Valentino grunted as he brought the sixth bottle of vodka to his lips. He was exhausted to the bones and was very drunk. He didn't want to feel anything. Yet in this state, he felt emotions that he didn't want to feel.
Hurt, Regret, sadness, defeat.
He wanted to block them out desperately. He was tired of everything. He felt drained. He felt like he deserved every resentment he had towards himself. His self loathing was bone deep.
But why? Why would it be him?
Why couldn't fate be a little more considerate? He had suffered a lot and even now he was being tormented.
He took another gulp from his bottle. He could sense the fact that Alexandre had beaten him at his own game, but he detested being a looser. He didn't want to loose. Maybe he could back out. But, would he ever be forgiven? He was alone and he had no family. And just maybe... he would die a loner.
Sighing miserably, he brushed his damp hair away from his face. He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. His eyes shot open when the sweet scent of apples and flowers drifted into his nostrils. There by his side, now sat a red head. Even in his drunken state, he could see how beautiful she was. She looked so small but tough. She had a nice hour glass figure that he found mouth watering for the first time in his life. She looked very attractive. At least, she wasn't Lacey who was always making every effort to look attractive. But this lady looked very attractive without even trying. Her baby blue eyes met his dull green eyes and he couldn't look away. It felt like she could see right through him. At least, she wasn't throwing herself at him.
"Haven't you drank enough?" She said, her smooth, silken voice gliding into his ears.
Damn, even her voice is beautiful, so he thought.
He turned to face his drink.
Why would he have any interest in her?
Was she here to perhaps, mock him? He brought the vodka to his lips again.
"Stop it, you'll ruin your liver" she scolded, yanking the bottle out of his grip.
He mumbled a curse, thickly.
"What do you want, red head?"
He growled.
"I'm Noelle. Nice to meet you, Mr grumpy pants" she said.
Valentino scoffed.
"You should go away. Didn't your mama teach you not to speak with strangers?"
"I don't follow rules. For the record, I ain't got no mama" she retorted. For a moment, Valentino felt guilty and it made him sober up for a minute.
"What exactly do you want?" He sighed.
"You seemed lonely" she shrugged.
"Besides, drinking can't solve your problems"
Valentino scoffed again, his shoulders slumped with grief.
"No, you don't get it. I'm a selfish monster. I'm ruined and there's no hope for me. I deserve to be drilled with bullets, thrown into a boiling pot of water and dragged through hell" he said, his voice cracking at the end.
"Don't say that" she said.
She felt a pang in her chest watching the gorgeous stranger wallow in pain and self loathing.
"I-" he breathed, his eyes turning glossy. "I tried to kill my own brothers. We're triplets but why do I feel like I am a mistake? I.. I am..." His lips quivered, tears spilling from his bloodshot eyes. Valentino was too drunk to care about the fact that he was breaking down in front of a stranger.
"I should have died a long time ago, but even death hates me.... I hate myself..." He cried.
Noelle felt her heart hammering hard. She couldn't stand to see him like that. He suddenly went green and was soon heaving painfully on the floor, loud groans escaping his lips. "Hey, you! Get your drunk ass boyfriend out of here!" The bartender said to her and she mumbled an apology for his sake. She helped him to his feet and led him outside.
She forced him to drink some water and rinse his mouth for a bit as he swayed drunkenly on his feet.
Suddenly he broke down again, sobbing hard.
Noelle's heart broke for the poor stranger. She embraced him, her heart aching for him as he cried his eyes out. She'd seen her fair shares of drunk people. But this... he was broken. Noelle struggled to get his drunken ass into her car. By the time she got home, he'd passed out. She laid him down on her couch. Then, she knelt beside him, tucking a spare blanket around his body. She stared at his sleeping figure, intrigued. He looked so beautiful, yet dangerous. The scar on his face did nothing to hide his raw beauty. His previously puckered eyebrows were presently relaxed, long dark lashes adorning his eyes.
The dark bags under his eyes, the scars on his body and the paleness of his skin worried her.
What had happened to him? Was he that damaged? Could she do anything about it?
His phone kept ringing. So, she decided to pick the call.
Heaving a sigh, she walked away from his side to avoid waking him up.
"Hello, Val" a female voice said.
Noelle frowned.
Girlfriend? Mother? Sister? One night stand?
"Hello, I'm Noelle. He's asleep right now. You can call back tomorrow" she said.
"Wait, what?! Wake him up!"
"Sorry, I can't"
"I said.."
"Sorry, goodnight"
With that, she switched off the phone and retired for the night.
....
"I love you too" Dre said to Ellie on the phone. The door opened and Lacey started to walk in.
"I'll call you later, my love. Lacey is coming in" he said.
"Remember, don't fuck this up" Ellise warned.
He snorted, amused.
"Alright, love. Bye" he rapsed.
"Who was that?" Lacey asked.
"My grandma" he lied.
"She still calls you?"
"Of course, she does"
"That's nice"
She stared at him, looking for signs of his memory returning.
"How does Grandma look like?" She asked.
He frowned, rubbing his temples.
"I really don't remember now. Trying to think is giving me a headache" he grimaced and she smiled.
"Do you know where the key is?" She asked and he sighed.
"Of course, I do. I found it last night. Here it is" he said, handing a silver key over to her. She smirked and kissing his cheek. Hr pretended to lay down and fall asleep while she opened the wardrobe and took out the papers. If only she knew what he had in stock for her. If only she knew that she was loosing and he was beating her at her own game. Lacey gave him one last glance before leaving the room. Unknown to her, she had taken the fake ones. The real ones were still in his custody.
'Dear trickster, you have just been tricked' he thought, feeling satisfied.
His phone rang out.
"Boss, I've traced the call she made to Valentino three days ago and other times. We know where they meet up" Fabiano, Dre's best tracker said and he smirked.
"Keep her on trail. You and Marcello should handle this. Make it look like an accident" he said, pouring himself a glass of martini.
"Roger that, boss"