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

Chapter 27: Beggin'

Benjamin stumbled into Ally's flat without knocking. She turned around, pants less, and with a t-shirt pressed to her chest in an attempt to cover up.

"What are you doing?" she hissed.

Hi eyed the marks her ass before she moved her hand, blocking his view. The bruises were fading, but they were still quite visible against her pale skin.

"We need to talk." She gestured to him to turn around. He raised his eyebrows toward her. "I've already seen everything."

"I don't care. Turn around."

He obeyed. She slipped into a pair of jeans shorts and pulled on her provisional shield. He turned back around when she declared that she was ready.

"Now we can talk?"

She nodded. He crossed the room and threw himself down on her bed. She contemplated for a second to sit down beside him, but the memories from the last time they've been on the bed together, made her blush. She chose the sofa instead. If he noticed her quick struggle, he didn't show it.

"How did it go yesterday?" he said casually.

She gave him a knowing look. "Say what you want to say."

He threw out his arms. "I am."

She shook her head. "No, you're not."

His eyes met hers, a flash of gold in them.

"I talked with Adryan", he said, assessing her face. "He told me you had a fun night and that he was sorry for being so... hard on me."

She tried to look unbothered by his intense gaze. Adryan had apologised? She had neither expected him to, nor asked for it. Her stomach made a little jump. Maybe he wasn't as bad as Benjamin had painted him out to be. He had come to that idea on his own and she was almost a hundred percent sure that an old, heartless monster wouldn't do that.

"Oh?" she said, trying to keep her face neutral.

Benjamin slowly shook his head.

"You have pull with him." He tried to keep his astonishment out of his voice, but failed miserably. "How?"

She shrugged.

"I don't think I do. I just... confronted him about his actions. Reminded him of them. I think my face said exactly how horrified I was by them, and it seemed to wake some... something in him.

Fear. It had woken fear. And guilt. But she felt that the truth wasn't hers to tell. She'd guard Adryan's secret as long as he wanted her to, or until - if she ever had to - she would be forced to use it against him.

"You played off of his emotions."

It wasn't a question but she still answered it:

"No, I played off of my own."

Benjamin, who had been pushed up on his elbows, leaned back, resting his back on the bed.

"You confronted Adryan Alesso." He chuckled. "I bet no one has done that in a really long time."

She hadn't thought that it was such a big deal, but his reaction told her otherwise.

"He wants to see me again."

He turned his head so that he could look at her.

"Maybe you should."

She raised her eyebrows. "So now it's okay that I see him? When it benefits you?"

She pressed her lips together. He pushed himself off the bed, again resting his weight on his elbows.

"Will you? See him again?"