Waking up wasn't the problem.
Realizing I wasn't alone was.
Mayelle was still fast asleep beside me.
For a moment I didn't move, I just observed.
She was close enough for me to hear her steady breathing as she remained unaware of my unwarranted stare.
One arm rested between as if she were drawing invisible lines to create a boundary.
I hated the fact that I was noticing too much but that didn't stop me from going ahead to study her face.
She looked peaceful when she was asleep, less sharp, less...at alert.
More feminine, less manly.
She always excluded the aura of a business man. One would have to take a second look at her hair to convince oneself that she was actually a woman, a model at that.
She suddenly shifted and her eyes flung open, slowly as she adjusted to the lightning.
Our eyes met and just like that we were staring at each other.
The silence stretched between us.
"You're staring." Her voice made it obvious that she still felt sleepy.
"You're in my line of sight."I corrected.
She closed her eyes and sighed.
"That's not the same thing."
"No." I said. "It isn't."
Silence took the reigns once more.
A tingling feeling rose in my chest.
Something I couldn't name so I decided to end the moment.
"Get up." I said, pulling away. "We have places to be."
She sat up while I went into the shower.
When I was done she also went into the bathroom.
Just as I was trying to set my tie, my phone rang.
It was Daniel.
I picked the call and put it on speaker. "What?"
"Sir we've located the assassin's family."
"Good. Now what?" I asked for the main purpose of the call.
Daniel asked.
"What should we do with them?"
I didn't think twice.
"Get rid of them."
After I said this my phone was yanked out of my hand.
I turned to see Mayelle and she was already speaking.
"You will do no such thing." She said sharply.
Her tone left no room for argument.
She ended the call and turned to face me.
I almost raised my hand in the air to show surrender.
If there was a thing such as award for the woman with the worst glare, she'd win with no competition.
She questioned.
"Are you being serious right now?"
"Give me my phone." I instructed.
"No!" The level of seriousness in her tone nearly caught me off guard.
I stepped closer to her slowly. She stiffened but she didn't move back.
"You don't get to say something like that so casually." Anger rose in her voice. "Those people are innocent."
"Innocent?"
"Yes. They weren't the ones who tried to kill you." She continued.
I took another step closer and her grip on my phone tightened.
I smiled slightly.
"I think we have a misunderstanding here."
"No, we don't. There's no excuse for saying that."
"When I say 'get rid of them', I didn't mean to kill them."
"What?" Her brows furrowed.
"They are being taken back to their home town in Italy." I continued. "Away from here, away from me, away from all the drama."
Confusion flickered in her eyes.
Then realization.
Then-
Embarrassment.
"Oh."
I held out my hand.
She hesitantly placed the phone in my hand.
She muttered.
"You need to be clearer with your words, else you'll be misunderstood."
"And you should learn to communicate and ask before reacting." I retorted.
She narrowed her eyes slightly. "You said it like you meant something else."
"And you assumed the worst." I added.
She hesitated.
"Maybe because I have reasons to assume the worst."
That lingered.
I silently turned away to finish setting my tie.
I observed her through the mirror as she kept fidgeting.
She must have realized she hit a sore spot.
I realized she had done the exact thing I did.
She wore her cloths into the bathroom, and dressed before stepping out.
My father had already had a whole set of female cloths and necessities stored in my room for his soon-to-be daughter in-law so she had everything she needed.
Breakfast was quieter than dinner.
My father and Belle had gone out to visit a friend, Grandma was still asleep and Adrian had already left for work.
Only God knew why he was taking the job so seriously. This was the most dedicated he had ever seen him.
Normally he would have left for the office before them but he had overslept. The call from Daniel had only delayed him further.
During the car ride, the atmosphere only got thicker.
I had decided to drive today so it was just I and Mayelle in the car.
She finally decided broke the ice.
"Can I call you Vincent instead of Mr Russo?" She asked.
What a weird way to start a conversation.
"Hmm." Came my curt reply.
"You can call me May too." She continued.
"Not necessary."
I could see her expression darken at my rejection.
Fashion heiress probably wasn't used to being rejected.
"I'll call you North instead." I relented.
Her face lit up and I could feel the weight pull off my chest.
"You don't always explain things." She commented.
"I don't owe everyone an explanation." I answered matter-of-factly.
"Maybe. But I'm not everyone." Her reply forced me to take my eyes off the road for some seconds.
"Then you should also refrain from assumptions."
"Will do." She responded. "Don't take me to the Belmont manor."
"To where then?" I asked.
She informed.
"Swerve Café, I'm meeting up with Scout there."
My mind finally went to Scout.
I couldn't believe I totally forgot about her.
I changed routes and headed for the Café.
When we arrived, Scout was just about to enter.
"Scout!" Mayelle called out, stepping out of the car.
Scout turned to see Mayelle and the two women hugged.
"I'm glad you came." Scout said.
"Why wouldn't I?"
"I know you've been busy." Scout muttered.
Mayelle came back to the car.
"Vincent could you come down, I want to reintroduce you two." Mayelle offered.
I said nothing and just came down from the car.
"Scout, this is Vincent Russo. Vincent, this is Scout Elliot, my best friend."
"Actually... Mr Russo's my new boss." Scout revealed.
Mayelle laughed lightly.
"The one you haven't stopped insulting for the past one week."
I made a mental note to cut off Scout's monthly bonus.
I glared at her.
"It seems you are yet to learn to keep your thoughts to yourself."
"My sincere apologies boss." Scout pretentiously apologized.
Mayelle intervened.
"You should go now, I and Scout have a lot of catching up to do."
"Hm." I hummed before getting into the car and driving away.
Just as expected. I knew Mayelle wouldn't react negatively to finding out Scout worked for me.
My phone rang and it was Daniel, again.
"I see you've probably been scolded senseless." He jested the moment I picked the call.
"Say what you have to say." I ignored his teasing.
"Sister in-law is a bold one, she'll have no trouble handling you in the future." He doesn't relent.
"Talk or I'll end the call." I threatened.
"What's with the threats. Anyways the mother and daughter are already on a plane to Italy, I've given them some money as you instructed."
"Good."
"Say hello to sis-"
I cut the call before he could have the chance to continue his words.
I tried not to think and just focus on driving but a particular memory kept flooding into my head.
"And you assumed the worst." I added.
She hesitated.
"Maybe because I have reasons to assume the worst"
I knew I wouldn't be able to push the memory out of my head.
It would haunt me like all my bad memories did.
I couldn't help but wonder when this would all come to an end.
"Soon." I heard a voice whisper to me.
I knew the voice was just in my head. I always heard it during moments like this, when I doubted myself.
When I arrived at Russo headquarters, the first person I saw was Mr Voss.
"Good morning Mr Russo, we've been waiting for you." He said.