Eyes So Blue I Drown

33| Pleased

WARNING:- Very detailed sexual and mature content ahead, basically smut. Please avoid reading this chapter if you feel uncomfortable with that.

ARABELLA

It was already past noon, slowly creaking into the early hours of the evening. The rest of the day was uneventful besides the constant tossing and turning in my bed. I was able to fall asleep in twenty-minute increments before waking up again, constantly finding myself interrupted by the thoughts of the horrible experience I had with those kidnappers.

Staring down at my phone, I drag my eyes across the screen for the millionth time, 5 pm.

The door knocks. And I slip out of the bed. I open the front door to Fantino, Renzo, Leah, and Julian.

"Are you OK?" Leah mumbles and gives me a soft hug.

Julian comes behind her, "And I'm so sorry. Did we wake you up?"

"No, it's fine" I smile and look at Renzo and Fantino at the door, whispering something to each other, "What is it that you both best friends are discussing today?"

Leah's eyes are wide enough to see every emotion reflected in them. There's fear and anxiety, both of which I expected to see. But her eyes dart down, so quickly, I almost miss it. Almost like...she's looking me over and checking I'm okay.

She asks me again if I was hurt badly. "No, but the other people were..." I exhale, recalling the screams and blood.

"Did something happen with..." Fantino mouths Lucius's name and I widened my eyes.

He knows.

"We've been playing a game of cat and mouse since ever. We knew he would pop up now and again" Julian huffs.

"What did he want from her?" Leah asks.

I hear the curiosity in her voice, even as she tries to hide it. That's the thing about her. Part of what drew me to her probably. She's seen darkness. Seen ugliness. And ran from it, as most rational people would. I didn't run, but I asked for a respite that ended with me getting pulled in.

That guy... they wanted the guy who I kissed in the club. As far as I can assume, he must be somewhere in LA. There's a weird feeling in the back of my head that I could recognize him. All I needed was for us to unify again... with the same touch.

At the very next moment, my eyes couldn't help but follow their gaze toward the envelope kept on the table. I still haven't opened it. Fantino knows about it all. Curiosity is suddenly a constant aggravation though.

What's it that Lucius wanted to give me? He doesn't even know much about me. It prickles my skin and interrupts each thought.

"Why don't we go to the club, Gabriel is there working" Renzo suggests, "Let's get her a little high, she had a stressful day"

Once they all left me alone in my room, I sit in the bed and pick the envelope up, tearing the head of it open. I shake it and see a picture settled in my lap.

I find myself trying to recognize the man in this picture. A man with a black colored jacket. There's a black colored beret hat on his head and black glasses before his eyes. A man in his late 40s. I feel like I know him... but I can't recognize him.

Besides that, everything in this picture seems normal. A very city-like environment with buildings covered in snow and words on a board that I can't comprehend.

I huff. Why would he give me this? I can't figure out anything. What shall I do?

To get the answer to my questions, I knock on the door of Fantino's room. No reply from inside. "Fantino? Are you there?"