Ariella Garcia is an 18-year-old girl who dreams of leaving her current situation behind and starting a new life. She's fiercely independent, and her love for nature and animals is unparalleled. She's always surrounded by people who care about her...
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"Tell me when it hurts, okay?" I asked him.
"Ariella, this isn't the first time we've done this, so stop worrying," he told me.
"I'm just being cautious," I huffed.
I started brushing his hair, carefully parting it to braid.
Dion was sitting between my legs, scrolling on his phone while I worked on his hair. He'd asked me to do it, and since I was a bit bored, I was happy to help.
Meanwhile, Alexandro, Lucas, and Nic were at Alexandro's office.
Yesterday, Alexandro received a call in Italian, and they were speaking so fast that I could barely understand a word.
I caught snippets of photos, of a girl, a warehouse, and a fire, along with a few colorful expressions.
What worried me more was how cold and calculating Alexandro's expression became. It honestly frightened me a bit, seeing that look on his face as if he were mentally piecing things together.
I think he even forgot I was there because when he finally glanced at me, that intense expression vanished, replaced by concern and maybe even worry. He hugged me tightly as if he thought he might lose me at any moment.
I tried to ask him what was wrong, but he didn't answer, just kissed my forehead and said he had to rush to work.
I hadn't seen him since then.
I had a nightmare yesterday, and I was grateful Alexandro wasn't there because then he would have heard me screaming.
Then, this morning, Dion informed me that Alexandro would be home late today.
"Do you know why there are more guards today?" I asked Dion, noticing there were twice as many as yesterday.
"Well, I think Alexandro is closing a major deal today, so that might be why," Dion replied, still engrossed in his phone.
After I finished braiding Dion's hair, I went upstairs, leaving him downstairs. I headed to the guestroom and lay in bed.
The wound on my leg was taking on a nasty yellowish shade, indicating infection. I was doing my best not to limp in front of them.
My stomach had also turned a bluish-purple hue, which made me cringe whenever I saw it in the mirror.
I couldn't help but yawn involuntarily as I closed my eyes and drifted back to sleep.
***
I woke up feeling a weight on me and opened my eyes to find Alexandro's familiar face on my stomach. I knew he wasn't asleep because he was still moving around.
I ran my hand through his hair, and a low grunt escaped his mouth. He looked tired as if he hadn't slept in the last 24 hours.
"Hey," I smiled at him. He gave me a tired smile, closing his eyes briefly, a faint smile still lingering on his lips.
