Chapter Fifteen

Dimitri

''We killed someone,'' Dion mutters under his breath continuously as his entire body tremble in fear. ''We killed someone. We fucking killed someone. We're all going to jail. We're all going to rot in jail!'' He exclaims, running his fingers through his hair into different directions while I lean back on my seat, completely in shock—trying to grasp onto something real, something unreachable.

The sound of Dion's voice screaming continues to suffocate me, slowly beginning to fade away but the reality is far more cruel. No matter how hard I try to close my eyes and wake up from this nightmare, everything around me just won't disappear. There's no running away from the fact, we indeed killed someone. We ran over someone when we could've stopped. It doesn't hide the fact that Steven is the one behind the wheel but I am the main cause for their presence.

If I was being asked months ago or even weeks, I'd say the only person in my mind whenever something bad happens is Brody but if I'm being asked now or during interrogation, 'what were you thinking when you ran someone over?' I'd think of two people. Two important people that I'm working hard to keep by my side through thick and thin without worrying about them ever slipping away. Why would I bother risking my life? Why would I bother risking my future trying to fix someone else's? Why am I easily attached onto someone I barely even know?

''We're going to die,'' Dion repeats.

''Shut up! Shut the hell up, Dion!'' I shout, causing both Steven and Dion to turn and look at me; surprised by my sudden outburst but deep down, I just can't hold it in anymore.

My life is falling apart. It has always been for the past five years ever since Chloe left. Ever since my heart was broken by someone who I had fully trust, fully love. Everything around me passes by as if nothing else matters, I've been drowned in work and burned in pain but I've completely ignored my own feelings, my own will—I was busy trying to please others, not myself.

Even now, I don't exactly know my purpose.

''Let's get the hell out of here. Now!'' I say, pressuring Steven to immediately drift down the road without sparing a second glance back. It'd be best to disappear ourselves from here, it's best to walk away when we can, it's best to just stop this before it gets any worse. We're running out of options and time is not our friend, we're left with difficult decisions to make; it's a bothersome. It's a damn pain.

''Si–sir, should we call the police?'' Steven stutters, his eyes wild.

''No. We forget it ever happened,'' I reply.

A couple of days have passed and little did I know, my answer was wrong. I ended up making things worse and I had involved two of my employees for the sake of my selfishness, something I shouldn't have done. It was my fault to ever begin with, to ever ignore Aidan's attempt on stopping me, on making me open my eyes to see the world and realise just how bad it can turn out to be if I don't listen. I didn't. I went way over my head and ended up regretting the decision I made but like I said, time was not our friend. Time is still not our friend.

--

''Dimitri?'' I hear Aidan calling me from behind as he closes the door shut but I pay no attention, just focusing onto the skyscrapers being the compliment of the city. It has been going on like this, I have been going on like this, out of view. My phone has been ringing for days and my wellbeing has been put on hold—it's all finally making sense, how I should've listened to my best friend. This wouldn't have happened if I had ignored my stubbornness. ''I called. It went straight to voicemail,''

Every time I close my eyes and give in, I'd see the man I killed. To say it was all self-defence, it could've worked but I was afraid. I was scared of my own past, my own actions that have developed me into the man I am today. What if they had records? Records of the past where I'd be revealed as one of the bad guys? What if by reporting it to the police would drag Aidan into all of this? He's reaching his peak of happiness and I have no right to ruin it. I may be hanging myself on the verge of death but involving the ones I love, I'd rather not.

''Dimitri, talk to me.'' He speaks, almost pleading.

Slowly, I turn to look at my best friend. His eyes blink a few times at my sight before clenching his jaw, probably surprised by the dark circles under my eyes and the paleness of my complexion yet he doesn't utter a single word—don't get me wrong, I'd be surprised to look at myself in the mirror as well. ''Why are you here?'' I ask, taking a seat.

''I called you. Fifteen times today,'' He replies, ''What is going on, Dimitri? What the hell is going with you? You've been locking yourself in your office for days. What is wrong with you?''

I lean back on my seat before pinching the bridge of my nose, ''I didn't ask for you to come into my office and worry about me. We're not kids anymore, Aidan! You live your life and I live mine. We're old enough to know what we're doing,'' I look away from him, feeling myself tense up as I close my eyes, wanting to release the anger, the frustration but it's as if I'm being held back.

''Do you think I want to be here? Who the hell do you think I am—your fairy godmother? You're damn right, we're old enough to know what we're doing and your life is yours but right now, you're not in your right mind. Brody has been calling you. You'd ignore your own son? This isn't you. This isn't you that I know.'' He stops for awhile to take a closer look at me, both of his eyes wandering down to my condition. ''Go home, Dimitri. I know there's not just one person waiting for you,''

Just like that, he walks out before slamming the door shut.

It doesn't take me long to realise I'm standing in front of my hotel room. It doesn't take me long either to push the door open, finding a couple of bags near the door which causes me to look up, seeing Sophia walking out from my bedroom—her eyes widen at my sight as I close the doors behind me. ''What's this?'' I ask, pointing at the bags on the floor before loosening the tie around my neck.

''Bags,'' She answers.

''I know what they are. What are they doing here?'' I ask, taking a few steps closer towards her as she stands still at her exact spot; leaving me to look down, taking in her every features. It has only been days since I last saw her but it feels like years and if I'd follow my heart, I would've pulled her in for an embrace but I'm still thinking straight even though my actions prove otherwise. ''You're leaving?''

''You're leaving me?'' I clench my jaw, holding myself back.

''Here,'' She grabs onto my hand before handing me a white envelope which causes me to scoff, knowing exactly what's inside the envelope: money. ''We made a deal and I should fulfil my end of the bargain. That's enough to cover up for two months I've been staying with you—don't worry about where I got the money. Remember I was working at? My boss shut it down and he gave everyone enough money,''

''I don't want it.''

Her eyes meet mine, ''Take it. It's yours,''

''I don't want it, Sophia.'' I lessen the distance between us before slowly cupping onto her face, ''Why are you leaving? Why are you walking away? Is it because I haven't been home for the past couple of days? Is it because I'm always busy with work? Why are you leaving when you know how hard it would be for me? Why can't you see that I'm doing everything I can for you?'' I continue to speak with both of my eyes watering before blinking a few times, focusing into her beautiful eyes.

''That's not it. You know that's not it,'' She breathes, her eyes red and almost filled with tears.

''If that's not it. Then, what? Don't leave me,'' My other hand slowly grabbing onto her hand before entwining our fingers, ''Don't leave me. I don't know what I'd do without you—please, don't go. Stay,''

''I can't,''

''Do you still love him?''

''Who?'' She frowns, confused.

''Michael.''

Both of her arms immediately begin to wrap around my waist, pulling me close towards her as her tears flow down her cheeks. The warmth of her body soothes my sorrow, scares away my fears and eases down my pain; even being this close to her can make me feel I have everything. ''That's not true. I don't love Michael anymore. I love you,'' She looks up into my eyes, the words stabbing me like a knife as a beautiful kind of pain spreads.

Within seconds, I'm already leaning in before kissing her. Our lips meet in the most sweet and passionate way, showing off the longing we feel towards each other as I pull her closer towards me; deepening the kiss. Her arms around my waist tightens and it doesn't take me long to realise how I've missed this, how badly I want this. How badly I want her to be mine.

The softness of her warm lips continue to soothe me in ways I can't comprehend, only leaving me to wanting more and as soon as I find myself pulling away, I'm being pulled back towards her which shows just how much we both want this. We both need this. My lips move down to kiss her neck and slowly run my hands down to her back, pulling her up by wrapping her legs around my waist—her forehead meeting mine in an instant before she cups onto my face.

''I love you,'' I breathe and she shuts me off by meeting my lips.

As soon as we reach into the bedroom, I lay her down on the bed before slowly hovering on top of her. My eyes wander on her features, mesmerised by the beauty she holds. Our lips meet once more and this time, everything moves in slow motion; even the caress of my hands on her skin as her fingers slowly unbutton my shirt and pulling them off, the sound of her voice calling out my name and the movement of our lovemaking.

Both of my eyes open as I blink a few times, trying to readjust to the sunlight seeping through the glass windows. My mind wanders off to last night's event before turning around to find the bed empty which causes me to panic. I look around to find a piece of paper laying untouched on the bed beside me, causing me to sit up straight before reading it:

I'm sorry. To make you feel any better, it wasn't easy for me. I'll always look back and imagine you there with me because you're the first man who has ever made me feel lucky. You're the first man I have admitted to have fallen for your charms and beauty. You're one of a kind. Dimitri, I hope that one day we'd meet again under different circumstances. Maybe, by the time we meet, we'd be able to say 'this is the person I want to be with.' and when that time comes, we'll know.

I immediately grab onto my clothes on the floor before dressing myself, making my way out of the room but I am stopped by the sight of Sophia entering the room, making me take a few backs in surprise. Our eyes widen for a few seconds as she starts to glance down at the paper in my hand before quickly taking it away from me. ''I completely forgot. I'm sorry,''

''W—what?'' I blink in confusion.

''That was for yesterday. You weren't supposed to come back when I was leaving,''

''You're saying this was supposed to be read yesterday?'' I ask.

''Uh-huh and I completely forgot to get rid of it,'' She smiles before tucking a strand of hair behind her ear as I let out a breath of relief, immediately pulling her in for a hug—breathing in her scent and closing my eyes as soon as she wraps her arms around me, too. ''You okay?''

''I thought you were gone. You gave me a heart attack,''

''You love me that much, huh?'' Our eyes meet as my grin widens, landing a kiss on her forehead before caressing her cheek—loving the feeling of her skin against my own.

I smile back, ''You have no idea.''