5. What Was Done Was Done

YOUR EYES HOLD EVERYTHING MY SOUL THIRSTS FOR.

 

EARLIER

"Ms. Remires." He said, his voice so deep and rich that it took her a moment to collect herself. 

"Mr. Cassano." She finally replied standing up. And she didn't miss the way his charcoal eyes travel down her body for just a second before they were back on her face again. 

 

 

"It's late, is your ride not here?" As he said she couldn't help but feel defenseless in front of him. 

"Who told you? It's almost here-" She was about to say but when she looked at her phone again she stopped. Her ride was cancelled. 

She gasped and when she looked up Ricardo was staring at her intensely, trying to figure out what she just saw. 

"Amm.. it'll be here soon. What are you doing here by the way?" 

"Going home." He said and Avery raised one eyebrow. 

"You work till so late!?" She couldn't help but ask.

"Of course. How do you think I became a Billionaire so fast?" He said in a matter-of-fact tone. Avery's eyes narrowed. Pensive ass.

"Come on, I'll drop you home." He said and her head shot towards him.

"There is no need. As I said, my ride is on the way."

"Don't lie to me Avery." The words shot a shiver down Avery's body.  They were more of a command than a simple sentence. How the fuck does this man knows everything!? Can he read minds!?

"I'll order another cab." She finally said. 

"It's already so late Avery, you won't find a cab at this hour, even if you do it's not safe."

He is right.. 

"Then I'll just call my dad, he'll send someone." 

"Or the easy and quick way out is, I can drop you at your house." he said. She thought about it but suddenly letting him know where she lived does not seem like a good idea.

"It's alright, I'll manage. You should be on your way now." Avery said, hoping he'll leave. 

"I'm a gentleman Avery, I can't leave you alone like this. You are Enrico Remirez's daughter right? I know him personally and he won't mind if I drop you home. You can even message and tell him that you are with me." He said and Avery was shocked. Ok he knows ALOT about her and THAT is uncomfortable... Still she considered his offer for a moment, her mind calculating and her eyes not focused on anyone spot.

"Don't worry Avery, I'll not rape you." He said and the word rape made Avery's skin tingle and her lips shook. Whenever she heard this word she couldn't help but feel scared and vulnerable and mostly disgusted. Riccardo was watching her like a hawk and her reaction at what he said did not go unnoticed. 

Suddenly Avery's phone started vibrating again. It was her dad. 

"Yes dad." 

"Where are you sweetheart? Did you got the cab? It's going to snow soon." He sounded worried.

"Ah dad, actually the ride got cancelled and I don't think I'll find a cab at this hour." She said. 

"Why didn't you told me earlier!? Alright stay inside the cafe, I'm coming to get you." He said.

"No dad... Actually I wanted to ask, do you know Riccardo Cassano?" She asked and Ricardo gave her a sinful smile which almost stole her breath away.

"Riccardo Cassano? The owner of Cassano groups?" 

"Yes."

"Of course I know him. We are very close actually. But why did you ask?"

"Amm.. actually he is here and amm.. he offered me a ride home."

"Ricardo is with you right now? Do you know him?" He asked.

"No not really but he comes at the cafe so..."

"Alright, give him the phone." He said and she reluctantly handed over the phone to Ricardo who was watching with a raised eyebrow.

"Good evening sir." He brought the phone to his ears and responded. 

"I will surely sir, don't worry. My pleasure." He said and cut the call.

"Hop in. Daddy approved." He said and got out of the car and held open the door for her. But Avery was still hesitating. How did her dad agreed so easily!? 

"Avery, believe me. Now your dad too knows you're with me. It's going to snow soon." He said and she looked up once again, the dark clouds were covering every bit of the sky and getting intense by every passing second. Sighing in defeat she walked towards the door Riccardo held open. 

"Thanks." She said as slide in. And her breath caught as soon as his collagen hit her nose. It was something extremely spicy and rich which made her stomach churn, this was a feeling she was not at all used to. The seat was warm and the car heater flared to full intensity calming her nerves immediately. Riccardo rounded the car and slid inside on the seat next to her.

The scent of his collagen grew stronger as soon as he closed the door. It was so intoxicating that unconsciously Avery took a deep breath and the scent flared in her nose like she knew it since forever. 

"Via del Babuino." He said to the driver.

"Right away sir." He replied. After that a long silence stretched between them as none of the two spoke. Avery kept fiddling with the edges of her top as she looked outside the window, clearly uncomfortable in the environment she was in. 

"You know you can be very difficult sometimes." He said and she looked at him in confusion. 

"Excuse me?" She said, sounding irritated and surprised. 

"I'm sorry for what I said to you the other day. If you are still holding it against me." He said and even though she wanted to look at him and narrow her eyes, trying to figure out where he was trying to get. Instead she kept her gaze towards the window looking at the building rushing past her. 

"I'm not holding anything against you." She simply said. 

"Then why aren't you looking at me while talking?" He said and to this her head unconsiously turned to his direction and her amber eyes made contact with his charcoal one and she instantly forgot whatever she was going to say. He looked at her as if he was trying to communicate with his eyes though she was not able to catch whatever it was. But she had no doubt that she'd spent an eternity trying. 

Suddenly the driver honked and Avery got pulled out of her daze. She almost lost herself for a second there... What was happening to her!? She has never been like this before... Avery saw a small smile had made its way up to Riccardo's lips... those sinful lips... She turned her attention back to the window and wished the ride would get over soon. 

Avery could feel his stare on her. It erosed a weird kind of feeling in her. A hot tingling in her stomach and the rapid beating of her heart that didn't seems to calm down. 

Soon they reached her house and the car came to a stop just outside the villa. She didn't realise it started snowing until she opened the car gates and a servant came running with an umbrella in his hand. She was instantly hit by the cold and shuddered. 

"Welcome home Miss." Roberto said.

"Thanks Roberto." She said taking the umbrella and turned around to thank Riccardo but he was already gone. She saw the car speeding around the corner of the street and then disappeared.  

Avery's eyebrows crashed in confusion. That was quite odd.... and cold too... 

Maybe he was in a hurry to get home. Maybe he has someone waiting...? Avery shook her head as if to dismiss the thoughts and made a note in her mind to thank him tomorrow when he visits the cafe. 

"Ma'am, we should go inside." She heard Roberto say. 

"Ohh yes. Is dad angry?" she asked as they walked up the steps of her house. 

"Not angry but a little worried." He said. 

"Little? He sounded frantic on phone." 

"He was, but when he knew that your with Mr. Cassano he relaxed a bit." Roberto explained and Avery was forced to wonder about her dad and Riccardo's relationship. How come her dad trust him so much?

She opened the door to the warmthness and comfort of her house. It was quiet but not for too long, her dad came brisking as soon as he heard the door open and close. 

"You're here! Oh I was so worried about you." He said and hugged Avery so tight that it knocked the air out of her.  

"Yes dad and I'm completely fine!" she said giggling and hugged him back. 

"Wait, where is Riccardo?" he asked separating from her and looked towards the door.  

"Ahhh.. actually he dropped me and just drove off." she said walking in the kitchen and made some coffee.  

"You didn't told him to come in?"

"He didn't have me a chance! I didn't even get to say thank you." 

"Well must have someone waiting on him, maybe a friend." 

"Or a girlfriend." Avery said taking a sip from the bitter brew.  

"Why do you don't so down Avery? You wanted to be the one in his bed tonight? Too bad he didn't even gave you a second look." Felicia came from her room saying.  Enrico was about to say something but Avery grabbed his hand to stopped him. She doesn't want her step sister to hate her dad anymore. 

"You too are a woman Felicia, how can you even say such vile words for another woman!? That too your own sister!?" Avery said, her heart was filled to the brink now and she can no longer hold herself back.  

"Sister!? What Sister are you talking about!? You are no sister to me you get it!? A slut like you can never be a part of our family! Why don't you just go and die!?" Felicia screamed and Avery's mind got numb. Those words... she didn't knew she will ever hear them agian. She didn't knew what happened the next second but when she realized... She saw Felicia had her hand on her left cheek and tears brimming in her eyes, as if someone hit her. Then her eyes traveld to her dad, the look in his eyes told the whole story. 

 

Enrico hit his daughter for the first time. There was a mixture of anger, guilt and pity in his eyes... But none could cover for what he did.  What was done was done, and he knew that.