by Lylah James
Palming her cheeks, I rubbed her soft skin. “You can’t leave like this. Do you know how worried I was, Angel? Everyone is looking for you. Waking up and not finding you beside me was the worst. You can’t do that again.”
No response.
I didn’t expect one. It was another thing I was accustomed to: talking to Ayla while I only got silence. Deep inside, she knew my voice. And stupidly, I believed that she heard me.
“You need to let me know where you go next time,” I admonished gently. “Lena almost had a heart attack. Let’s give the poor woman a break.
“Angel,” I said, kissing her nose. “Will you talk to me? Anything. Just say something. I can’t bear your silence anymore.”
Her eyes finally moved to mine. I almost jumped with joy. Such a small thing, but it meant so much.
“Please,” I finally begged. “Please, say something, Angel. I want to hear your voice. I need to hear your voice. Say something. Just one word…” my voice broke. Taking a deep breath, I continued. “…to let me know that you’re hearing me, that you know I’m here.”
When she stayed utterly silent, I looked down, trying so fucking hard to hold my stupid tears. What I saw made me suck in a painful breath.
This time…my soul cried.
Ayla was barefooted, and her feet were bruised and bloodied. She had walked from the house to the creek barefooted.
“Angel,” I whimpered. I could hear the way my voice broke. The tears slid down my cheeks. Just a few drops but it was so fucking hard.
I buried my face in Ayla’s lap and cried. “I am begging you. Say my name. I want to hear my name from your lips. I want to hear your voice.”
Holding her knees, I pressed my face in her thighs. “Just my name. That’s all I am asking. Please, Ayla. Please.”
Without any care of the world, I sobbed and begged. My heart broke a thousand times then.
With my face still buried in her lap, I waited. I felt Ayla shift. I almost felt her hand on my arm but then nothing. My Angel didn’t touch me. She didn’t hold me. She didn’t speak.
I waited some more. I waited for I didn’t know how long.
But I only got silence.
When my tears had finally dried, I leaned back and wiped my wet cheeks. Ayla stared at me blankly, and her eyes moved toward the water again.
“You were always stubborn, you know,” I whispered, touching her cheek softly. “I’m not giving up, Angel. You might not remember, but I once told you that I wasn’t giving up on you, and I had told you not to give up on us.”
I leaned forward, placing a feather-light kiss on her lips. “I am telling you this again. I am not giving up on you, so don’t give up on us.”
My lip tilted up in a small smile. “I am more stubborn than you. What I want, I get. And I want you.”
Her eyes stayed fixated on the creek, and I sat down on the ground. I waited, giving her some time to admire the view. I palmed her stomach, feeling the baby move at my touch.
The little one always moved whenever I touched Ayla’s stomach. It didn’t matter if it was in the middle of the night, the baby always responded to my touch.
Sometimes I felt like maybe we bonded. There was no stopping the way my heart clenched whenever I felt the baby move.
After some time, I got up and swept Ayla in my arms. Holding her to my chest, I walked back to the house.
When I finally got inside, I saw Lena’s eyes widen, and she rushed upstairs. Viktor came forward to help me but I walked past him. Making my way to my room, I walked into the bathroom instantly. Lena was close behind me.
“It’s okay. I’ll clean her up. Can you bring a tray up? She needs to eat,” I said, settling Ayla on the edge of the tub.
Lena nodded mutely and shuffled out of the bathroom. I turned Ayla around so her feet were in the tub.
“This is going to hurt a little,” I muttered. I cleaned her feet, rinsing away all the dirt and blood. All this time, Ayla didn’t make a sound or even shift. It was me wincing in pain for her.
When her feet were cleaned, I saw that the dirt and little blood had made it appear worse than it was. I sighed in relief and dried her feet before helping her out of the tub.
“Feeling better?” I asked, holding her in my embrace. She sighed in my chest, and I smiled, rubbing her back. With her baby bump in the way, I couldn’t hug her properly. But I held her as close as I could.
When my leg started to ache unbearably, I carried Ayla to bed and pulled the covers around her.
The tray was already on the nightstand. Sitting down in front of her, I picked up the spoon.
“Do you need anything else?” Lena asked.
I shook my head and held a spoonful of rice to Ayla’s lips. She took the first bite silently, and my heart soared. After so many days of trying and begging, she started eating yesterday.
For a week, Sam had her hooked up with an IV. It was the only way to get something in her body.
I fed Ayla another bite, and she ate, chewing and swallowing slowly.
Lena moved away from the bed. “How is Maddie?” I asked before she left the room.
She didn’t answer for some time, and I knew what her answer would be. “There is no change.”
The door closed, and I sighed, my heart heavy for Maddie. She had refused to leave her room. Or eat. She was a living ghost. I thought when Maddie heard Ayla was back, she would come to see her, but she stayed away.
Maddie had yet to see Ayla. In some ways, it was better this way. I didn’t think she had the strength to see Ayla in this state.
I continued to feed Ayla, taking a few bites as I watched her eat. Her gaze stayed fixated on me, as always. It was almost like a routine.
So I fed her and talked. She ate in silence and…maybe listened to me.
I talked about everything, sometimes mentioning Isaak and Lyov.
My father had been taking care of business all this time. He didn’t complain. No, he fell right back into the position of the Boss. Even though I refused to admit it, I was thankful he and Isaak were taking care of things.
They visited Ayla once. No words were spoken. It was quick, but I saw the look in their eyes. I knew they were seeing their women in Ayla. When Lyov had seen the baby bump, he had paled and walked out in a daze. Since then, he hadn’t come back.
When the tray was finally empty, I got up and stretched. Ayla’s gaze followed my movement, and I winked. “Do you want to go to the piano room?”
Silence.
I chuckled and lifted her off the bed. Placing a kiss on her head, I carried her to the piano room. I brought her there every day, hoping it would bring back memories.
I placed Ayla on the bench. She stared at me, and I gave her a small smile, even when the pain intensified.
This used to be our moment. And now, even that was gone.
“Do you remember playing?” I asked, kneeling beside her bench. Ayla looked at the piano keys but didn’t respond.
“You used to play for me every night. It was our favorite time of the day. Just us together. You playing the piano while I watched you,” I continued. “Do you remember, Angel?”
When she didn’t answer, I let out a sigh. “It’s okay. I know you will remember. Maybe not now. But one day you will. Do you know why?”
I leaned forward. “Because I am a stubborn asshole, and I am not giving up on you,” I whispered in her ear. “One day soon, those beautiful green eyes of yours will look at me with the same amount of wonder and love as before.” Placing a kiss next to her ear, I finished, “Be prepared, kitten.”
I stood up and walked toward the couch. “I don’t play fair when it comes to things I want.”
I sat down, facing her. She looked at me for a second before turning her eyes to the piano again. We sat like this for hours maybe.
Until she played.
Just one key. One note.
My head snapped up, my eyes widening. I sat forward, hoping to hear more.
But that was it.
I smiled. So hard that my cheeks were hurting.
I wanted to be disappointed that there wasn’t more, but how could I when my Angel finally made a move?
Ayla looked up at me, and there it was—it was so small. Barely there. Or maybe I was just imagining it?
But then it was gone so fast that I would have missed it if I wasn’t staring so intently.
A very small glimpse of emotion in those lifeless green eyes. Ayla stared at me, her eyes empty again.
But my chest somehow felt a little lighter than before.
I stood up and walked to her, her gaze following me. I stopped beside her and saw that her fingers were still on the keys. Even though she played only one key, it felt like she had played a whole song.
“Do you know how beautiful you look? You are breathtaking, Angel,” I whispered, sweeping her in my arms again. “Especially when you play the piano.”
I carried her back to our bedroom, and I felt surprisingly light.
Ayla laid on the bed, and I pulled the covers over her. “You want to sleep?”
She only closed her eyes. I smiled. I got my answer.
I joined her in bed and held her close. The baby danced around, and I rubbed the bump. “Settle down now. Your mommy needs her sleep.”
He moved again. Another kick. So fucking stubborn.
Shaking my head, I closed my eyes. After some time, the baby finally settled, and Ayla fell asleep. Just when sleep started to cloud my mind, I heard a knock on the door.
I slowly moved away from Ayla. After making sure she was still asleep, I made my way to the door and softly opened it.
My eyes widened in shock at the sight in front of me.
“Maddie?”
Maddie stared at me, tears in her eyes. “Can I see her, please?”
Her voice sounded so small and fragile. I blinked a couple of times, trying to understand what was going on.
Maddie looked down, tears streaming down her face. “I should have come before but couldn’t find the courage. I’m sorry, Alessio. For leaving this on you. It’s…I…God, I can’t believe I left her alone when she needed me the most.”
I saw her face twisting in frustration as she wiped her tears away angrily. “But can I see her now? Please.”
I only nodded, stepping out of the way. Maddie quickly walked inside. I closed the door and watched her stop next to the bed. She cried softly.
When she joined Ayla in the bed, my heart soared. Finally! This was what they both needed. They needed each other.
I walked forward and saw Maddie wrap her arms around Ayla. Her eyes opened, and she stared blankly at Maddie.
She whispered something in Ayla’s ear and sobbed. Ayla closed her eyes again, and I knew she was asleep within seconds.
Maddie closed her eyes too. She continued crying softly, trying not to wake Ayla up. I moved the sofa chair next to the bed, beside Ayla, and sat down.
Leaning back, I watched Maddie cry herself to sleep. After some time, I heard the door open and saw Phoenix come in. His eyes instantly went to the bed, and when he saw Maddie there, I saw his shoulders sagging in relief.
He nodded at me and pulled a chair to Maddie’s side. We watched both our women sleep.
I didn’t miss the way Ayla slightly burrowed deeper in Maddie’s embrace.
My lips tilted up in a ghost smile.
A silver lining. Small and barely there. But definitely there.
There was hope.
Chapter 7
1 week later
“We’ll be there in ten minutes, Boss,” Nikolay said from the driver’s seat.
“Hmm…”
“What if it’s a trap?”
“I don’t think it is. Not after I tortured their president and we killed half of their men in a span of minutes. They’re too scared,” I muttered, looking out of the window.
I hated being away from Ayla. But when the Black Club called and told me they had an idea of Alberto’s whereabouts, I had no choice.
Two weeks and he went into hiding again. A fucking coward he was. He had left the country the same day we found Ayla.
Shaking my head in disgust, I fought the urge to break something. He was a threat I had to get rid of as quickly as possible. As long as he was alive, Ayla was in danger. The baby was in danger.
I looked down at my phone, debating if I should call Maddie or Viktor. It was the first time I had been away from Ayla since we rescued her.
Ayla was still the same. Little to no improvement.
She hadn’t touched the piano again. No matter how much I urged her.
She still hadn’t spoken a word. It felt like it had been years since I heard her voice.
If I didn’t feed her, she wouldn’t eat. And we had quickly come to realize that she would only eat if I fed her. Maddie had once tried, and Ayla refused to eat even a bite.
I looked down at my watch. Twenty minutes since I’d left the estate. Ayla was asleep when I left her, and I hoped she stayed asleep until I got home.
Five more minutes. I would walk in, get the fucking information, walk out, and then I would be on my way back to Ayla.
Five fucking minu—
My phone rang, snapping me out of my thoughts. Glancing at the screen, I saw Viktor calling. I quickly answered the call. “What is it? What happened?”
“Alessio,” he started but never had a chance to finish.
I heard a scream in the background. “No!”
Panic coursed through me, and I sat up straight, my hands shaking. “What’s going on?” I snapped, my voice heavy with fear. I saw Nikolay glancing at me in the rear-view mirror, his expression worried.
There were more screams, and then someone was sobbing.
Ayla!
“Alessio, it’s Ayla,” Viktor said quickly. “She woke up and didn’t find you there. Fuck! She completely lost it. I don’t know what to do.” His voice sounded strange. My heart clenched. Was he crying?
“I tried to get her to calm down, but as soon as I came near her, she would start screaming. Even Maddie and Lena can’t calm her down. She wouldn’t let anyone near her, and we’re worried she’ll hurt herself,” Viktor continued.
Something crashed in the background, and I sat, horrified, as I listened to Ayla screaming and crying.
“Alessio, she wants you. She won’t respond to anyone else. We tried. We fucking tried, but as soon as you left, she woke up. Maddie was with her, and Ayla completely snapped when she didn’t see you.”
“Viktor, do something, please!” I heard Maddie cry through the phone. “She’s going to hurt herself.”
I heard Viktor swear, and my heart stammered painfully. I closed my eyes as a wave of pain went through me.
“Can you get close enough to give her the phone?” I demanded. “Make sure she doesn’t hurt herself.”
I heard screaming again. It was filled with so much pain, and I blinked away tears.
What have I done?
I should have never left her.
I opened my eyes to see Nikolay nodding at me. Without me saying anything, he was already changing the route and doing a U-turn.
Fuck the Black Club and Alberto. My Ayla needed me now.
I heard sobbing through the phone, and my heart lurched. “Angel,” I said gently.
She only cried.
“I’m sorry, Angel. So, so sorry. I’m coming home, okay? I will be there quickly. I didn’t leave you. I would never leave you. I just had something to take care of, and now I’m coming back home to you,” I whispered, hoping my voice would bring her back.
“You are so strong; you know that? The strongest person I know, and I am so in awe of you. Don’t cry, my sweet Angel. I am coming home and won’t leave you again. I’m not going anywhere.”
My voice broke over the words, and I closed my eyes as Ayla continued to quietly cry. Her cries were heartbreaking. It was agony to hear.
“Shhh…it’s okay. It’ll be okay. When I get back, I’ll take you to t
he creek. We’ll spend some time there. Just me and you, okay? What do you think? Would you like that?” I said, my fingers tightening around the phone.
“Will you play for me tonight?” I asked softly. “Or maybe do you want to dance? Remember how we danced before and you were smiling, laughing. You were so beautiful, my Angel. You took my breath away that day.” I held the phone tighter, desperate to get my feelings across to her.
“I’m coming home. Just a few more minutes and I will be in your arms again.” I kept talking even when I knew there would be no answer.
Her sobbing gradually dissolved to small hiccups. When the car finally stopped in front of the house, I breathed out. “I’m home, Angel,” I said before hanging up.
I opened the door and quickly got out. Running up the steps, I was almost at the door when a sharp pain shot through my wounded leg.
I limped inside the house. From the top of the stairs, I heard sobbing. Following it to my room, I pushed the door open.
My knees almost gave out at the sight in front of me. The room was completely trashed. Lena and Maddie were hugging each other next to the door, crying. Phoenix paced the room while Viktor stood in the middle, facing the corner next to the bed.
My hands curled into fists at my sides, and I moved forward slowly.
Ayla was on the floor, next to the nightstand. She sat against the wall, her knees pulled up to her chest, rocking back and forth as she cried. She was curled into herself, as if hiding from everything and everyone.
My heart stuttered at the sight. She looked so broken, so fragile.
I turned to Viktor. He looked in pain. Shaking his head, he walked out of the room.
My gaze moved back to Ayla. Her face was hidden behind her arms. I walked forward and knelt down in front of Ayla. “Angel,” I whispered.
Her head snapped up, and she choked back a sob. Her eyes were red and filled with tears. Her cheeks flushed and wet. She looked at me with so much emotion that it was impossible for me to take.
So much pain. Sadness. Anger. Betrayal. Hurt.
I knew in that moment, she felt too much, too fast.