I opened the door for Jason and quickly closed it and locked it. I walked to my bed and fell on it sighing.
"How have you been?" He asked sitting next to me. "How are your wounds?"
"I'm better now" Physically maybe, but emotionally I was missing Alex like crazy and I was so frustrated and confused.
"Your mouth says that but yours eyes say otherwise" He smiled sadly.
"I'm just frustrated about what Colton told me" I sat up looking at the floor.
"Look Ari, it's not my place to tell you about Alexander's plans, if you let him he will explain, but as his friend I ought to tell you things that you have to know but he will never tell you"
More secrets, that's great.
I saw him smile proudly and got confused. What would he tell me?
"Before you, he hadn't laughed or smiled since he was 12" He said making me frown. He looked really cheerful, he smiled and laughed all the time. "Now everytime I see him with you he's smiling and even laughs or chuckles sometimes"
"Why didn't he laugh before? He looked really cheerful when I first met him and after that" I questioned. He can't be talking about the same Alex.
"Because he was miserable, he was unhappy and sad. He acted all tough and cold but inside he was crying for help. He was so used to doing all those illegal things that when he met you it dawned on him how messed up it was. He was devastated, he came to my house drunk almost crying and said he didn't want this life anymore"
Hearing his words made my heart break, I couldn't believe he acted all fine with me when inside he was falling apart.
"He said he would end his life" I gasped at his words but then saw him smile. "But you know what he said after? He said he had a little angel to protect and he would rather die protecting her"
"Did he really say that?" I titled my head asking.
"Yes, exactly like that" He chuckled and shuffled my hair. "You know when you were kidnapped he was broken, he looked lifeless" His face fell. "He didn't eat, he didn't sleep, he didn't drink water, he said it was a waste of time when he could be looking for you. I had to convince him to eat and drink water by saying he wouldn't have enough energy to fight when we found you"
I couldn't believe I thought he wouldn't even look for me back then.
"He cried silently in the car while looking at you when you and Sarah fell asleep. Another thing he hadn't done since he was a little boy"
"Why are you telling me all this?"
"To make you see that he really does care about you. He's been through so so much than I think he deserves a little happiness. Yes, he's done all kinds of cruel things but he's suffered a lot. You're the only happiness he sees. He would never confess these things, that's why I told you"
"I was stupid, I didn't even let him explain" I shook my head feeling my eyes well up.
"I know it's selfish but, I don't want to lose my best friend Ari" His breath hitched and for the first time I saw him sad, I saw his eyes became glassy. "Please give him a second chance"
"Of course I will don't worry" I said softly and hugged him. "Thank you for telling me all this. You're the best friend Alex could ever had" I whispered. We broke the hug and he smiled at me.
"Thank you Aria"
"And by the way, can you tell me your real name? because I'm kind of confused here" I grinned.
"It's Gabriel" He chuckled.
"Does Sarah know this?" He shifted at hearing her name.
"Yes, I told her"
"What's going on between you too?" I asked nudging him.
"We're just-" He looked down with a sad smile. "-friends" He finished whispering. From his face I understood that he didn't want to be friends.
Oh my gosh, did this stupid girl put him in the friendzone? I'll kill her.
"Now I need to leave" He stood up. "Please talk to Alex, he's lost without you" was the last thing he said before unlocking the door and walking out before closing it again.
After a few seconds I walked to the living room to see Alex was not home. I pouted and went back to my room.
I just hope he doesn't do anything stupid while he's gone.
--------
It was midnight and I was getting really worried. I was anxious about talking to him and I couldn't wait much longer so I called him.
The first time he didn't pick up. The socend time he picked up after a while.
"Baby" His voice was shaky and he was panting. For a moment my heart broke and I thought he was doing something that tore me apart.
But then I heard a gunshot.
"Are you okay? What's wrong? Do you need anything? Are you safe? Are you hungry? Are you hurt?-"
"Alex" I interrupted his rant. I could hear the worry and panic in his voice grow in each question. "I'm okay calm down"
"I'm sorry" He sighed.
"Are you okay?"
"Yeah I'm just-working" He seemed uncomfortable about it. That was when I heard another gunshot.
I shouldn't disturb him.
"I should hang up I'm sorry-"
"No! No, talk to me do you want anything to eat? I can get it for you"
What
"I shouldn't disturb you, you're working"
"I can work like this" I heard him shuffling around.
"When will you be back?"
"When do you want me to be back?" He was breathing hard but tried to act all fine while I heard more gunshots in the background.
"I-now" I whispered shyly.
"Then see you in a bit babygirl" He chuckled and hung up.
I knew he wasn't going to be here in just 'a bit'. He would probably take an hour or so. That's what adults always do.
Oh wait I'm an adult.
I sat on the couch and decided to watch some TV since Alex wouldn't be here any time soon.
At least I thought so till I heard the door opening.
I was scared at first thinking it could be an intruder or something like that, but as I hid behind the couch peeking at the door I saw his large frame in the darkness.
How did he get here so fast?
I jumped off the couch and took him by surprise by jumping on him and wrapping myself around him like a monkey. He dropped everything he was holding on the floor and wrapped his arms around me. Jumping hurt a lot since I was still wounded but I didn't care, I wanted to feel him.
I missed this so much. I missed him.
"I'm sorry" He whispered his voice shaky.
"I should say that. I didn't even let you explain. I'm sorry"
"Do you want an explanation now?"
"Yes"
He carried me to the couch and let me down carefully. He then sat next to me and sighed.
"It's true, what your brother said" He started. I was kind of hurt but I knew he wouldn't hurt me now. "Your brother is a gangleader and my rival. He took the position from your father who was the previous leader"
So that's why he was always gone.
My heart skipped a beat at the mention of my father. It was a sensitive subject for me.
"Your father killed my father and my two little brothers and as his son I had to seek revenge" I was taken aback and shocked.
How could my father do such thing?
"He did it because we were slowly becoming really strong and he thought that my father was the cause and that he was my advisor. He thought if he killed him I wouldn't know what to do. He couldn't have been more wrong" He shook his head. "One day, when I was away on business they attacked us and killed my father along with my brothers" He said with his head hung.
I was speechless, I felt angry that my father was such a cruel person. I didn't know him that well but as far as I knew he tried to be a decent dad.
"I was furious, my blood was boiling and I had to take revenge. I-" He cut himself off and shook his head as his breath hitched. "I vowed to destroy everything he loved while he watched and then destroy him. That's why I wanted to find you and your brother" He looked me in the eyes. He looked worried and scared.
"Was the roommate thing a coincidence?" I asked fearing the answer.
"No" He said what I was afraid he would say "IÂ knew there was a possibility you wouldn't choose this offer but I took the risk. I knew you weren't financially stable so I made sure the cost was low and the apartment decent. Of course I said no to any other person who was interested. Eventually you chose this one" He smiled.
"What would you do if I hadn't?"
"I had made sure there weren't many other offers or at least good ones. I made my people take up those till you would choose mine"
Wow. Well thought.
"I opened then door and was-stunned. You were the most beautiful and pure girl I had ever seen. I didn't know how I could hurt you, I wasn't cold enough for that" he stoked my cheek saying.
I was shocked hearing all of this.
"When did you change your mind?" I asked after a few seconds.
"It only took two days" He smiled. "I have never changed my mind so fast before"
"Where is my father now? Do you know?"
"He committed suicide a month ago" Hearing this made my heart drop. I wasn't close with my dad but he was my dad. "I'm sorry baby" He said knitting his eyebrows together.
I was shocked. I hadn't even gotten over the news that Alex is a mafia leader and now all of this? It was too much. I didn't know how to feel.
I could've killed you right in the moment but when I looked into these sparkling green eyes I knew I would be losing the light of my life if I did"
I wanted to feel scared but I couldn't. I felt safe instead. I'm so stupid and naive.
"And in this dark life I'm living I need some light Aria, I know I'm being an selfish bastard and putting you in danger, but please stay with me and I'll give you everything you want and protect you with my life"
"I can't-"
"Please save me Aria" I could swear I saw a tear escaping his eye before he cupped my face and smashed his lips on mine.