"We loved with a love, That was more then love"

Arabella Karve I softly stick my pointer finger into the warm water and gently twirl it in a smooth circle, creating a tiny whirlpool.

The candles on the edge of my bathtub, softly waft the addicting scent of pumpkin and vanilla, as they burn tenderly.

I slowly lean back, farther into my bath while groaning loudly, and bending my pale knees that are covered lightly in bubbles.

After I got back from my... little dip, I found out that everything Eros says is not complete bullshit.

Because I though I was going to freeze my tits off.

Though, a smile still breaks out across my, still rosy face, because of the fact that I had lunch with some actually amazing people. And I got their phone numbers!

I slowly inhale deeply and hold my breath, as I steadily dunk my head under the water, loving the feeling of the warm water surrounding me and the peaceful silence of nothing but my own thoughts. *********************** I quickly crawl into my oversized, thick sage hoodie, while trying to conserve some bodily warmth as I throw on some large black sweats and leave my hair down. I am so fucking cold.

I look towards my phone that was sitting on the edge of my vanity, that was now annoyingly buzzing. Who would be texting me?

Hazel: HEYYY HOTTIE. Welcome to the one and only group chat:D Thursday-10:22pm

Briar: lucky Ara. Thursday-10:24pm

I stare at the text, stunned to see that harmless nickname, that i was once so used to, but now have not seen in months. ~ "Araaa" Tara draws out loudly as her cold hands shake my bare shoulders.

I don't look over at her instead I just stare blankly at the open window.

It doesn't matter if the window is open or closed, because no matter what...

It won't stop him.

"Please. You have to start living again at some point" she says sadly as I feel her sit down desperately on the side of my bed.

"I can't remember the last time you've eaten or even stood" she says with a slight waver of her scratchy voice.

"There is no point in living. He's going to kill me at some point anyways" I mumble quietly as my head harshly pounds, and aches where it was slammed ruthlessly into the wall.

"Don't say that" Tara suddenly says strictly.

"Am I lying Tara?" I say coldly while looking over at her, with an emotionless expression.

"I- Ara, he is insane. There is no way he is going to last long. Your parents have the best trained assassins in the world, they will get him"

"He is pretty fucking protected. He is going to get what he needs from me, and then he is gong to take his time gruesomely murdering me with a smile plastered across his sick fucking face."

"If he hasn't killed you yet, he's probably not going to"

I laugh harshly, and insane and bitter laugh.

Yes he will, yes he will, yes he will, yes he will, yes he will, yes he will.

"That's because he hasn't had the perfect opportunity to take me, but right now he is taking his sweet fucking time torturing me. And no one is stopping him. They are going to let him do whatever he wants, until the job actually needs done"

I watch as a small tear suddenly escapes Tara pretty blue eye, and crawl down her perfect cheek, before she can quickly wipe it away and compose herself again.

A few silent minutes pass by before Tara quietly speaks,

"I made strawberry cake" Tara says quietly.

I barely smile, yet it's the closest I've come all month. Her eyes shine hopefully as she slowly reaches out a soft hand towards me.

I gently place my cut up hand, into hers and slightly sit up.

"There's my Ara" ~ My eyes softly flutter shut as I take a deep breath and try to control my increasing heartbeat.

Hazel: this is your number right Arabella??!! Or are we blowing up some random old guys phone?? Thursday-10:35pm

Me: sorry for not responding, yeah it's me! Thursday-10:36pm

Briar: no need to be sorry, Hazel apparently does not have any patience Thursday-10:36pm

Hazel: HUSH. I like to be responded to:( Thursday-10:38pm

Atlas: how was painting Arabella? Thursday-10:40pm

Me: it was good! I finished my painting I've been working on for wayyy to long. Thursday-10:42pm

Hazel: What's it of????? YOUR YUMMY BODYGUARD?! Thursday-10:42pm

I laugh softly at her text while shaking my head.

Me: No, ew. I don't want to see his stupid face any longer then I am forced to. Thursday-10:44pm

Briar: don't you have a girlfriend Hazel? Thursday-10:45pm

Hazel: I lean both ways and if she saw that god of a man, she would agree... if yk, yk.

I scoff out a laugh as I toss my phone onto my bed. She wouldn't think he's hot if she knew what a asshole he is.

I begin to leisurely make my way out of my bedroom door, deciding to go grab a quick dinner from the kitchen, before I go to bed.

I make my way down stairs, while keeping my arms wrapped tightly around me. So. Fucking. Cold.

I think my body temperature got fucked up while screwing with Eros in the water.

I hear a quiet sound ringing from the silent kitchen, and immediately furrow my eyebrows because I assumed none of the chefs would be working at this time. I don't want to speak to anyone.

I stealthily push open the swinging door and am met with the sight of a young guy with dirty blond hair looking incredulously around the kitchen.

The guy dressed in the sentry uniform, doesn't seem to notice me as he nervously looks in one of the desk drawers with a stressed expression.

I lean against the doorway, continuing to watch him.

I abruptly swat a metal bowl that was sitting on the edge of the counter, straight onto the hard floor. The loud sound vibrates horridly across the kitchen, as I glare at him and he looks up at me with surprised, and terrified, bright green eyes.

"Oh Arabella?! I-" he begins before I narrow my eyes at the nervous looking boy.

"Who the fuck are you and what the fuck are you doing?" I say skeptically, in a harsh way. Why is he digging through the kitchen drawers?

"I'm Caspian" He says anxiously as he flashes me a guilty smile.

"And why are you digging through my kitchen drawers when your shift, I believe, is outside of the front gates" I say warily, while recalling his face, which I vaguely caught a glimpse of the night I was drunk. Off of expensive table champagne.

"Its embarrassing" He says while awkwardly scratching the back of his neck.

"Welp, you can tell me, or I can update your superior that you were scouring my kitchen at almost midnight" I say with a condescending smile as I tilt my head.

He immediately shakes his head and begins talking as if he was in a court trial, "I forgot my food this morning, and- well, I am on shift until tomorrow afternoon. So I figured since everyone was asleep that I would, well- grab just a small bite"

After hearing his reasoning, I smoothly walk past him, farther into the kitchen, and grab some Italian style bread, that was sitting wrapped on the counter.

I slide it across the kitchen island, and towards the alarmed Caspian.

Caspian looks down towards the soft bread, and then back up towards me with wide eyes. I nod my head slowly, while still studying his every movement.

He immediately reaches towards the bread and starts eating it great fully.

"Thank you so much" He says as he bites into the crisp bread.

"When's the last time you ate?" I say sarcastically as I pick up a tart red apple off of the counter, and bite into it.

"I'm sorry, it's been a day" He says as he embarrassedly gathers himself, and more properly bites into the the bread in his hands.

"It's okay, that's about where I am in life right now"

"Why, what's wrong?" He says looking up at me with curiosity flowing in his eyes.

"Oh nothing" I say as I look down and bite into the apple again.

"Issues with the mafia?" He asks and i immediately snap my head up to look at him with a confused expression plastered across my face. What fucking guard would ask that?

"Sorry the guards talk, I hear you don't support it"

"I never said I don't support it and don't listen to what the bored fucking sentries gossip about." I bite out defensively. I don't support it.

"Sorry I didn't mean to offend you. But you can talk to me."

"Hm, well thanks for the offe-" I begin before I am cut off by the sudden sound of the second kitchen door being slammed open.

I don't even need to look over to know who it is, but I watch as Caspian fearfully snaps his head towards the loud noise.

I slowly bite into my apple again, not even bothering to look over, because I already know exactly who it is.

I steadily lean back against the counter as I chew leisurely and watch Caspian begin to dart his eyes around nervously.

"Sorry, am I fucking interrupting something?" I hear Eros bite out angrily, his Italian accent ringing in his harsh words.

"No not at all darling, would you like to join the conversation?" I say with a sarcastic smile.

"I didn't know twelve o fucking clock was the appropriate time to be social" Eros says as he stares at me with his empty, emotionless eyes.

I stare back at him but I was almost unsure if he was looking back. His soulless, icy eyes were there, staring at me, but it was almost as if he didn't see me. An unnerving feeling rapidly crawled down my body because of the way he seems to be looking right through me, with nothing in his eyes except for his own, personal purgatory of numbness.

Could he truly see me? Or was the blankness in his eyes because of the way he seems almost out of focus and... lifeless.

"Oh yes, I forgot, you are just the master of socialization" I tease with a grin.

"mi fai venire voglia di uccidermi" Eros grumbles darkly.

"I think I best get back to my post..." Caspian says awkwardly as he sets down the bread and flashes me an uneasy smile.

"Probably for the best" I say while blinking with a tight lipped smile.

With that Caspian turns on his heals and rushes out the kitchen door.

"So how has your night been my little bundle of sunshine?" I say with a laugh as I look back over towards Eros who is still staring numbly at me.

"It was great until I heard your voice" Eros says as he slowly walks towards me with a ominous demeanor.

"Well maybe then you should go scurry on back to your cave" I offer as I nod towards the door that leads to the stairs with his dark room located at the bottom.

He continues walking towards me without saying a single word as his menacing eyes glare at me with hate swimming in them.

"Do you fucking need something?" I question while pushing off of the counter and facing him. But as he continues to approach me with no response, I slowly begin taking some steps back so that I am suddenly up against the back counter.

"Did you get knocked in the fucking head?" I question as my heartbeat begins to speed up nervously.

Eros reaches me and slowly begins to lean down while staring at me dead in the eyes. He is so close I can smell him and feel the heat radiating off of his warm body.

He braces his muscular arm against the counter next to my hip as he continues to lean down towards me.

I look up shocked, at his masculine face, and analyze his attractive features.

His washed-out, cheeks are sculpted perfectly, set by his cheekbones that stand out from his slightly hollowed cheeks. I unawarely notice the light white scar that slices across his black eyebrow, and nearly reaches his right eye.

"Back the fuck up-"

Before I can even respond Eros suddenly grabs the apple from my pale hand. His warm fingers brush against mine, sending small electric sparks down my body. The dark figure smoothly pushes off of the counter with no hesitation. Son of a bitch.

He fluently and steadily turns around and begins to walk towards the kitchen door, that leads to the old stairs.

Before he reaches them he slowly turns around and glances at me, who is still standing in the same position with an agitated look plaster across my face.

"vai a dormire, cazzo, bella" he coldly says.

He unexpectedly take a large bite into the half eaten apple. His strong jaw moves in a perfect circle, as he slowly chews with a stuck up look on his godly face. He slowly swallows the bite, and as if in a trace, I watch as his apparent addams apple bobs attractively.

With no other words he turns back around and carelessly walks down the creaky stairs.

I listen to the sound of his footsteps fading and the moment they are out of earshot, I release a shaky breath that I was unawarely holding.

Fuck you too. ********************** SORRY I HAVEN'T POSTED IN A WHILE:)

On thanksgiving break soooo hopefully more updates hehe!

What did you think about this chapter?<3

Word count: 2328🤪🤪