Paint Me Red

17. Coffee

IGNAZIO'S POV: 

"This is impossible. How are we not able to track a small group of cowards?" I asked looking at Damien through the screen of my laptop.

"I have used all my resources, Ignazio. Whoever they are, and even though they're small, they are extremely clever. It's as if they know all the methods we'd use to track them down hence they've cleared all the trails that will lead us to them. Has there been any other attack?" He asked rubbing his face.

"No. Not yet, at least. I have tripled the security everywhere." I informed him.

"Fair enough. I'll see you next month." He said and hung up.

I sighed and shut the lid down. It was five in the morning and I hadn't gotten any sleep all night trying to find out the people who attacked us the other day.

The door to my office opened and I looked up to see Ellaria leaning against it with two mugs of coffee in her hand. She was wearing a peach colored one off shoulder, oversize jumper wiith black tights and black flats.

"Well, looks like I am going to drink both of these since you're too busy." She shrugged and was about to turn around when I stood up.

"Stop." I called.

She turned around with a small, almost invisible, smile and walked towards my desk before placing both mugs on it.

"What are you doing here at this hour?" I asked.

"Jason informed me that you haven't left the building since evening. I called the guards to ask them if you're still here and they confirmed it." She replied rounding the desk to give me my coffee.

She then picked up my laptop and a couple of files and placed them on one side before jumping up and sitting in front of me, on my desk. She grabbed the handles of my office chair and pulled them forward towards her.

"What's got you decaying in this plain old office?" She questioned gesturing around the office with her hand.

I chuckled at her choice of words and hooked my arms around her waist before answering, "I was working and completely lost track of time."

"What's so important?" she asked as she handed me the mug.

I took a sip of it and nearly moaned in satisfaction, "It's perfect." I smiled at her.

"Don't try to change the subject." she countered.

I sighed and took another sip, "I can't find those men who chased us the other day. It's fucking disturbing."

"And you think that staying up all night is the key to finding to them?" she raised her brow.

"I-" I started to speak but she cut me off.

"Shut up and come here." she spoke opening her arms.

I buried my face in her stomach and her hands came to my hair, running her fingers through them.

I sighed for the nth time but this time in satisfaction. God, her scent was exotic.

She bent down to kiss the top of my head.

"We'll find them." she whispered.

"Come. Let's get you to bed." she tapped my shoulder.

We got out of my office and went five floors up, where my condo was. I took of my shoes when we reached my bedroom and she started unbuttoning my shirt.

I have been completely ecstatic ever since she agreed to give me one chance and I'd be damned to fuck it up.

"Lie down." she ordered as she finally managed to take my shirt off.

"I'm tired, Ellaria. Please don't insist on having sex." I said with the most innocent expressions on my face.

She punched my right shoulder and I grabbed her by her hip.

"Stay with me." I whispered looking up at her.

"I am not sure people would take you seriously if they see their boss getting all soft for a girl." she replied batting her eyelashes at me.

"Who said they'll ever get to see this side of mine?" I asked and pulled her down on my lap.

"They're not blind, you know." she said as she leaned closer.

"I don't care." I retorted and my eyes flickered to her lips.

She smirked and snaked a hand around my neck before pulling me closer and taking my upper lip in her mouth.

I kissed her back with equal passion and energy. She pulled away a minute later and pecked my lips twice before rearranging our positions so that we both were lying on the bed.

My head was buried in her chest and arm was thrown over stomach as I inhaled her scent one last time before finally falling asleep.

***

I woke up to someone caressing my hair and looked up to see Ellaria talking on the phone with someone.

"No, I'll be home soon. Thank you for finding out the location. See you." she said and hung up.

"You didn't sleep?" I asked startling her in the process.

She looked at me with wide eyes and blinked once before opening her mouth to answer, "No."

"I didn't mean to startle you." I chuckled.

"Yeah, it's alright." she replied placing her phone on the nightstand.

"What's the time?" I questioned, rubbing my eyes and sitting up.

"Eleven fifteen." she answered.

My eyebrows raised as I looked at her, "That's late. Very late. I have a meeting with the sponsors  of our upcoming event at one.

"And you have more than enough time to shower, change and eat. Your office is literally five floors down." she retorted rolling her eyes.

"Right." I whispered and got out of the bed, making my way inside the bathroom.

After about twenty minutes, I was freshly showered and dressed in a dark grey suit with a black shirt underneath it.

"I ordered your breakfast. Jason brought it here and oh my God, you should have seen his face when I opened the door. He was like... dumbstruck, you know? Poor lad." she tsked shaking her head.

I hummed in response as I looked at her messy hair and oversized jumper. How she could look beautiful even in this was beyond my understanding.

I hugged her from behind and popped a grape in my mouth with the other hand. She kept plating the food as I clung to her like a big baby.

To be honest if someone were to see me like this, they would be shocked as hell. I rarely show emotions in front of my men unless its my family involved.

"Thank you for staying last night." I whispered in her ear.

She flashed me her billion dollars smile and made me sit on the bar stool. We ate breakfast in silence until Ellaria decided to speak. "I found out the location of the people who attacked us. Well, not me but Bray did."

"What?" I asked knitting my brows.

"The phone he had traced back to a location in Dubai. There were a few messages between him and, we're guessing, his boss but they were coded. All we could find out was that they are working in small groups of four in different parts of Italy." she explained further.

"Braylon Ford?" I asked.

"Mm hmm." she replied.

"What is your relation with him?" I inquired.

I wiped my mouth with a napkin and grabbed my coffee cup as I was eyeing her curiously.

Her mouth stopped chewing and her eyes snapped up to meet mine. I was tapping the table impatiently with my fingers as I waited for her answer and what she said next, froze my heart.

"He's Ebenezer's father."