia's voice start to break as she cuts me off. I close the briefcase diverting my full attention to her where she still sat on the hard and cold table looking defeated. Her head hung low, her legs pressed together hanging from the table and her hands now resting in her lap.

"I am not sleeping with her. We fucked before, but that all is over. I don't even think about going there anymore. I stopped going there since I realized she wasn't you." I suck at apologies but I had to try. For Mia's sake.

"It is fine." She wipes the tears from her eyes lifting up her head to look me in the eyes. "It is not like we are dating or anything." She shrug and I have to admit. The words she spoke might be true, but it didn't sting less. They were nt easy to hear.

"I wasn't dating her." Stupid me had to say something stupid like that.

"And that make you using her like a whore so much better." She states sarcastically. I knew she was going to take it the wrong way the moment the words left my lips, but she needed to understand that I don't date, ever.

"I didn't pay her to sleep with me, she's no whore."

"So a slut then..."

"Can you just listen to me? I request shoving her legs a little to the side to create a space for me to take in my seat at the table. "We were both two conventional adults who were not interested in having a relationship or any attachment, who casually fucked. There is nothing wrong with that nor is there anything more to it."

"I can never be that." She calms a down at my words.

"I would never have asked you to."

"So that is it then." She slide of the table finding her balance once she lands on her feet.

"I have never before giving the idea of having a relationship any thought intill I have met you." I grab her by the arm pulling her towards me in a quick movement so she could sit on my lap. At first she fought against me for a few seconds, but once I claimed her lips, licking into her mouth her whole body went numb giving me the advantage of snaking my hand around the back of her head burying my fingers in her hair, deepening the kiss we shared as I close the space between is. My other hand planted on her waist keeping her prisoner. Her breath was cool against my skin and she taste of mint. She was a breath of fresh air to me. Exactly what I needed.