Chapter 39
I try to follow Aiden's instructions the best I can but it's hard.
The thought of something bad happening, to either one of us, makes my head pound in anticipation.
"A Cadillac Escalade will pull up between you and the BMW, another one will come up in front of you.
I want you to follow it. It'll keep you safe for me until I get to you.
" He speaks firmly but takes a softer edge at the end.
"Okay," I respond and shift my eyes from the road to the mirror.
They're even closer than before. How will a car even fit between?
My question is answered when an Escalade appears from around a corner with high speed.
One turn of the wheel is everything the professional appeared driver needs to replace the BMW's place.
"It's behind me," I inform Aiden. I hear a car door slam closed and his voice giving out orders in Italian. "The Escalade will pull up in front of you in four seconds, I want you to follow it." He informs, before conversing with someone, I suppose next to him.
A loud honk from the Escalade has the SUV drivers attention. The car distractedly slows down, allowing the Escalade to appear in front of me unnoticed, four seconds later. "Aiden it's in front of me," I sigh, a weight lifting off my chest. That was easier than I thought.
My mind betrays me the moment the black car comes into my peripheral vision once more.
Turning my head to the side, I notice mere inches keeping us from crushing into one another.
My heart rate accelerates for the millionth time the past twenty minutes, when the windows roll down.
Masked men pull guns out, targeting me and Aiden's car.
"Don't get out of the fucking car and stay low!" Aiden orders me, panic apparent in his voice. The Escalade takes a sharp turn, leading all of us into a large alleyway, surrounded by dark red brick buildings.
"Aide-"His driver slams on the breaks making me do the same.
The seatbelt prevents me from colliding with the dashboard.
"Take your seatbelt off and bend over in your seat!
Keep your body covered!" It takes a minute to realise what's going on.
I stay frozen in my seat as I watch strangers jump out of both cars and fall into positions.
My body obeys his command when a bullet is fired. With panicked movements, I pull the seatbelt off of me and almost swing myself down. My phone falls under my seat at the abrupt movement, I ignore it and grip onto the end of the steering wheel.
My heart beats out of my chest as the guns start firing one after the other.
What if I die and never see Aiden again?
The thought makes unbearable force appear in my chest. He doesn't even know how much I love him.
A sound I can't make out escapes my throat when a bullet flies through the passenger window. Glass shreds fall all over the leather seat and myself, som pieces pierce through my exposed hands drawing blood and making me hiss.
I try to calm myself by breathing in and out of my nose slowly. It's pointless. A thump shakes the car, a cracking sound following.
I hesitantly lift my head a little and peer up outside. The vice grip on the steering wheel tightens at the sight of the splayed body across my hood. Someone's head lays in a pool of red, the cracked windshield now splattered with what I know is blood.
My stomach turns at the sight. Swallowing back the gag, I cut my eyes behind the corpse. Men are crouching behind the Escalade and my car. Their guns placed in front of them as they shoot forward. The sound of people colliding mightily against concrete, follows.
The screeching tires of a large vehicle makes me unconsciously look down again. I bite my lip as I feel my hands shaking in fear. I highly doubt that I'll be going back to him if it isn't his men inside that car.
Again, my mind decides to turn up against me; He doesn't even know how much I love him. The guilt of keeping it from him is consuming. Tears well up in my eyes.
He really needs to hear it.
Three more shots from someone's gun and a falling body is everything heard before there's silence. Several car doors open. My blood pumps through my ears as someone runs in my direction. I squeeze my eyes shut tightly, embracing myself for what's to come next.
Someone pulls my door open with force. My hands tremble as I await the person's next move.
A hand is placed in the middle of my back cutting my breathing. It gets hard to tell if the trembling comes from the person or me. "Ry?Fuck please," I know he kept his promise of never letting something bad happen to me when he speaks.
My head snaps up. The look on Aiden's face when he meets my eyes can be described with one word; relief.
It takes a second for my body to react before I lounge myself out of the damaged car and into his chest. His familiar arms envelope my figure and he tightly holds me against him, bringing me comfort and reassurance as he always manages to do.
The feeling of him against me almost brings me to tears.
I'm in his arms again.
I'm in Aiden's arms.
"I got you, my love. You're safe, no ones going to hurt you." He whispers against my ear, securing me further against his front. "Prometto."
(I promise.)
He pecks my neck a few times, before pulling back.
I step away from him, as much as his arms around my waist allow. He looks the same as I left him this morning, dressed in a black suit. The look on his face breaks me though. He looks vulnerable, something I'm not used to.
I'm about to turn around, when he cups my face. "Don't move your eyes from me." The firm instruction creates an image of our surroundings in my head.
"Where are you hurt?" Aiden's eyes inspect my body. Finally landing on my bleeding hands. It's not much blood and I can barely feel anything.
"I'm fin-"
"Fine!? You're fucking hurt," He snaps, taking my hand up and inspecting it closely. "Fuck, fuck, fuck," he swears under his breath. "Fuck!This wasn't supposed to happen."
"Aiden, I promise, I can barely feel it." I take my hand away from his, instead placing it on his cheek. His eyes look into mine, pain evident in them. I smile sadly, ignoring the burning behind my own, "I'm alright."
He shakes his head but doesn't say anything else on the matter. I'm the first to connect our lips. The intimate touch starts gently, but increases into something more when Aiden kisses me fiercely, his one hand on my own that's on his cheek, while the other holds onto oh the side of my throat.
"I love you. So much." Aiden lays his forehead on my own, holding onto me as if I were his lifeline.
He doesn't even know how much I love him.
I need to tell him.
He really needs to hear it.
I clamp my mouth shut when I see his second in command walking our way. Aiden sighs at the sound of Joey's approaching footsteps hitting the concrete. "Talk." He demands impatiently, opening his eyes but not breaking away from me.
"One of them is alive. Do I finish him if or do you want to keep him?" He asks right away. The usually playful gleam in his personality gone.
Aiden pulls away from me, instead wrapping an an arm around my waist. The other pulling my head into his chest as his palm shields my eyes from what's around us.
"He's in bad shape?" I hold onto his forearm, rubbing onto his suit. The contact might not be skin to skin, but by the way his arms around me relax, I know it calms him.
"Yes. Bullet wound in the shoulder." Joey answers.
"Get him attended and take him to the warehouse. Voglio gli strumenti pronti per quando arrivo." Aiden instructs. His voice radiating with authority.
(I want the tools ready for when I get there.)
"Of course. Avery, are you hurt?" Joey asks me. I try to turn my head but Aiden's hand keeps me in place, "yeah I'm fine, thank you. Are you okay?" I ask him concerned.
Joey let's out a humourless chuckle before replaying with a yes. "Can you get everything handled here? I want to get her out of here and take care of a few things." Confusion rises within me at the 'things' Aiden wants to take care of, more than so when Joey answers with a knowing, 'go ahead.'
.....
The car ride is silent, something I didn't expect.
Aiden hasn't said a word since he lead me to the car and safely pulled the seatbelt over my body.
His hand is holding mine tightly as the both rest on my lap.
It's as if he depends on it by how strong his grip is.
His jaw is clenched and his hard eyes gaze out on the road.
"Are you okay?" I whisper gently, rubbing soothing circles with my thumb on his rough skin.
He squeezes my hand unintentionally.
His jaw ticks. Aiden opens his mouth to say something but stops himself, by looking out of his window and back at the road again.
"I-" he breaths shakily and looks up at the ceiling, "I thought I lost you today. Like... forever you know?" His asks lowly.
My shoulders slump down as I see his eyes turning glossy.
"I'm here now. With you. Nothing happened to me." I try to reassure him.
I thought I wouldn't see you again. I don't tell him that. It'll only make him feel worse.
"Yes it did. Your hands are cut, you're hurting," he argues back and aggressively wipes his eyes with his other hand before returning it to the steering wheel.
"I can barely feel it. I'm safe now." That's a lie. But it won't hurt him if he doesn't know that it stings like a female dog.
Aiden made sure to clean my cuts as soon as we were inside the car.
Carefully dabbing cotton pads soaked in antiseptic, because Aiden didn't think that a few droplets would be enough to kill the bacteria, he held my hands softly in his, his eyes darting up to mine every time I flinched or hissed the slightest.
Then, he ever so gently laid them in my lap once they were bandaged.
Aiden doesn't answer. Instead he keeps driving us home in silence. I don't give up though, I'll do everything to convince him that I'm fine. That I'm safe now with him, because I deep down know that this was another thing perking up his insecurities about our relationship.
He drives into his private garage and sets the car at park. Killing the engine, he turns to me, "wait here." He's out the door before I get the chance to question him.
My eyes follow Aiden as he runs over to my side and opens my door. Quietly, he leans over my body to unbuckle my seatbelt before turning me to the side so I'm facing him.
No words leave his mouth as he pulls me against his chest, hugging me tightly. I wrap my arms around his waist as his face falls into the crook of my neck.
"I can't lose you, Ry. Never." He mumbles after a while. His soft lips brushing against my skin as he talks.
I run my hand through his hair.
I can't lose you either.
"You won't. I promise."
His lips land on my neck a few times, before he reaches for my thighs and wraps them around his waist. I gasp in surprise.
"What are you doing?" I ask as Aiden starts walking towards his private elevator.
"Walking you to the elevator." His nonchalant shrug makes a smile appear on my face. This is what he needs. So I let him.
Kissing the corner of his mouth, I look into his eyes for a few seconds, thinking of how lucky I got to be with him. As he stares back at me with the corners of his mouth tilted up, I realise that this is it. He is it for me.
I rest my head on his shoulder and allow him carry me back home.
I could've lost her today. I was so close to losing Ry.
The repeating thought rises anger within me. I'll kill fucking anyone who tries to take her away from me. Anyone who will be stupid enough to mess with my woman. And the survivor from today will be the start.
Just thinking about the way his pain filled screams will play like a background music as I'll be ripping through his skin, enjoying the way his blood will colour my hands tonight, brings a sick smile to my face.
He deserves it. Anyone who messes with her deserves it.
Her lips on my neck stop more murderous thoughts from appearing. Instead, I focus on relishing into the feeling of her body wrapped around mine. Her hands tightly holding my neck as we ride up the elevator to the penthouse.
She's safe now with me.
But I need her to be safe at all times.
The elevator doors slide open, the ping sound as we arrive irritating me.
Ry slides her legs down but I don't loosen my hold around her waist. I need her close to me. "I want to shower," her gentle voice makes it's way to my ears. I look down at her and lift her head up, my hand cupping her cheek.
"Do you need help?" I ask, genuinely concerned. How will she shower with her hand all cut up and hurting?
She flashes me one of those shy smiles that could bring me to my knees, "I'll manage."
I watch as Avery disappears upstairs and fish my phone out of my pocket as I make my way into my office. This needs to be taken care off, with or without her approval.
"Sí?" He answers flatly, but it isn't hard to imagine the way he surely glares at the wall in front of him. I decide not to keep the conversation up for long, after all that's something I imagine we both want.
"We need to talk. In person."
.....
A light knock sounds on my office door before it opens. Ry's expression falls as her eyes land on the three faces standing and sitting in front of my desk. "What is going on?" She asks in a low voice her eyes darting to mine.
I clench my jaw as I see the pained look on my my girl's face. It needed to be done.
"Are you okay? Aiden told us you got hurt," Hunter is the first to speak. His voice is soft, opposite of what it was last time we all were together in the same room. All three pairs of eyes run up and down her body worriedly, seeking for any injuries.
"I'm fine, now what is going on?" She asks more firmly, her eyes settling on mine once more. I get up from my chair and nod towards it.
Avery walks over and takes a seat as I stand next to her, my hands clenched in fists beside me.
Xavier clears his throat, "Aiden told us what happened and there's some things you need to know." The worried expression on his face is gone, instead he looks at her coldly. I grit my jaw.
He takes her silence as a sign to continue, "our family has many enemies, people who want to hurt us, for different reasons." He starts. I look down at my girl. She won't take this well.
"Mama was killed by the Bellincionis," Ry frowns at the name but doesn't say anything, "the boss, Vinsenzo, owns Rome's mafia and he killed mom because of an alliance that father didn't make with him.
Now if you kill a Don's wife you will be having hard consequences coming your way, so when I found out that father didn't do something to avenge mama's death I took matters in my own hands and killed his heir.
" Xavier is about to continue when Tristan cuts him off.
"He did not just kill his heir, Xavier sent Vinsenzo his son's head in a paper box through delivery." The three of us glare at him. Is he that fucking stupid? How can he just fucking say something like that to her.
I place my hand on Ry's and rub softly. My eyes search her face. She keeps quiet, her lips parted slightly as she looks between her brothers. "Is that true?" She asks Xavier.
His eyes meet mine for a brief second before he nods. "Yes."
We all sit in awkward silence, awaiting a reaction from Avery but instead she speaks again, "so now I'm in danger because he wants revenge because you killed his son." She stares up at Xavier.
"Yes," he is quick to talk again when she opens her mouth, "but I'll keep you safe. We'll keep you safe Aves. Nothing will happen to you. I promise. I'll die before I let something happen to you." He rushes out, looking desperately at her.
I'll fucking die before anything happens to her.
The silence consumes us again as Ry bites down on the inside of her lower lip. Her hand gripping my two fingers hard. She's fucking scared. I can't have her feeling scared. "Are the rest of you in danger too?" She looks at all of us.
"We'll all be fine." Hunter answers after some time, offering her a small reassuring smile. It doesn't do her much.
"And we decided that your security will be upgraded.
You'll get a bodyguard. And no, he will not be with you when you're in school or with your friends.
He'll just drive you to and from places and stay with you when, uh, you're home alone.
" When Aiden's not here with you, is what Xavier wants to say. I just roll my eyes.
"Are you okay with that?" I speak up for the first time. I look at Ry awaiting for her answer. If she doesn't feel comfortable with having a bodyguard with her I'll find another fucking solution.
She looks up at me, her lips tilting upwards, Fuck. I want to kiss her. "yeah, don't worry."
Xavier clears his throat, breaking mine and Ry's staring contest. "Hunter will be back with your bodyguard then." They all stand up and dismiss themselves. Ry surprises me when her only response to their 'goodbyes' is an expressionless nod.
......
I stare at the girl in front of me, adoring the way she keeps stuffing her face with spoonfuls of ice cream as she innocently sits across from me on the kitchen island.
She's dressed in one of my black t-shirts, with nothing but short fucking shorts underneath.
Her hair is down, the brown colour turning black under the kitchen's limited light.
I don't know whether I love or hate the way my desperation for her has grown. I'm desperate of her attention, of her touch, her whole fucking existence.
"You're staring at me," Ry giggles nervously, a blush starting to coat her neck and cheeks. She sets the spoon down inside the half finished tube and pushes it aside.
"You're mine, I can stare all I want." My serious expression flatters into a smile when I see her trying to hold her own hidden by looking down on the counter.
Leaning back against the stool, I cross my arms across my chest. "I love you." I state. She looks up at me with a look I can't quite make out.
"I-" I cut her of and drop my hands by my sides, "come here.
" Like the good, obedient girl she is, she walks over to me and stands between my legs.
Her arms wrap around my neck in an instant.
Mine enclose around her waist pulling her against me.
Her sweet, vanilla scent drives me crazy as I try to breath in as much of it as can.
"You're so important to me," she whispers against my skin, lightly kissing it afterwards. The breath leaving my lips is ragged, the feeling of her lips continuously pecking beneath my ear build tension in my body.
Tension I won't be able to relieve.
My one hand slides beneath the thin fabric of my shirt, making contact with the warm skin of her back.
I trail my hand down her back a few times before I reach the waistband of her shorts. Ry pulls her head out of my neck and looks at me. I drop my hand instantly, afraid I've made her uncomfortable.
"You can continue," she tells me, her lips brushing against mine as they move. With her consent, I continue my path down her shorts.
I firmly grip her panty-covered asscheeks between my hands, massaging them hard, my fingers sinking into her flesh, emitting low, needy moans from her. The sounds she makes, make it harder to resist her.
I push her upwards. Avery understands and sits herself on my lap, straddling my dick. I groan at the feeling and grip her jaw tightly, almost in a bruising hold as I bring her lips up to my own. She pulls away when I make a move to kiss her.
I open my eyes to find her staring at me through hooded lashes. The dim light in the kitchen casts a shadow over her eyes, making them appear darker.
"Fucking kiss me." I order but she just smiles. Fucking smiles. I glare at her when she shakes her head and slap her ass hard. She throws her head back at the blow, moaning in pleasure. He body constructs forward, automatically making our crouches collide.
Her behaviour is the complete opposite of what it was minutes ago.
I take a hold of her throat and bring her face back to mine. "I said, kiss me." I grit out, finally getting her lips on my own.
She starts grinding herself against me, her hips moving fast as her short clad pussy rubs against my covered cock.
Her lips part in a gasp when I bite the lower one hard, making her hurt and please at the same time.
My tongue invades her mouth and pushes against hers as we fall into a fight for domination. Surprising both of us, I let her win. Avery pulls away with a peck and looks at me as for the first time she gains control.
Unwrapping her arms from around me, she trails her fingers down my neck and chest, to the hem of my shirt, where she gives it a tug. I almost rip the shirt off of me.
Her lips linger against mine only to fall to my jaw. She sucks and nibbles her way down to my chest. Placing open mouthed kisses as she inches her way to my nipple.
I groan in both shock and pleasure when she bites down. My fingers tangle between her hair strands, tugging hard.
"What are you doing," I pant as I look down at her. The little devil gives me an angelic smile and drops down from my lap. Her tongue continues to dance across my skin, going lower and lower.
"Making you feel good," she whispers in response and pecks my bugle over my jeans. I swallow hard, for the first time in my life letting someone else take control of me.
She pulls the zipper and tugs my pants and boxers off at the same time, revealing my semi erected dick.
I breath in shakily when Ry wraps her hands around my length.
I feel blood rush down to my member when she strokes a few times.
Her talented hands work their way up and down slowly. I harden between them.
Her eyes stay locked on mine when she leans forward and pecks the tip. Her movements along my length never slowing down. I jerk at the unexpected touch. She pulls away and lock her eyes on me for a second time as she places her lips on the tip again, this time sucking a little bit into her mouth.
Her being all bold and controlling turns me on more than I had imagined.
"Fucking suck." I instruct her. Determined to finally get some short of release from all the painful teasing she's been doing. My girl shows that she isn't having any of my dominance this time as the next sentence leaves her mouth, "beg me."
The withdraw of her lower lip into her mouth shows uncertainty. It's cute. "Please," I say through gritted teeth, "fucking. Suck."
She raises from her knees slightly and pecks my lips. The corners of my lips tilt up at the smile on my love's face. "As you wish," that's all she says before pulling my dick into her mouth.
My eyes squeeze shut as she starts sucking hard, bobbing her head up and down at a slow, rhythmic pace. Her hand jerks the part of my dick that doesn't fit into her mouth. The movements matching the ones of her head.
"Fuck, baby." I rasp, my fingers tangle between the roots of he hair, tugging as the sensation of her pleasing me becomes too much. Ry, moans around me, moving her hand away from my dick to cup my balls. I look down at her kneeling figure as my leg starts to shake at the new sensation.
I start jerking my hips forward, matching her own rhythm as my dick hits the back of her throat several times.
Pressure starts building in my lower stomach, the need for her to go faster grows. I pull out of her mouth and stand up from the stool, making it fall back and collide with the floor.
We both ignore it. Ry's eyes stay on my own as I cup the sides of her face and shove myself inside her aggressively. She bobs her head faster at the same time I pound into her mouth. Tears stream down her cheeks, her gags and moans matching my own.
"I'm so close. Fuck," I moan and thrust inside her mouth a few more times before emptying myself down her throat. Pulling out, I watch Ry swallows everything before standing up on wobbly legs. I cup her cheek in my hand and bring her lips to mine, kissing her softly.
The pinging sound of the elevator makes us pull apart. We both look towards the kitchen entrance for a second before snapping out of it and pulling ourselves together with no words exchanged.
Ry hands me a paper towel and I clean myself up before pulling my pants up and walking out to the foyer to see who the fuck decided to make an appearance at a time like this.
The previous joy and happiness disappears when my eyes land on the person standing next to Hunter.
......