Healed By Love

CHAPTER 48

AUDELIA'S POV

'I need to do this. I can do it. I need to clear things out before it's too late.' I rant in my head as I walk down the hallway to Lorenzo's room with nothing but the sounds of my footsteps echoing and my heartbeat pounding in my ears.

As the door to his room comes into sight, I slow down, my steps getting smaller, while my heartbeat proves me wrong by beating even faster. Even on previous missions, where my last heartbeat was only a whisper away, my heartbeats were never this erratic.

Maybe, with death, I knew what awaited me. But right now, I don't have a clue about how things will turn out. Despite my heart reassuring me that Lorenzo will not let this ruin what we have, my brain says otherwise.

My feet come to a stop in front of his door, glued to the floor as I fix the plain brown door. Taking a deep breath to settle my nerves, which turn out to be futile, I twist the knob of the door, the metal cold against my clammy hands.

The first step I take into his room, the smell of his cologne in the air surrounds me with a feeling of familiarity and comfort, taking me back to the times we spent together and reminding me once again how important it is that I do this.

My eyes on their own narrow on the balcony of his room, his aura like a magnet, attracting all my attention where he indeed stands. Closing the door behind me, I advance towards the balcony before I get cold feet.

I slide the door to the balcony open, and the cold night breeze immediately hits my face, sending a shiver down my spine. I do not miss how his muscles tense, no doubt sensing my presence behind him. Though his attention remains on the sky, just like mine was for the countless nights. He stands there, his hands on the balustrades.

I step out onto the balcony, but he does not acknowledge my presence. I stand next to him, adopting a similar posture to his, except that my eyes are on him, not the sky. Just by the sight of him, it feels like what was broken is slowly coming back together.

Was he feeling the same way?

I am about to speak when my eyes move down his face and land on his chest. My mother's ring hangs around his neck on a simple silver chain, and a small smile hits my lips at its sight, something warm evoking inside of me.

"You wore the ring." I say, my eyes not leaving my mother's last memory hanging around the neck of the man I love.

"You gave it to me." He simply says, still not meeting my eyes.

I sigh. "Lorenzo, we need to talk."

"We do." He agrees, but I see his jaw tick. "I am listening," he says as I stay quiet for a few beats.

"You know very well what I want to talk about." I start. "I know the plan is really risky, but I think it is worth it."

"I don't, but go on." His eyes cut mine with a glacial glare, and at that moment, I wished that he was not looking at me.

"Let me finish." I match his glare, but he does not say anything, shifting his eyes to the dark sky. "I just don't understand you." I finally said "We are both in the mafia, and you are the leader of the most powerful one. So, I just can't understand why you are being like this towards this plan. I am sure you have gone on missions like this before, just like I did. So, why are you being like this right now?"

He stays quiet, as if none of my words reached him. "I need to know, Lorenzo. If you truly like me and are serious about our relationship, then you need to tell me what you are feeling." He lets out a scoff, and I reign in the little irritation I feel and continue, "Otherwise, it is impossible for this to work. For us to work."