Romancing The Mob (ON HOLD)

chap. 13

ch. 13

            “Alexei?” Laura pushed open the door to Alexei’s home office, and he looked up from his desk.

            “Si?” He responded, eyes trained on hers, and Laura steeled her spine and took a deep breath.

            “I would like to go home.”

            “That is out of the question.” Alexei responded, going back to the computer in front of him. Willing herself not to get upset, Laura crossed to stand in front of his desk and placed her hands lightly on the rich cherry wood.

            “I truly, deeply appreciate everything that you’ve done for me, and your hospitality has been wonderful, but I want to go back to my own apartment. By staying here, I’m just letting them win, and I can’t allow that.”

            “Well, I can not allow you to be harmed-“

            “I am not asking for your permission.” Laura said sharply, pulling Alexei’s eyes away from the computer screen, as he raised one perfect eyebrow at her.

            “Non?”

            “Non,” Laura replied with a shake of her head. “You can not hold me hostage here, and I will not stay willingly. I am going home, and that is final.”        

            Alexei leaned back in his leather chair and surveyed Laura. God she was a force to be reckoned with. She was absolutely stiff with determination, and the rebellious tilt to her chin was doing something to his heart. Rubbing absently at his chest, trying belatedly to soothe the dull ache there, Alexei waved Laura away.

            “Go, baste.”

            Laura didn’t move, surprised. “Go? Really?”

            He looked at her wryly. “I thought you weren’t asking my permission, Laura.”

            Fighting a blush, Laura nodded and turned to leave. Pausing at the door, Laura sent him a small smile over her shoulder. “Thank you, for everything.”

            Alexei rubbed absently at his chest again after she’d left.

            With the patio doors opened wide and all the windows thrust open, Laura aired out her apartment. Happy to be home, but overcome with a burning sensation to deep cleanse everything, Laura scrubbed away on her hands and knees in the living room. This was the last room left, and after this, she was going to take a nice long soak in the tub, Laura vowed as she wrung out her soapy rag. The phone ringing had Laura getting up and wiping her hair from her sweaty face as she grabbed it.

            “Ciao?”

            “Can I please see my best friend this weekend? You’ve disappeared!” Liz exclaimed on the phone and laura had to laugh.

            “Conosco, conosco, but this weekend I am all yours.”

            “Finally, beauty is free of beast.” Liz giggled and Laura barked out a laugh.

            “Beast? Is that how you see Alexei?”

            “Well yes! Troy and I have it all thought out.”

            Laura laughed and leaned against the back of her couch. “Oh yeah? And what have you decided?”     

            “Okay so, he kind of kidnapped you, granted you did need a place to stay, but then he wouldn’t let you leave, just like Beast did to Beauty! But when you finally requested to leave, he let you go, all be it begrudgingly.”