Mean Looking Sweetheart

CHAPTER 7

~My favourite place on earth is where I'm with you.

Avalyn's POV.

"Please accept my sincere apology for making you wait, Mr Agosti." I gave him a formal smile which held anything but warmth in it. And he saw that, he noticed exactly where we stood. "Not at all. We came earlier than our appointed time." Soft... his voice was soft for the first time. No dismissive tone, no annoyance. But that annoyed me even more.

I looked at him finally. Many years has passed, so many that I almost forgot how tall he actually was. I barely reached his shoulder even with my heels. Same stormy grey eyes, yet changed, like the storm has somehow quieten down a little. Same black hair, the same almost pale skin.

"May I inquire why? Oh, please do be seated." I motioned for them and took a seat myself. The buffed up dude at the door took a seat at the couch at the far end of my office and Salvatore and that Asian looking guy sat down on the chairs in front of my desk.

"I came earlier beacuse I wanted to discuss something with you Ava." How dare he say my name like that? His voice was calm. Too calm for a guy, in as desperate circumstances as he was in. Or maybe he was not desperate at all? I felt embarrassed and foolish at my decision of coming on front to help a guy who still looked like he had everything in control.

"It's Ms Abramov." I said in a stirn voice. I looked Salvatore Agosti in the eyes and his eyes were already on me. All this time since I entered the room. I challenged him to say otherwise with my eyes and his grey steel was right back at me.

"Ms Avalyn, it's very nice to meet you, at last." Our eye contact was severed and I looked at the guy who said it. "I'm Hamasaki Tsuda. You can call me Tsuda." He sat up straight and held his hand out I took it with a professional smile. "I'm an enemy of your enemy, so please consider me an alley." He pointed at Salvatore but I didn't spare him a glance.

My eyes were on Tsuda when I said. "Likewise, Mr. Tsuda. But there seems to be a misunderstanding here. I neither have an enemy nor a friend in this room, right now." He smiled sadly and nodded.

"Is that so?" It came from Salvatore Agosti. His voice deep yet somehow not as empty as usual. Before I could say much the door to my office banged open and everyone stood up. Except, Salvatore. He didn't even glance to the door, his eyes were glued to me. The guy on the couch took his gun out and pointed it, at the intruder, who was shockingly Avery. Avery looked at the gun and glanced at the guy as though he was a joke.

Suddenly we heard another bang and we saw the chair fall down from behind Tsuda. What was up with that guy? Why would he be so shocked to see Avery?

Avery had her eyes only on me, as she walked past everyone and reached my hands. "Are you okay, Ava?" I got out of my seat and leaned towards her. "Why would I not be?" She took a deep breath as though relaxed and nodded. She looked at Salvatore with those eyes, that held a promise of death.

Then her eyes travelled pass him and widened at what she saw, more specifically, 'who' she saw. Was she shocked to see Tsuda too? Avery always liked keeping her things to herself. She won't tell me much, ever. But I could see, something was going on between them. Interesting.

"I got what you asked for." She yurned back to me and handed me the package. I took it and thanked her. My cheque book. I had forgotten to bring it. I put it on my desk and wrote the numbers and signed it. "Put the gun away. You scare no one here." Avery said to the man standing by the couch. He did without saying much.

"I'm sorry, for the interruption. This was important. Please be seated." I said and slid the cheque on the table towards Salvatore Agosti. Tsuda kept standing, staring at Avery, like she would disappear if he looked away. Salvatore's grey eyes looked at me with question. "That's my student lone, to you." His eyes went cold instantly and he looked up at me.