Chapter 6
7 years later...
She stood underneath the weeping willow tree in the garden surrounded by flowers, her head facing the sky allowing the soft autumn breeze to blow at her hair and the hem of her oversized sweater.
The leaves shook in their brown coats, strung along a line and holding on to whatever life they still had within them. The flowers bobbed their shivering white heads in response; a few dainty splashes of colour here and there that would disappear soon for the winter to come. The water of the pond rippled in the strength of the wind, grey skies indicating a light drizzle and yet she did not shiver in the slightest.
With a deep breath, she savoured the rare moment of silence where there was nothing but her and the wind. No gun shots, no blood, no death, no emotions. Nothing but the short lived emptiness she had come to appreciate over the years of living with rowdy gruff men.
"To the crazy woman who is staring at birds, I bid hello." A voice all too familiar to her filled her ears and she smiled, opening her eyes to reveal the slight twinkle behind the emeralds of her irises and glanced towards the source of the voice.
"You're back." she said and suppressed a squeal as Ai lifted her by the waist and spun her around. His signature mess of red hair he always claimed was tousled shone under the pale sun, his smile somehow warming the cold grey weather.
"Happy 19th birthday, bird woman." He told her as he set her down back to the ground and pulled her into his embrace, His palms lingered at her waist for what Ai knew was a moment too long. She took the chance to breathe in his scent, a mixture of the woods and wildflowers and the earth that returned the sense of what Amethyst called a home.
"Two years later and we finally talk and the first thing you call me is crazy? I think you should look at yourself. Flapping your arms around, you look more of a chicken than human." She said, punching him playfully and he laughed.
"I missed you too, Amethyst." He said and ruffled her hair. "Come on or we're going to be late. Leo said tonight's negotiating party is important." She sighed and did not bother to hide the irritation and disappointment on her face.
Ai caught her sigh and smiled at her apologetically. "I'm sorry, Ames. I know you want a break and if I could, I would give it to you. Hell, I just arrived and I'm required to go so let's suffer together eh?"
She smiled at him. "Is reading minds also a Parisian charm?" She asked jokingly, almost flirtatiously. He nodded and winked, the corner of his mouth twitching.
Amethyst shook her head at him, her dyed brown hair tumbling down from her shoulders down to her waist. She leaned into him while they made their way to the mansion.
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The gathering of Mafia families is held every month, the responsibility of organizing the dinner is rotated to one of the biggest families in the world which, in context, meant an incredible honour.
Today marked the twenty seventh time the Xavier family has been given the honour of organizing the dinner. With his hand on the curve of her back, Ai guided Amethyst in and out of the crowd. The familiarity of everything, her smell, her eyes, and the feel of her back exposed by the dress she wore sending sparks of electricity through his fingers.
Ai could feel the eyes of the other people in the room, their hungry stares filled with lust and envy and yet somehow, he could only laugh at that tiny speck of fear present in their eyes due to the fact that she belonged to the Xavier family.
That was always the thing that held men back from Amethyst, not only the obvious threat of the whole Xaviers behind her back but also the fire of hatred in her eyes that always burned bright. A fire she has learned to hide over the years.
He almost missed it the afternoon of their reunion. Almost
Ai shook his head at the thought, memories from the past 5 years rushing into his head. He could picture it in his mind, the odd metallic tang of blood that first entered his nostrils as his eyes took in the gruesome scene before him. Bodies hung everywhere, on the ceiling fan, on hooks that hung in abnormal numbers on the wall, on the end of love seats. Everything was an image of death.
And there, right in the middle of that picture from hell, stood a fifteen year old girl, her hair dyed with the colour of crimson, the long black dress she had worn the night before tattered and torn. Amidst that piece of hell, she stood alone with a huge grin plastered on her face, the rusted Swiss knife she held between her fingers twirling along the sick beat of the song she hummed. Then she saw him, standing there mouth agape and she laughed, approaching him with a painfully slow pace, raising her weapon and lunged before--
He stopped himself before things got too far. Drawing in a shaky breath in before he noticed Giotto approaching, on him clung the tailor made suit that cost way too much and a smile that hid way too many secrets. Ai smoothly pulled on a professional face, a warm smile greeted Giotto's fatherly embrace and they let go at the sound of Amethyst's clearing throat.
The corners of Giotto's eyes wrinkled at her sight. He gave a loud guffaw, wishing Amethyst a birthday wish and promising her he would make up for her birthday party. Ai's eyes were suddenly drawn towards the small group of people collected behind Giotto.
With a frown he took in the dark hair and darker eyes that seemed to play a child's tune and game. That perfect white smile he knew all too well made Ai roll his eyes at his extensive effort of attracting women around him. Kyle Williams just never knew when to give up, especially when face to face with the Xavier family's ice cold princess. Ai raised an eyebrow at Kyle as if to say really?
Kyle shook his head and gave him a lopsided grin. I can't help being such a babe magnet can I?
Ai scoffed at his partner in crime, the days of when he and Kyle commanded a while mafia fort castle in France still fresh in his mind.
They all smiled at each other politely, sizing each other up without being disrespectful. The blonde girl that hung behind Kyle, high cheekbones and eyes full of thought, her lips curved in a beautiful heart and her whole frame slender yet strong, Giotto introduced as Carrie Knight.
The other guy, Scott Rosewood, had a cheeky smile plastered on his face, his blue eyes sparkling with curiosity and mischief that Amethyst just couldn't help but like. He stood eye to eye with Ai and had a muscular build and a perfectly chiselled jaw.
They all smiled at each other as Giotto went on with introductions explaining how closely the Xavier group worked with them and how Ai was working with Kyle in Paris for the two years he was away.
That happened before one thing that caught her eye. Something that made her whole body tense in a fraction of a second, cold sweat suddenly ran down her back. A warm sensation formed inside of her and she felt her eyes narrow with anger, trying to stop her body from shaking, she withdrew herself from the group with a small bow. A dragon inside a circle of eyes, on each of their wrists was the symbol that had been haunting her for seven whole years.
She didn't notice the way her eyes had hardened and turned cold, her killing intent silent and barely noticeable because she was containing it. Only Ai and Kyle stared at her departing figure with wide eyes as she walked away without a word, the crowd giving her a wide berth as she left.
She barely heard it when Giotto said the three would be spending time with them in the mansion.
(Edited 04.09.2015) Revised 13.02.16
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Amethyst (ON HOLD)
General Fiction| THE PAST WILL ALWAYS COME BACK TO HAUNT YOU | Kidnapped, tortured and starved -- Amethyst has had her demons caged inside of her for as long as she could remember. When all of Europe's Mafia leaders kidnapped and possibly killed, even the cold of...
