Chapter 6

Aiden 

I got us a taxi, insisting on it because Allessia was beside herself with worry thanks to her friends screaming.

“Hey.” Reaching across the back seat I grabbed her hands in mine. Forcing them apart because she kept picking at her nails and wringing them together. 

“It’s going to be ok. Did you friend say what was wrong?”

She shook her head mutely, tears making her eyes glitter and shine. They were literally swimming in tears but she wasn’t actually crying because no tears fell down her cheek.

I reached for her cheek anyway. Rubbing my thing under her eye. “That’s a good thing. Everything is going to be fine. I promise.”

Now that was a bare faced lie but only in parts. Things hadn’t gone entirely to plan because my little gift was meant to be for the woman next to me and not her roommate but it seemed the roommate had changed her schedule at the last minute and come home to find my little gift.

Not to plan at all but it would have the same effect on the girl next to me. Everything I did was to bring us together.

“She could be hurt.” A single tear finally slipped free and I was there to wipe it away with the pad of my thumb. 

“You can’t think like that.” I continued to smooth my fingers over her skin. Over and over again and it was only partly for show.

Allessia Moretti had the softest skin I had ever felt. Addictively soft. The kind of skin a man could spend hour and hours kissing and touching.

She leant into my hand. Her beautiful eyes closing as she fought back the tears that threatened to engulf her. “She could be dead.”

Sliding my hand to the back of her head I drew her into my chest and held her there. Rocking her silently as she sobbed quietly. Smiling the entire time .

If the cab driver saw anything and thought anything was strange he didn’t say anything. Thank god for unfriendly Londoners who minded their own business.

“Sssh now love. Everything is going to be fine.” I soothed as I tightened my arms around her. “You’re friend will be fine you’ll see and -“ hooking my fingers under her chin I tilted her face up to me. “You will be fine as well. I’ll make sure of it.”

Lies lies lies.

All of it was lies then only thing that was completely honest and truthful was my mounting desire for her. She was young. Much too young for me but my body wanted her as much as my mind wanted to ruin her.

The fact that was she pressed so closely to my body wasn’t helping matters. Now was not the time for her to notice the raging hard on I had. That time would come soon but it wasn’t today.

This morning I had a part to play.

“Thank you Aiden.” Sniffling she pulled away slightly and wiped a hand over her face. “I don’t know what I can do to repay you for everything today. This is the second time you’ve saved -“

I pressed my fingers to her lips and silenced her. “It’s nothing Allessia and you don’t need to thank me anymore than you already have.”

Her eyes widened.

“Having dinner with me.” I trailed off as the cab slowed to a stop at the very end of her street. We couldn’t go any further because of the sheer amount of emergency vehicles everywhere.

There was tape as well. Bright yellow with a small crowd gathered behind it. 

“Dana.” She was out of the car before it had really come to a stop and running towards the form of her friend who was sat motionless on the curb. Tapping my credit card against the terminal I thanked the driver and went after her. Schooling my face into worried friend instead of grinning monster. 

“What happened?” Throwing herself onto the floor next to her friend , she gathered her up into her arms and began talking so fast that it was hard to keep up.

Dana, didn’t say a word, she just sobbed. So loudly and violently that her whole body shook.

“Are you hurt?”

Dana shook her head and then slowly lifted her eyes to me. A frown pinched her eyebrows together as she glared at me. “Who are you?”

“Aiden. He’s a friend.” Allessia answered for me, flashing me a quick uncertain smile almost like she wanted to see if I agreed with how she had labelled us.

I nodded my approval. Friends, wasn’t quite the word I would use but it would do for now.

“What happened?” I asked in my most caring voice. And it must have worked because she started talking straight away. 

“There was a package , no card so I thought it might be another gift for you.” She aimed a look at Allessia who blushed delightfully. “I left it on the kitchen side and went to grab my book. That’s why I came back I forgot it and that’s when I noticed it was leaking.” She shuddered. “There was red sticky stuff soaking the bottom of the box and honestly I thought something had smashed. So I opened it because I knew you wouldn’t mind.”

Either my voice was magic or I just had a face she trusted because she was talking right at me even when she asked Allessia a question. 

Dana was a fool.

“Of course I don’t mind.” Allesia whispered.

“What was in the box?”

“Hands-“

Allessias head snapped up in shock. “What do you mean a hand?”

“Not a hand Allessia. Hands two of them.” Dana went back to crying. “And a note.”

“Fuck.” Running a hand through my hair I stared at the two woman who were clearly in shock. Well Dana was. Allessia just looked troubled.

“What did it say?”

“Does it matter?” There was sharpness in Allessias voice.

“It said and I quote. For touching what doesn’t belong to you.”

Allessia tightened her grip on her friend but every other part of her froze in place. The blood drained from her face and I could almost hear the cogs turning in her head.

“It was like something out of those old mob movies you hate so much.” Dana wailed. “Why is this happening to

Me?”

“I don’t know.” Allessias blonde head bobbed as she ducked her cheek on to her friends shoulder. “I don’t know what is happening but I’m going to sort it.”

Dana’s head twisted in her direction. “What do you mean sort it? Has something happened and you haven’t told me? What’s going on?”

For a single second Allessia looked like a deer in headlights and then she schooled her face. Too late though I had read her thoughts so easily.

She thought this was her fathers doing. That somehow he had found out what happened to her in the bar. It wasn’t even that much of a leap. 

“What?” Allessias eyes flashed. “I don’t know what you mean? Of course nothing has happened. Why are you trying to blame me for this?”

Part of me was proud of the anger in her voice. The self righteousness of her tone even when she knew all of this was her fault. She might not know for sure whose hands were in that box but she was a clever woman and could guess.

The little outburst also told me something else important. Allessia was hiding her identity, not even her closest friend knew who she really was.

“I just meant I’m going to talk to the police and see when we can go back home and -“

Dana wailed. “I can’t go back in there.” 

The thought seemed to terrify her.

“Then we won’t go back in just yet. It’s ok I will just-“

“Allessia I’m sorry to leave you but-“ I made a show of looking at my watch and frowning at it. “Actually don’t worry. I can rearrange and stay with you.”

Instantly she was on her feet. “You can go ,Aiden and thank you for everything today.” Reaching up she pressed her lips to my cheek. “You’ve already done so much to help thank you.”

In answer I closed my hand around her hip and squeezed watching as her body reacted to my smallest of touches. “I’ll call you ok. You girls look after each other and Allessia?”

I waited until she lifted her eyes to mine. “Call me if you need me.”