The night he took me away

Chapter 14

Francesco

The moment Ava punched Erik in the face, I tried my best to hide my smile. She looked so ruthless, beautiful, and strong. Even when most of the time that we were there, she came closer to me as if I was a shield she can easily hide behind of. And I admit that I fucking loved when she did that. I felt way too powerful. She needed my protection, and I wanted to give her that.
But if it wasn't for my father obliging me to stay there, none of this would have happened. None of this confrontation...disaster, however you want to call it, that I know I will get in trouble sooner or later.
Me shooting Erik wasn't fucking epic like she was when she punched him. I hate him, and he fucking deserved it.
I didn't want to admit it but I'm slowly getting attached to her, and I have to do something about it. I'm always an asshole to everyone but when I try to be with her, she insults me as no one has done before because when others have, I end up cutting their tongue. It was...
No. Focus. Stop thinking about her.
Ignoring my thoughts, I turn back to my laptop and continue working. I don't look away from the screen until I see her walking inside.
Great. Now I won't be able to work.
She wore a loose dress that made my eyes go wide.

After exchanging glances, she crossed her arms and walked forward to sit on the opposite couch, which gave me an apparent view of her.
I clenched my jaw and continued working, or pretended to.
"Do you need anything?" I keep staring at my screen meanwhile, I pay more attention to her breathing as I patiently wait for her answer.
"Silence."
I tilt my eyebrow and I slowly lean back to observe what she does. She stands up and grabs a green blanket, and goes back to the couch to lay down.
Why is she going to sleep here?
"Stop staring, " she insisted.
I smirk and continue watching her. "Who taught you how to fight?"
"What?"
"From the way you hit it's a fact that you can defend yourself."
She smiled. "My mom taught me. She used to say that I should never wait or depend on a man to save me."
I twisted the wedding ring on my finger.
"I was always left with bruises but it was worth it. My father wasn't always there to protect us, so that's why we learned." She pauses. "I think it's essential for women to know how to defend themselves so men like you don't celebrate how much money they won by selling them."
I lower my head. "Men like me?" I snigger. "If I was like them don't you think I would have already hurt you, raped you, or even killed you?"
      She raises her head. "And what's stopping you?" She fakes a laugh. "Are you in love with me? Is that why?"
    My hands tightened.
       "Or are you just trying to be a good person because you already feel too guilty about all the things you've done?"
I'm done with this.
    I stand up to leave but she does the same.
    "No, do not leave without giving me an answer."
   Before I could say anything else we both remained looking at each other with so much hate until we heard his voice.
      "Francesco?"
What the fuck is he doing here?
       "Stay here, " I declared to her.
   I closed the door behind me once I stepped out of the room and went to find him.
Father.
      "There you are, " he said emotionless. He wore his grey suit as always and brushed his hair backward as he likes it.
       "Who told you, you could come inside without calling or knocking first?"
      He looked surprised at my response. "I didn't know I needed a fucking permission to come and visit my son."
       "I thought I had made myself clear since last time you came, " I cautioned.
      "I must have forgotten then."
Lie.
      "Where is she?" He begins to walk and touch the living room furniture. The white candles, the small lamp on the marble table, sofa...
     I smile. "Why? Did Erik claim about his broken nose or shot leg?"
       "You think this is funny?" He asked annoyed once he sat down. "His father is a friend of mine. If I wasn't this powerful to have a lot of men protecting me, he would have already shot me." He raked his fingers through his hair. "What is this about? Why are you behaving this way? Because you used to enjoy those events, he used to be your friend—"
       "Erik was never my friend. You both wanted us to be the future for this type of business. You made us play, and spend time with each other, and then to compete and fight until we broke something from our body." My eyes flare with resentment and my mouth tastes bitter.
       "And you always won, " he said proudly. "You should be grateful to me. Erik wanted her, Ava." He shrugged. "He has been more involved in the business than you have. He even acts like my son."
"And that gave you a reason to show him where she was?"
He nods once.
"I'll be honest with you. He was my first option. I knew he had better methods to make her suffer but then I saw how you insisted to have her. But I think I made a mistake." He rose from his seat and walked towards me. "You know, I think you are falling in love with her."
I look away.
"And if you do, I don't blame you. Look at me! Her mother did the same with me." He pauses. "She will act like a fool and enchant you with her charm until she finds a way to escape and leave with someone else that she truly loves."
I straightened and looked at him again with confidence, "You made no mistake with me." I jerked my head in the direction of the stairs where I knew she was obviously hearing me and finally said, "I won't disappoint you."
"Good. Tomorrow I will pass by if you let me just to see the evidence."
I nod and he leaves with nothing else to say.
Once I'm left alone I go upstairs and check if she's still in the living room which my guess was right.

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There are days the tiredness comes to me in both forms, physical and mental. My body needs to rest yet my mind needs it to move, to burn the anxiety right out. Without exercise my mind will keep me up all night long, without rest my body will spiral into exhaustion.
And my father visiting me just made it worst. Exhaling sharply I finally close my eyes in the darkness. I'm not sure how long I slept but the sharpness near my neck sure made me realize I wasn't sleeping anymore.
"Do it." I open my eyes and see Ava holding a knife against my throat meanwhile, she sat on my stomach, one leg in each side of my body. Her hand could barely hold the knife still.
"If want to kill me first before—"
"I just want to know why," she said with a broken voice.
I didn't say anything else until she moved the knife deeper into my skin.
"Your father was good to me. He protected, and raised me." I pause. "He always wanted to help my mother to escape with me."
She moved the knife away for a while as she tried to process what I said. "Your mother was..." She whispered and paused. "You're lying, " she cried and pressed the knife again. "Even if it's true, there must be more."
As she waits for my answer I slowly move my hand to find my knife underneath my bedside table. "You should have killed me by now."
I manage to grab my knife and lift it against her throat. At the move, she gasped loudly but her hold remained still.
"What are you getting by helping me?" she finally asks.
"I will give you an answer until you lower your knife."
From her expression, I notice she doubts my offer but still obliges.
"Good girl."
I move into a sitting position and she falls right where I want her to be. When she tries to move I raise the knife against her throat and force her other hand to remain where I can see it.
I lean closer to her and notice in her brown eyes that she had no fear.
"Next time you threatened me with a knife, you will face the consequences."
She comes closer and defies me with her look. "You said you weren't going to cause me pain."
I smirk. "I'm talking about the pain you would enjoy."
She took in a deep breath. "I prefer to be killed with the knife rather than sleeping with you."
"Will see about that." We exchange looks and I finally lower my knife. "You can leave now."
She clenches her jaw and quickly stands up leaving me hardened. But she stops right in front of the door when she realizes that I took her knife meanwhile, I distracted her once again with my stare.
"Give it back."
I shake my head as a no.
"Its from the kitchen," she explains.
"Then I'll have to hide all of them from now on."
She rolls her eyes and finally leaves.
I can't believe she fucking threatened me with a fucking knife.
I sigh.
But I admit that it was way too attractive.

I need to find a way to make my father believe that I'm controlling her. Shit.