Burning Heart // CL16

Seventy

Alessia's POV
Two days ago

"Alessia?..."

"No," I whisper, turning my head sharply to the side, fighting back the tears that stung at my eyes as his breath hit my cheek. His forehead rests on the side of my head for just a moment before I realise he was shaking his head lightly, unable to breathe or move as I lay beneath him.

"Okay," he says simply, sighing and pressing a kiss to my temple before moving away, taking the air in my lungs with him. "I got it."

It was that simple. He just pulled back and opened the front door of our home and walked through it alone. Ending the night. I followed him in, giving a weak smile to Kiraz as I followed him into the living room, listening as she filled us in on her evening with Ruby who was now asleep. I stood about a meter away from him and when I tried to take a step closer, he moved away. I stayed frozen in place, flinching as I heard the front door close, leaving Charles and I alone in the living room.

Just us and no where to run or hide to. Suddenly I was hot and bothered but also stuck in place as I watched to see what he was going to happen next. Ruby was asleep and there wasn't much more to do or say, so I just watched him as he walked towards the door to the balcony, looking out over Monaco as I looked at him. Noticing the way his hands were clenched into fists before he let out the biggest sigh and I felt my heart break in that instant because despite the absence of words, I knew that was the moment his patience with me ran out. I could see the weight on his chest release a little as he unclenched his fists and pulled his hand over his face.

"Charles, p-please. I-I just..."

He doesn't meet my eyes or stay to hear me talk. He just walks past me to his room, leaving me in the middle of the living room with my thoughts and not much else, the effect of the alcohol was washed away by the sobering actions. Not totally alone though, the pain inside my chest felt big enough to stave off any potential loneliness that might consume me and that night. For the first night in a long time, I slept on the chair in Ruby's room unable to be alone any longer.

But when I woke the next morning, I was back in my bed.

Alone.

****************

"Lace... I'm sorry, I feel like I'm responsible," Kiraz says as I stand with her on the pier. My eyes were red and stinging slightly but for the most part, I was all cried out as I stood in front of her, my arms wrapped around myself for comfort. I nod as I look to the left of her, the hoodie I was wearing was keeping me warm on the surface but everything else... it felt cold, numb. Everyone else had already left as soon as we'd docked but that was the point at which Kiraz woke me up, staying for a little bit longer as she explained Charles was on the second floor with Ruby before she just sat in silence with me for a few minutes longer. Letting me know I wasn't alone.

"They were my decisions. All my decisions," I tell her with a sigh, relenting as I pull her into a hug. "But yes... you are just a little bit responsible," I whisper in her ear, trying to pretend that the numbness wasn't there as she chuckles.

"Go talk to him... it's not totally broken I promise you," Kiraz whispers as she squeezes me tight. "Also you're not fooling me, I'll be round to check on you in the morning and pull you out of bed even if it kills me. You're not spiralling," she vows to me and if it weren't for how I was out of tears, then the kindness of her words and the degree of meaning behind them would have made me into a puddle all over again. Instead I sniffle and chuckle, wanting to stay in her arms for as long as was socially acceptable... possibly even longer than that.