Chapter 66

Alessia.

"You're crazy."

"I'm crazy about you, Bella." the way he called me Bella reminded me of the first time I met him. It didn't fail to send chills down my spine. Funny enough, at that time, the nickname scared the shit out of my body because I was battling with the fear of being sold out.

However, right now, the nickname warmed up my heart. I don't even know why he called me Bella at that time. "You love it." He broke me out of my trance. He stuffed his hands inside his pocket, lips curved up in a smirk before he began taking a step forward.

The heat from his body instantly summoned butterflies inside my stomach. I had missed the way he used to cage me in his arms. The way he whispers seductive words to my ears and the way his deep voice sends goosebumps down my skin. "Love what?" I opened my mouth and asked:

He pushed a strand of hair away from my face, staring into my eyes. Deep. "The nickname. Bella." I gulped down saliva as his eyes shifted down to my lips. I was well prepared to feel his lips on mine.

But it never came. What came instead was Dad's voice, which jolted us away from each other. I felt like the ground should swallow me whole seeing the way Dad was looking at the two of us. "Can I have a word with you, Angelo?" He uttered.

Angelo and I exchange looks. "Sure, Sir." As the two were out of sight, I cupped my face to cool off the heat. "I can't believe Dad nearly caught us kissing." Damn it! I was anticipating that. I turned around and walked to my room.

I had changed into my nighties and was applying some serum to my face when a knock sounded on my door followed by Angelo stepping inside. His conversation with Dad took a long time. I chatted with Annie and took a shower. Roughly 45mins all together. “Looks like you and Dad have become friends,” I said rubbing my fingers under my eye and applying the serum.

“Yeah. He's not bad.” The way he answered made me stop what I was doing and look at him. “You were all excited earlier. What’s with the cold reply now?”

“It's nothing. Just a bit stressed out.” His mention of being stressed out reminded me of the questions I have for him. I patted my face, making sure I had applied on every part before getting up to meet him in bed. I sat next to him.

“What did you and my Dad discuss about?”

“Nothing serious. He only asked when I intend to stop deceiving you.”

My brows knit at his answer. “Dad said that to you? Why?”

He shrugged. “I don't know. Maybe he thought my feelings were fake. Or did you tell him anything? About the past?”

“Don’t be silly. Why would I tell them that? It's in the past already. But why would he say you are deceiving me?”

“Maybe I am.”

“You are?” I questioned looking at him closely to understand what he was trying to say. “Angelo, talk to me.” I nudged his arm.

“I have nothing to say really. I just know that I'm ready to be their son-in-law.”

“What?”

“You and I are tying the knot anytime soon.”

“Says who?” I then folded my arms across my chest. “Says your Dad.”

“What?”

“He actually asked when I'm planning on asking for your hand in marriage.” The smirk he gave me and the look didn't fail to summon goosebumps onto my skin. A few minutes ago he was talking about him deceiving me and then he's on about marrying me. Something is definitely wrong with him.

“I don't think you're ready to say something sensible to me,” I said shaking my head and standing up. Nevertheless, Angelo held my hand stopping me. “And where do you think you're going?”

“To my room of course.”

“Do you have another room apart from here?” he raised a teasing brow. My eyes scanned the room. Right, I was in my room. “Come here, let's talk,” he said in all seriousness pulling me back to my seat.

“You don't sound like you want to have a serious talk with me, though,” I said without looking at him. He used his hand to move my face to look at him. “I love teasing you, Bella.”

“Why are you suddenly calling me Bella? You called me that the first day we met.” I had wanted to know the reason behind the nickname.

“I don't know. The name just came to my head. You look so innocent, back then.”

“I am innocent now too.” I played with his shirt collar. “I am the most innocent girl you will ever see.”

“I want to kiss you.” He declared making my whole body aroused with heat. I placed my index finger on his lips. “Not after you tell me where you went to throughout today.”

“Right. I have something to tell you. Regarding your father.” My body went rigid at the mention of my father. He adjusted his sitting position, the way he would be looking at me properly. “We have gotten evidence that will destroy Dominic.”

“Really? Then let's expose him. Or make him turn himself in.”

“We can do that but before then we need to be careful. The video clip I have is enough to bring them down apart from other crimes they committed. But…”

“I need your approval first.” A look of confusion spread across my face. “My approval? Why?”

“It turns out Enzo was the one who injected my sister. She was too fragile to escape it. While Dominic handled my father. The two of them raided them.”

To say I was shocked would be an understatement. My body went cold at Angelo’s words. My vision blurred. “He did that?” I slowly uttered.

“Yes. The video clip is with Kelvin. He will be here tomorrow. I didn't want him to send it through my phone for security reasons. He would hand it over in person.”

I moved away from him, my heart pounding inside. When Angelo told me my real father was a mafia man, I knew he'd have a lot of bad crimes along with his name. When he said he suspected him to be involved with his father and little sister’s death, somehow I wished it would stay as just suspicion. I didn't expect someone would destroy such an innocent child.

“I’m sorry,” I muttered, the tears rolling down my eyes. “I’m sorry for what happened.”

“Don’t apologize for something that is not your fault.” He said but I shook my head and got up to my feet.

“I have to. Because it was an injustice to you. You have to live with the guilt of what my father did. Getting blamed by your mother for what you didn't do.”

By then tears have already soaked my face. “Listen to me.” he tried to read out to me but I dodged. My heart was aching. For him. For what my father caused to his family. Angelo dashed and reached out to me before I could slip away.

Without a word, he wrapped his arms around me. “Whatever happened wasn't your fault. You should not blame yourself. You didn't destroy my family but Dominic and Enzo did.”

“That’s the point, Angelo. The fact that someone like that is my father breaks me.” I pulled away and said tears sliding down my face. Angelo cupped my face in his palms. “Listen and listen carefully Alessia. Whatever happened will never change what I feel about you. I love you and I will continue to. It doesn't matter whether Enzo is your father or someone who killed my little sister. What I know is you are not your father and you don't have your father’s heart.”

“But—”

“We’ll fight this battle together. I just need your approval to bring him down.”

I don't have to hesitate to give him my approval. “You don't need my approval, Angelo. That man is a beast if he can take an innocent girl’s life and still sleep at night. He needs to pay for his crime. I'm ready to fight with you.” I declared wiping the tears off my face.

“Do you trust me?”

“I do. I trust you with everything in me.” I confessed.

“I love you.” The three words from him were enough to make me let go of all my emotions. Taking a step forward, I closed the gap between us by crashing my lips on his. Angelo responded with much intensity.

I circled my arms around his neck pushing him to me, parting my lips on the accord to give him more access. Angelo gripped my waist and sucked on my lower lips. We kissed for what felt like an eternity before Angelo broke free from the kiss. His eyes diluted with nothing but love and desire. “I love you, Alessia. Fucking so much.”

My hand went to his button and pulled out the first one. “I love you too, Angelo. I want you.”

“I do too. So badly.” And he claimed my lips once again.