The night he took me away

Chapter 45

Matteo

     Cruel is the world.
    There's no mercy. No empathy. No humanity anymore.
      The night Ava came to defend those girls, I felt selfishness and thoughtless cause all I cared about was Ava's safety rather than of the young girls. Even when Erik pointed at her I didn't find the courage to lift my own gun and threat him. I couldn't understand why. Maybe it was out of fear or something.
     But then Francesco came and he did not hesitate to stand in front of the damn gun and receive the bullet if Erik had pulled the trigger. I saw relief in Ava's eyes to have his husband in front of her, protecting her, saving her, and defending her, something I couldn't do and had wished to do.
      I looked at him with surprise by his appearance but grateful that he came just in time.  The moment Ava stood by his side, doing the same thing as him, I saw a fearless woman. A stronger one. She was not the same woman that I met years ago. She was long gone by now.
A week had passed by since that incident. Alfonso was now more cautious of his own son and his wife. And I knew he did not trust me either cause he called on Erik to discuss privately other matters that did not concern me.
So I took advantage of that free time to observe Ava and Kiara playing and walking around the house, wondering to cease their boredness. I heard them laughing, and Ava gasping in worry when Kiara cried or fell.
The scene itself was beautiful.
I pretended a few times that they were my family cause that's all I wanted or thought about when Ava came into my life, conquering me and overthrowing my own boundaries.
The feeling remained there in my chest. Closed and saved. I wanted to confess to her all my love at least one time. Perhaps the kiss wasn't enough.
Walking towards her, while she sat on the couch with Kiara on a sunny afternoon, I knock on the door.
"Wanna go for a walk?" I hid my hands in my pant pockets while she looked at me coldly.
"Will Erik come?"
I shake my head. "No, he won't."
"Am I allowed to be with you, alone? Outside?"
"Technically you are allowed."
She tilts an eyebrow. "It'll be good for Kiara to be outside for a while." She jumped to her feet and began to walk away.
I sigh and follow behind.
I opened the door for us and the warm breeze of the summer season recognizably welcomed us. We remained silent with each step we took, few guards glancing at us with seriousness while others minded their own business cause they know who I am. So there's no need for them to worry if she tries to run away.
"How old is she now?"
Ava glances at me. "One. She'll be two in November."
I smile. "Leo will turn four in June."
Ava's lips widened. "How is everyone?" she tucks a lock of hair behind her hair meanwhile Kiara plays with her necklace. "I mean before you came here. How were things going?"
"Normal." I shrug. "Lily and Domenico's wedding was ruined but no one got hurt cause as you know I took Lily's place." I pause and look behind us. "And my father has been more close to the family...Fanny and William got married as well, work was fine, dealing with the same problems—" I look at her. "And your flower shop is a success. Lily took the place and managed it perfectly. It was going to be temporarily cause we thought...I thought, " I corrected, "I was going to find you on time."
She looks away. "When did you accepted my reality?"
"The reality of never finding you?" I lower my head. "Took me a year."
"Did you find someone else to fill that void?"
I remain silent.
Yes, but it was not you. No one has fulfilled me with happiness like you did, Mio Fiore.
"I see..."
We stopped walking and I noticed no guard was near us.
"I still care for you."
There you go. I said it.
She tensed.
"I'll always care. For that same reason, you must tell me if you don't love him."
"Matteo stop this." She turned around and began walking towards the house. "Is that why you offered me to take a walk with you? To confess old feelings?"
Kiara began to cry softly as we argued.
"Old feelings?" I called out angrily. "Ava you were forced to marry!"
"What are you trying to say?!" She spat.
"All I'm trying to say is that I can get you out of this."
Her vision blurs.
"Out of this place—" I get closer to her. "Out of that marriage."
"He'll kill you if he finds out that you want to take me away from him!"
"Not he doesn't finds out."
She shakes her head, and walks away not before saying, "Stay away from me, Matteo. Is for our own good."
Own good?!
My hands turn into tight fists and I walk in the opposite way where surprisingly hit with Erik.
"Woah!" He pushes me backward. "Where were you?" He looks behind me. "What's wrong?"
"Get me a fight tonight," I dryly said.
He tilted his head curiously. "On a Sunday?"
"You want money or not? Meet you here at nine."
I walked passed him and returned to the house, where Alfonso spotted me and I had to return to work.

——————————————————————————

   We had arrived on time when all men began to cheer when they saw me walking through. Most of them were drunk and others screamed in joy for the need of betting all of their money on me tonight.
     When I went towards the changing room Antonio rushed through the door, looking at me worriedly.
        "You are going to kill yourself."
        "Strong opponent I guess?"
   I drank from my water bottle as laughed at him.
         "He's the best one, " he continued. "Well, he goes on the second, the first one is Francesco but that doesn't change that he isn't good."
         "What's his name?"
     I sat down and tied my shoes, as I heard him explain in a rushing way. "Thomas." 
       I froze.
Thomas?! What is be doing here?
      "Wasn't he part of..."
   Suddenly Erik came in with a blank stare. "It's a kill to win fight."
        "What?!" Antonio spat.
        "No. I didn't—"
        "You said you wanted a fight so I gave you one." He took a step forward. "Do not disappoint."
     He glances at Antonio and finally left.
          "You better win this."
I can't kill him.
        Moving my hair backwards I left my bags behind and went towards the stage were Thomas and I locked eyes.
     There was a feeling of friendliness deep inside of me. A relief of seeing an old friend, but a hint of regret for asking for this.
Why did he even accept this?!
         "One winner, " the host announced once I got into position. "Give your best or at least die doing it."
The bell rang and Thomas and I began to walk in circles in opposite roles.
"You shouldn't be here, " I said before I threw the first punch in his stomach, making him gasp and take a step away.
"You are a good man Matteo. A good friend. You've always been." He mimics me and throws his hand towards my jaw.
I spit on the floor and lift my gaze towards him.
"I'll take you out of this place."
I ran until we both fell to the ground. "No."
We rolled over. "No?" He said breathlessly.
"Ava is alive!"
I turned around and began to choke him.
"I won't leave without her."
Thomas began getting red and that's when I finally released him.
I catch a glimpse of Erik on the side looking at me doubtfully.
Thomas laid on the ground with a shocking reaction.
"Stand up." I covered myself with my arms as he did.
People cheered and threw beer on us cause they wanted more. They even screamed 'blood' or 'kill him.'
Fucking psychos.
The bell rang again for the second round, and we changed positions.
"You better get out of here." I breathed deeply. "I won't kill you."
He ran and took hold of me, punching me over and over again until my face was covered in blood.
"You're not thinking. It's your life or hers!"
I pushed him and kicked him on the balls, earning me a few seconds to make him lose air, and remain on the floor again for a while.
"I lost her once." I shook my head. "It won't happen again. Now leave! Surrender."
I turned around and the bell rang again for the following round.
"No." He cleaned his sweat and spat the blood in his mouth. "I'm taking you out of here even if it's again your own will. I made a promise."
"To who? My father?"
I went forward and threw my fists at him which some he did evade. But he returned them more skillfully.
"To everyone."
Hit.
My left side went numb and suddenly there was a high sound in my left ear, leaving me on the ground. My sight got a bit blurry and that's when I noticed how people yelled fiercely at us.
"Matteo you must know..."
And before I could hear the rest, a gunshot echoed in the club. I flipped my head sideways when I felt the vibration and pulse when Thomas fell on my side.
He got shot in the chest and he could barely breathe. The shots flew in the room but all I cared for was for Thomas. He exchanged a feeling of fear and sorrow. Through his fighting breathes I realized that he feared death. He didn't want to die tonight.
"Move Matteo! Get up! We must leave, " Erik ordered from the distance and I obeyed.
It took a lot of me to even straighten and walk towards him, not before looking around me and realizing it was Thomas's men against ours.
"Let's go!" He screamed. We hid behind a circular table that covered us completely and when we got covered by our men, we ran.
The last thing I remember before I blacked out was that I entered the car and saw a hole in my arm.
I got shot.
My unconsciousness held me and all I could see was Thomas at my side, bleeding out.

To everyone.
I promise it to everyone.
I promised to bring you back.