I had taken a short nap during our drive to Rexivo.
"Valerie, we are here."
I heard Chloe's soft voice as my head was placed on her shoulder. It felt like, it has only been a few minutes I had fallen asleep. The drive wasn't long from the restaurant to here.
"oh! Sorry, I fell asleep on your shoulder."
I apologised to Chloe as it might have been uncomfortable for her to sit like that.
"No, it's alright. I should leave for my home now. You should leave with Duke, too."
She said, concerned. It was late in the night and she was concerned about me, when I had Duke on my said. It was her who needed to be safe. I couldn't let her go alone.
"No, Chloe you can't go alone. Let your car be here for the night, it'll be safe. Let us drive you to home."
I offered and Duke seemed to agree too.
"No, I'll be good, going on myself. You guys don't need to worry."
She said with smile. I wasn't convinced.
"Trust me it's no worry Chloe. I can't let you go alone."
I said in a way that she couldn't resist taking my suggestion.
"Okay. But I need to take my car, I'll face problem, coming to office, tomorrow morning."
She stated as a matter of fact.
"I can pick you up."
Duke said, making us both gaze at him. Well, I appreciate his initiative in helping Chloe out. But would it be okay? Yes, obviously it would be, Duke knew his limits, being a made man too, he was a controlled soldier with some disciplines, sometimes I think, he should have joined military instead of mob.
"Can you?"
I asked in confirmation, where as Chloe was still looking him, wide eyed. Oh! Girl stop fan girling over the guy.
"Yeah... I mean Enzo drop you in the morning and I'm free, so o could help her. Well, it's my duty to keep people safe."
He answered trying to sound professional and permissible but failing miserably. Why was he justifying it?
"Yeah, cool. Chloe you can enter your location in the map."
I told and she did so. Her home was farther than we thought and I was tired and sleepy.
"Yeah, that is it."
Chloe said as we finally stopped in front of an apartment in a colony where the houses were identical. The house wasn't as big as Enzo's mansion but it was pretty good for a girl of her age, she made this on her own and she lived here alone. Chloe was such an inspiration.
"Would you like to come in?"
She asked and she obviously knew we couldn't, it was late but generous of her to do so.
"I guess, some other time. I would love to come to your home. For now we'll just leave."
I said and she beamed.
"Be ready at nine sharp. I'll pick you up."
Duke told her as he started the car and drove me to the mansion. I thought, this night would be sleepless for me, thinking about those wanting incident that happened today. But here I was fighting the urge to hit the bed before showering. But my last time experience clearly shouts, never to sleep with makeup on. Hesitantly I took a shower, as soon as we reached home and crashed the ultra soft mattress with my hairs still damp. Oh boy, I couldn't wait to blow dry them properly.
The next day was awaken by banging on the door and I knew it was gonna be one hard working day for me. Why was Enzo so determined to make me fit and teach me self defense. Well, I think I knew the answer why but I still was too lazy for it.
"Coming."
I said in low, raspy voice as I grabbed the knob of the door.
"Let's go, slumber queen, enough sleeping."
Enzo said with a smirk, with a hand on the door frame and other placed on his waist. He standing, stunningly shirtless. A sight to behold on. Shut up! Valerie, when would I ever get used to him, his nature of not wearing much clothes, inside the home?
"I'll be down in a minute."
I said taking a yawn.
"Thought so."
He turned behind and left. I did not wanted to exercise. I wanted to sleep and make my worries fade away but Enzo wouldn't let me. Oh! God I was starting to hate my life with him as well. Why was he being so dominating?
I had to change into some gym outfits and I did so as soon as I could and before Enzo could drag me to work out, I went downstairs.
"You don't have to be so lazy."
Enzo commented. Was I being lazy? Wasn't it obvious for me to take extra sleep when I was working too hard and I wasn't even used to working.
"You don't have to be so complaining."
I snapped back.
"Seriously! You don't want to pick an argument with me."
He said with a challenging smirk and I wanted to prove him wrong, I could be much better than him, proving my point.
"And what if I want to? I mean, come on don't give yourself that importance."
I said with a chuckle, obviously trying to piss him off.
"Oh! Really then it might not end good."
He simply answered.
"We'll see that."
I was being challenging. I wanted him to know that I could be difficult opponent as well, he was definitely miscalculating me.
"So, what's the point that you don't like about me?"
He asked crossing his arms over his chest, was he trying to distract me? If yes, then he was succeeding with that charming body of his.
"You....you don't sleep at night and you come to disturb me from my precious sleep, early in the morning."
I simply told him.
"How could you say, I don't sleep? I am a human I do sleep but unlike you, slumber queen, I have my certain hours fixed for that 'precious' sleep."
He answered.
"You come home so late from Genoa, when do you get time to sleep?"
I questioned, he used to return to mansion so late, and woke up too early. How could someone sleep in that short period of time?
"Trust me, my time table is a well scheduled and is enough for my daily needs."
He said and there was no point arguing him, further. I raised my hands in air as I had nothing else to say in that regard.
"My turn. Why are you so lazy? Why do you have to sleep on every place you find an opportunity. Last night you even slept in car with your head on Chloe's shoulder, for such small drive."
He laughed, embarrassing me. But it also reminded me of Alantino's abnormal behavior, I couldn't tell Enzo about it now, I would think nicely before telling him.
"Shut up! Is that guy my body guard or your spy? Why does he tells you even the slightest bits of events?"
I said, seemingly annoyed by ,Duke. Did he really have to do that? Tell every single detail to him?
"Obviously he would tell me. He is my loyal soldier."
He said teasing me. I was so frustrated, how could he do so. I am so disappointed in him.
"So, he must have also told you about his feelings for... "
Before I could consider, the words left my mouth and I was slapping myself hard in my head. I could I let something like that slip from my mouth, Chloe trusted me and here I completely ruined it for her.
"Feelings... What are you saying?"
Enzo, became serious and the humour in his eyes was gone. Christ! He was taking it serious. What should I do now?
"Nothing. It just slipped.... It's nothing."
I tried to cover up but Enzo was looking me with Judging eyes, making me nervous. I had to fight back the urge of running away.
"No, Valerie. There is something, you are not telling me. What is it? What did you say about Duke and feelings?"
He asked and pronounced the word 'feelings' as it was something foreign to him. I was caught now, I couldn't escape Enzo wihout telling him the truth. There was no point in lying either. He wouldn't fall for any lies. He was too smart to fall for it.
"Okay... So I don't know about Duke but Chloe has some feelings for him, not hard feelings but yeah, there is something. She admitted it to to me as we consider each other good friends. I had thought she was only fangirling over him, but I think it's a little more than that and I've also experienced the behavioral change in Duke around Chloe. So I thought he might have feeling for him. Well, I am not not sure but according to what I felt, I think there is something."
I told him everything, not sure how he was gonna react. He listened everything silently before reacting and every word that I uttered made my heart beat pumped faster. I could only hope for an optimistic and supportive reply from him.