Is This Happiness

74

CARMEN

"A room." I murmur, watching through the glass door as Stefano crushed his phone with the bottom of his shoe. His face was impassive, as it has been for hours now. He wouldn't speak or even look at me. He completely shut down and it was worrying. I just followed him, and trusted him. Which brought us both to a hotel.

There were lots of people here. Specifically older men and women. There must be some kind work conference or convention going on. That was bad, for our situation. Only more faces to keep up with for our safety. But could also mean our blending in would be simple, so it could go both ways. I doubt we'll be leaving the room anyway.

He reached for the watch clasped around his wrist next. Throwing it down along with the broken phone and ruining the tracker that he mentioned earlier. He was doing what needed to be done. I do wonder though, if he's hiding us from our family.

Clearly we can't trust Giovanni. So who the fuck else was out to get us that we didn't know of? Or maybe it was just me, and what I didn't know. His secrets, and privately kept life was creeping up to him, and to me. I was starting to become familiar with the devil within him. Is this truly for the best?

I'm not totally stupid. I know that he doesn't tell me everything and I don't expect him to. But I trust him with my life, we both know this. I don't think he would just lie to my face for no reason at all, and if so, as before, he's always has a reason. I genuinely don't think that he knew Giovanni would be there. He could have known that Giovanni wasn't honest about who he is though, yeah. He did react a certain way even before shots were fired. He was trying to get us both out.

"We only got singles left." My head flies towards the tired little lady standing behind the wide cream counter. Her pink tongue darts out to lick the dry lipstick layered across the bottom of her lip. As she does, she blinks up at me, waiting for a response.

"That's fine." I bite at the inside of my cheek anxiously. It wasn't fine, he wouldn't like this. That didn't matter though. Any room to hide the two of us is what we really needed. I just wanted to sleep honestly.

She frowns, taking the cash money from my hand as the door slides open from behind me and within seconds, a pair of arms wrap tightly around my waist. He still kept quiet, pulling me into his chest. Probably analyzing his mind for an escape plan.

His eyes were scanning the lobby when I looked up, just as I thought. He was never calm when in public. He could never be. He didn't have that option. Looking over his shoulder ever twenty seconds was his normal.

"Here you go." Handing me the room's key card. I take it gently from her hand, and move my other to grab his from my stomach. Intertwining it with my own.

"306."

"Keep the change." I mumble, moving forward. Her hazel eyes widened, but she looked happy about it. Giving me a quick and lazy smile. Before her eyes lifted to Stefano. And it fell almost instantly, she turned her head away quickly. I roll my eyes, and start pulling him along with me to walk through the lobby and towards the double elevators. One of which is opening the closer we get.

"Money doesn't grow on trees." His voice was gruff, seeing as he hasn't spoken for a while.

"Neither do smiles, but I made her happy." His hand gripped mine tightly the second that our eyes met. I wouldn't have let her keep the change if I hadn't seen the lumps of cash creating a crease in his leather wallet earlier. Was he mad? There was a difference in Stefano when he was mad, but I don't see it now. He looked calm.

A nervous pit traveled around my stomach.

"Is that okay? I can go get it back." What if we couldn't go back to the estate for a while and it was the last we had? My eyes widen, leaning back to look into the lobby at the grinning woman. There was a lipstick stain on her two front teeth.