Page 44 of Mafia Rules

“Can we hug? Just a friends hug.” He holds his arms out.

There's a fleeting moment where he resembles the young boy I fell in love with when we first started dating. Outside our favorite cafe, we accidentally collided, causing us to spill our morning coffees. Then, I found out we worked for the same family but in different businesses. Him in marketing, and me as a bartender.

I shrug, giving in to his request. This moment seemed like the definitive end to our relationship. I lean into his arms, and we embrace. It feels empty, and all the feelings I had are gone. He’s just another boy that I’ll never see again.

When we let go, he waves goodbye and walks toward the door. That’s when I see Ash standing and watching us. His face is beet red, and the vein in his neck is pulsating as he approaches Dereck.

25

EVE

Ash tumbles forward, pushing Dereck against the wall. The veins in his neck and arms are visible as he holds him there. “Is this him, Eve? The fucker that put his hands on you?”

I can feel my heart pounding in my chest, the tension rising as I realize how furious Ash is. “No, I mean yes, but he was helping me get my stuff in.” I walk over to them and put my hands on Ash’s chest. “It’s okay. Nothing happened.”

“I just dropped the last of her stuff off, man.” Dereck winces in pain while Ash pushes him harder into the wall.

“Please.” I pull at Ash’s arms and see my touch visibly calm him before my eyes. “Let him go, please, you’re scaring me.”

Ash listens to me, taking his hands off Dereck, but he remains standing chest to chest with him against the wall. I pull on his arm to get him away, my hand shaking. I’d never seen him that angry before.

“Get the fuck out of here. If you come back, I’ll fuckin’ end you,” Ash yells after Dereck as he escapes out of the door.

“What was that?” Seeing his anger causes my voice to shake with unease.

“He laid hands on you, Eve. What the fuck are you doing with him?” Ash’s hands cradle my head, and I watch the anger in his eyes give way to tears. “No one can touch you, sweetheart.”

“I went to my old place to get the last of my stuff. I didn’t realize there was so much, so he offered me a ride.” I wrap my hands around his wrists, resting them there.

“I would have taken you.” He lifts my face up to him and kisses my lips gently.

I brush his hands away, remembering the anger that I still have for him. “I needed my space from you.”

“I don’t want space.” He hugs me tight, wrapping his arms around my waist. “We need to talk about today, Eve.”

“I’m not ready,” I say, rejecting him again.

His eyes narrow, and he tilts his head to the side with a sigh. He’s slouching, arms hanging limply at his sides. He looks disheveled in his dress clothes from this morning, which are now wrinkled and messy.

I focus my attention on the boxes, stacking them in manageable rows so I can push them toward the elevator.

“Let me do that.” Ash picks up a few boxes. “You get the elevator.”

“I don’t need you.” I stand motionless, arms crossed, to convey my message effectively.

“I know you don’t, but please let me help you.” He puts the boxes down and leans in close to me, his hand resting on my back. “I love you, Eve. I’m sorry I failed you today. It won’t happen again.”

The heat of his breath makes my cheeks blush. I feel dizzy when he’s close. I wanted him to hold me and never let me go. But I can’t forget how he made me feel today. I wouldn’t be dismissed again.

“I’ll get the elevator.” Reluctantly, I take a step forward, feeling sad as the distance between us grows.

I hold the door open inside the elevator while Ash stacks all the boxes neatly. There's barely enough space for both of us in here. He is standing in front of me, expression intense as the door shuts behind him. His eyes lock with mine, tears welling in both of our eyes.

The elevator ding interrupts us, and we reverse the process from downstairs. When the elevator is empty, I walk to the apartment to unlock the door.

I'm not allowed to help lift anything; Ash takes care of bringing them inside and discreetly stacking them in the corner.

“You know, I have space in my condo for all your stuff.” Ash casually sits on the couch with a sly grin, exuding confidence. He leans back on the couch, his arms hanging over the backrest and his ankle resting on his knee.

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