ILARIA (book 3)

73. ASAHI

Ilaria was asleep whenever I walked into her house. She was laying across the couch with her head on her moms lap, Arabella stroking her fingers through her hair.

"What happened?" Arabella frowns as she looks at me.

"Just the case." I lie. "She okay?"

"She couldn't fit into her jeans earlier and had a bit of breakdown. Didn't end up going to the ducks." Arabella looks down at Ilaria. "She's always much more confident whenever you're around."

I sit by her feet, wincing a little bit. "How has was the case?" Arabella asks.

"Same old." I rub my lips together. "Uh... I got suspended."

She bites the inside of her lip. "For how long?"

"Until further notice." I nod my head. "Buckley sent tips about my relationship with Ilaria, there's an open case going on."

"I'm sorry, Asahi."

"Not your fault. Was bound to happen at some point. Dads in Quantico pulling some strings and finding out what information they have." I rest my hand on Ilaria's ankle. "Just gonna hang out here for a few days."

"Of course. She'll be grateful for the company too." She says, and as she does, the dogs all start barking.

That wakes up Ilaria. I get up, pulling at Yoshi's collar to see what he barking at. It was the dog flap.

I take one look at Spencer, he grabs his gun and I open the door, as soon as I do, he shoots.

Then Grayson and Paolo run out, while I look at this man now dead on Ilaria's porch.

"Who was it?" Arabella asks.

I bend down. "Another Marshal."

There was a few in the hospital, trying to get to Ilaria but we made sure her protection was elite. Now they're targeting her home?

"I'll call Roman." Spencer walks out, closing the door.

Damn good job the dogs are around.

I walk back, still with a soft limp and Ilaria smiles at me, her eyes tired. "I'm so glad you're back."

"You two go upstairs." Arabella helps Ilaria sit up properly.

"Will you be good down here?" Ilaria asks her.

"I have three huge dogs and three huge men here." Arabella winks. "I'll be fine."

"Why are you walking funny?" Ilaria asks, bending to pick her crutches up off the floor.

"Got shot on the case." I help her.

"You okay?" Her face goes pale.

"Yeah. Wasn't fatal." I help her up the stairs while struggling myself.

Her burns have finally healed, only a few scars remain. She sits on the edge of the bed and changes out of her clothes. "I can't wait to get off this medication." She pulls her shirt over her head, letting her breasts hang freely. "It makes me so sleepy."

"Only a week left, right?" I bend down, picking up her clothes.

She nods her head, maintaining eye contact with me as I rise again. I noticed she does this when she wants to fuck but doesn't want to ask to fuck.

She makes her eyes all big and beady.

I throw her clothes in the hamper, then stand in front of her, hand on her chin. "You want something, hm?"

She makes them even bigger.

I just smile, rubbing my thumb across her lip.

We haven't since what happened to her. She just hasn't been in the mood and I was fine with that.