Song: DICTATOR - REI AMI

(edited)

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Adelaide

—-

One thought lingered in the back of my mind.

What did he have to gain from this?

A soft knock echoed through the room.

—-

I slowly slid the door open and peeked my head through the gap. 

Jamie.

"I'm sorry."

His voice was full of remorse, something that Jamie didn't often show. 

I outwardly sighed, I couldn't be mad at him for long. 

I rarely ever lashed out at people the way I did to him tonight, and I would be lying to myself if I didn't say I felt terrible about it.

Everybody makes mistakes, right?

He extended his hand towards me and uncovered a packet of strawberry laces.

My eyes widened at the sight and I quickly snatched the packet of sugary goodness, opening the door wider for him before turning around and sitting on the bed.

I crawled to the middle of the fluffy bed and dove under the duvet, watching Jamie as he awkwardly sat on the edge, looking away from me.

Silence engulfed the room as Jamie let out a deep sigh, putting his head in his hands.

"I don't know how I made the mistake, I knew that the guy was in the country but I didn't know that he was going to go to the restaurant."

His voice was void of emotion, instead quiet and breathy. 

Not giving any indication as to whether he was lying or not.

I opened the pack of strawberry laces and looked at the contents. 

Every time I took a hit in MI6, Jamie would come to my room with a packet of strawberry laces to cheer me up.

I wonder how many people I've killed?

"Who was he then?" My voice came out as a whisper. I placed the opened packet of strawberry laces on the bedside table, untouched.

"One of his business partners."

He looked over his shoulder back over to me, his eyes settling on the untouched packet of strawberry laces. 

He kept his answer short and sweet.

I wanted to believe him, I really did, but something in his story wasn't adding up. 

Surely, if one of Fawkner's business partners were in the same city he would follow up on it, the obvious thing to do. 

Yet, here he was, saying that he had the knowledge that this man could've and did, ruin the mission and he didn't follow up on it.

I probably would've believed him if he said he was in the dark about him.

"I gathered that they were partners, who is he?" Instead of coming out as a question, it sounded more like a demand.

A minute of silence passed. 

"If you're not going to answer that question, will you entertain another one?"

He turned so that he was fully facing me now, his face stoic, a trait that I used to adore but now seemed more of a menace. 

Why could I never figure him out?

He gave a small nod.

"What did you do for Romano before I came?"

He scrutinised my face for a minute before answering.

"The same thing I'm doing now, looking up people, background checks, tracking shipments, tracking people."

I sat back and leaned my head against the back of the bed, keeping my face impassive.

If Romano knew I was being tested if he knew that it was me, why did he assign Jamie to the same project?

 Surely, there could be other things for Jamie to do, something didn't sit right with me.

He turned to the space in the bed beside me, "can I sit?"

No emotion.

I nodded and he positioned himself under the duvet. 

He let out a long sigh and I felt his body relax against the backboard. 

"What happened to us?" I heard him whisper beside me.

I felt the heat from his arm that was resting next to mine. 

With my head still leaning on the backboard, I looked over to him.

"You died."

He turned his head to look at me, not one emotion painted on his face.

"You died, and then I did too." I continued, looking into his deep brown eyes.

For a fleeting second, his eyes softened before turning stony again.

"Can we watch a movie together? Like old times?" He pleaded.

My defences crumbled as I reached over and flicked on the television. 

How did he still have this effect on me? 

I absentmindedly moved through various Italian channels before finding a channel in English, which just so happened to be a James Bond movie. 

I couldn't help but snort, I was a much cooler secret agent.

Snuggling further into the duvet, I allowed myself to be temporarily intoxicated by Jamie's woody scent and the warmth that emitted from his body. 

I peeked up at his face and saw how the corners of his lips turn up as he wrapped his arm around my body. 

Relief washed over me, he was finally showing me an emotion I could decipher.

The events of the day seemed to catch up to me all at once, leaving my body tired and worn, begging me to slip onto the darkness many like to call sleep, and I let myself slip into it.

When I woke up, I was greeted by a cold bed and the smell of glorious food. 

My eyes weren't drooping and my body wasn't aching and for once, I felt well-rested. 

I threw the covers off, swung my legs around the edge of the bed and padded down to the kitchen, following the glorious scent of cooking food.

Rounding the last corner, I looked into the kitchen and saw Jamie sitting at the kitchen island, a cup of steaming something in his hand, Jaekyung leaning against the island, watching Romano who was frying what looked to be French toast.

"Morning." I croaked out, my voice hoarse and begging for the sweet relief of a hot cup of coffee.

I brushed last Romano over to where a steaming pot of coffee was waiting for me.

"Good morning, mia stella." Romano said before serving up some French toast on a plate. 

I filled up a mug of coffee and put in a teaspoon of sugar, grabbing the plate of deliciousness and sitting one seat away from Jamie.

If Jamie took offence to where I had chosen to sit, he didn't show it, keeping his eyes on the cup of coffee in front of him. 

Romano took the pan off the hob and placed it in the sink, turning around to face us.

"I've deposited the money for the hit last night to all of your bank accounts except yours, carota."

I felt three separate pairs of eyes settle on me as I scooped up a bit of French toast, slowly chewing on it.

"You never gave me your bank details, stella, can we sort that out after you've eaten so we can get started on the next person on my list?"

I looked back down at the coffee in my mug before meeting Romano's friendly gaze.

"I don't have a bank account," I stated, embarrassment rising to my cheeks.

The look that flashed through Romano's face was one of pure shock. 

He was, in fact, so shocked that he felt the need to take a step back and put a hand over his heart. 

Such a drama queen.

I looked over to Jaekyung who was staring at me with a intense gaze full of curiosity, Jamie hadn't taken his eyes off of his coffee.

"How old are you?" Romano asked.

"24."

Romano breathed a sigh of relief. 

Dumbass.

"How did they pay you in MI6?" Jaekyung spoke up for the first time since I stepped into the room. 

"My money was put towards my stay in the building, y'know, food, rent, clothes, all the essentials"

Silence overtook the room. 

I'd never really thought about the money that I got in MI6, all I knew is that one day I would have to leave though I never had a concrete plan for my escape. 

Jaekyung couldn't hide her shock, her eyes wide and her mouth hanging open.

"Ads, are you being serious?" Jamie questioned, his voice soft and full of pity.

"Yes." I seethed.

I tore my gaze away from Jamie, my mood flipping. 

"Can't you just give it in cash, mafia man?" I asked him, itching for this conversation to be over.

He let out a loud laugh and leaned over the counter.

"Mia preziosa stella, you will need a bank account for the amount of money that I am going to give you. You cannot simply stuff it in the closet or wherever you kept the pocket money they gave you in MI6."

He had a boyish grin that was steadily growing by the second, causing an uncertain feeling to grow in my gut  as he motioned for me to come beside him with his finger, similar to the way I did so to him, only to threaten to kill him minutes later.

I slid off the stool and walked around the island, curiosity getting the better of me. 

How much could he possibly pay me?

He lowered his head, his hot breathe tickling my ear. 

Jamie's strong gaze trailed me as I eagerly waited for Romano to tell me what I wanted to hear.

In a low whisper, he told me the amount I would earn each hit.

"100,000 pounds, cavolo. Per kill."

I froze.

100,000 pounds.

That was a fuck ton of money, more money than I ever thought I would see in my lifetime. 

With that money I could do whatever the fuck I wanted and nobody could tell me otherwise. 

With that money, I could finally be free.

A seed of hope lodged itself in my heart, taking my breath away.

Romano moved his head from my ear and chuckled lightly when he saw my shocked face. 

I gripped his arm for support as I felt my knees go weak.

Romano placed his hand on my shoulder and led me back to the stool.

"A life is priceless, is it not? And I am asking you to take them away, no price is too steep." His voice was soft and comforting but my heart continued to hammer in my chest and my head racing.

I could do it.

I could leave.

Without thinking, I jumped up off of the stool where Romano had just placed me and engulfed him in a hug.

"Thank you."I murmured into his chest. 

He wrapped his arms around me and placed his chin on the top of my head. 

I couldn't help but notice that his scent was different from Jamie's woody one, he smelled of freshly cut grass and late night air.

His embrace was soft and comforting, something that didn't match up with his outward appearance. 

For a second, I forgot about Jamie, Jaekyung, the people I've killed, MI6 and the fact that I was only wearing his shirt and boxers.

For a fleeting second, I let myself disappear in Romano's strong embrace.

And I smiled. 

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300 views, July 16th 2020