Healed By Love

CHAPTER 5

AUDELIA'S POV

There have been countless times in my life where I have felt like a ghost lingering in the background despite being physically present at a place as people went on with their lives in their own little bubble. As much as the feeling is calming, it is annoying. Currently, the same feeling grips me like a vice as I watch the interaction unfold in front of me.

Ezra steps up in front of me as the three Italian men come closer to us with each step. Stepping to the side, I have a clear view of them. The three of them look like devils in disguise, dressed in the finest designer suits that have been molded to fit their body perfectly. Every lines, dips and muscles are accentuated with the soft fabric clinging to their bodies.

I stand next to Valeria who also looks to be in a trance as she watches the trio and Ezra. "D'Angelo." Ezra says through gritted teeth, extending his hand slowly, his body tensed as if he is facing the barrel of a gun and is being forced. "Hernandez." The one in the middle replies in a mocking tone as he shakes hands with Ezra, his actions more relaxed and carefree.

I nudge Valeria before leaning in and whispering. "Who is he again?"

She looks at me with a look that translates to 'Are you serious?'. "He," She points discretely to the man who just shook Ezra's hands. "is the leader of the Italian mafia."

"Really?"

"Lia are you sure you live in an apartment and not under a rock?" She rolls her eyes.

"You are so funny. You should go be a clown instead of assassin and a computer geek." I say dryly, still processing the fact that he is the leader of the Italian mafia.

"I would but my body is too hot to be covered by poofy clown clothes with mismatched colours." She motions to her indeed really hot body.

"Well, you can be a sexy clown then." I mutter absent-mindedly, still watching Ezra grumble to something one of the trio says, feeling like a wallflower.

That feeling disappears into thin air, as if it never even existed in the first place the moment a pair of deep whiskey pools look directly into my emerald green eyes. Everything changes in a split second as I feel like everybody else is a ghost while I become the centre of attention.

It feels like the roles have been reversed- I move on with my life in little bubble as everyone fades into the background, becoming the wallflower. 

His eyes transfer an electrifying sensation through the air, piecing my skin and entering my body. Unknowingly, we enter an intense staring challenge, none of us backing down despite the heat spreading through my body as if lava flowed through my veins and not blood.

Despite the smooth and calming colour of his eyes, they held no warmth or comfort. They were void and empty. People often say that the eyes are the window to one's soul. If that is really the case, then either he has locked the windows with several locks, all of the keys thrown into an abyss or he has no soul. If the latter is the case, then he lives up to his expectation of being cold and a heartless killer.

"Stay away from my kids Lorenzo." My father's voice snaps us out of the staring contest as he approaches us, an unknown man behind him. The latter says, "Liam, they are just having a nice chat," Though, his voice conveys another message- The eagerness for this chat to turn into something more violent, more physical and more dangerous.

"Tell your family and mafia to stay away from my family Stefano." Dad says firmly.

"Now, that's no way to treat us." Stefano laughs. "They will not kill each other."