24 - Vergina sun

"All the beauty of the stars means nothing when life here on earth is so ugly."

― Sabaa Tahir, An Ember in the Ashes

. . .

OLIVIA WOODS

I looked down at Ashton's shoulder, it was covered in a bandage.

He had saved me. He had minor burns, too. He had somehow managed to come inside my apartment and take us both out through the window.

A four-floor drop.

He must have cushioned me with his body and ended up with getting his shoulder hurt.

"It was a dislocated shoulder and about three shards of glass embedded in it. He has a minor knee sprain. The damage is remarkably less for a four Floor drop," Mr. Brown was saying from where he was leaning against the door frame.

I could move my eyes away from the bandage.

"Don't cry." Ashton wiped my tears away. He looked at Mr. Brown. "Leave us, Michael."

Mr. Brown left and Ashton, using one arm somehow, picked me up and sat me on his lap.

"Don't cry." He kissed my tears away. "How could I not save my little one, hm? I was the one closest to your apartment."

I sniffled. "You got hurt." I had some scratches on me but that was it. His injury must hurt a lot.

"I've been hurt worse," he said. I looked up at him. His jaw was hardened as he looked away from me.

"You like me," I said, frowning. "That's why you did this."

He raised an eyebrow, that far away look from his eyes disappeared and jaw loosening. "I like you?" He gasped. "What gave that away? The knee or the shoulder?"

I chuckled. He kissed my forehead. "Yes, baby, I really fucking like you."

I brushed my hand on the edge of his bandage, he watched my hand. "Thank you," I whispered. "I-" tears filled my eyes again. "You are so good to me."

Ashton cupped my face, smiling softly. "Who else is worth being good for other than you, Olivia?"

. . .

"Why?"

They had just asked me to stay with them for a month.

They looked at each other.

"Because Olivia..." Zavier took his phone out of the pocket of his jacket and kept it down on the table. It was a picture of my rings kept on a familiar symbol. A Vergina sun, a sixteen-pointed star, also known as the star of Vergina. It first appeared in ancient Greek art. It represented all four elements of earth and twelve major olympian gods and goddesses.

I knew college had to help somewhere.

The symbol was currently used by and represented one of the deadliest mafiya in the world.

The Russian Mafiya.

I looked up at them. "The Russian mafiya?" They nodded.

"It's after our mafia," Xerxes said. "We've had trouble with them since, I suppose, our mafia was created."

"The American mafia was actually started by an Italian woman," Zavier said, I listened closely, putting my elbows on the counter. "Married to an American man, hence why the Italian terms are still used in our mafia."

"That woman was loved by another..." Ashton tilted his head. "A Russian, a Sokolov. The family which leads Bratva. War has been raging between the two families for years."

"Love starts the deadliest wars," Xerxes said, his eyes so intense I had to look away. "Now, they want to hurt us."

"Why you?" I asked. "Shouldn't they be after your capo?"

"Our capo is untouchable," Ashton said. "He has no weakness and we are his second in command." He gave me a bitter smile which told me he did not like being second in command. I could not imagine the Creeds taking orders from anyone. I did not want the Creed to take orders from anyone.

I must have hit my head.

"So, they are planning on hurting us," Zavier said, standing up to walk to the large fridge in their large modern kitchen. "By hurting you." He opened the fridge and took out a tub of ice cream and a few bars of chocolate. He out the stuff down counter. "Does this bribe you a little into staying?"

"Yes." I frowned. "I don't get it. I'm sure you have more important people in your life than me. I'm a nineteen-year-old college student...who doesn't even get her painting selected."

I felt emotionally drained after what had happened. I felt like I needed to sleep for a year or something. I knew I should have a worse reaction to the freaking Bratva waiting to hurt me.

"They are dangerous, Olivia," Xerxes said, taking my hand in his and kissing the tips of my fingers. "We will keep you safe, you know that, right?"

I nodded. I knew that. After what Ashton had done, their keeping me safe was something I was most sure of in the world. He could have died.

I swallowed harshly. "My everything was burnt in the fire," I whispered. "I will have to apply for a new card and get my college books again and I need to new everything." Was I going to have to beg my mom for money now? My eyes widened. "Georgia is going to kill me. I need a phone."

Ashton kept his phone in my hand after unlocking it with his thumb. I was taken back a little. If I ever gave my phone to someone I'd have to remove a lot of tabs before. I did not search dirty stuff but I searched a lot of weird stuff.

I typed Georgia's number and called her as Zavier removed the lid of the ice cream and handed me a spoon.

"Hello?" "Georgie."

"You fucking BITCH!" I switched, taking a small bite of the ice cream. Cookie dough. Not bad.

"G-"

"I THOUGHT YOU DIED!"

"I'm alright."

"I'm killing you the next time I see you." "Will you burn me?"

"Not fucking funny," she grumbled. "I'm sorry."

"You are okay, right?" "Yes, I am alright."

"Thank fuck." I heard her take a deep breath and then I heard someone say something but I could not understand what.

"I have to go deal with someone. Be careful." "Okay. I love you, Georgi."

"I love you, too, you little idiot."

. . .