Arianna POV:
I felt like I was overstepping when he insisted upon me doing something to change the room and make it more to my taste, but waking up this morning and seeing the dark white bed and couch, dresser, nightstands, and gray walls I felt like I was living in an insane asylum. I suppose it was my mother's fault that I grew up with so much and now already being on edge seeing all this blankness made el uneasy. The way he offered it too, so freely, so sure that it was what I needed. I didn't like that he knew me so well we were strangers, but he knew exactly what would calm me down. I was already a stranger in my own family. I didn't need this stranger to see me so wholly. He was clear in his intentions too, that's why I knew coming here was safe. I had been surrounded by liars, crooks, and con men. In all of them, he was the only one to be honest, and even though he fell into the same category he also had a good heart.
I got myself together and made my way downstairs deciding that making breakfast might make me feel like I had some control over my life. I couldn't go where I wanted, and if I did leave I had a shadow, but I could eat what I wanted.
I decided on an omelet. I didn't have much to do anyway making the most of my meal seemed a sweet indulgence to cheer myself up. Mainly to distract myself, I had poked the bear by abandoning my family, Gio had already lost a lot in his distractions. Now he had to fight off all my father's fury.
"You know, I'm not used to anyone else being up this early," his voice cleared through the air behind me. "I could get used to it,"
I smiled to myself in a girlish way that should have made me cringe, but it seemed that the trust he had built with me had riled up the lingering attraction I had for him as well.
He was too damn handsome even in the morning his hair was all undone and ruffled. I didn't realize he had curly hair. He stumbled over to the coffee machine sitting down in front of it in a heap waiting for his precious miracle drink.
I held back a giggle at his ridiculous early morning stupor. I cleared my throat instead and gestured to my omelet preparations, "hungry?" I asked.
He groaned, turning over and looking at my meal. "Yes please," he straightened up looking over at me, seemingly remembering someone else now occupied his space.
"Did you always get up this early?" He asked, his voice becoming less hoarse after a sip of an espresso. At which he turned on the cappuccino machine for his second hit.
"No but I couldn't sleep," I shuffled from side to side and then froze when he came over, stealing some bacon from over my shoulder.
"I'm sorry," he apologized like he was the one tormenting me. "It'll get better," he tried.
I think we both knew it wouldn't, I had a madman after me and the thing making it worse was he was my father.
"You should go out today, get stuff for your room, buy yourself more clothes, and fill the fridge up with what you like," he told me again.
Once more I moved to protest but then remembered the cold I felt waking up in such a hollow place.
"If it's going out that's making you nervous send someone to get what you like I'll get you catalogs and you can choose what you wish," he continued.
"No, no I'll go out," I agreed. I think making myself leave the fortress would be the best I would stay here and cower behind Gio.
I would stand out there and if my father made any attempt, I suddenly realized I had nothing that I could do to him or his goons. I had nothing to protect me besides Gios's men.
I felt indignation rising in me, I didn't want to rely on them. It looked like I had to I've never had to protect myself like this before I've never even thought of what it would be like for someone this dark to come into my world. Danger always seemed like something that happened on the news, not something that happened to me. I turned to Geo and my face became very hard and serious.
"Can you give me something to protect myself with?" I asked him.
Won't be necessary," shook his head, but I reached out and grabbed his arm.
"Please," was all I said.
We both knew the truth. My father was going to come for me with everything he had. I was the best chance that Gio had at getting something over on him. We were the biggest threat to my father and he knew it. Leaving us alone would be a stupid and foolish mistake and my father didn't make those.
"Alright,"
He wasn't happy with me. I don't think he liked the fact that I was questioning him, but at the same time, he couldn't hide the fact that we were in danger and he couldn't protect me from everything.
I wanted to go if I wanted to see things alive I had to play the rules of the game. I had to defend myself changing, I'd do it.
Hey, handed me a teeny tiny little Taser. I wasn't sure if it could kill a fly, but it was something I looked down realizing that there was a good chance I would have to use it.
I wish I could turn back the clock once more and go back to my innocence. I felt like a constant reminder of everything that I'd given up just to know the truth.
I thought back to the two men that had shown up on my doorstep and the taser didn't feel like it was enough, but I still had his with me and so long as I had to protect myself, I'd be okay.
"Thank you," I grabbed it from him our hands brushing both of us sucking in breath.
I spun back to my cooking and tried not to think about him being right beside me, back over to the table, and drink his coffee as he woke up for the day. He seems to be working on some on his phone.
I wanted to know the plans that he had in place I wanted to know what was going to do. How was going to end this? It seems like a monumental task to break apart what my father built.
I wanted to ask him about his cousin Marco, what about the wedding to my sister? I wanted to know how my sister was. I wanted to know if she hated me. If she understood, what she knew, what she didn't know.
I had been texting her but she had stopped responding once I came here. She'd thought I had returned home from work, that I had used up my vacation days.
If only I had the strength she had not to see the truth. To keep my eyes tightly shut, keeping all the monsters lurking in the shadows out of my head.
I sat down our food and sat beside him. He slid over a cappuccino that I didn't even even know he had made.
"Thank you,"
"Thank you,"
I blushed a bit and smiled at the table, starting to play with my food to avoid his gaze.
"Why did you come here?" He asked my mind reeling in surprise at the sudden turn in the conversation.
"Well I- I," to be honest I knew, but if I told him it would change things between us, if I told him I trusted him, saw good in him, and wanted his protection, his help. I don't think we could ignore the attraction, but that would only complicate everything way more than it already was.
"You've come here, you've apologized for mistrusting me. I'd be a fool not to think there's more than just fear of your father," he persisted.
I wish I had said I kept my mouth shut, that I didn't tell him I thought he was a good man. That he would keep me and every other innocent bystander safe if he had it in him. I wish I could say liens wouldn't become so blurred we eventually fell over them. That would be a lie.
"You told me you wouldn't let innocents get hurt, that my father was the most dangerous man you'd ever met. You were honest with me," I let it out. "I want to help you,"
He stared back at me a thousand words on the top of his tongue but the same shackles holding me in place kept his voice silent.
"I will do what I can to keep my word," he took a sip and then began to eat. The only noise was our fork scratching at the plate, and uncomfortable awkwardness sitting between us, stealing glances at each other.
Then he stood up and put his plate in the sink before moving toward me a step back, sighing and putting his hands in his pockets.
"I have to go to work. Go and spend my money make yourself at home, if it means more food like that I'll be a lucky man," he left his eyes and mine holding on for one last second his smirk teasing me, my heart twisting a little.
"I'll be home tonight Arianna," he called to me as he walked out.