Chapter 40

As I drowned in the song, enjoying the feel of Ric's breath against my neck,I caught sight of Frenchie dancing with a blond woman then Michael came to view, dancing with Miranda.
"What were you talking about with Frenchie all day?"Ric's questions makes me look back to him and I caught his eyes boring holes on my face. "Was he flirting with you? He seemed to make you laugh a lot, Ashley"he added.
I felt the veins pop along my neck as I thought of a reply.
"We were just having a casual discussion"
"casual discussion about what?"
"It's not about you if that's what you're thinking,"I could see the revolve in his eyes as I said that "and don't worry,I know who he is. I know he's just like Michael and you two don't get along so well"
His eyes watched mine scanningly,like he was trying to see through them,like he was surprised by what I just said.
"Were you gonna dance with him?"his question took me by surprise again. At that point,I didn't know what to say. Was I gonna dance with Frenchie? Of course, it's just a dance. "Would you have declined my request for a dance if Miranda hadn't intervened?"he added.
"Are you jealous?"I said the first thing that came to my mind.
His lips opened and closed in a nano second like he was short of words. My lips moved into a smile, causing him to look away. He moved me a step away and I placed my hand on his again, allowing him to spin me around until someone else caught hold of me at the back,chest to chest.
I was staring at the face of Michael Amoretti as he wrapped his hands firmly around my waist. It was time to switch partners. I slowly looked back to find Miranda in Ric's arms,his eyes watching me.
"You dance so well,"Michael spoke and I looked back at him "Ric is very lucky to have you"
"I'm just his assistant"
"So I heard. I also heard you're very good at your work"
I nearly smiled at his flattery but realized there was something else behind his words and I refrained from it and instead,just watched him. He spins me to a stop and we were back to dancing again.
"Thank you,Mr Michael"I replied sternly.
"Tell me, Ashley. How would you like to work for me?"
"What? Like the Mafia Lawyer?"I replied sarcastically.
He chuckled and replied"no my sweet Ashley,more like my lucky hand. You know what I do don't you?"
When he asked that question it felt like he did something other than gold mining, something more ferocious. I heaved a sigh, preparing myself to reply him. He intimidated me no doubt and I felt uncomfortable and so little in his arms. I was starting to feel really lightheaded and just wanna be away from him and this room as soon as possible.
"I already told your brother, Frenchie that I can't work for you, Michael."
He watches me for a long while before saying "very well then, Ashley"
Just then, Someone is grabbing my forearm. I looked up to find Ric. He's pulling me away from Michael in an instance and I just watched as michael let go of me.
"We have to leave. Now"he growled angrily.
"What are you doing, Riccardo?"Michael asked him, obviously stunned by what just happened.
"We're leaving, can't you tell?"
I wasn't chanced to ask what was going on or what the problem with him was cause I'm soon being ushered out of the ball room. People barely noticed us but it felt embarrassing. What the hell got into his head again? Wasn't this evening going perfectly well just a minute ago?
"Ric, what is it?"I asked as he dragged me out.
Silence.
"Ric,what are you doing?"
He stops as soon as we stepped out of the building and into the green lawn,out of the music and turned to face me. His face is contorted with anger and I can swear I've never seen him so angry before. Meh,I've seen worse.
"Why do you look so. . . . "
"Bring out your phone and browse somebody for me"he commanded. Quickly,I reached for my purse in his hand and took out my phone, waiting for him to give me the name.
"Miranda Morales"He said.
I was gonna ask why he wants me to do that but I just obeyed his command first. Google Me Bio brought out everything about Miranda Morales. I saw a series of women with the same name but when I saw a particularly strange woman with a black and blond mixed hair,in very costly designer clothes,I knew she was whom I was looking for and I knew there was something really wrong.
Looking back at Ric,I said "The woman in there isn't Miranda Morales is she?"
"No"his voice is a lot more thicker than usual "and guess what? She's working with Michael"
"What? That's impossible" because Miranda has always been this nice,lovely woman who cared about every and anything.
Just then,his car pulled up before us and he hurried in, pulling off his neck tie. I followed suit, knowing deep down that there was more to this than Miranda turning out to have used a fake ID on him.
"Ric,what is this all about?"I pressed as soon as the car went into motion and it drove down the street.
"You wanna know what's fucking wrong?,"he blurted from across to me"Michael Amoretti is fucking the one behind the manhattan project failure"
"What?"I asked, surprised. I knew they weren't friends but I never thought that Michael could actually be the person trying to steal the project from him. I've always imagined these people to just be. . . . Well, government officials. Is this like a payback or something? First the project and now they want me to work for them.
"And they are working with Miranda Morales. The other night after the club party,I'd met out at the ship station as miranda instructed. She had offered me a fifty fifty share of a cargo ship ammunition: arsenals,"my eyes went wide in shock "but she had fucking set me up. And I'm so stupid for realizing that right now!"
I stared speechlessly at him. I was short of words. There was something about me seeing Ric scold himself like that. It was unexplainable. Mr Marcello has always been this powerful man who feared nobody and to think that he'd been played by a woman? I can understand the part that hurts him most.
"This bad blood between you and Michael,"I finally voiced my curiosity"why? What happened? Why do you two hate each other so much?"
His jaw clenched as he watched me,as if contemplating on what to say. After watching me for what felt like a minute,he looked away to the window and said "That's not your business to know"
My eyes settled back to default at the words that just came out of his mouth. Is he being serious right now? What the hell was his problem? He brings me all the way here to witness all that just happened today only to tell me it's not my business?! I felt angry and I wanted to tell at him,wanted to tell him how unfair he is and make him open up to me. . . . No,I wanted to lash out and tell him how unspeakably irresponsible he's being right now but I bit down on my lip to stop myself from saying anything.
The car pulls into the hotel compound and Ric jumps out immediately. That does it. I stormed out too and followed him through the hotel's lobby and up into our hallway. Just when I reached my door,I called him.
"Mr Marcello"
His back stiffens for a second as he stopped walking,not turning around.
"We need to talk okay?"
He turns to face him,the amused smile on his face surprising me. This man is a psycho.
"About what Ashley?"
"About you!"I felt the bile at the back of my throat rise "you have got to stop this attitude of yours,Ric! I have had enough of it and in case you haven't realized it,this is the same reason why I quit this job in the first place! And hell,we ain't even here on a job! I'm here as. . . . I'm here because you wanted me to,as a woman and maybe as a person and it is only fair that you treat me as such! "
"Tell me, Ashley. What are you suggesting?"
"What am I suggesting?! Fine! I'm suggesting. . . No I'm asking you to tell me things that I need to know. You can't keep putting me in the dark! If you hadn't intended for me to meddle in your business with Michael then you should not have brought me here in the first place!"
"Why don't you go ask Frenchie then? I see you two are best friends now"
"So this is what it's all about. You think I'd. . ."
His eyes went into a firm realization at what I left unsaid.
"You're just being driven by hurt, insecurities and most of all, Jealousy, Ric!"
He started walking towards me,his strides calculated and determined. His eyes preyed my whole being and I found myself backing into the wall till there was nowhere to move to. He stops just an inch away, slamming his hand against the wall behind me,his arm securing the side of my head as his eyes looked into my eyes,into my soul. My breathing stopped and I fought for air. But there was something dark about his eyes as they watched mine.
His face inches closer until they got to my face and his lips moved closer to my ear and I heard him whisper "Michael took something from me. He took a beloved woman from me"
A beloved woman. My heartbeat suddenly felt so wrong,it hurt. So this is what this is all about. Jealousy over some woman in the past. How did I get it all wrong? How did I misinterpret that in my head?
His hand slips off the wall and he moves back. "Happy now?"was the last thing he said before walking away and disappearing into his room.
I just stood there, replaying all that just happened in my head.
To say my night was uncomfortable was an understatement. There was no word for it.
The following morning,Ric talked to me like we did not just have a fight the night before and I never mentioned anything concerning it. I just played along,ate breakfast with him before getting ready for the flight home.
Ah,I missed home. I couldn't wait to leave.
The flight was quiet and just as boring.
When we arrived at the airport,a Mercedes Benz was already waiting for us. I wanted to tell Ric that I was gonna leave from here and take a separate can home. the ride was already uncomfortable as it is,I dreaded riding this car with him for even another minute but before I could say a word, he's ushering me into the car like he knew what was going on in my mind.
"I'm sorry about last night"he finally spoke as his car approached my apartment building.
I watched him in utter amazement. If anything,I've come to realize that one of the hardest things for him to do is apologizing to anyone. And he did it at this time just to be rid of the shame as soon a step out of the car
"I was angry last night and.... shouldn't have yelled"he added as the car came to a stop for me, avoiding eye contact"I'm sorry"
Like a programmed person,the smile found its way to my face immediately "okay" I replied monotonically before stepping off his car and walking up the apartment lawn, feeling his eyes watching me from the car.
His car never left until I'd disappeared into the building.