Capítulo 61: chapter 61
The gun was aimed and fired at Luka but Xavier quickly shielded him and took the hit.
Now it was a bloodbath in the previously white driveway.
Luka and Xavier were both on the ground groaning.
Luka reached out for Xavier to check on him but he was already standing and shooting the enemies mercilessly.
He took the hit because among the two of them only he was wearing the bulletproof vest. He hated wearing it but Luka made a gazillion absurd promises and made him wear his vest because he was more likely the main target of the night but didn't have the time to wear one himself later.
If anything were to happen to Luka after all this then Xavier wouldn't have been able to forgive himself.
Brianna was already in the car and she started laughing like crazy.
"You won't catch me. I won't let you" something in her smile was so sinister, it sent shivers down their spines.
"You and your little birdie back at home will pay for it, Xavier. You've troubled us enough" she said and waved the gun in front of her forehead.
Xavier froze in his spot. He had the gun in his hand, he used it seconds ago but his fingers refused to pull the trigger at his mother.
His hands shook before a piercing pain shot through his arm and then entire body.
His gun fell to the ground with a thud and he realized he was shot by someone too.
The cars were driving away and Xavier clicked back into his senses and picked up the weapon from his other hand and started shooting the remaining guys on his property as well the ones sticking out from the car.
He shot the tires, making the cars come to a screeching halt and crashing into each other.
But Brianna's car kept driving until it crashed into the gate.
Everything stilled for a moment and Xavier and Luka ran to check it and found her shot in the middle of the eyes.
Too shocked, they turned around to find the person responsible and were met by a red eyed Igor standing there in the midst of the bodies.
He panted, looking rabid and slowly advanced towards them in a daze.
"I killed her, fucking bitch" he whispered.
"I finally avenged my mama"
"I told you I'd kill her" he looked Xavier in the eyes.
He clicked a picture of her dead face and laughed.
"Wow, I'm taking this to my mother tomorrow" he said and walked away.
Xavier was overwhelmed.
He cupped her face with his shaky wounded hand and a tear rolled down his eye. His touch left a bloody trail on her clear skin.
Luka gritted his teeth looking at them and turned away to give instructions to the men.
Killing her wasn't a part of the plan. It was in fact something he was sure wouldn't happen.
This was one of the reasons why Igor wasn't a part of the active operation of this mission to prevent him from acting recklessly.
How and when did he get here?
He would've captured her but never killed her.
Now, there she was lying dead in the car with just one bullet after working hard for everything for so many years and coming this close to achieving it all.
It took just one bullet.
He recalled the great memories he had with her, pushing away the dirty facts behind those and the bad ones she recently created.
He wanted to see her to his heart's content for the last time.
He tucked back her hair and attempted to wipe the blood but it kept coming out from it and from his shot wound as well.
Up until now, he didn't realize that he was not at all ready to let her go. He thought he was doing good not letting her invade his mind much but that wasn't the case it seemed.
Some minutes later when he was still in his trance, Luka dragged him inside.
Now they both stood alone in the quiet room.
"Romano..." he started but then stopped.
He pulled on his hair and paced around the room holding his wounded arm while his friend sat there on the chair, motionless with blood dripping off of his fingers on the floor.
"I know it's going to sound fucked up but what's done is done. You got to move on from this and focus on your future, man" Luka said in a calm manner.
There was a knock at the door and he looked at the door.
"Doc's here" Trevor, his security team head informed. Luka nodded and got up.
"Come on, we already lost so much blood" he murmured and took him out where there was the makeshift operation room.
___
Ailee was sleeping in her room when someone knocked at her door hurriedly. She has not been sleeping well these days so she quickly woke up and opened the door.
Her parents stood there with a concerned face and came inside.
"Honey, we want you to not get too shocked by what we're about to tell you" her mother began and it only fuelled her anxiety.
"What is it, mama?" She asked, biting her lip.
"Romano just lost his mother and we think that we should go there. Poor boy must be so lonely in these hard times" She broke the big new news with great caution and Ailee stumbled back with a gasp.
She started looking for her phone to call him but her mother stopped her.
"We talked to Luka and he asked to not call Xavier directly. He is not really in the mood to talk and we are afraid he might say something he doesn't mean, okay? We will leave immediately. Come down when you're ready." They left after making sure she was alright and had begun preparing.
She picked up her phone and left some consoling messages for him and got changed.
Her siblings were awake when she went downstairs and they hugged them goodbye.
She was fidgeting and praying for him all through the way.
They landed in a few hours. It was the break of dawn and her restlessness kept increasing.
Her first time in Russia and for what reasons.
Three black cars took them to his mansion and the whole place was bustling with people. She ran inside, looking for the one face that she terribly missed in these few days.
Enzo found her half way, crazily searching rooms and halls and decided to help the poor girl.
He guided her to the room he was in at the very back of the mansion where there was no one but him.
She gently closed the door and looked at him from there.
His shoulders were drooped, displaying his tiredness.
"Zai?" She called out softly and he turned around.
She ran up to him and embraced him in a tight comforting hug. Xavier reciprocated it and lifted her up from the ground.
"I'm so sorry" she said and he nodded.
They stayed like that for a few minutes before he put her down and sat on the bed.
" How'd it happen?" She asked.
" She was right there in front of my eyes. Then Igor shot her, motherfucker" he said with clenched fists.
"I'm so sorry. Did you get to talk to her?" She rubbed back of his hands.
" Barely." He nodded.
"It will be okay, it will take some time but it will be" she said and he nodded.
" It was probably for the best. She wouldn't have settled untill one of us were dead. Her last threat was to hurt you..... for no reason" he chuckled humourlessly.
He showed her the picture he received yesterday.
She gasped and zoomed in.
"That isn't me...." She trailed off.
" I know, it's AI generated. One of her dirty tricks. She put a jammer around your house. I couldn't reach you when I needed to but I knew you'd be safe with my people" he explained with a sigh.
" That's terrible" she said extremely upset by the thought that someone could do this to a person they didn't know.
"It is. No wonder I am so insensitive" he said.
"It's not true, Zai. You're not like that. You are far better than you think" she said sternly.
There was no way she was letting him think badly about himself.
"Did you get shot too?" She asked.
He nodded.
She kissed on top of his gauze and looked at him.
"You're so strong. You can do it, my love"
"I can do it" he nodded and wrapped his arms around her waist.
They were both soon called for the funeral and he met up with her parents. He was glad they reacted quickly and came here with Ailee to give their condolences.
Like a real family would.
Xavier was feeling at his best now that he had some people to stand by his side and because he had sorted out his thoughts.
The procedures were done and now he stood by the grave of his mother.
For real this time.
They did not even have a funeral the previous time because the instructions were to get rid of her body like the traitor's.
But now it would be different.
Does not matter what she was like, it's all over.
He asked to be alone there and sat next to the freshly made grave.
He just thought of the old times, compared her with the mother he once knew and how his life would have been like if she had not done what she did.
____
Xavier came back by the evening and spent a few hours in his father's office.
He had a couple of meetings and numerous phone calls.
He was back to his busy self.
Ailee couldn't meet him at all that day after leaving him in the graveyard.
But when she woke up he was right there with her sleeping like a baby.
She smiled and caressed his face gently. He hummed at the soothing sensation and leaned in her touch unconsciously.
Her parents were leaving today and she didn't know if she should stay or not.
For an hour she played with his hair or just stared at him till he finally woke up and showered her with due kisses.
"Zai?" She asked after some time.
"Hmm"
"My parents are leaving today. Do you want me to stay?" She asked. She got the hint that he would ask her to leave so she was ready for that but if he tells her himself then it would be better.
Yesterday, she heard people talking about their extended stay in Russia and that means he would stay too.
"It will not be safe for you here, Coco. Go with your parents. My guards there will keep you protected." He said.
She sighed and nodded. At least she was prepared for it.
"When will you come back?" She asked.
" Not sure. Have to take care of the trash she left behind" he explained further.
She understood and thought it would be best to leave than becoming a liability on him.
They both went to the kitchen together and Ailee made him a nice warm and sweet breakfast for which he paid a dozen kisses.
She hugged him for the last time and boarded the plane with her parents, looking at him through the window till he was not visible anymore.
____
Ailee woke up at around noon and checked her phone the first thing but there was nothing.
With a disappointed sigh she waddled to the bathroom and got freshened up just to lie back on the bed again.
Her brunch was brought to her room and she ate the little bits of what she found appealing even though most of it was her favorite.
She went on her balcony with a book and saw the guards at their usual place.
He wasn't here but his guards were.
So sad.
She didn't realize when it started to get dark again but when her sisters entered she knew.
"Hola," Iris said, jumping on her bed.
She smiled and went inside, closing the balcony doors.
"Hmm, so what should we be doing tonight?" Gigi asked.
"I don't know, we already did pretty much everything doable with her" Iris sighed.
She said referring to the baking, painting, karaoke, movies, web series, walks, story nights they have been doing for the past month.
"Umm... guys, I think we should just walk around the garden tonight?" She suggested, remembering the clear sky from earlier.
" Sure, sounds good to me" Mila said and everyone followed.
They went down to have their dinner first which was an absolute chaos like usual. Alex had this habit of picking fights with everyone and it would never end well for him.
They brought popsicles outside with them and walked around huddled together.
It was a little cold but ice creams taste better in that temperature.
"Why don't we order Chinese takeout tomorrow?" Emma asked.
Everyone looked at her and shrugged, neutral to the option.
Alex came running towards them and suddenly shoved a big red worm at Iris's face and she started running around in random directions.
"Alex, take it away from me! Mom! Dad! Papa! Mom!" She yelled at the top of her lungs and their parents walked out looking bored by their daily drama while the girls laughed at them.
"Alex, stop being a child and drop the worm back to where you found it. You should not be troubling your sisters like that" Calvin scolded and Alex sighed making a funny face towards Iris and she poked out her tongue at him.
"Where did you even get it from?" She asked when he was walking back to the field of flowers.
"Didn't you all notice me fumbling around the mud?" He frowned but the girls shrugged because they were too immersed in their own gossip.
"Arghh whatever, I'm going to sleep now" Mila said.
And just like that they all went back to their respective rooms one by one.
Ailee laid there in the darkness of her room and her mind automatically drifted to the memories Xavier and her shared. It always brought comfort to her.
He has been hardly talking to her but she was glad that even after being so busy he was still making efforts to talk to her whenever possible.
He kept his promise and didn't ghost her.
When they call it's usually her telling him all about her day and she would sometimes get him to speak a little about his too.
She was proud of him.
He probably would have shut the world out if it were the Xavier from a year ago.
But he changed, for better.
Her days here are like broken records nowadays, going on and on in a circle.
She wants to talk to him more, she wants to hug him, she wants to kiss him and cuddle in his warm and strong arms. She misses him so much and realized that he has became an inseparable part of her soul.
Wishing for his well being she drifted off to sleep, desperately hoping to hear from him when she wakes up.
___
"Are you ready?"
"Yeah"
"Let's go then"
The two best friends boarded the private plane to take them back home after a month.
"I'm so nervous" Luka leaned his head back on the head rest.
"Amara would kill me. She probably has already assumed me dead I reckon" he said to himself. She demands a text from him everyday and it's been more than a week since he texted her back.
Xavier looked out of the window and thought about his fiancé and other things that kept him busy every hour of the day.
She was the only thing that helped him wrap things up in a short time back in Russia.
He had to eliminate every single person related to his mother. A rebellion from her side later was something he'd not appreciate.
It was dead tiring to trace and locate then repeat till he was sure no speck of her army was left.
During one of those days, he encountered Igor and it turned ugly. He still doesn't have a tiny bit of remorse for fucking things up.
But now they both decided to stay civil for the sake of the last blood relation they both are left with.
Closing his eyes he drank the wine while letting his brain do the task of keeping him awake.
After many sleepless hours in the air, they went to their destinations in different cars.
When the doors opened, silence enveloped the two figures for a few seconds.
"Uh- Oh my God... come inside" Juliana welcomed Xavier inside and he went in.
"Are you okay, Son?" She asked.
He nodded but didn't elaborate his answer.
"We were so worried about you. Is it all good there now?" She gave him water and he accepted.
" Yes"
" Lily is in her room. She'd be thrilled to see you here" she said, smiling.
He nodded and looked at the hallway upstairs before moving ahead, taking three stairs at a time.
He hesitated for a moment before knocking at her door.
There was no response, no sound. Almost too silent to have a person inside.
"Come in," Her soft voice said a few minutes later.
He opened the door and took slow steps inside immediately feeling her serene presence all around him.
Her smell.
She was sitting facing her back to the door reading a book when she didn't hear anything from the person who entered.
So she turned around expecting her mother collecting the laundry basket but gasped.
She fell on the stack of her pillows, soft hiccups and sobs piercing his heart a million times.
He sat at the edge and raised his hand to touch her and started caressing the small of her back.
"Coco" he called out softly and that's all she needed to hear to sit up and throw herself in his arms.
He caught her in a tight hold and she broke into uncontrollable loud cries. Xavier pressed his face in the crook of her neck. He squeezed her in his arms.
It was real.
He was really here. With her.
"Hush, my love, don't cry"
"I'm here now. I'm here"
He whispered in her ear to get her to calm down.
"Damn I missed you so fucking much" he pressed a firm kiss on her forehead.
She kept crying, not paying attention to his words and slowly pulled back after some time shakily touching his hands and softly dragging her finger to the back of his hand to look at the last minute engagement ring she gave him.
Instead, she gasped seeing a blood stain on it and looked at him in confusion and concern.
"Why is it not healed yet?" She asked.
He had to use his fists a few times which made it tore open again and again.
"Accidentally hit it while lifting loads" he lied.
"May I check it?" She whispered.
He couldn't let her do it because she would freak out seeing the nasty wound.
"I'll get it checked later" she nodded and looked at him.
"So.... Is it all done-done?" She asked.
" Mhmm"
" Sure? Because I'm not letting you go away from me again. Not even for a week" she huffed and crossed her arms around her chest.
He smiled.
After an entire month.
"I'm not going anywhere without you" he nodded.
"That's good because I have been watching a lot of kidnapping videos and I now know how to keep you tied in my basement. Very easy" she said, flexing her non existent muscles.
He smiled in amusement and nodded.
"Yeah? And what else have you learned behind my back?" He started tickling her and she curled into a ball, bursting into laughter.
~~~~~
This way, they found peace and happiness in each other.
And this way a man with no warmth has became the protector of his sunshine who spread all the love and care she had, in his bleak world.
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