TRIP TO ITALY

BRIA

Days passed, and I remained locked up in my room. Nobody spoke to me like before, including Gabriel. Nora was acting distant, and Cameron avoided even my sight.

I tried to speak with the devil to clear the misunderstandings created by Kyle. I was worried for my family. What if he hurt them to punish me?

But that only ended worst than I thought.

-"You are like a puzzle, scattered in pieces but I promise you that one day, I will fit all the pieces together. And that day, I will ruin it for no one to solve it again."-

His words still made me shudder in fear. I couldn't sleep nor eat well as the blood and deaths kept revolving in my mind along with his painful words.

Nora had my stuff packed, and one morning, she came to get me. I had no idea where we were going. When I came out of my room and saw everyone present there, my eyes couldn't meet anyone.

I was not entirely guilty of my actions because I had promised myself to bring the devil down to his knees in front of authorities. But the misunderstandings and false accusations created by Kyle made me restless.

Besides, I had grown up caring for Nora, Gabriel, Cameron and Adam. I didn't want them to get hurt because of me.

I was a fucking mess!

"Where are we going?" I asked Gabriel hesitantly because Cameron was still avoiding looking my way.

"You are accompanying King out of the state." Came Gabriel's dry reply, and it panged my heart.

Gulping down the lump that formed in my throat, I asked further.

"You? You mean..."

"You, King and Cameron"

"What? But why can't you come with us?" I asked in alarm.

"I can't. I have to take care of things here and also I can't leave Adam here in such an unsafe environment for days."

"But, I don't want to go, Mumma bear!" I mumbled, fidgeting with my necklace again.

"Don't worry, Butterfly. You will be safe there with King. It's in all of our interest if you cooperate."

At least we were back to our thing!

"But my f-family?"

"They are fine. Don't worry about them too. Nothing will happen to them if you just follow King's orders." Gabriel explained.

I could feel the devil's eyes on me.

I thought about it for a minute, then made up my mind. I hugged Gabriel and whispered audibly in his ear. "I trust you!"

*

*

*

CAMERON

We left after bidding goodbye to Nora, Gabriel and Kyle. Reaching the airport, we got in King's private jet. Bria had to sit across King to the front. I decided to take the seat away from them as I needed some time to mull over thousands of thoughts that played in my mind.

Twenty minutes later, I heard Bria's voice. "Hey! Can I seat here?"

I gave her a cold look as she bit her lower lip.

"I-I am not feeling comfortable there." She glanced in King's way.

"I never knew that I am a comfortable company for you," I remarked scornfully.

"So... can I?" She persisted.

It was impossible to argue with her. I just shrugged my shoulders, letting her know that I didn't care and focused on the drink in my hand while staring out of the window.

I felt her sitting beside me. The tension between us was thick, and I was sure it was not any more comfortable than sitting with King.

"Where are we going?" She asked tentatively.

"Italy."

"Oh! Okay. Why?"

"Work"

"For how many days?"

"I don't have any idea."

We again fell into a strained silence, and I didn't bother to make any conversation with her.

I was pissed at her, to say the least, but couldn't take it out on her. If she was exposed to me before that night we spent together and before she saved my life, I would have even killed her by now.

But that one night changed everything between us.

And I didn't know if it was for good or bad!

"You don't trust me?" She again broke the silence.

I paused for a minute before asking, "Does it matter?"

"It does... for me," She whispered.

My eyes darted toward her, and I studied her for a long minute.

"How can I trust you after all this?"

She lifted her head to look straight into my eyes.

"So you also think that I did everything?"

I was conflicted. My brain believed so, but my heart betrayed it.

"I don't want to put you in an uncomfortable position. I understand your situation. I also don't want you to side with me. All I want is you to know that I didn't do any of it. I explained everything about that Pendrive, but I have no part in other things." She explained.

I didn't say anything and again shifted my attention to the drink in my hand. After hearing her, the air around us felt a bit lighter and more comfortable than before.

How could I believe her so easily?

But I did!

"I am scared!" I tensed when she rested her head on my shoulder. But relaxed the next moment.

"You don't need to be. I am there for you."

"Promise?"

"Promise!" I whispered determinedly.

A small smile crept on her lips.

"So, now can I call you, Camera?!"

"NO" I whined.

Why she couldn't give up on that idiotic name?!

She laughed silently and snuggled closer to me.

"Thank you for everything, Camera!"

I put the glass down and squeezed her hand that encircled my arm, telling her that I was always there for her just like she was there for me then.

*

*

*

BRIA

When my eyes opened, we were already in the land of Italy.

I didn't want to share the car with the devil and insisted on joining Cameron in another car, but Cameron told me that the devil had ordered me to share the car with him.

-"Bria, make sure to not piss him anymore. He is already in a bad mood. I don't want to witness your funeral in a foreign land without Gabriel."-

Only Cameron's words made me agree with him, and I got in the car with the devil. We hadn't spoken even a single word since our last encounter in his room, where he threatened to ruin me.

Finally, the car stopped in the middle of nowhere, and we stepped out of it. I watched in amazement the scenic view in front of me. I took in the beauty of a one-storey house of medium-sized constructed with brown wood and bricks. It was well hidden in the woods that was not easy to detect.

Without wasting a minute, I ran inside the house, shrieking in glee and forgetting about my situation.

I roamed throughout the house and exclaimed, stepping inside the largest room there.

"Yes... this is it. This is my room!" The room had large windows facing toward the hill to the right. The queen-sized bed was placed in the middle along with a dressing table, and a wardrobe with a pair of chairs and a bedside table.

Devil and Cameron came inside, hearing me. Cameron looked hesitant.

"Actually this is King's room." My mood dropped upon hearing this.

"Fine, then I will take the other room," I said dejectedly.

"That's already taken by me" Cameron scratched his head nervously and gave me a tight smile.

"What? Ok, then I will take the room on the ground floor."

"Uhh... That is also taken by others."

I narrowed my eyes at him and put my hands on my hip.

"Are you serious? Then where I am going to sleep? On the dining table?!" I was too annoyed.

"I don't know. We don't have extra room." Cameron shrugged his shoulders.

"Alright. I am gonna share a room with you!" I declared with no other option.

Cameron's eyes went around at my statement.

"What? No...no. There's only one bed and we both can't fit on it."

"I will sleep on the floor. Please!" I gave my best puppy-eye look to him and watched him consider the idea.

"NO!"

Both of our heads snapped at the devil's way in confusion.

"Do you want me to share a room with your men then?" I pointed my finger at him.

"NO"

"Then the living room?"

"No"

I squinted my eyes "Huh, kitchen?"

"No"

Now the bund of my patience broke. "Then where the hell I am going to sleep? On the roof? Or do you want me to sleep outside so that I can be a feast for some wild animal?" I asked exasperatedly, throwing my hands in the air.

"You are staying here."

Victory!!!

"With me!"

Booom!!!

I made a disgusted face as if I have tasted bitter guard. "Hell no! I am not going to live here... with you!"

"You are!"

"Over my dead body!" I crossed my arms over my chest in irritation.

How could he come up with something like that?

"Pardon me, King. But-"

"Bring her stuff to my room, and inform Angelo about our arrival. Fix the meeting with him. You know the rest." He barked orders ignoring my protest.

"Yes, King. But I was-"

"You are dismissed." He stated in finality, leaving no space for argument.

Cameron left not before giving me a sympathetic look.

This was going to be one hell of a trip!

*

*

*

KING

This trip to Italy was unplanned. I was meant to visit Angelo after some days, but the incidents that happened recently pushed the date sooner than I planned.

I was in the living room discussing the matter with Cameron and two of my other men while the rest took their positions to keep guard.

I saw Fire skipping to the kitchen and hopping on the table to sit. She stared out of the window for some minutes. I knew she was thinking about something.

But what?

Cameron stood up and walked towards her. I tuned out what the other men were talking about as my complete attention was on the two of them. I saw him wiping her tears before he walked to the stove to cook.

Five minutes later, he came to inform me that he was going to his room for the rest, and Fire would cook the dinner for the three of us as others were managing on their own.

I watched her working in the kitchen while humming some tune. Her head bobbed with the rhythm and her hips swayed elegantly. I caught one of the men watching her secretly, and that made me clench my jaw.

I ordered them to leave, which left only two of us there. I didn't realise how long I stood there watching her cooking and when my feet carried me to stand behind her.

She froze, sensing my presence and swirled around to face me.

She stumbled back to keep a safe distance between us and asked in annoyance. "What do you want?"

How could I tell her what I wanted from her when I didn't know it in the first place?!

She groaned before turning around again and continued peeling the potatoes. My mind screamed at me to leave, but my body refused. It felt good to be around her after all these days.

"Will you quit that? Please?" I heard her complain.

"What?"

For some reason, I liked to tease her and see her fuming in anger. It just makes me feel... alive?

"This!" She hissed.

I knew what she was referring to but still chose to act clueless.

"Elaborate!"

She swerved to face me with a knife in her hand.

"Stop staring at me like a lion. I am not your dinner! Just get out of the kitchen right now." She ordered, pointing the knife at my face.

"This is my kitchen!" And nobody could tell me to get out of MY kitchen!

"Whatever. I don't care! You can't stand here staring at me when I am doing something. It makes me feel-" She abruptly stopped, pressing her lips together.

She shouldn't have done that!

I took a step closer to her, and her flowery scent hit my brain like an explosion of tonnes of flowers. To keep my hands in control, I clutched them on the countertop resting them on her both sides, caging her between my body and the countertop.

"You feel what?" I lowered my voice to see her face flush through my goggles.

She avoided looking at me and stuttered. "I...um, nothing!"

I leaned to her eye level and close to her face. I could hear how fast her heartbeat was in her chest as she tried to not let out anything but failed miserably.

I could feel how aware her body was of my presence and that only pulled me towards her.

"Answer me" I demanded.

I leaned further down, leaving only the hairbreadth of space between our faces. She shut her eyes close as her breaths turned ragged and blurted out. "Uncomfortable. You make me feel uncomfortable!"

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