For The Last Time

ZERO was about to follow Isla when his phone rang. His forehead creased when he saw the name of the caller.
He took a deep breath and tapped the answer button.
“Take her home now,” Apollo’s voice roared on the other line, which made Zero clench his fist. “Give me time to explain—”
“No!” Apollo disagreed.
“But she needs to—”
“Are you going to marry my sister or cut ties?” And there he is again, and Apollo asked him the same question, just like what he did after that night when he spent the night with Isla at the hotel.
“You knew what kind of life I have—”
“Then why are you seeing her again?! I already warned you to stay away from her, Zero. Don’t let our friendship be put to waste because of your doings—”
“I’d stay away from her—”
“Of course! Just like what you answered me last time, right?” Apollo's anger lingered in his voice. “You said to me that you’d rather stay away than get married—”
“I am a mafia boss, Apollo. I love your sister—”
“Fuck with your words, Zero. You are powerful but a coward because you can’t stand with your love.”
Zero shook his head as he started to walk away since he saw his mom, who was eavesdropping behind the wall.
“You don’t understand. I can’t risk—”
“Then why did you attach yourself—why did you let her get into you, falling so deeply? You should have known the consequences of your actions!”
Zero pressed his lips and nodded. “I understand you—”
“You’re a coward. And remember this, I won’t ever let my sister get closer to you again. You don’t deserve her—’
“Yes, I know. I don’t deserve her. I’m going back to Spain, and I don’t know if I will stay there for good or not—”
“We’re still friends, coward, but you don’t have the right to get closer to my sister—”
“Just let me this time—just one last time. I’ll promise I’ll keep her safe,” he said, and Apollo knew on the other line that Zero doesn’t usually beg, but because of his sister, Zero is showing another side of him.
Zero was known in the Italian-Mafia world. He’s powerful and just went to America because of his parents and business. But his empire is really in Spain.
Apollo knew all of this because Zero was his friend for a long time. Zero engaged himself with the mafias when he got heartbroken by his first love.
Yes, he experienced being in love with someone else, and this time, he fell again for the second time. However, he was afraid that his enemies would use Isla to get into him.
It’s been years that no one dared to fight him because they knew that he was just playing around, fucking different girls. The enemies can’t find his weakness. They can’t use his parents since his dad is also a mafioso.
But when Isla came into his life. When he started attaching himself to Isla, Zero’s enemies began planning their schemes and moving again.
It’s his fault anyway. He was the one who dragged Isla. If only he restrains himself from seeing her again and again, he shouldn’t be feeling the familiar pain.
Zero already deals with three threats from his enemy. And he’s trying his best to cover it up and always watch Isla to keep her safe.
And that day, when Apollo caught him, he just killed one assassin when he sent Isla home. That assassin followed them and tried to kill Isla, but he was fast to end the man’s scheme, and Apollo also saw that.
“You’re just hurting more, Zero. And I hate you for that. But if staying away is the best since you’re a coward—”
“You don’t want to put Isla’s life at risk, right? And staying away from her is the best thing to do, Apollo. So, why are you telling me this—”
“Nothing, idiot. Just send my sister home—”
“I will. I just need to talk to her—”
“Don’t ever confess your love since you’re cutting ties with her. Just send her home, and we’ll do our plan. I’ll be waiting outside her unit,” Apollo said and ended the call.
Zero heaved a deep sigh and put his phone inside his pocket. “Mom, you can get out now,” he uttered. He knew that his mother was following him.
“As expected of a mafia boss. Anyway, son. I am right—” she paused when he turned to her side and faced her.
“Mom, please. Don’t bring—”
“Your dad and I got married, and he’s a mafia boss. We have a son, and it was you. Did his enemy get a chance to lay a finger on me or you?”
Zero shook his head. “That’s not the point. She’s too young and unsure—”
“How could you be so sure? And age doesn’t matter, you idiot!” her mom exclaimed as she rushed towards him, but he moved away.
“Come here, you idiot, and I will pinch your cheeks until you screamed—”
“I’m not a gay—”
“You are! Because you’re letting the woman you love suffer because of your cowardliness, Zero Cohen!”
Zero sighed and walked away when his mom threw her sandal, and it hit his head, making him groan and shoot a glare at her.
“Fix the things with you and Isla. I want her to be my daughter-in-law. And if you can’t do it, I don’t want to see your face—”
“Apollo and I already planned to end this, Mom. You can still ask for her to visit you, but please, don’t let this be hard for me. I am cutting ties—” he didn’t finish his words when her mother approached his side and slapped him on the cheek.
“I didn’t teach you to play and abandoned someone’s feelings so as your feelings. But I can’t do anything if your cowardice lingers inside you. I hope you will not regret your decision,” she uttered and left.
THE WORDS of Zero’s mom pierced deep within his heart. His mom was right, but his life is different from his father’s.
Isla deserves someone better than him.
He took a deep breath as he walked his way to their garden. He seeks Isla, and he sees her sitting on the bench near the box of sunflowers.
He sighed once more as he walked closer to her. He pressed his lips when their gaze met. He wanted to hit himself when he saw the pain in Isla’s eyes. It’s his fault, but he needs to do this.
“Hey,” he started as he sat beside her.
“Hmm,” she replied.
Isla seems to be trying to act fine in front of him. The pain that pierces into her heart will go away. It only takes time.
“I’m sorry. I know it’s not enough, but I just want you to know that—”
“It’s okay,” she cuts in. “You don’t have to explain. It was very clear to me, Zero,” she uttered, but still, her eyes were on the sunflower that the wind had swayed.
Zero sighed and reached for her left hand. And she was about to get away from his grip, but he tightened his grip. “Let’s stay like this for a moment, please,” he said, fast because he doesn’t want Isla to interrupt him again.
However, she’s still trying to get out of his grip, which makes Zero to pulled her closer to him.
“Let go—”
“Just this time, and I’ll promise, I will take you home,” he said and met her eyes. Their stares lasted for a minute.
His words make her surrender. And she wanted to curse herself for falling into his voice. And now, his gestures tell something that she knows, but she chooses to ignore it.
Why does she feel like Zero is also in love with her? If he really doesn’t care about her, then why is he showing this to her?
“I hate that you’re making me feel like you love me… but you’re not,” she started, and she felt the familiar pain in her heart. “Why do you have to do this? I am aware that I am just your fuck buddy—that we’re just fuck buddies. I like you, but I fight that feeling so that I will not ruin the things that we had. But what did you do?”
Zero met her eyes, and she didn’t know if she saw pain through his eyes. “I don’t have the intention to hurt—I am sorry if you’re hurting because of me. But I warned you since the beginning that I can’t love someone—that I will never fall in love. That I will just hurt you if you insist—”
“I never insisted on my love for you, Zero. I never told you that I love you. And now you’re telling me that? It was you who broke the agreement. I am aware that you can’t love me back that’s why I stay content with the thing that we had. But why?”
“Baby—”
“Don’t you dare call me that because you’re not my boyfriend,” she uttered as she emphasized the last word? She stood up, and Zero let go of her hand.
“I-Isla…” he mumbled. His heart thumped fast as his breath went rapid. He closed his eyes before he stood up.
“I don’t understand you—” she didn’t finish her words when Zero pulled her closer to him and hugged her.
She was hesitant to hug him back, but her traitor mind told her body to act. She cried harder when she buried her face into his broad chest. She felt comfort in his embrace that she doesn’t want to let go of.
She felt Zero tighten his hug on her as he buried his face in the side of her neck.
A tear escapes from Zero’s eyes as he feels the warmth of Isla’s body.
I love you, and I will always be, he thought.
When he loosened the hug, he cupped her face and claimed her lips. He closes his eye as he passionately kisses her.
He wants to be gentle to her at this moment… he doesn’t want to feel agony because, after this day, he will never see her again.
And when he let go, he grabbed her hand and pulled her inside their mansion. Isla didn’t complain and just followed him until they climbed upstairs and walked toward Zero’s room.
Zero locked the door without letting go of her. Until he pushed her gently into the wall, he placed his hands into her sides as he pressed his lips on her lips. For the last time, he wants to claim her.