Alex

"Alex."

I mumble incomprehensible words and turns on the other side of the bed.

"Alex..."

"Shut up," I grumble in the pillow. "It's too early. Just let me sleep, goddammit."

Someone sighs.

Someone...

My eyes open automatically, realizing.

Enzo.

Turning my head again, I see him sitting on the edge of the bed, watching me with an amused expression. I rub my eyes tiredly, a headache making his way so early in the morning.

Or maybe it's because of last night. Or maybe it's because it's really so damn early.

I take a look at my phone beside me. Eight in the morning.

Widening my eyes, I glance at Enzo. "Really? Why did you wake me up?"

Enzo stands up, walking around the bed. I notice he's already dressed and ready to go.

"I thought you'd like to go to your place so you can get dressed. Then, I'm taking you somewhere to eat and we'll talk."

Oh, I hate that sentence.

We'll talk.

When he sees I'm not moving from where I am, he raises an eyebrow.

"Come on, sleepy head. I'm giving you ten minutes," he declares, turning around.

"Ten mi—Enzo!"

The asshole is already gone.

I grumble, running my hands through my hair. Then, I grimace and automatically make my way towards the bathroom. I need a shower.

Seven minutes later, I turn off the water from the shower and wrap a towel around my body. I hear someone knocking on the door and I snap my head towards it.

"Three minutes!" Enzo announces loudly and I curse under my breath.

"Go away!"

He chuckles.

Shaking my head, I dress in my stupid dress and wince when I see the heels waiting for me. As I put them on, I remember everything that happened last night. Everything that happened since Enzo is back in my life.

Back. In my life. No.

He's not back and in my life. Quickly, he'll leave, just like he did years ago.

Without looking back.

It's just a matter of time. For now, he keeps saying he needs to protect me because of that Cole Valdez guy who would apparently hurt me to get revenge.

That's just stupid. And when Enzo will realize that I'm right, that I don't need him around me anymore, he'll leave. Simple.

Because I don't need him. Right?

Remember what you told him last night, though?

I grit my teeth as I stand on my feet, ready to leave.

I was drunk. I didn't mean what I said.

Or maybe you did.

I huff under my breath and open the door of the bathroom, immediately spotting Enzo in the room. He looks up at me and stands up from the bed.

"You're ready to go?" he asks and I nod.

While we walk back to his car, I tie my wet hair into a bun. I can feel Enzo's eyes on me, but I keep mine ahead.

I can't wait until I can dress in other clothes. And eat, of course.

But when I realize we're going to my place and that I'll need to talk with Enzo, my hunger quickly disappears. I don't want him to enter my tiny apartment, to enter my world. To be around me again. To be too close to me.

So, when he asks for the direction, I hesitate a moment. I finally give up and give him the address, watching him during the ride. I can't tell what he's thinking. He seems calm. Enzo runs a hand through his long hair, and I have to clench my fists so I don't end up doing the same thing because I remember. I remember what it feels like, to run my hands through his soft hair.

He turns his head, his eyes meeting mine. Blinking, I quickly look away, pretending I wasn't staring at him like a creep.

I hear him chuckle under his breath. I glance at him again, narrowing my eyes.

"What's so funny?"

He shakes his head. "Nothing."

Pfft. Yeah, right.

When we reach my apartment, I stiffen a little bit. I'm sure Enzo noticed, but he doesn't say a thing. We climb out of the car and make our way to my little home.

I'm nervous. I'm nervous to let him in.

In my apartment, and in my life.

The reaction he has when he enters is not the one I was expecting. His eyes wander around in curiosity, looking at the colored walls, the flowers, the furniture, and the bookcase filled with books.

"It's nice. I like the decoration," Enzo says, surprising me.

That's the only talent I have, the only thing I'm proud of. So, I smile for real this time, glancing in his direction.

"Thanks. Just give me a minute, I'll be right back," I announce and he nods, still looking curiously around in my small living room.

I take a deep breath and make my way towards my bedroom, who's just at the end of the small corridor next to the living room. It is small, but it's fine for me. It's... enough. At least, I'm able to make my apartment look bigger and nicer. Plus, over the years, I understood something important.

Immaterial things are much more important than material ones.

I dress in a comfortable pair of shorts and a white t-shirt. I find my converse and I smile.

Finally, a good pair of shoes.

When I'm ready, I quickly walk back into the living room. Enzo is still there.

Obviously. What did you think, that he would suddenly disappear like a ghost?

Maybe?

I shake my head. Enzo glances in my direction, raising an eyebrow. Clearing my throat, I grab my little purse and head towards the door.

"I'm ready," I announce, eager to leave, eager for him to leave my place. "Let's go."

He follows me until we reach his car. I'm about to open the passenger door when he beats me to it. I roll my eyes, mumbling a 'thank you' under my breath and climb in the car.

"So, where do you want to go? A preference?" he asks, driving away.

I just shrug a shoulder, looking out my window.

Childish? Yeah. Maybe.

But somehow, I hear him let out a deep chuckle. I'm not quite sure what he says next, but it sounds like,

"I'm slowly finding you back."

I snap my head towards him, but he's not looking in my direction. I blink, telling myself I must have heard things wrong.

The Alex he used to know is gone.

Or that's what I keep telling myself.

*

"Eat."

I look up from my plate to see Enzo staring at me, his arms crossed, showing the muscles underneath his shirt. Actually, he doesn't need to do that. They are clearly visible, anyway.

"I'm eating," I state. When he only gives me a blank look, I sigh. "I'm just not hungry."

"You need to eat, Alex."

"Are you saying I'm not fat enough or something?" I frown. "You're critiquing my body?"

His eyes lock with mine, and sudden anger fills them.

"I'm not," he says slowly, his eyes not leaving mine. "Your body is perfect."

A pause. And then, "I'm sorry if it seemed like I was doing that."

I sigh. "It's okay, Enzo. I'm not really offended."

He stays silent, his eyes watching me as I take a sip of my coffee.

"You would tell me, right?" he says, making me frown in confusion. He clarifies. "You would tell me if I hurt you?

You did hurt me. And you know it.

He automatically knows what I'm thinking about and he looks away, his jaw clenched.

"Are you dating someone?" His eyes find mine again, and the intense emotion filling them confuse me.

I blink, slowly shaking my head. He has the nerve to ask me that?

"I wouldn't be here if I was dating anyone, Enzo," I answer bitterly, watching his jaw clenching once again.

Plus, you broke my heart. Who wants a broken heart?

"Tell me about you," he continues like nothing happened, leaning towards me in his seat. "What are you doing, at the moment?"

I hate how his voice sounds so genuine. Like he really cares, like he really wants to know what I've been up to.

Swallowing, I avoid his gaze and let out a breath.

"Well, uh..." I pause, trying to find the words. What should I say? "I graduated in Interior Design, and I just... I don't know. I didn't even know if I really wanted to do that. I mean, I like it. But..."

She liked it. She wanted me to do that.

My shoulders tense and Enzo definitely notice it. He furrows his eyebrows and I quickly talk again.

"Anyway. For now, I'm just working at my friend's mother's boutique while I figure out what... I really want," I conclude, pretty sure what I told him doesn't even make sense.

Enzo stays quiet, watching me again. I resist the urge to glare at him and tell him to stop analyzing me like that.

"When do you work?" he finally asks, nothing in his voice telling me what he's thinking, or if he judges me.

I narrow my eyes. "Why?"

Enzo only tilts his head, giving me a look.

I sigh. "Every day except Friday and the weekend."

He nods, sipping on his coffee.

"Good. Now that I know that, we can talk about me being—"

"Don't even say it," I cut him off, narrowing my eyes. "I told you, I think it's unnecessary."

Enzo's eyes become colder.

"Alex. I'm not letting anything happen to you because you want to be so damn stubborn and prove me something. I know that. I know you," he states, making me look at him in slight shock. "I know, I don't have a damn right to say that after the years... but it's true. And whatever you think about me right now, I do care. So, you're going to be nice and accept my protection, in case things turn bad. Okay?"

I look down, shaking my head. Somehow, at the very back of my head, a small voice tells me he's right.

But if I accept that, I accept him in my life again.

And I won't be able to bear with the pain when he leaves, again.

But he cares?

Sure, he cares about me being alive and not getting killed.

Finally, after a long moment of consideration, I let out a loud sigh, sinking in my seat.

He takes that as his answer.

"Cole Valdez is more dangerous than what he seems. Murders, drugs, hacking... he does everything," Enzo declares and I cross my arms over my chest. "But the guy is like a ghost. He disappears when he wants to, and finding him is almost impossible. Elena and Jake are still trying to look for more information—"

I stop listening to him when my eyes catch something in the distance. A man is sitting in a booth, wearing a black coat, black sunglasses, and a weird black hat. First of all, if he's trying to look incognito, it's not working. Because somehow, you can't help but notice him automatically. The man is reading the newspaper, and as I stare longer at him, my eyes narrowed, a bad feeling makes its way in my stomach.

Shaking my head, I push my plate away.

"A ghost, you said?" I mutter, glancing back at Enzo.

He raises an eyebrow, a curious expression on his face. "Yes."

Then he pauses. "You look paler. Alex."

My eyes go back to the man sitting in the booth. But this time, when my eyes fall on him, he's no longer reading his newspaper.

He stares in my direction, and my heart drops.

"A ghost," I murmur slowly, my heartbeat increasing.

"Alex? What's going on?" Enzo keeps asking, looking over his shoulder.

"Well, uh... I'm pretty sure your ghost is here."

Enzo's eyes slowly meet mine.

"Listen to me, now. You're going to act naturally," he says as he calls over a waitress, taking out money. "We're going to leave and if I tell you to run, you do it. Without looking back. Do you hear me?"

Nodding, I try not to glance at Cole Valdez again.

Maybe Enzo was right, at the end.

That man wants something. Something like revenge.

And he'd been following us since then.

*

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Audrey 💛