Chapter 22
Ava’s POV
“What happened to her?” Caspian asked abruptly.
Oh, right. It almost slipped my mind why I was even at the hospital in the first place.
Fabio turned his head sharply towards Caspian, a trace of accusation in his tone. “Why do you even care, Caspian? I thought you didn’t have an ounce of feeling left for her
Caspian sighed, a tired note in his voice. “Well, she is my ex–wife, Don Moretti…”
Fabio’s gaze darted between Caspian and me, a territorial look in his eyes. “Caspian, you don’t need to worry about her anymore. I can take much better care of her than you ever could
Erica, who had been standing close to Caspian, shifted uncomfortably. A smug expression appeared briefly across her face as she stared pointedly at me before squeezing Caspian’s arm. “Let’s not dwell on this, Caspian,” she interjected, her voice overly sweet. “Perhaps we could let them go? Your mom is inside: let’s get inside. Then, she lowered her head slightly towards Fabio. “Good night, Don Moretti.”
Fabio glanced briefly at my Aunt Fatima, the senator’s wife. Then, turning his back, he kept his arms tightly around me, not letting go even after holding me for a good minute. His embrace felt strong, protective, almost fierce.
“Just put me down. Fabio. Please,” I said, my voice still a little shaky as we finally reached the relative calm of the parking lot.
His brow furrowed with a worry that touched me. “What happened back there? I only left you for a few minutes….
He lowered me gently onto the back seat, his movements careful, and then he meticulously fastened my seatbelt, his fingers. staying a moment longer than necessary.
“I already spoke with Dr. Charles,” I said, my voice catching slightly. They’re asking for him… because Felicity’s condition is grave.
“Oh, he murmured. It was a slight sound, and I knew, deep down, that their drama didn’t truly touch him.
“Good night, Ava. My driver will take you home now. As for me… I have some business to handle in the city. I’ll see you when I see you.
Then, he looked directly at me, a steady gaze that felt like he was anticipating something. Maybe a thank you? A nod? Or perhaps… a kiss on the check to show my gratitude? Oh, God, what was I supposed to do?
Almost without conscious thought, my hand reached out, my fingers lightly touching his neck. I gently pulled him a fraction closer, tilting my head to press a soft kiss against his cheek. “Thank you, I murmured, the words a quiet breath against his
skin.
He seemed utterly taken aback, like he was still, almost stunned into silence by the simple gesture.
My eyes widened slightly, “Sorry,” I said softly, “Did I do something wrong?”
A fierce expression darted across his features as he finally spoke. “No, you didn’t do anything wrong. But Ava… do you always kiss someone’s cheek just because you’re grateful!”
His question caught me entirely off guard. Did he honestly think so little of me? That I would just hand out kisses to any man who offered help?
My brow furrowed deeply, my eyes narrowing in disbelief. “I… I don’t even know how to respond to that. Your question is completely out of line.”
“Well,” he said, trying a casual tone that didn’t quite mask the intensity in his eyes, “I just wanted to know if you’re like this with everyone else. Because if not… well, then it’s perfectly fine with me if you kiss my cheek every time you’re thankful.” He clearly wanted me to understand something, but his logic was lost on me.
The hypocrisy of it, after his earlier concern, made a familiar tide of irritation
pass over me.
Chapter 22
+8 Pearls
“Good night, Fabio, I said coolly, turning away and firmly closing the car door.
He stepped back, his expression unreadable in the dim light of the parking lot. “Ava”
I rolled down the car window and just stayed quiet. He was starting to annoy me again.
Seriously, this guy was a rollercoaster of emotions. One minute. he’s all swoony hero, rescuing damsels in distress, and the next, he’s saying things that make me want to throw a bouquet of thorny roses at his head.
Ugh. Knight in shining armor one second, total pain in the petals the next. But right now, I just hate him again.
After that night, Fabio didn’t call for two days. So, I started spending a lot of time with my flowers in the greenhouse. It was fun, and surprisingly, I got new customers. I was bored and wanted something new to do.
So, naturally, I decided to go full florist and rang up a construction crew to build me a proper flower emporium. A place where my blooms could truly shine! That’s when the universe threw a tiny, Erica–shaped wrench in my plans. Turns out, Miss Smug–Face had already snagged them to build her latest venture: a House of Loans, or as I liked to call it, “The Place Where Dreams Go to Get Repossessed.”
I snorted. Loudly.
“Whatever she’s paying you to build her joy–sucking money pit? Double it. And you build my Palace of Petals first.”
I ended the call with a happy little click. Let Erica fume; she had it coming. Turning around, my jaw practically dropped, Standing right there, like he’d materialized from thin air, was Fabio.
I stumbled back, letting out a startled gasp. “Do you always have to sneak up on me like that?”
“Nope,” he replied, his eyes steady on mine. “But what exactly are you up to?”
“What does it look like I’m doing?” I shot back, trying for a fierce glare that, let’s be honest, probably just made me look slightly cross–eyed. This man had a way of turning my inner steel into instant pudding. And seriously, where did he even come from? He moved like a ninja in a tailored suit, owning every inch of the place without making a sound
He took a step closer “You’re building your own business?”
“Yes,” I said, emphasizing the last two words. “With my money.”
“That’s good to know,” he said, a thoughtful look crossing his face. “But I hope this new venture doesn’t put you in the path of certain. unsavory characters, Ava.”
My brow furrowed as his tone turned serious. “The Ironclad Company is full of people you really don’t want to cross. Do you have
any
idea what kind of business they’re involved in? Money laundering, illegal arms dealing, underground operations…. the whole nasty shebang.”
He said it all with a weight that made my stomach clench.
Why was he telling me this?
Then, his expression softened, and a sweet, almost relieved smile spread across his lips. “So… I’m actually really glad you chose flowers over finance, You’ll be much safer dealing with petals than with them.”
For a moment, I’d been bracing myself for anger, for him to pull away his support, his… protection. But instead, he seemed genuinely concerned for my well–being. Maybe this knight in shining armor wasn’t so bad after all
Then his phone buzzed. He answered it right there, in front of me, his voice suddenly cold and hard. “Just kill him. I don’t want him alive.”
Well, Scratch everything I just thought.
