99 | You'll see on the 15th
The bedroom is a sanctuary tonight.
The May evening was warm through the new balcony doors. Moonlight spills over the polished floor.
A month's passed since that night. Since I tortured and killed Leonardo. Since I rebuilt this room for Aurelia.
Her birthday's coming, May 15th, and I'm planning something big. Something to make her smile.
Although her encounter with her dad a few days ago left her feeling down for a while, I even offered to go and kill the bastard.
But Aurelia told me there was no need, he's already lost everything.
Chase doesn't speak to him anymore, neither does Aurelia, and he's no longer a lawyer for the Costa family. He's basically broke and ruined.
Aurelia is currently on our bed, cross-legged. She's wearing one of my old shirts, too big, slipping off her shoulder. Her journal open, pen scratching as she pours her heart onto the page.
I'm in an armchair by the lamp. A book on Borderline Personality Disorder open in my hands. Its pages dense with words about her diagnosis, her treatment, her soul.
I'm reading and trying to understand her mind. Her heart. Every single part of her.
The book's heavy. Talks about favorite persons, emotional storms, fear of abandonment, childhood truama. And it hits hard.
I want to get this right, to be what she needs, not just the guy who kills for her. But the one who holds her through the dark.
"You're awfully quiet over there,," I say, my voice low, teasing. I close the book on my finger to keep my place. "What's that journal getting that I'm not?"
She looks up, her golden eyes glinting. A playful smirk tugs her lips.
"Oh, you're jealous of my journal now?" she teases, and she taps her pen against her chin, tilting her head like she's sizing me up. "It's just my deep, dark secrets, Luciano. You sure you can handle them?"
I chuckle, leaning forward, elbows on my knees. My eyes locked on her.
"Love, I've handled your sister's blood and her dad's screams. I think I can take a few pages of your heart." My voice is warm, but there's truth in it. The weight of what I've done for her. What I'd do again. No question.
She sticks out her tongue, quick, childish, and I laugh. The sound eases the room's quiet.
"Big talk for a guy reading a psych book like it's a thriller," she fires back. She nods at the book in my hands, her smirk growing. "What's that, your bedtime story? Learning how to decode me?"
I grin, holding the book before I stand and cross the room, my steps slow, deliberate. Like a predator who's already caught his prey.
"Maybe," I say, sitting on the bed's edge, close enough to feel her warmth. "Trying to figure out how your pretty little mind works. So I can love you better. That a crime?"
Her cheeks flush, just a hint, but her eyes soften. Love shines through the sass. She sets her journal aside, scooting closer. Her bare thigh brushes mine.
"Not a crime," she murmurs, "But you don't need a book, Luciano. You already know me. Every messy, crazy part of me."
I reach out, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. My fingers linger on her cheek, her skin soft, perfect.
"Messy's my favorite," I say, my voice low, a growl of truth. "Crazy's just a bonus. But this"-I tap the book lightly, my eyes holding hers-"helps me understand more about you, and makes me wanna be better for you."
She laughs, playful, but there's a hitch, like my words hit deep in her heart.
"Oh, you're fishing now," she says and she pokes my chest, her finger lingering, tracing my shirt's buttons. "You know you're my favorite person. Always have been. Even when you're a pain in my ass."
I catch her hand, kissing her knuckles. My lips brush slow, my eyes never leave hers.
"Pain in your ass, huh?" I tease, smirking. I pull her closer. Her body half in my lap now. Her shirt riding up, showing skin I want to touch.
"And here I thought I was your knight. Killing ghosts. Rebuilding balconies. Planning your birthday like it's a damn coronation."
Her eyes widen, sparkling. She swats my shoulder, grinning. "Birthday plans? Spill, Costa, or I'm hiding your whiskey."
"Not spilling shit, principessa. You'll see on the 15th."