Red Thread of Love

Chapter 5: Red roses

Pete's POV

While we fix ourselves I can't help but curse myself and Vegas in my mind with a smile on my face. Smart-ass. Sometimes reality seems unreal, sometimes I don't believe the man reflected in the mirror happens to love me.

Vegas steals a kiss and goes back first to the table. I still need a few minutes to face myself. There are some red marks on my neck, my mouth is red, my cheeks are red, OK, everything is normal. People won't notice I guess... I try to convince myself and chuckle.

I check my phone again, the videos are now Arm, Pol and Khun singing, Macau looks bored to death and Chay is also there with a tambourine in hands. Crazy bunch.

I go back to the table and have to stop midway. I notice everyone has left the restaurant and...

'What is this?'

'Happy anniversary, love of my life.' Vegas says and bursts some confetti and serpentine over me.

I'm blushing speechless and frozen. I want to kill Vegas. He knows how much I hate big displays of affection and I know how he hates those too. Still, here I am staring at a sun and a heart made of yellow and red roses and with our names inside while a waiter comes with a cake with several candles. Grandma Jui would be proud. Wait, Grandma Jui must have played a part in this.

Vegas gets closer with such a big smile on his face that I forget how much I hate him now.

'Surprise, my love.' He leans to kiss my cheek and whispers in my ear 'That look on your face is what I live for.' He also hands me a champagne glass and a red rose. We have a toast and I chug it down to fight my embarrassment.

'Vegas, who was behind all this? Really? Why?' I ask in disbelief.

'Well, I asked around.' He wouldn't tell me.

Vegas makes me sit down and look at the blue little box with a red ribbon in front of me. I open it and find a silver heart-shaped locket with our initials engraved, heavy and beautiful. I instinctively touch the V and P letters. Inside, there are two pictures of us, one alone and one with Venice, Macau and my grandparents.

Gods, you really sent me a freaky hopeless romantic man. This is such a low blow I get teary-eyed. One year flew by, there was so much pain and love, love above it all.

Food arrives and I'm just glad there is some music in the background. I can't say anything, I'm too emotional. I open my mouth many times, but no sound comes out. I know I must look funny right now.

'I... Hmm, I have no words at the moment.' I seriously don't know how I'm managing to eat.

'It's OK, your happy face says enough.' Vegas still smiled widely as he drank his champagne. I knew his amused eyes were on me.

A few minutes later, after I've calmed myself, I hold his hand and say 'Vegas, I promise I will never let go of your hand.'

'I know, Pete. You have shown me.' He caresses my hand, and gives me a gentle smile, something only my eyes see.

We finally eat in peace. During dinner we exchange stares, but we don't talk much - our hearts are too full.

We are also a bit tired I guess, the day is never long enough for all the things we have to do. And, to be honest, we barely have time to sit calmly and eat like this. I'm enjoying this a bit too much. My mood is much better.

'Vegas, how was your food?'

'Hmm, delicious, not as delicious as you, though.' I blush more than normal because the champagne has kicked in.

We leave the restaurant and hold hands all the way to the car. I squeeze his arm and lean on him as we walk.

The road, the gentle breeze, his scent... My thoughts drift away. How different this feels from the first time we took this same route. How different I feel.

We decided to celebrate the day Vegas woke up as our anniversary. On that same day, we got Venice, but we only went home several days later, after all the health checks and exams Vegas had to go through before leaving were over. Home... it's so easy for me to say this now too.

Oh, how much I prayed for everything I have now! It's messy, but so warm. I'd kill anyone who tries to hurt us, or him. I have killed many and I will probably do it again - mafia or ex-mafia life is never completely safe.

'What is in your mind, love?'

'The usual, Venice, Macau, you.' I answered with a smirk, knowing he smiled. It still surprises me how I can sense Vegas' mood changes and calm this beast.

We are almost reaching home when we pass by the spot I used to park my car in my spy days. I used to shiver every single time, but slowly love, and life I must say, replaced those feelings. I know the horror of the captive days is still here, buried deep in my heart.

Some words, smells, chains are still triggering no matter how much time has passed. But I followed my heart and I have never regretted it, not even when I got mad or he made me go mad.

We'll never fully understand love's healing powers. I close my eyes to indulge in the memory that pops in my head... I smile too.

'Oh, am I still the reason for this beautiful smile, Pete?' Vegas asks as we enter and greet the bodyguards in the entrance.

'Yes and no, do you remember the first time I came here after everything?'

'I don't think I can ever forget that day. It was chaotic, Khun almost burned the house down. Venice cried nonstop, Macau was much more excited than his normal self and I... I felt like I was in some sort of movie or living someone else's life...'

'It still feels a bit like that for me too.' I respond and Vegas smiles faintly, that smile with sorrow that he often showed me in the beginning. That apologetic smile, matching the pain in his eyes and memory. It has been a long time since I've last seen it.

For some time when I moved in here, I didn't smile much either. It took me some time to get my smile back and be able to adjust it to my face again. It was like I had lost it inside of me for a while...

*Around 1 year ago*

My heart was beating fast and my hands were sweaty. Vegas was inside the doctor's office for the final check. When he came back hopefully our hospital adventure would be over and I honestly couldn't wait to leave this place. I paused and looked around at the flowers, cards and food the main family had sent and I felt nauseous. I knew my life was about to change more than ever...