by Lylah James
Ayla was silent in my arms. When we got closer, I heard her sigh. “How did you know I was hurt?” she asked.
“Maddie told me you twisted your ankle. She said you couldn’t walk,” I replied.
“Oh.” A small smile appeared on her lips. It was faint and quick, but definitely there.
I stopped in front of Sam’s room and Ayla leaned forward to knock at the door. It opened within a few seconds and Sam stood in the doorway. His eyes widened at the sight of Ayla in my arms and he quickly moved back, motioning for me to enter.
“What happened?” he asked.
I placed Ayla on his bed, and stood beside her. “She twisted her ankle.”
Sam knelt down in front of Ayla and inspected her ankle. His lips twisted thoughtfully and he asked Ayla several questions while I hovered over her, anxious and worried. The thought of her being in pain didn’t sit well with me.
The sense of protectiveness I felt toward her was a first. The need to keep her safe and happy was a primal feeling inside of me. Every day it grew stronger, until only she mattered to me.
“It’s not bad. Nothing to be worried about. Just a very tiny sprain that won’t even hurt after two days,” Sam said.
He looked up and smiled kindly at Ayla, his brown eyes crinkling at the corners. “I’ll give you some pain relieving cream. Just rub it over your ankle twice a day until it doesn’t hurt anymore,” he said.
Ayla nodded and looked up shyly at me as a faint color tinged her cheeks. When she saw me staring, she quickly looked down nervously.
Sam came back with a small tube in his hand. “Here. This should help with the pain. Rub it gently over the aching area and it should do the work.”
“Thank you,” she said.
Maddie stepped into the room. “So?” she asked, walking straight to Ayla.
Ayla gave her strange look and shook her head. “I’m fine,” she replied before mumbling something under her breath.
She stood up and wobbled a little, and I instinctively wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her close to me.
She placed a hand on my chest and tried to step out of my embrace, but my arms tightened around her, stopping her movement.
“I can walk,” she said, her voice coming out a little breathy.
“You shouldn’t put too much pressure on your ankle.”
Ayla glanced at Maddie. “She can help me. I’m sure you have other things to take care of.”
“Right. I’ll help her. Don’t want to disturb you from your work and all,” Maddie added, glaring at me.
Before I could answer, Maddie was already pulling Ayla away from me and I had no choice but to let her go. As she stepped out of my embrace, I suddenly felt empty and already missed having her small body against mine.
When they were out of sight, I nodded to Sam and then made my way upstairs. I saw Nina at the top of the steps. She smiled brightly, her eyes shining.
“Alessio,” she whispered.
“You need to leave,” I ordered, my voice harsh and unyielding.
“What?” she sputtered, her eyes widening.
“Exactly what I said. Leave. I don’t want you here anymore.” Nina was good at her job. She was an asset but I didn’t need her anymore, except for her work in the field.
“But Alessio—”
“I told you, your services won’t be needed anymore,” I said through gritted teeth, punctuating each words so she understood the meaning.
Her mouth opened shock. “You mean…?”
“You heard him. He doesn’t want to fuck you anymore. So get lost.”
At Maddie’s voice, I closed my eyes in frustration and pinched the bridge of my nose. Taking a few deep breaths, I opened my eyes to see her glaring at both of us.
Nina’s face turned stormy and she twisted her lips angrily, then looked back at me, waiting.
I gave her a cold stare and crossed my arms over my chest, raising an eyebrow in question.
“I’m going,” she snapped. Her expression was cold as she walked around me. Nina was a cold-hearted bitch and she loved it that way. And Maddie had to tread carefully before she got herself into trouble.
“Bye, Felicia,” Maddie called as she rolled her eyes.
When I reached the top landing, Maddie stepped in front of me, blocking my way.
“I swear to God…if you are playing Ayla…” she warned, anger glittering in her eyes.
“Why the fuck would you think that?” I growled, taking a step forward, completely outraged by her question.
She indicated where Nina had been standing moments ago. When realization sunk in, anger deserted me and I winced at the thought.
“Nothing was going to happen,” I said.
Maddie looked suspicious. “Ayla saw you going into the office with Nina. She thought…she was completely heartbroken, Alessio.”
Guilt coursed through my body and I swore under my breath.
“Imagine how you would feel if you saw Ayla with another man,” Maddie added.
The thought made me see red. My hands tightened into fists until my knuckles hurt. I gritted my teeth.
She raised an eyebrow. “Exactly,” she muttered before heading back toward Ayla’s room.
I stared at her back and then leaned against the banister, my mind filled with dangerous thoughts.
When I first saw Ayla and proposed that she work for me, this wasn’t what I had in mind.
She was supposed to work for me and I kept her close because I wanted to fuck her. That was my intention. But it wasn’t about lust anymore. It wasn’t about fucking her and being done with her.
It was more, something I couldn’t wrap my head around. A feeling that I didn’t understand.
But I wasn’t against it anymore. I let myself bask in this foreign emotion, waiting to see where it would lead me, hoping it wouldn’t destroy either of us in the process.
Sighing, I raked my hand through my hair. I thought I was the only one feeling what was between us. But Ayla felt it too, and I had hurt her.
A connection so deep, so irrevocably beautiful yet haunting and dangerous. It brought us peace, even through the pain.
Chapter 41
She was waiting for me, sitting at the piano, her gaze on the wall before her, looking completely lost in her thoughts.
At the sight of me, she smiled, and I sat on the sofa in front of the piano, keeping my focus on her the whole time.
I hadn’t had a chance to talk to her since this morning. If I wasn’t mistaken, she was avoiding me.
As soon as she saw me, she would walk the other way or act like she didn’t see me. If her eyes caught mine, her expression was impassive, her lips thinned in a hard line.
As I continued to stare at her, the piano the only thing between us, she gave me a strange look and then her expression was blank again before she looked down at the keys.
As I listened to the hauntingly beautiful music, I felt completely transfixed by her beauty and the peaceful look on her face.
All she had to do was sit there silently and she already had my complete attention.
After three songs, she stopped and then opened her eyes, making direct eye contact with me. I smiled, trying to look as gentle as possible, but she ignored it, then went to the book shelf.
She took her time choosing a book, making me nervous with each passing second.
Grabbing a book in her hand, she walked back and sat down on the sofa beside me. All the time, she did it silently while keeping her eyes away from mine.
I waited for her to say something.
I didn’t know how long we stayed like that. I tried to get some work done but I was too lost in Ayla to think.
My gaze kept moving to her, and a few times I noticed her peeking at me, but she would quickly move her gaze away when she noticed me looking. I even saw her scowl at the book and then she twisted her lips in annoyance.
When I couldn’t bear the long, frustrating silence anymore, I cleared my throat and shifted a cou
ple of times in my seat, trying to bring Ayla’s attention to me.
But she was stubborn. Clearing my throat again, I opened my mouth to say something but quickly snapped it shut when I realized I didn’t know what to say.
I stared at the wall in frustration but the painting caught my attention. It was a beautiful landscape painting of a field of vibrant, colorful flowers.
That’s it, I thought.
“Did you like the flowers?” I asked, breaking the painful silence between us.
“They were okay,” she replied stiffly before looking down at the book again.
What kind of answer was that?
“So you liked them?”
Ayla shrugged. “They weren’t bad.”
“Oh,” I murmured, my shoulders dropping in disappointment.
She didn’t like them.
Swallowing hard, I leaned back against the sofa. Ayla was so happy with the flowers that Maddie had given her that I thought she would love them.
I rubbed a hand over my face and closed my eyes tiredly. In my attempt to make her feel better, I messed up.
After a few minutes, I realized she was looking at me. She stiffened and her gaze quickly snapped down. I saw a defiant scowl on her face.
Suddenly, she stood up and started to leave.
“Where are you going?” I asked, standing up too. Her steps faltered and she turned around, facing me again. Her shoulders were pushed back boldly and she looked straight at me, her green eyes vibrant and filled with unreadable emotions.
“I’m going to sleep,” she said. “It’s late.”
That’s it? I cleared my throat and then nodded. “Okay. Goodnight.”
We stared at each other silently for a few seconds. Nodding at me mutely, she swiveled around and walked out of the room.
I stared at her retreating back, speechless. What the fuck just happened?
I stepped back until I hit the sofa.
Ayla hadn’t even said goodnight.
***
It had been three days. I growled in frustration and pushed the papers away. Three days of Ayla barely speaking a word to me.
I sat down against my chair and rolled my neck left and right, trying to release the tension.
I didn’t understand what I did wrong. I tried everything, yet she stayed completely closed off. I knew she wasn’t like that with the others. I saw her talking animatedly to Maddie, a smile always present on her face, her eyes shining brightly.
But with me, she either scowled or frowned in my direction. Or sometimes, her expression was completely impassive.
And I was growing desperate. Just once, I wanted her to smile at me. I wanted to see her eyes sparkle with happiness while she looked at me. Just like at the creek or when she played the piano the first time.
Closing my eyes tightly, I rubbed my forehead, a weary sigh escaping my lips. When I heard the door open, my eyes snapped open and I leaned forward to see Maddie walking into my office.
She closed the door and then leaned against it silently.
“What is it?” I asked, placing both elbows on my desk as I waited for the answer.
“What is Ayla to you?” Maddie asked, stepping closer.
I was completely taken aback by her question. Pushing my chair away from the desk, I stood up and walked around it. “What type of question is that?”
“It’s an important one.”
I wasn’t in the mood to discuss it. I sent her a chilling look. “Listen—”
“Ayla is not someone to play around with. So if you just want to fuck her, then don’t. Don’t hurt her, Alessio. She doesn’t deserve it and she’s not like those whores you fuck around with,” Maddie spat.
“What are you talking about?” I growled. “I would never treat Ayla like that!” When I took a step forward, she only pushed her shoulders back in defiance.
“How do you feel about her?” Maddie was going to drive me crazy.
“None of your business,” I hissed.
“Yes, it is! Because if you hurt her—”
“I’m not going to hurt her!”
Her shoulders dropped and she sighed. “Ayla was really hurt when she saw you with Nina.”
“I know,” I murmured.
“She likes you, Alessio. A lot. She’s already emotionally involved.”
My heart accelerated and my stomach felt weird. A ball of emotions sat at the base of my throat as my chest felt unbearably tight. The thought of Ayla feeling even a little bit of what I felt made my heart go wild.
Fear was always a constant. I didn’t want to mess this up, but I never knew how to deal with my feelings. Whenever they became too much, I closed down. And I didn’t want Ayla to feel the impact of it. I wanted to protect her from pain.
“If you don’t feel the same way, let her go. Don’t hurt her,” Maddie added.
I swallowed and then shifted my gaze away. “What I feel for Ayla…I don’t understand it. But I can’t bear to see her hurt or sad. When I’m with her, I’m completely lost in her. She is all I can think about.”
Her eyes widened in shock.
“I’m not going to hurt her, Maddie. Hurting her is the last thing I ever want to do.”
She beamed. Shaking my head at her, I smiled.
“Is that why you came here? To know how I feel about Ayla?”
Maddie nodded. “I’m just worried. She’s not someone to play around with. She is innocent and fragile. You need to woo her gently and with patience.”
“I know.”
Maddie clapped her hands together and bounced on her toes. “Okay,” she said.
“Is that it?”
“Yup. You can go back to work now.”
Maddie sent me another smile and then turned to leave. “Wait,” I said.
“Yeah?”
How the fuck was I supposed to phrase this without looking like a complete idiot?
I swallowed hard.
“What type of flowers do women like?”
As soon as the words were out of my mouth, I wanted to punch myself.
Maddie stared at me for a few seconds in complete silence. And then she burst out laughing.
I sent her a fierce glare and she quickly covered her laugh with a cough. “Sorry!”
Crossing my arms over my chest, I waited impatiently for her answer.
Maddie shook her head. “You are so silly,” she said.
“I don’t think Ayla liked the flowers I gave her,” I fired back in my defense.
Instead of answering me, she turned around and opened the door.
“She loved the flowers, Alessio.”
Then she winked and left, closing the door behind her.
I stood speechless, astonished.
Ayla loved the flowers?
When realization dawned, I leaned against the desk and let out a chuckle.
Ah, so the kitten is playing, I thought with a smirk.
Chapter 42
Ayla
“How long am I supposed to keep this up?” I asked.
Maddie lay down beside me and stared at the ceiling. “You have to make him work for it.”
“I don’t think I can keep this façade on any longer.”
“Just a little longer.”
After the Nina drama, Maddie lectured me for an hour, telling me how I should and shouldn’t act with Alessio. Every single day, I struggled to be nonchalant around him.
Every time he smiled and I didn’t, I felt guilty. I could see he was losing hope and growing frustrated each day. I hoped Maddie’s plan worked and all this drama wasn’t for nothing.
Sitting up, I brought my knees up and laid my chin on top of them. “Maddie, I don’t understand. How is this going to work? I…like…him…” I stuttered the last words. It was hard to admit, but it was the truth.
“What do you mean? If you want him and he feels the same way about you too, then what’s there to think about?”
I sighed and got up from the bed, standing in front of the window.
The relationships I had read about or saw on TV, I could only dream about them. They were never my reality.
“You’ve never been in a relationship before?” Maddie asked.
I closed my eyes tightly against the wave of pain. Placing my hand over the glass, I steadied myself and tried to calm my racing heart.
“I have been in one,” I whispered.
Maddie’s forehead was creased in confusion and she stared at me patiently, waiting for me to elaborate.
“But it wasn’t the same as the one in there,” I said, pointing at the book in her hand. “I don’t think you could call it a relationship. He hurt me a lot.”
Tears blinded my vision. I never thought I would admit such a thing. When I was still living with Alberto, I thought that was how a relationship should be. Even though I knew it was wrong, I accepted it.
What I had with Alberto was dysfunctional.
He destroyed me. Heart, body, and soul.
But in the short time I had been living with Alessio, I began to think maybe I could be fixed. I could be happy.
Maybe I could be happy with Alessio.
“Ayla.” Maddie got up and walked over to me. I was about to swipe my tears away but she did it for me.
Leaning forward, she placed a kiss on my forehead and then wrapped her arms around me.
She pulled away from me and then gave me a wan smile, trying to lighten the mood. “A relationship…hmmm…” Her eyes twinkled. “I would say a relationship is when both partners support each other, comfort each other, bring happiness and laughter to each other. It’s a connection filled with love, acceptance, and understanding. You don’t have to love someone to be in a relationship. Sometimes love comes later. Alessio is a stubborn man, but he is crazy about you. I can see it in his eyes. It is so obvious. He has feelings but he just needs a little push. I don’t know how a relationship will be with Alessio, but he loves deeply. He loves with his heart. Something he’s scared of. But you can change that. You can be his strength.”
“He is mine,” I whispered. “He is my strength.”
“Alessio will realize it soon. And when he does, he won’t be able to stay away from you. Fuck, he can’t even stay away from you now. Do you see him? He always follows you like a little puppy. Oh my God, that was such a bad comparison. Alessio is nowhere close to a little puppy.”
