He's Fire and She's Playing with It - Mafia Version

Chapter 20: Sweat

Ally was curled up in bed with a book. Leo was sleeping soundly next to her. It was seven in the morning and she had been up for hours, not being able to sleep. Leo never seemed to have that problem, of course he never took naps during the day as she did.

She returned to the book, the words sucking her in until she was part of the pages. The paper burned under her fingers, the story an inferno.

When Leo gently touched her arm, she jumped, her mind snapping back into reality.

"Good morning", he said. "Interesting book I see."

"Don't do that", she hissed.

She always got annoyed when someone interrupted her reading, and as usual the reaction was way too big and undeserving.

"I'm sorry", she said quickly. "I didn't mean to come on too harsh."

He didn't seem mad though, and didn't wear that smirk that meant that she was in trouble.

"Did you sleep well?"

She put the book down.

"Not really", she answered. "How about you?"

He rolled over onto his stomach and rested his upper body on his elbows.

"I absolutely, one-hundred percent, did."

She smiled.

"I could tell. You barely moved. I almost thought you were dead."

She leaned forward and gave him a kiss.

"Would you come to my funeral?"

He grinned.

"I don't know. I might be busy", she answered and shrugged.

He tilted his head, suddenly serious.

"Can I ask you something?"

She immediately tensed up. The question always made her uncomfortable but his tone made her scared this time. Did it have something to do with Benjamin and in that case, what? If he had waited two days to ask, it surely couldn't be that serious, could it? She forced herself to relax. Whatever it was, he would see right through her if she wasn't careful.

"Of course", Ally answered and smiled a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes.

Leo watched her carefully as he spoke, trying to catch every little sign of if she was prevaricating.

"Did you have an argument with Daniel?"

She looked surprised, the smile slightly going off its track.

"We have hardly spoken with each other. Did he say that we had an argument?"

Her smile faded and was replaced by a look of concern.

"No. Benjamin said that he walked in on a tense situation. I know Daniel. He has a tendency to push people's buttons. Believe me, you wouldn't be the first one to have a go at him."

She shrugged, a gesture that was normally relaxed but now seemed to act like a shield, masking how tense she actually was.

"He said... something stupid", she answered. "I got annoyed. That was it."

He sat up straight and pulled her up with him.

"What did he say?"

He lifted her chin up, forcing her to look at him. She tried to turn her head away, but he only tightened his grip. She was going to meet his eyes whether she liked it or not.