XXXII. Goodbye.
. . . . .
"Ready?" Dakari asked me, his voice deep. His strong arms were wrapped around my waist, and his blue eyes were interlocked with mine, looking down at my small figure.
I rolled my eyes. "Do I even have a choice? Let's go." I grumbled.
With that, he tightened his grip and led me out the door. The very same door I saw in the distant when I ran away from the villa.
Only to be caught again by the bastard.
Outside, there were people waiting. The four dogs of Dakari- not exactly dogs but still. . . Those four goons are similar to a dog. Surrounded the car we were going to board. A few feet away from them, Mira stood with a soft smile on her lips, but her eyes were expressionless.
As we walked closer to the car, Mira called out. "Take care, Ms. Viviana. . ." Her voice steady despite the tension.
Was she sad? Maybe.
Should I ask Dakari for a favor? I honestly want to talk to her. She seems eager to say something but Dakari was already leading me toward the car.
I bit my lower lip and stopped walking. "Uhmm. . . Dakari?"
He turned to me, his expression unreadable. "What is it?" He asked gruffly.
I hesitated, glancing back at Mira. "I. . . I want to talk to Mira for a moment." I said, my heart racing at the thought of asking him for this favor. "Can I?"
His expression hardened, a flicker of irritation crossing his face. "Why do you need to talk to her now?"
Geez.
I was literally already following him to Russia, and he was still pissy about everything.
It's not like I could escape in the moment even if I wanted to.
There's just too many people here. The villa's staff, his soldiers and close attendants are here outside. And I'm all alone here, with approximately 0.99% of slipping away and escape.
Bruh, it's literally close to none.
Tsk tsk.
"I just. . . I want to check in with her, y'know? That's what friends do." I replied, trying to keep my voice steady despite the frustration bubbling inside me.
Can't believe I just called Mira a friend. Truth be told, she's just a stranger to me.
I don't get attached easily.
Everyone around me is not whom I deem an ally. They all took part on keeping me confined in this prison they call Villa del Dimitrius.
Tsk.
Dakari had let my waist go and crossed his arms, clearly unimpressed. "We don't have time for this."
I took a deep breath. "It'll only take a minute." I insisted, glancing back at Mira then returning my gaze back to him. 'Does he even know how much I want to punch his face right now? Does he really have to even restrict me out here? Infront of his watchful eyes? He may be handsome but I won't hesitate to scar his face.' . . . "Well? You're dragging on than you should be. You're wasting more time. Just say yes, damnit."
With a heavy sigh, he finally relented. "Fine."
Finally!
I walked away from him and headed towards Mira who seemed cautious.
"You look like you have a lot to say to me. Spill." I said in a low tone.
I could feel Dakari's gaze piercing into the back of my head, a reminder of his ever-watchful presence.
But I was certain he couldn't hear us from this distance.
We were also far enough away from the other personnel that I doubted anyone would eavesdrop on our conversation.
Mira glanced around quickly before leaning in closer. "I'm glad you're okay," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I'm worried, Ms. Viviana."
Surely that's not the only thing she wants to say right?
"Worried? You're not the one being dragged off to Russia," I replied, my frustration spilling over. "What's really going on? Is there something I need to know? My guts are telling me that that's not the only thing you want to say."
With a resigned sigh, she leaned in, her arms wrapping around me in a mock embrace, her breath warm against my ear as she whispered conspiratorially, "Ms. Viviana, you must meet Lucius Maeve once you arrive in Russia."
"What?. . ." That's the only thing I could mutter as I also went on on her charade. "Lucius? Where is he?" I asked.
"Lucrezia, listen carefully. . . Please?" She urged, her tone shifting to one of urgency. "You will make a stop in the Khabarovsk District before continuing on to the Dimitri's domain."
"Then?"
I rubbed her back gently, a subtle gesture meant to convey reassurance while ensuring our embrace appeared innocent to any onlookers. A small farewell between friends, hiding the fact that she's literally betraying Dakari- her boss, by conveying this message to me.
She will surely get into trouble once someone finds out. It also doesn't help that the very man she was betraying was watching us with sharp and calculating gaze.
"Someone will approach you once you're alone." She whispered.
"Okay? You seem to know a lot. Mind telling me where this someone you speak off will approach me?"
"The estate where you'll be staying while you're in the city," she replied, her voice barely above a whisper. "Once you're settled in, keep an eye out. They'll find you when the time is right."
"And how will I know who they are?"
"They'll-"
"Lucrezia, what's taking you so long?" I heard Dakari complain from a far distance. Eager to leave immediately.
Tsk. Impatient bastard.
I glanced over my shoulder, catching a glimpse of him standing there, his expression unreadable but intense.
"Oh come on! I won't be seeing the person who took care of me for a long time and you're not even allowing me to have some time with her?!" I complained back.
Dakari's eyes narrowed slightly, but I could see the tension in his jaw as he held back a retort.
I guess that's a sign that he will wait.
As he should.
My gaze returned to Mira who was nervous but tried her best to seem normal.
Aiden, Lev, Mikhail, and Laxei were watching over us, leaning casually against the car, their postures relaxed yet their eyes sharp and alert. I'm sure they could read our lips as well.
This must be why Mira leaned in for a hug. My back was facing the boys, creating a barrier that shielded Mira from their prying eyes. At 5'6", I towered over her petite frame of around 5'1" or 5'2", providing just enough cover to keep our conversation discreet.
"Go on, Mira." I urged her in a low whisper.
"Lucrezia, take note of Lucius's initials." She said, her eyes were swelling from fake tears. "L.M. that's the code."
'Gosh, what a good actress. She deserves an oscar.' I pretended to feel pity for her, stroking her hair gently as if to comfort her, my fingers brushing through the strands in a soothing motion.
I'm sure the men were still observing.
They were likely trying to decipher our hushed exchange, and I knew I had to keep our conversation veiled from their prying eyes.
Are they the example of what Mrs. Luzuriaga once said during my party back in the Viviana manor? Chismosos and chismosas?
Seems about right by definition alone.
I scoffed.
"Ssshhh. . . Don't cry, Mira. You're making me cry as well." I said loud enough for the others to hear, putting on a performance of my own. I then whispered for her to hear. "Anything else?"
"Take note of this as well-. . ."
. . . . .
"Why are you staring at me?" I asked, shooting Dakari a glare as we settled into the sleek interior of his black Bugatti La Voiture Noire hypercar. The car's luxurious leather seats enveloped us.
Dakari leaned back, his gaze unwavering, as if he were assessing my every move.
"Just trying to figure you out." He replied coolly, his expression unreadable.
I rolled my eyes, annoyed. "Well, stop it. It's unsettling."
He hummed. "Are you that close with the doctor? It's unusual for you to be. . . so casual with her." His tone was probing, tinged with an edge of skepticism.
I felt a surge of defensiveness at his words. "What's so unusual about it? She's been there for me as I recovered." I shot back, crossing my arms over my chest.
Dakari raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. "I just didn't think you'd let anyone in like that. Especially someone connected to. . . all of this." He gestured vaguely. "What makes her so different than everyone in Villa del Dimitrius, hmm? My dear? She, too, was also part of keeping you confined, unable to leave."
"Oh shut up. Can't it be that I'm just tired keeping everyone at arm's length?" I retorted bitterly. "Plus, she's a woman. She's the only woman I ever talked with during my stay in the villa."
Dakari's expression remained skeptical, his eyebrow arching higher as he absorbed my words. "Hmm. . . If you say so."
"Why are you suddenly asking about her anyway?"
He shrugged nonchalantly, but I could see the tension in his shoulders. "Just making sure you're not getting too close to someone who could be a liability." he replied casually, though there was an underlying seriousness in his tone.
What does he mean by that? It can't be that he don't trust his own employees right?
I narrowed my eyes at him. "Do you think she's a threat?"
She is.
She was willing to betray her boss. Yet, the bastard doesn't know that. Hopefully he never will.
Who cares though? She's literally helping me at some point to escape from him. Why not take it? I'll take whatever help I could get.
"Not necessarily a threat." He said slowly, choosing his words carefully. "Hmm? Why are you curious when I brought the doctor up? Are you jealous of the doctor, darling? Don't worry, I only have my eyes for you."
Ew. What the fuck?
"Tsk. Tsk. You really need to stop being delusional." I scrunched my nose in disgust, unable to hide my revulsion at his implication.
Dakari chuckled, clearly amused by my reaction. "Oh come on, Lucrezia. You know I'm just teasing you." His tone was light but I can tell he was somewhat. . . serious with his question?
I know I'm not jealous. Why the fuck should I be?
"Teasing? Is that what you call it?" I shot back, irritation flaring again. "You're acting like a child."
He shrugged, a playful smirk dancing on his lips. "Maybe so, but it gets a reaction out of you."
Again with that smirk. It was infuriatingly charming, and despite my annoyance, I couldn't deny that he was handsome as hell. Maybe that's why I found it hard to stay mad at him.
"You know, darling, I'm just looking out for you." He said.
I rolled my eyes again. "I can handle myself, Dakari. I'm not some fragile flower."
"Of course not," he said smoothly. "But even the strongest flowers need a little shade sometimes."
"You sure do have a way with your words."
Dakari grinned, clearly pleased with himself. "It's a gift, darling. Just trying to keep things interesting."
"Interesting? More like annoying."
"Annoying can be entertaining too. Besides, it's not my fault you're so easy to provoke."
I rolled my eyes again. "You really think you're charming, don't you?"
"Absolutely," he replied confidently. "And I know you secretly enjoy it."
"Secretly? Please." I scoffed, crossing my arms defiantly. "If anything, it's just another reason to keep you at arm's length."
"Yet here we are," he countered smoothly, his gaze steady on the road ahead. "You can't deny that our little exchanges make this whole mess a bit more. . . bearable."
I remained silent, turning my attention to the world outside the car window as we sped through the highway.
Looking at the back, there was an envoy- multiple black SUVs following behind our car.
"Did you bring all of your soldiers?" I asked, breaking the silence and glancing back at the imposing vehicles.
"Not all of them, but enough to ensure our safety as we head to the airport."
"So, is this standard procedure for you? A little entourage wherever you go?"
"More or less," he replied, his tone casual as he navigated the highway. "It's a necessary precaution. Trust me, I've learned the hard way that it's better to be overprepared than underprepared."
I remained silent.
Well what he said was true, who knows when an ambush might happen?
Hmm. . .
I'm also in danger as well. I'm the heiress of the Italian Mafia while he is the heir of the Russian Mafia.
I only resurfaced recently so I doubt I'm in the same level of danger compared to him.
"Do you ever wish things were different?" I asked quietly, breaking the silence that had settled between us.
Dakari glanced at me, his expression thoughtful. "Not really." he admitted. "I was born for this. And if it weren't for that fact I won't be able to have you all to myself."
Tsk.
Truly, how more shameless can he get?
"Stop sulking, darling." He teased.
"I'm not. I'm disgusted."
"Ouch, you're hurting my feelings. Why is my wife-to-be always so mean to her husband-to-be? Hmm?"
"Maybe because you keep on forcing me?" I narrowed my eyes.
"Forcing you? It was your father who signed your fate to me, remember?" He retorted, his tone was sharp. "You should hate him more. I'm only doing my end of the contract, and that is to marry their daughter."
"I don't care about the contract, you know. I would've complied obediently. But you know why I didn't? You've been nothing but a douchebag. Who will want to marry you after you threatened them multiple times and suspects them as a traitor, hmm?"
"I don't suspect you. We suspect your father for multiple reasons." He scoffed. "Let's continue this on the plane, we're near the airport."
I did not respond and only glared at him throughout the rest of the ride.
As we pulled into the airport, I could see the convoy of black SUVs waiting for us.
Dakari parked and turned off the engine, but I remained silent, still seething from our earlier conversation.
He got out of the car and approached his ginger head assistant- Aiden Blanche, before he returned to the car and opened the door for me.
"After you," he said, his tone shifting to one of forced politeness.
I shot him a glare but didn't respond. Instead, I stepped out of the car and adjusted my posture.
I observed how deserted the airport is.
"Is it always this quiet?" I asked. "Or did you drove away other passengers and booked the airport all to yourself?"
Dakari chuckled softly. "No, it's just a private terminal. We prefer discretion, especially given the circumstances."
He wrapped his arm around my waist and guided me inside.
As we entered, I glanced back and saw Aiden teasing Laxei once again. The poor guy had a scowl on his face as they trailed behind us. Lev was silent, as usual, while Mikhail smirked, probably contemplating a witty retort to join in their conversation.
"Are they going to be on the same plane as us?" I asked Dakari.
"No. They'll be on a separate flight."
Huh? "So it's just us then?"
"Just us. Of course there's the cabin crew but they won't bother us."
Great.
Just great.
The thought of being alone with him is unbearable, and he's gone out of his way to ensure it's just us. Tsk.
How long is the flight to Russia? If memory serves me right, it's roughly 10 to 11 hours from Italy to Russia. And that's not even counting the additional hours we'll spend in a car just to reach Khabarovsk District. It feels like an eternity, doesn't it?
Once we board the plane after a brief walk through the terminal, the anticipation builds.
We settled in our seats and awkwardly stared at one another, waiting for the other to say something, to continue our previous conversation that I, myself, forgot. It can't be helped given how distracting the four goons was when we walked.
Imagine just hearing Aiden's loud mouth throughout the flight? I guess it was fortunate that Dakari's closest associates were on a different flight, leaving us alone.
This way I was able to keep a little semblance of peace.
I know for a fact that the devil infront of me won't leave me be for hours to come.
Oh I'm so unlucky.
And here I thought I had this strange struck of luck. Turns out it was bad luck instead of good luck.
Tsk tsk, how disappointing.
Dakari tilted his head slightly as we maintained eye contact. There was mischief in those blue eyes of his. "I hope you find the seat comfortable. If not, you can always sit on my lap, and who knows? Maybe it's much more comfortable."
My right eye twitched in annoyance. 'He actually won't stop being shameless, huh?' Hmm. . . Shameless? Rather, he's quite bold. "Shut up." I snarled angrily.
However, he only shrugged it off. "Hold tightly, or else you'll stumble around as the plane takes off. A piece of advice though, instead of sitting in your seat, seat on my lap. I will prevent you from being trashed around." He shot back, his grin widening as he leaned back in his seat.
I only rolled my eyes. The offer will be tempting to those women who likes handsome muscular men such as Dakari.
Really though, why does this devil have such an angelic face?
My gaze then landed on his attire.
He wore a crisp white long-sleeve shirt with a classic button-down collar, paired with slim-fit black trousers in sleek matte fabric. His polished black leather shoes featured subtle brogue detailing, complemented by a minimalist leather belt and a striking wristwatch. Understated cufflinks peeked from his sleeves.
The damned bastard is effortlessly attractive.
Or am I just too idealistic?
Women have preferences, men does too. I can't be blamed for finding him attractive. If one were to look at the bastard, they might as well pass out.
I can't exactly describe him in a very specific way. That's just weird.
He's pleasing to the eye, okay?
But. . . Ugh. No. I'm more pleasing to the eye. I'm more gorgeous than he is.
Mhm.
The plane began to rumble beneath us as it taxied down the runway, and I instinctively grasped the armrests, feeling the vibrations surge through the cabin.
As the aircraft stabilized, Dakari looked at me, a smirk playing on his lips, his shoulders relaxed and casual. Suddenly, he stood up from his seat and positioned himself directly in front of me. Knowing that I have nowhere to back out, he caged me in between his arms.
"Now what the fuck are you doing?"
"I'm curious about something, Lucrezia. . ."
I raised a brow, surely doing this to me is so unnecessary. "What is it?" The cabin around us felt small and charged despite it being only us inside the plane.
He better ask about something sensible. I swear if it's not-. . .
"Would you shoot the person you love because you think it's for the best?" He asked, his tone suddenly serious.
Now where is this coming from?
I narrowed my eyes at him, silent for a second as I searched for any hints in his eyes. What was his motive? Why did he ask that kind of out-of-topic question.
I guess I'll never know unless I look through his brain.
But honestly, if I were to answer his question, then. . . "I would. I'm a petty person, Dakari. Between good or bad? There's no in-between when I'm the one involve." I stated coldly, my voice was resolute. While his expression was blank. "I do what I must."
I looked at his Adam's apple bobbing up and down as if he swallowed a lump in his throat. "I see. . . Even if it's against your principles?"
"Even if it's against my principles." I affirmed, my gaze was unwavering as I said it with honesty.
We stayed like that for a good minute, locked in an intense gaze. My hazel eyes searched his oceanic orbs, trying to decipher the thoughts swirling behind them.
I've had always been true to my words. Bounded by duty and the desire to fulfill a goal.
I guess one can say I'm a very goal oriented person.