LA FURIA

Chapter 13

He grabbed the glass of milk and drank it in big gulps. Damn, she's gonna be difficult. One minute, she's so cool and calm even when he's mad. And now, she's fighting back. She was so inconsistent. Sometimes she'd be so cheerful, she plays cutie. And then, she'd suddenly stare in space, brooding. Sometimes she could be a chatterbox and then she's become so quiet like fish got her tongue.

He simply couldn't spell her out. 

Rachel paced the floor, squinting in the bright sun.

Damn, he's so hard to understand. So unpredictable and a certified mood swinger. First, he'd be so childish, he'd smile a lot, not caring about the little things. Then, he'd suddenly become sore and get so irritated about things that don't matter. It simply doesn't make sense. Sometimes he's so nice and he even let her know his plans and opinions. The next minute, he'd suddenly declare that he hates questions! Sometimes he talks about himself, but sometimes he's so secretive. 

Well, was he really in his right mind last night? He said he meant it. But he didn't exactly say that he loved her, right? No, no, he said he'd never been in love with anyone before. On the contrary, he just said he likes her. 

"I'll settle this insanity once and for all," Rachel thought.

According to the dictionary, like and love does not mean the same thing. he had mentioned both words. Now, what could that possibly mean?

Then, she thought of the best solution. She'd simply pretend that the episode last night didn't happen. 

Now, it's settled.

Kate poured wine into her goblet. She sat regally cross-legged, her perfectly manicured nails looked contrasting against the color of the amber liquid. 

"If only I could read Daddy's mind...I just can't help wondering what his real motive is."

Nick stared at her, thinking. He traced the tip of his glass with his fingers.

"That's what I'm afraid of...Uncle Fabio is very capable of doing things we could never expect. Sorry, I know he's your father, but I find him hard to get along with all the time." He sucked on a slice of lemon and grimaced, while Kate smiled without exposing her teeth.

"I'm also suspicious about this. He knows that I'm helping Edward. If he's following La Furia, he knows I had it repainted. He recognized it. Now, he's sent his men after my brother and went back to the States. So hard to figure out," she lighted a slim cigarette and took a long drag.

"I know what you mean...Edward needs my help. That's why I am here."

She laughed crisply.

"Listen up, kid. You need not help him if you're scared."

Nick looked at her shrewdly.

"What makes you think I'm scared?"

She raised her glass in a toast and winked at him. 

"You've heard about some girl aboard La Furia?"

He nodded. 

"I wasn't able to understand it better. But one thing is sure, she's gonna make things complicated. I know my brother. Once he started acting strange, I know it's gonna hurt him later on."

"But you trust him," Nick remarked.

"How could I trust a stupid shit? If he loses control, he's gonna be even more stupid than shit! This time, I'll tell him if he doesn't know how to handle it."

"You really do have a way with words, Kate..."

Both fell silent as they concentrated on their drinks for a while.