ILARIA (book 3)

28. ASAHI🌙

I can't help but smile as she sits on a communal bed in the most pristine, expensive outfit. She looks out of place, but then she bends down and picks up the child's toy and lets the small girl crawl into her lap and it's like she was born here.

Her smile lights up and everybody around stops to look at her for a while.

The prettiest girl in the world.

I stay leaned against the wall as her mother walks in and makes her way over to the kitchen, not batting an eye when she sees Ilaria.

An older man walks up to me. "Is she yohr girl?" He asks.

I look back at her, how two kids are beginning to braid her hair. "Yeah."

"Beautiful soul, that one." He holds his hand out. "David."

"Asahi." I shake his hand.

He smiles at that. "Do you do this stuff with her?"

"This is the first time."

"What are you? A model or something." He motions to my piercings and tattoos.

"Ugh, FBI." I fold my arms across my chest.

He smiles. "No way. What department?"

"Crime Investigative division."

"SSA?"

"Yes..." I narrow my eyes. "How'd you know that?"

"You look like Unit chief Hamada."

"My dad." I smile. The amount of people that know my dad is crazy.

"He saved my daughter once. Didn't leave me until I knew she was okay."

"How is your daughter now?"

"She passed a couple months after. Was injured bad."

"I'm sorry to hear that."

"She's in a better place now."

"David!" I hear Arabella. "And... What are you doing here?" She looked so confused.

I point to Ilaria and she nods her head. "David, I have good news. So, I managed to get in contact with your sister and she's happily going to take you in." She says as she walks off with him.

Poor man.

Another time, this kid runs up to me. "Tattoos." He grabs my hand.

I crouch down. "Do you like them?"

"Oh, Asahi, that's Jamal." Ilaria lifts him up. "Loves tattoos, colours in my papa's all the time."

I smile. "You got some nice hair." I twirl my fingers around his curls.

He smiles, then jumps down and runs away.

Ilaria walks to the back to wash her hands and I follow her. "We're going now. Some do the community volunteer to help socialise with them."

"Where we going?"

"Home. I wanna fuck." She says, at the same time her mother walks in.

"Ilaria." Arabella's eyebrows raise.

"You didn't hear that mamma. Have you spoken to Romeo yet?"

"Dad and I are going down to his and Delilah's later on. I'll speak to him then." She looks to me. "I trust you not to hurt her. But she does have 4 very protective brothers."

"She's safe with me, Arabella."

"Good. Will see you both some other time." She kisses Ilarias cheek, and then walks away.