Mobster Boy

17

Something sharp strikes my head. I'm knocked to the ground, stars bursting behind my clenched eyelids. 'I don't think I was caught in the main blast, but...' A hail of debris showers over me anyway, pummeling me even further into the ground. Over and over, again and again-and just when I think I can get to my feet, another explosion blasts through the air. Then there is nothing but darkness. 'Quiet.' I'm not sure how long I stay like that, just that it's not peaceful. 'How does that poem go again?' I struggle to remember it. I've never struggled to remember anything in my life. 'Do not go gentle into that good night?' "Don't go..." I hear Chance whisper. 'Yeah, that's how it goes...' "Don't go, please don't go..."

I gasp, sunlight filtering in through the smoky air. Blinking and coughing, I sit upright and struggle, feeling something constricting me. "Let go, let go!" I shout through my coughing.

"Adrian?!" The world is swimming in front of my eyes, but I recognize Chance's voice. Focusing on it, I reach out. My hands make contact with his chest, palms pressing flat against the solid muscle there as he hugs me. "Are you okay?" He sounds worried.

"I think so..." My throat feels like someone poured melted steel down it. I cough again, my senses ever so slowly returning to me.

"You idiot. Why did you follow me?" There's nothing stern about his voice, no anger behind his words.

"Worried about you." It's hard to get out more than a few syllables at a time. 'I think something clipped me in the jaw...'

"I told you I can take care of myself." I sigh.

"I know, but..." I ball my hands into fists.

"Idiot, idiot boy...why do you think I left you behind?" His hand moves to cradle the back of my head; I lift my own hand to cover his, only to feel warm blood. 'How hard did I hit my head?!' "What I do is dangerous, you can't keep tagging along! I thought you understood!"

All of this happened so fast. I blink away my confusion, trying to get back to what's important. "What about Giovanni?" Chance just stares at me, lost. "If you didn't include me in your plans, what good was I? He's the top priority, I thought that's what this was about. Taking him down, no matter what." Cold, pure logic. Those were the highlights of his anger, the way he interacted with the world.

"You're more important!" Except just then. I start to chuckle as Chance looks down at me, a helpless sorrow marring his beautiful face.

"Since when?" 'I've never been important to anyone, what makes him any different?'

"Since I fell in love with you." Any questions or shock I have are cut off with a kiss, hungry and forceful. I respond immediately, linking my arms behind his neck and pulling him to me, trying to get as close as I can.

Until my head twinges again and I whimper, pushing my face into the crook of his neck. "Ow..." Chance murmurs an apology, helping me to my feet and back over to the car.

"Here, girl." Ash arrives soon after we do, with Jazlyn bouncing at his heels. "I got the dog." I can almost hear Chance rolling his eyes.

"Nice priorities, Ash." I chuckle, but wince when my head aches.

"...I also cut off all the stragglers." Chance just shakes his head, looking over to me.

"Let's get you home." A more careful examination of my head makes it clear the cut is only superficial. Chance wants me to return home in the car, with Ash, but I insist on riding with him. Clinging to his back, I lose myself in how good it feels to be close to him again. The motorcycle weaves in and out of traffic, arriving home to the mansion much quicker than the car.