To Love in Full

Chapter 48: Ukiyo: Part 1

Ukiyo (n.) Living in the moment, detached from the bothers of life. "The Floating World"

Arabella's P.O.V.

They're talking about me.

My anxious mind began to spiral as their whispers infiltrated my head, disrupting my thoughts. Their voices danced around me as my ears could only pick up parts of the various discussions.

...Greece...How could this happen?...What is our next step?...Arabella...

The plane had only landed a few minutes ago, bringing us back to Sicily. I sat on a wooden crate, listening to the pattering sound of rain droplets landing on the metal roof of the hangar as we all waited for the vehicles to arrive. Nicolo's guards stood around in groups as they kept their distance from me and further discussed their plans.

I held the thin blanket closer to my body as a gust of wind traveled through the open hangar, lifting my hair around my face and causing it to obstruct my view of the man I had been staring at.

He stood beside Alexander, holding a mysterious conversation, as I could not read their lips. The man, who I found to be strangely familiar, hid his hands in the pocket of his coat, and occasionally glanced towards my direction, shifting his weight from uneasiness once he found that I was already gazing back at him.

The whispers around me came to an abrupt stop once I stood up from the crate. I wanted to talk to the man, to confront him, I needed to know who he was.

I glanced around and furrowed my brows at the guards who observed me with a keen stare as I made my way towards Alexander and the man. Their conversation ended once they noticed me walking towards them, and I watched as the man gulped back his nervousness.

"Torna a quello che stavi facendo!" Nicolo shouted, and I slightly flinched as his booming voice echoed throughout the hangar (Get back to what you were doing).

"Arabella, wait. What are you doing?" he asked quickly as he approached me and softly held my wrist, stopping me in my tracks.

I turned back towards Alexander and watched as the man whispered something to him before leaving. His footsteps dragged along the concrete floor as he made his way out into the rain, simply escaping from my reach and taking the answers that I needed away from me.

"Who was that man?" I asked Nicolo as I pulled my wrist away from his grasp.

"He is one of my guards," he said, but his lack of eye contact and his lips pressed into a line had made me doubt his answer.

"Arabella, how are you feeling?" Alexander asked while walking towards us.

"I'm feeling better," I answered with a soft smile.

"You will have to stay with Nicolo. There are some issues that I need to sort out."

"You're leaving again?" I asked in sadness.

"It won't be for long this time," he said as he brought me into a hug.

"I'll fix this, I promise," he whispered to me as I held him tighter.

Alexander slipped away from my fingertips once we heard the vehicles arrive. I stood in silence as I watched his car leave and began to feel a sense of deja vu as this familiar feeling began to sink within me, the only difference this time was that I felt at ease being with Nicolo.

"Nico, everything is ready," Manny called out. Nicolo and I turned around to find his men gathering around us and shivers were sent down my spine when I felt his hand against the small of my back, holding me closer to him.