|34|

•Charlotte•

A pair of hands wrapped around my shoulders and my knees and lifted me up. I knew it was Ramon as I rested my head against his chest. I didn't want to open my eyes as I heard him mutter the words angrily. I'm going to kill him. 

I felt the light on me as he walked out of the dark alley and into the sun. There were people talking around me as he answered them all in italian. 

I fucked up. 

I opened my eyes to see him walking up the stairs and into my house, a glare in his eyes. He was angry. I could feel the anger flowing off him as he walked into the kitchen. 

Ramon placed me on top of the counter, and picked up the first white cloth he could see. "You were stupid." He started to say as he wet the towel. "Fucking stupid." He growled lowly as he twisted the water out of the cloth and turned to me. 

"I fucked up." I mumbled agreeing with him as he walked towards me with the cloth in his hands. 

He chuckled harshly. "You did more then fuck up, Charlotte. You got yourself hurt." He reached up and with gentle hands, nothing like the harsh words he was saying, he started wiping the blood from my face. 

"I nearly had him." I said as I stared at my hands. My knuckles were bleeding. 

"You didn't. You were acting stupid and reckless." His words were harsh. 

"Shut up." I pushed his hand away as he reached the cloth to my face again. I didn't want to hear it. 

Ramon placed my hands on my lap and grabbed my chin, turning my face towards him. He looked me in the eye. "You know it's true. You were stupid. You were reckless and you could have gotten yourself killed." There was a glare in his eyes after the words. 

"I don't care." 

I could have hurt him. I should have done more. Anger was the problem.  I shouldn't have used anger as the adrenaline to fight him. I should have killed him. 

"I fucking care, Charlotte." He hissed at me as he threw the cloth on the ground and took a step back from me. "You let anger control you and he would have killed you if I didn't get word of it. This isn't an easy revenge. You should have called me first."

He was angry but so was I. 

"What was I supposed to do? Let him walk away while I called you and said, Ramon! Quickly come and save me because I'm a stupid fucking bitch!" I shouted the words at him. 

Ramon Vitali stood there, chuckling at me. I let out a sigh as I pushed my hair out of my face. "I know I did wrong but you can't blame me for it. All I could see was my dad being killed over and over again. I acted in anger and I should have known he was leading me into a trap." 

It was my own mistake and I couldn't get angry at him. He did nothing wrong other than saving my life. 

Ramon picked up the cloth and walked towards me. "This isn't just between you and him, amore." With the cloth in his hands he cleaned my hands gently. "He wants to use you to get to me. He wanted you to join him so he could get rid of the Vitali bloodline and then rule the empire himself." 

I lifted his face up and he smiled at me softly. "I wouldn't ever help him."

He kissed the palm of my hand. "I know." 

We stayed in a comfortable silence as I let him clean the blood from my face while I thought. 

See you at the ball. 

He knew about it and since anyone was allowed to come if they had a ticket, he would be there. If we thought of a plan, we could get him and then Ramon could take him somewhere. 

Could I actually kill him? Could I have his blood on my hands? There was a thin line that I never wanted to cross when it came to fighting underground. Death. It was a fine line, many fighters had crossed the line sometimes by mistake, sometimes with the intention clear. I never did it. I didn't want to be a killer but Logan was an exception I willing to make.

"He is going to be at the ball." I told Ramon softly as he stood in between my legs and wiped the blood from my mouth. 

"Hmm." He said, concentrating on my face. "We will be going. Don't worry. I have my men buying tickets to the ball." I felt his thumb beside my mouth and then softly he moved it on my bottom lip, his eyes darkening as he stared at my lips. 

I wanted to kiss him. 

Not caring about anything in this world, I leaned down to kiss him just as the door slammed open. "I'm going to lock every fucking door in your house." He muttered to me as I pulled away from him quickly. 

"I-I did it again, didn't I?" I heard Lizzie's voice behind me as she chuckled in embarrassment.

I turned to look at her and she winced at me. "I think even a full coverage foundation will not be hiding that tomorrow." She walked towards me. Ramon didn't move from in between my legs. 

"I think I'll be able to hide it." I told her as Ramon laid his head on my chest and wrapped his arms around me. He was hugging me, listening to us talk. He didn't let go. 

"Maybe a full coverage concealer as well?"

"Lizzie." Ramon turned to look at her and she nodded, waiting. "I love that you're Calvin's girl but please leave." He smiled at her as she blushed a little as if understanding what was happening here. 

"Oh yes of course. Totally." She walked towards the door just as it opened up and the boys walked inside.  

Ramon cursed under his breath as he pulled away from me. "Any news?" He asked them and I watched Kyong walk inside and stand behind Alex. 

Kyong shook his head. "This means that they are close by because they've gone off the radar. Missed every camera and every man standing at their posts." He explained in english so Lizzie and I could understand. 

"He will be at the ball. Bring every guy that looks young with you, they can wear masks if they want too. He will come out for me again because he is hellbent on killing me." I started to say, ignoring Kyong's raised eyebrow. I turned to look at Ramon. "If you're all there, on the outside and the inside, there is no way he will be able to escape." I told him. 

Ramon nodded and turned to look at Kyong. He started to speak in italian, his voice angry as Kyong nodded at him before leaving the kitchen. 

"We should all go on a big ice cream date to cool down." Josh blurted out suddenly. Lizzie chuckled as I smiled at him. 

I jumped down from the counter, needing to wash away the dirt and the blood. Ramon held my hand gently as he said. "I think you should sleep in your apartment today. Logan won't dare step into that area. It's constantly watched by security cameras." 

This house was no longer safe. I needed to see Mary first, to take her to my new house. There was no chance in hell I was going to break my relationship with her just because I was moving away. She was my rock with my dad and I couldn't just move away without letting her know. 

I nodded at Ramon. "I need to have a shower first. Then meet Mary before I go there." I told him. 

Ignoring everyone around us as they talked about going out together tomorrow, he leaned closer to me, his hands trapping me against the counter as he whispered. "You and I in the shower. How about that? I can keep you safe." A smirk tugged on his lips as I felt my heart beat faster. 

I took a step closer to him, my eyes looking up at him. I probably looked like complete shit but it didn't bother me. I had scars on my body from fights. I was not insecure about my body, about my bruises. 

Leaning up on my toes, I whispered into his ear. "If you can get away from your men, join me." 

He saw the challenge in my eyes as he grinned. I bent down, walking out from under his arms as I ignored the pain in my back. Ramon reached out to grab me but I escaped his hands and walked towards the door. "Keep him occupied." I patted Alex's arm before walking out of the kitchen. 

Men in black suits walked out of the living room and followed Kyong out of the door as I heard Ramon curse at Alex through the door. 

They didn't look at me as they closed the door behind themselves. 

I headed upstairs to wash my stupidity away and to come up with a plan to find Logan and to end all of this pain. 

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A couple of more chapters left...