Chapter 234: You Are My Biggest Weakness
Chapter 234: You Are My Biggest Weakness
Camilla
"Nothing about this is a game, sweetheart." Gregorio frowned in response, using my nickname with a kind of mellowness that opposed the obvious harshness of his face.
Of course, it wasn't and I knew that but the problem is that it was the only thing I was certain about through all of this. Everything else was a mystery, one I was terrified of uncovering.
"I know," I mumbled, his flashing to mine as though he hadn't been sure of that. The truth is that none of this was a game and that was what made it so hard to face.
"What I don't is what you want from me."
Domenico seemed like he wanted to strangle me as much as he wanted to kiss me. Adriano tried to kill my father only a few days ago despite holding me last night like it didn't change anything. Gregorio, he was taking care of me just like he used to a year ago, he took care of me as though I hadn't ruined everything by turning into a person I barely recognized half of the time.
"We don't want from you, Camilla." He said sadly, placing the mostly empty plate down on the table.
When he reaches out to touch me for the first time, his palm cupping the side of my face. I lean into his hold even if it is just for a second. One sweet, blissful and ignorant second.
"We want you, sweetheart. Nothing more."
Those words went through my head for what felt like a million times, tearing the stitches around my heart straight open just to leave me bleeding all over again. That is what it felt like in my silence, Gregorio leaving after he touched my cheek and saw that there was nothing for me to say. He made it sound like he still loved me after all this time and it left me shell shocked and confused.
Now alone in Domenico's room, it didn't matter that the handcuffs had been removed from my wrist, I was still trapped here and I hated it. Gregorio had left me to dwell in the thoughts I haven't had for months, being seized by rage, hurt and sadness too many times for me to comprehend. Not having people to fight or care to lose myself in, I was truly left with no other company, no other distraction than myself. Honestly, it sucked.
I have been stuck in this room for at least one hour now and while I could barely breathe while I was handcuffed, this room was still suffocating no matter how ridiculously spacious it may be. I could feel myself going stir crazy and I eventually chose to just move out of the bed entirely, testing the waters as I carefully applied some weight to my feet. Keeping a grip on the bedside table, I winced as all of my blood rushed down to my legs, swaying slightly at the feeling of the skillfully wrapped bandages tightening under my weight.
They felt funny, almost numb but whatever Domenico did was done correctly. I hadn't known how much he knew about injuries, however with a job in the Mafia, I suppose it would make sense. Despite the fact that our time together last night had been short, I could feel the change in Adriano, the way he held himself and the masks he has perfectly down to each and every breath he takes. It was weird seeing him so composed around me of all people, yet again, to anyone else in the mafia I would have been seen as the enemy in their territory. I probably would have been shot dead before I could even get the chance to enter the mansion.
That was a whole lot of emotions I didn't really want to get into right now, although my only focus were the windows before me, the glass door to Domenico's balcony looking quite welcoming despite the light falling of snow outside. Once I had regained enough of my balance, I walked over to it, not going outside but simply looking at the truth right before my eyes. Past the faint reflection of myself were the city tops of Kumon, the streets already alive despite the god awful time it was in the morning.
There was no denying where I was and when I felt a sublet shift in the air, I knew I was no longer alone in my silent spiral into myself.
"Adriano?" I called, acknowledging his presence without turning away from the window.
"I suppose you have come to try approach number three with me then?"
I watched his movement in the reflection as he didn't say a word, walking straight up to my side as though he belonged there. Glancing down at me, I knew he was reading the situation as my arms wrapped around myself like it would be enough to protect me from the conversation that was about to take place. From the chill traveling down my spine at the feeling of his arm brushing against mine.
"Well, it seems like you have got us all figured out, don't you, princess?" He draws with a casual stance beside me, turning only slightly as he holds out a steaming hot mug in my direction.
"Coffee?" He said as although his previous statement didn't exist, smiling fully when I accepted the it
I reached out to the cup, not acknowledging how obvious it was when he moved his fingers to brush over mine. If I did, I would also have to mention the spark that I felt from the single touch alone and the fact that I instantly wanted more. He was dangerous and left me completely and utterly speechless in his presence. Thankfully, he didn't make me say much as he once again beat me to it.
What we had right now was so unbelievably unpredictable but when he opened his mouth, I could tell it was serious before the words could even leave his lips.
"I didn't kill your mother, Camilla."
Just like that, everything inside me froze. I stiffened where I stood, my coffee cup lowering against my will as I stupidly turned to look at him. His eyes holding no humor or deception, this wasn't a game or a joke. He was being serious. It felt like a part of me was unconsciously going into shock, unable to fabricate a single one of the thousands of questions weighing on my tongue. I had so much to say, my heart begging me to deny the truth being laid out before me.
"But I saw the video." I said, not out of distrust but rather out of confusion. I saw her body when I said goodbye, so which was true? What was I missing?
"You saw me shoot the bindings and then the camera to hide the fact that even thousands of miles away, you were still my biggest weakness." He shook his head, no longer looking at me despite being well aware of my eyes now on him.
How could I not stare when after all this time, I lived in hateful disbelief as to why he would do it. What motive he would have behind killing my mother especially in such a brutal, unclear way. I knew it didn't make sense but I thought…oh my, I thought that…
"Do you know who did it?" I forced out as I felt my chest tighten, nausea and anxiety threatening to eat away at my very soul forever believing my Adriano would do something like that. But can I really blame myself when all of the evidence was right in front of my eyes? I watched her die or I thought I did, it had been so easy to believe when the evidence was there.
"Gregorio is looking into it." He said grimly and realizing that he truly was sad for me was a bit unexpected.
"Whether it was by hand or not, your mother deserved to die a thousand times over what she did to you. But I am really sorry that you had to see it nonetheless."
My hand wobbled as I waited for the anger to come, for the defense inside me to rise to the surface in my mother's name but that is that he wasn't wrong again. This knowledge changed everything and while there was no doubt in my mind that my father was being played just as much as I was, there was also only one person who would have done something like that, who had something to gain from my mother's death.
Even though ii I shouldn't be, I was sad about my mother nonetheless. Adriano knew this and it was probably why he wasn't rushing me right now.
"And I am so sorry for shooting you, even if it was your dumbass that jumped in front of the bullet." He deadpans, side glancing at me as my eyes widen slightly at his words.
I wanted to tell him to fúck off and that it was his fault for aiming at my father in the first place but instead, I did something completely unexpected. Something I haven't done in too long. I smiled and that grin turned into a laugh that was part relief and part exhaustion. He smirked and raised an eyebrow at my reaction but after all the hell I have been through, I think I needed this kind of…well whatever the hell this disaster was.
This temporary peace between us was just that. Temporary but it was something to be accepted for now.
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