Sed de sangre {manxman}

9

Chapter Nine - Lies, lies, lies.

It's a Sunday afternoon and today is the day that I promised Alejandro I would teach him how to do some basic baking.

I had just finished tidying up a bit when the doorbell had rang.

Checking my watch I see that Alejandro is twenty minutes earlier than we had arranged for. The guy has a serious sweet tooth, it's like nothing I've seen before!

Opening the door I find Alejandro, leaning against the wall with his phone in his hand and bags and bags of stuff surrounding him on the floor.

"Hey Ale-"

"Hey Jax! I know I'm early but I couldn't wait any longer. I've bought loads of stuff that we can use when baking, also I thought that we could...maybe have a sleepover?" Alejandro cuts me off whilst making his eyes large and pleading.

"I er, I-"

"I'll understand if you say no, its just you're kind of, my first proper friend other than Valentino that I've had in awhile and I'm kind of lonely I guess," not having the heart to say no I nod, opening the door wider for him.

After helping put his stuff in what use to be Jess' room, I leave him to settle down.

Alejandro seems to have a lot of stuff for someone who is staying over for one night but I decided that I would question him about it later.

He wasn't kidding when he said he bought a lot, there was all sorts ranging from: chocolate chips, sprinkles, icing, food colouring, flavourings, sugar diamonds, edible pens? And it didn't even stop there.

I decide to get to work setting up the different stations whilst Alejandro is freshening up before we start.

My mind began to drift off to what happened after Valentino had begun to kiss me a few days ago.

I must admit that at first, I was lost in the sauce and lost in the pleasure. But after it finally dawned on me who I was kissing I pushed him away whilst trying to regain my breath.

"I know you're attracted to me so why not give in? All I want is to give you a good long fuck Jax and I know you want it to, stop playing so fucking hard to get. I bet you'd drop everything and let Alejandro fuck you in a second if he asks, wh-"

I slapped him so hard my hand stung afterwards. I shook out the pain in my hand, whilst the tears threatened to spill.

He was calling me a whore when he didn't anything about me!

He doesn't know anything about what I've been through.

He doesn't know anything about what HE did to me.

"You are the most vile human being I have ever come across. Never have I met such scum in my life, you aren't worth one millisecond of my life. Now you leave my café and don't you dare, cross me again. I'm not scared of you anymore Valentino, I won't quiver when you shout, I want say how high when you ask me to jump because I now see you are nothing but your title,"

It wasn't until I calmed down that I realised for the first time in my life ever I was able to confront someone.

I was able to fend for myself! I didn't have to call for help and it felt great.

Seconds after walking out on Valentino that day and into the staff toilet I heard him let out a string of curses followed by a strong punch to the wall.

When I finally left the toilet I saw that he had left a hole in the wall and some of the drywall had crumbled onto the food. I didn't have the money to fix it, nor did I have the energy to go and fight Valentino for the money.

The café made me good money don't get me wrong but not enough to just spend money on anything.

My mind then wandered to Valentino's mafia, surely there were more members than just him and Alejandro so how could Alejandro be lonely?

He's such an outgoing person it's hard to believe that someone like him would come looking for company from someone like me.

Just as I set the oven on a low heat, Alejandro comes bounding into the kitchen.

"Ready when you are boss," he says jokingly whilst rubbing his hands together in anticipation.

"I think we should start with a classic Victoria sponge cake if that's okay with you?" Alejandro nods his eagerly.

Alejandro has taken every opportunity he has whilst baking the cake to ask me questions about my life and I hate to admit it, but I'm really enjoying his company.

He's like a breath of fresh. It makes me wonder how he could be friends with someone like Valentino.

Where he is always smiley, relaxed and open, Valentino is always frowning, uptight and closed off.

"What would you say your favourite thing about working in the café and owning it, is?" Alejandro asks whilst folding the flour into the wet ingredients.

"Probably getting to people watch. I love watching relationships blossom and bloom. I love knowing I've given them a place to do it," I can't help the smile that slips onto my face at the memory of all the dates that have taken place in my café.

Reaching up I grab the cake tins so I can butter the edges for Alejandro now that the mixing is done.

"How did you get the scars on your back?" My body freezes and dread flushes through my body.

"A prank gone wrong back in secondary school," I let out a nervous laugh, taking my time to butter the edges.

"Must've gone seriously wrong those burn scars look like they cover a lot of your back...," I can tell by the way he trailed off that he didn't believe my lie but I wasn't going to tell him the truth.

No one but Jess and Schmidt knew how I got these scars and the person who gave them to me.
-

Three hours later and Alejandro had mastered how to make: a Victoria sponge cake, shortbread and white chocolate are cranberry sugar cookies.

We are currently sitting on the couch watching modern family, past discussions forgotten as we debate on whether the actor who plays Cam is really straight in real life.

There's sudden bangs on the wall and loud moans coming from the direction of Valentino's. Alejandro and I turn to look at each other. His eyes hold pity and worry.

Letting out a humourless chuckled
I explain how since that day at the café with Valentino he's been fucking people none stop, each one becoming louder than the other.

It would happen at odd times of the day and I've just learnt to ignore it and him. "He's not a bad guy you know," Alejandro states followed by a sigh.

An involuntary scoff leaves me as he tries to defend his friend.

"Why do I feel like we're talking about different people here?" Rhetorical questions, gotta love them.

"I promise! I don't know what it is about you that makes him act like this. He's never done this before!"

"So it's my fault he's being such a dick? Well excuuuuuse me for whatever it is that I seem to be doing wrong!" Alejandro's eyes widen in understanding all of a sudden.

"No I wasn't blaming you! I was trying to get at the fact that I think Valentino might feel something for you he's never felt for others and maybe he doesn't know how to act about his feeling,"

This time I let out a real laugh. The only feeling he may have if he has any is lust, all he wants is a quick fuck.

"If he does, he sure knows how to show them," I mutter sarcastically pointing to the wall that was now shaking from all the movement.