Thirteen

Audrey's POV

Blank.

Empty.

Shattered.

Guilt.

Those were the only things I could feel.

It has been three hours since I saw that picture and I can't unsee it. The tears kept falling while I just sat staring at the wall in front of me, the days, weeks, months, and years Mrs.Rachel and I had spent together replayed over and over again in my mind.

She was like a missing piece I didn't even know I needed. I always spent weekends and holidays with her and her husband whenever I couldn't make it back home. Mum and Dad loved her so dearly too, they would always ask to speak to her whenever they called...she always told me I made her forget that she didn't get to have a child of her own.

We would have little picnics and barbecue together and then I would help her pack up and put her husband to bed before going back to my form. She made me forget how unbearable Katelyn made the dorm feel ...and now she's gone just like that...her husband will not take this news lightly. I need to get to him one way or another.

Ivan, Dante, and Leonid finally moved their conversation to Ivan's office after I had run upstairs in tears, angry at myself for acting so weak but the pain was just so much. She didn't deserve to die...especially not the way she did. She was the sweetest woman ever.

A quiet knock on my door brought me back to reality, "I would like to be left alone please" I said quietly to whoever was on the other side.

There was a brief silence and then the knock came again, much louder this time.

Everyone in this house seems to have problems with respecting people's decisions.

I sighed as I pushed myself up from the bed, storming towards the door to find out who the persistent person was.

As I flung the door open the pair of eyes that had been haunting me since morning stared back at me.

"You complained I didn't knock the last time and now you ignore me?" It was supposed to be a question but it didn't sound like one.

"I remember saying I would love to be left alone," I replied, doing my best to maintain eye contact with him as his eyes scanned my face. My body was fully aware of how horrible I looked with tears and a tear-streaked face but I am mourning and I couldn't care any less, especially not now. If he can't understand that, then he has himself to blame.

"You barely had anything to eat earlier" he stated ignoring what I said. If I didn't know any better I would have mistaken his words for his caring but the man standing in front of me never seemed like one to care about anyone other than himself or maybe the men in his crazy Mafia gang.

"And?" I asked, not understanding his point.

A very faint smirk graced his face but it disappeared so fast it felt like I was seeing things.

Without a word, he made his way into my room walking past my petite stature like I wasn't even there.

"Deborah" He called out just before I could yell at him for entering when I didn't ask him to.

The older woman from earlier made her way with a tray of food in her hands. She totally avoided my gaze like she was scared of me which made me scared, she seemed very confident with me earlier.

"Drop it over there" he gestured to the table by my bedside.

Something was wrong and I didn't need a soothsayer to know.

He is fully aware I didn't trust her so why ask her to bring me food once again?

"You want to do your dirty work yourself this time?" I found myself saying before I could stop myself.

Deborah's eyes widened in shock at my words, her eyes turning to Dante like she was waiting for him to take my head off ... but he didn't say anything, didn't even move.

He raised his hand signalling for Deborah to leave and without hesitation, she bolted out the door like something was after her.

"Do you know that woman was like a mother to me?" He started his back suddenly to me as he stared at the blank wall in front of him, his voice sending far off like he was deep in thought.

"Deborah?" I muttered although I knew it was stupid to ask when we both knew I knew who he was speaking about.

"Ivan believes you wouldn't raise such an alarm if you weren't sure she did something to your food and as much as I don't trust you, Ivan is my Don, my brother and I like to trust his judgment...most times at least" he continued.

"So you believe me?" I whispered, a part of me I didn't believe realised was there desperate for his answer.

Silence.

He didn't respond, he just stood still staring at the wall as his shoulders heaved up and down as he breathed... I almost lost hope of getting an answer from him when suddenly he was in front of me, his hands cupping my face.

His eyes were darker now, filled with thoughts and emotions intact that I couldn't understand, but most especially there was so much darkness in them, I felt my heart hurt.

"Have you given me a reason to, Blondie?" His voice was slow as his eyes dropped to my lips in such a sinful manner I felt my pussy pulsate in want.

The air around us thickened as his eyes flickered between my eyes and my lips like he was contemplating what his next move would be...But I already knew within myself what I wanted. It was stupid, risky and the most foolish I may have ever wanted but I wanted it anyway.

"You haven't given me the chance to do so" I found myself saying back. His breath now fanned my cheeks as he inched a little closer as if assessing me.

Then I did something I couldn't believe I would ever do, something that I had only seen work in books and movies. I licked my lips, slowly, sexually, in a way that was meant to convey my want.

His eyes darkened, a low groan erupting from his chest as my nipples hardened beneath my shirt in anticipation. I felt my bins getting giddy...I knew I was going to hate myself for this but a man as hot and sexy as Dante? Can only be seen in books and movies and if I don't get to survive all of this, I can at least die with a satisfied pussy.

His eyes dropped to my lips once again as he came closer...I closed my eyes happy I was getting what I wanted but that was all it was....excitement, happiness for something that never came.