Burning Up

Love

Dragging myself out of bed the next day was practically impossible.

The combination of my throbbing head and Iago's comfortingly warm body beside me had me questioning whether talking to snappy customers for the next eight hours was worth the money I needed to feed myself.

It wasn't.

I rolled my eyes as my stomach grumbled in complaint, rolling over to bury my face into Iago's chest who twitched minutely in his sleep.

Sitting up, I glanced over at where Nadia and Prince were still sleeping across from me, almost expecting to see Sami and the rest of the group camped out on the floor before remembering they had all left at around three. Sami having to half carry his sleeping brother whilst Alex was in charge of supporting a far too drunk Niko.

It had been one of the best birthday's I'd had, and as I got up to shower, I couldn't help but smile to myself as memories from the previous night flooded back to me in drunken snippets. I couldn't believe everyone's generosity; it was like being in a dream.

Niko's gift had really got me thinking, the temptation of having a tattoo done by him was almost too strong to resist. There was something about his work that was just so beautiful, the precision and elegance of it, even when it was designed to look strong, fascinated me and I wanted more than anything to have something so intricate permanently inked into my skin.

I was still contemplating whether I wanted a tattoo when my phone began vibrating, Sami's name appearing on the screen.

'Are you coming to work today?'

I frowned down at my phone, leaving my toothbrush between my teeth as I picked up my phone and began to type.

'Yeah, course I am.' I answered.

"Okay. Hurry up.' I rolled my eyes in amusement before typing out my response.

'I'm not due in until 2.'

I set my phone back on the counter before hopping into the shower, sighing in contentment as the warm water enveloped me, trying to ignore the niggling part of my brain that insisted I'd got my timetable wrong and that I was already two hours late for work.

I knew that I wasn't. I'd memorised my shifts long ago and if Valeria had needed me to come earlier today, she would have texted me... Right?

I swore in frustration, giving into my doubts and rushing to wash myself before getting out the shower to check the group chat, but before I could open it, Sami's response flashed across the top of my phone.

"I need to talk to you." I felt my frown deepen, my chest clenching as I re-read the text several times before shaking myself out of my worry. It was Sami for god's sake, what could be so bad.

As I finished brushing my teeth, I couldn't help but stare at myself in the mirror, my fingers skimming over the necklace Iago had given me as I let a smile pull against my lips. It really was the most beautiful gift, and I had no idea how he had afforded it, real diamond or not.

It was strange, to be this in love with someone when I still felt so young, it was as if I could spend the rest of my life with him and still never quite get used to the thrill of waking up beside him. I couldn't wait to introduce him to my family, knowing that once mum got over her initial shock of his tattoos she would love him, and that despite all his rough edges Kira would see straight through them and that Jay would love the trouble Iago caused.

Momentarily forgetting Sami's text, I finished washing my face before throwing on my work clothes and making sure to pack the apron from Valeria into my backpack. I couldn't help but glance over at Iago as I was getting ready to leave, unable to contain my smile as I took in his peacefully sleeping form before making my way out into the midday heat.