46| dream of you

ISAAK

The cold water beat down on my skin, but it did nothing to cool the fire that burned within me. I couldn't stop thinking about her, and no matter how hard I tried, she was always there, at the front of my mind.

I thought about her when I walked down the streets of Italy, seeing her in every woman I passed. I thought about her when I chewed my gum, recalling the way she smiled as she did the same. It was as if she was haunting me, but in the most beautiful way possible.

It was now nighttime, and Luciano had already boarded the jet to take care of business on his side of things. I stayed behind to take care of my side of things, but also to make sure that everything was safe and secure.

I had a job to do, and I wasn't going to let anything get in the way of that. As I got dressed for the night, putting on a black blazer and a silver watch.

"It's time for me to go, mama," I said, giving my mother a kiss on the cheek. "I'll be back soon." I turned to leave, but a small voice stopped me in my tracks. "Where are you going?" asked Sebas, his big brown eyes looking up at me. I sighed, crouching down to his level.

"I'm going to a grown-up event," I explained. "You can't come with me."

"But why not?" he asked, a pout forming on his face. "I'm a big boy now!"

"You are a big boy, Sebas," I said, a smile forming on my lips. "But you're still not quite old enough for this particular event. It's nothing personal, my boy. I'll be back soon." Sebas sighed, his lower lip sticking out in a stubborn pout.

I knew he was disappointed, but I also knew he'd understand. "Will you tell me all about it when you get back?" he asked, his eyes hopeful.

I blinked. "I don't know boy," I say,  as I gently held on to his shoulders. My eyes ran over his features . I swear if you didn't look closely you would say he looks nothing like Teresa but he had her eyes.

The rest, was definitely his father- whom we all didn't know because Teresa always kept it a secret for whatever reason.

"Uncle please," He pouted and gave into the little boy. "Maybe,"

□□□

"Welcome Rivera,"

"Evening,"

"I heard about yesterday-"

"I heard about your wedding day and-"

"And you have nothing else better to do? i didn't come here for tea to talk about about my personal life, so get straight to the point," I said sharply.

"Right, ok. My family have been thinking about forming an alliance with you for quite some time. If we were to form an alliance with Isaak, it could be very beneficial for both parties. We could gain access to your vast resources and connections, and in return, you could gain a powerful ally in the Italian family,"

As I took a look at my watch, I realized I had been here for less than five minutes. This meeting was a waste of time. I downed the rest of my whiskey and let out a heavy sigh. "If that's all you have to offer, I'm afraid I must be going," I said, my tone dripping with boredom.

I had no patience for this charade, and I wanted nothing more than to leave this place and forget about this whole proposal.

The bald man's voice was urgent, and I couldn't help but pause as he spoke. "Mr. Rivera, please, hear me out," he said, his eyes pleading. I raised an eyebrow, waiting for him to continue.

The tension in the room was palpable, and the other men were watching us intently. I remained silent, waiting for the man to say his piece.

"Look everybody fears the Colossus," he begins, referring to Luciano and I.

"I know about the Zwane family," He says. "The downfall of the Zaune family could affect the Russians because of their alliance. Our potential alliance between could lead to the weakening of the Russian influence in the region, and could potentially lead to the Russians losing power and influence and we both know Viktor's Empire is his weakness,"

The bald guy had a brain after all.

Having the Russians lose absolute power was my father's dream. He died striving for that. I wasn't worried too much about the Zwanes but I need the Golov's out of my life.

especially since Yulia aligned with them

"It's a deal," I say.

□□□

As the meeting came to a close, I remained seated at the table, lost in thought. The classical music that played softly in the background only served to remind me of her.

Her face swam before my eyes, her smile, her laugh. I could hear her voice in my head, hear her telling me that she loved me. The memories were bittersweet. I tried to push them away, but they lingered, haunting me.

"Isaak, " she gasped, her hands curling around my neck, a smile on her face. "Isaak stop-" She giggled as proceeded to twirl her around.

"I'm so glad you were there with me," I say, placing a kiss on her lips as I put her down. Now I towered over her frame again."Of course I'd be there for my man."

"I swear I'm making you my wife one day," She looked  me and it was as if she was fighting a smile. "Stop joking around Isaak,"

"Sometimes I wish I were joking because no woman has ever made me feel the way you make me feel," She bites her lip.

The twinkle in her eyes and the sight of her smile was the reason I had good in my life. She made me see the good things in life and made me appreciate the bad. Her laugh was contagious and just the thought of me making her laugh brought me joy. She was the only good I had ever done and I was never going to lose her completely for anything. I'd have to die first.

"I adore you," She said.

I was jolted out of my memories by the sight of her. There she was, in the flesh, sitting at the bar and sipping a cocktail. It couldn't be her, I thought. She couldn't be here. But there was no mistaking it, it was definitely her.

I stood there, trying to process the fact that she was really here, in Italy, in this very venue. What on earth was she doing here? I couldn't think of a single reason why she would be here.

As I made my way towards her, I couldn't help but notice the wine glass in her hand. Without thinking, I reached out and grabbed the glass, taking it away from her. "Hey!" she exclaimed, clearly surprised by my actions.

She looked up at me, her eyes wide with confusion. I couldn't help but stare at her, taking in her face and her features, as familiar to me as my own. It felt like it had been so long since I had seen her, and yet it felt like no time had passed at all.

Damn I missed her.

"How dare you, whats your problem. "

"You're pregnant Diane. You shouldn't be drinking."

The words were bitter on my tongue, but I couldn't help but feel a swell of emotion at the sight of her. She was so beautiful, and yet so reckless. "How dare you?" she said, her voice trembling with anger.

"You have no right to tell me what I can and can't do." She stood up, a little unsteadily, and I noticed the way she swayed slightly on her heels. "Are you drunk?" I asked, my voice thick with concern.

As she teetered, I reached out to steady her, my hands finding her waist. We were suddenly so close, her face only inches from mine. Her eyes were bright, shining with an emotion I couldn't quite place. She put her hand on my shoulder, using me for support. For a moment, time seemed to stand still. We were frozen there, our eyes locked on each other, neither of us daring to move.

In that moment, I wanted nothing more than to kiss her. To hold her close and never let her go but I couldn't do it. She was completely out of it.

She leaned against me, her head resting on my shoulder. I closed my eyes, breathing in the scent of her hair. It was like coming home, like finding a place of safety and comfort. In that moment, all I wanted was to hold her and never let her go.

I looked over at the bartender, who was watching us with a knowing smile. I paid the bill and grabbed her purse, gently leading her out of the place.

We made our way through the city streets, the night air cool and refreshing.

"Where are you taking me,"

"Well that's where you have to help me," I say. "I need you to tell me where you're staying,"

"The Presidential Hotel," I blinked. There was no way we were staying at the same hotel.

"Your mom recommended it to me years ago," she said. "She said they had the best service, and she was right." I didn't say anything, just nodded and started walking towards my car.

I opened the door and helped her into the passenger seat, buckling her seatbelt for her. I then got in the driver's seat and started the car. The silence was heavy between us.

"My bag," she mumbled, her eyes heavy with sleep. I reached into the backseat and grabbed her bag, handing it to her. She unzipped it, rummaging through its contents until she found what she was looking for - a crumpled packet of chips.

"You remember these?" she asked, her eyes lighting up as she held the package of chocolate-covered puffs. "Of course I do," I replied, a smile forming on my lips as I remembered the time she forced me to get her those coco puffs.

As we pulled up to the hotel, she gave me her room number. I headed inside, carrying her bridal-style as she relaxed against my chest.

I carefully placed her on the bed and kissed her forehead. I was about to leave when she said, "Please stay." My heart ached, but I shook my head.

"No trust me you don't want that," I said, trying to convince myself as much as I was trying to convince her. "But I'm not sober," she whispered, her eyes pleading with me. "Please, stay."

She patted the space next to her on the bed, and I let out a deep sigh. I took off my blazer and lay down next to her, her body curling up to mine. She exhaled through her nose, nestling her head against my chest.

"This is nice," she said softly. "I've missed this." There was a pause, and I could almost feel her drifting off to sleep. Just as I thought she had dozed off, she whispered, "I still think about you, you know."

And I still dream of you.