*silent prayer*

72

Surprise was the only emotion that flowed through my body for 3.5 seconds.

I froze, who else wouldn't and tried to process everything.

Vittore was kissing me.

Well butter me up and call me a biscuit.

I kissed him back.

My eyes fluttered shut as I shuffled on my knees to get closer. My hand went to the nape of his neck and into the little strands of hair a the base as I pulled him closer, being mindful of his injury.

His soft lips moved against mine and my body was buzzing. It was heating up and tingling everywhere we touched and I loved it but I pulled away after a while, my breathing hard.

"Your injury first," I whispered in a husky tone. My eyes met Vittore's and they were fixed on my lips. He pecked them and shifted to let me take care of his wound.

When he removed his hand, I shook my head and focused, my stomach still full of butterflies and my breathing erratic. The bullet was still inside and the first aid kit had no tweezers whatsoever.

"I'm going to have to pull the bullet out with my hands," I warned Vittore as I poured some alcohol on my fingers. I wouldn't want him to get an infection now would I.

I placed one hand on his shoulder and dug two fingers into his bullet wound. He winced, an action that went straight to my heart but I had to pull the bullet out. I rummaged around, my two fingers trying to find the foreign objet and Vittore's hand landed on my waist, squeezing tightly. After a second, I managed to get it under my thumb nail and pulling it out was easier.

As soon as it feel to the plain floor, blood begun to rush out of the wound and down Vittore's arm. With a curse, I brought forward the needle and thread. Using a lighter, I heated the end of the needle and begun to sew him up. Both of us were covered in his blood and his rugged breathing was my only solace that he was alive.

After a while, I cleaned the site with cotton and more alcohol before sealing it with a bandage.

"There," I said softly. "Now we just-"

I didn't get to finish my sentence because Vittore pulled me up from the ground and settled me in his lap so I straddled his waist. He wrapped both hand around me, one settled in the small of my back, pulling me forward and the other in the mess of curls on my head.

Vittore's lips brushed against mine as my heart hammered in my chest, my hands fisting in his shirt in anticipation.

"Can I kiss you?" he asked in a low husky tone.

"You didn't ask the first time," I replied with a smirk and leaned forward, pressing my lips on his instead.

His hands tightened around me, to a point where it was painful but it just made everything I was feeling the whole more better. My brain was clouded, all my mind knew was the lips on mine, the hands around me, he warmth and the flutter in my belly.

Vittore pulled back, the hand in my hair yanking it back so my neck was exposed. His lips landed on the soft area and I let out a breath, my whole body shuddering. Vittore sucked and nibbled on my neck and he reached a certain spot that made my whole body tense and my toes curl as a sound I had never made flew past my lips.

Damn it.

Vittore kissed a trail up to my ear and slightly nibbled on it.

"Found your sot spot," he whispered in. deep tone and I shook my head, my chest heaving up and down.

"I have no soft spots."

God knew why in the hell I was being defiant but Vittore seemed to like it. He turned us around so I lay down on the bed with him on top of me, between my legs.

"Your wound-"

"Say one more word to stop me tesoro and you'll regret it," Vittore interrupted my sentence and I opened my mouth to do just that but his lips landed on mine, cutting me off.

Fine. Next time.

Vittore's tongue entered my mouth and I let him do all he exploring he wanted as I tightened the hold on his waist with my thighs. I shifted to get more comfortable and my leg brushed against something hard and Vittore groaned in my mouth.

"If you know what's good for you tesroro you won't try to move again," he rasped and dropped his head into my neck, his breathing heavy. He dropped some of his weight on me and when something that definitely shouldn't have brushed agains my core did, I gasped.

"Vittore?"

He groaned above me and moved his hips. My hans clawed at his back as I arched off he bed, my body buzzing with anticipation.

Sweet mother Mary.

My body was so hot, the urge to feel every rough fibre off my skin unbearable. I just wanted skin on skin at this point but with knowing where that would go, my mind froze.

I didn't want to ruin the moment, really I didn't but with how my mind was working right now, I couldn't help bu wish we could first pause for a while.

I'd just seen Jordan and my whole experience in the safe house was coming back.

I didn't know if Vittore noticed my hesitation but he stopped and boy was I glad but I still felt bad. The Italian rolled off me and at on his side, pulling me against him.

"I'm sorry," I said in a soft tone and he kissed the side of my cheek.

"There's nothing to be sorry about," he said softly but I didn't feel the same. I ruined a good moment, one I wished we had a long time ago.

"Yes there is. I just... I-"

"Tesoro it's fine," Vittore said and turned so we lay on our sides facing each other.

I stared in his eyes as they run across my features.

"The reason I pulled away its..."

"You don't have to tell me."

"I want to," I said softly. "In the words of someone I admire... 'Don't keep what happened to you to yourself.' and I guess it's time to fess up. Plus it's now or never because I'm never doing this again."

I took a deep breath and sighed. "Ok so the safe house was underground, on top of well... a safe house. There were rooms down there, tunnels, kind of like an abandoned sewer, it reeked of one too. When I first got there, I was with a bunch of other girls and God did I cry that first night. It was pathetic really-"

"Not pathetic," Vittore butted in and I nudged him.

"My story not yours. Anyway... that morning, we were given food. A lot of fat junky food and we all had to eat it until we were stuffed. We had five meals a day and in about what I guess was four or five moths, the lot fo us were overweight, your girl included," I sighed and looked down at the blanket, running my finger over the fabric in slow circles.

"I wasn't that ashamed of my body, we were all hosed down as a form of bathing all looked the same. I was confused at first, wondering why they were just fattening us up then I understood. They fattened us so when we did get back in shape, we'd be curvy and perfect and boy did I cut the calories.

They starved us for the most pat, giving us these energy bars things and we exercised, we worked out, we got into shape the hard way. When you passed the physical, they went on to the tests. To help you survive. They locked us i walk in freezers to get us used to the cold. Electrocuted us to get us used to the pain, put us in dangerous, life threatening situations see if we'd make it. Most of us didn't which was sad really.

Then came the killing. It was bad at first but I got used to i or just numbed the pain out... I don't know. Then they made us practice our skills on real people. They'd bring... men down to the safe house and.... well they weren't allowed to you know... but that didn't stop them from touching and you couldn't ask for help. You were locked in a room, just you and them for the fittest to survive.

I killed my fellow sisters, I killed the men I killed and I tortured and I... I don't know. It doesn't.... bother me like my mind just went numb to it all until of course... I met you." I looked up at Vittore and happily, there was no pity in his eyes. Just understanding and a deep rooted anger that I appreciated. "I've been through a lot and I know you have too..."

I touched his arm, running my fingers along his tattoos. The tattoos that hid scars underneath them. "I would like to try whatever it is we are having because fuck I'm so bloody tired of being scared and shutting everyone out. Faye..." I gulped and let out a shaky breath. "Faye helped me a lot and I feel like after everything her and I talked about one day... it would be unfair to me mostly if I didn't at least try if you know what I mean."

Vittore sighed and brought me closer to him until I was caged in his arms.

"You can share your sob story too so you know, I don't feel a little weird here," I mumbled in a light tone that got Vittore to snicker in the lightest.

"There isn't much for me to share tesoro. You know Matteo and I'm sure you can guess what my childhood was like but if you ever want a story from any of the scars or tattoos you see, I'll gladly give it to you," he said and i pulled back with an incredulous look on my face.

"Really?" I asked with a raised brow and he nodded. "Fine, what is the most embarrassing story you got. Come on. Hit me."

I couldn't hold in my smirk. There was no way he would ever tell me-

"I was 15, the day I lost my virginity and the girl... God only knows what the fuck her name was, faked her orgasm."

My mouth dropped and a loud laugh spilled from my lips. I rolled over, away from Vittore to let it all out.

"Are you serious? That's your most embarrassing moment?" I asked because I couldn't believe out of all the things that could happen to a human being, that was what bothered him.

"I'll have you know I have a large ego and at that time, it was broken beyond compare."

"That's not how embarrassing moments work," I commented and Vittore rolled his eyes, pulling me back to him.

"Oh really? Then tell me yours."

"Ok um..." I looked to the ceiling, trying to remember that one day. "It was fifth grade, I put my hand up to tell the teacher an answer but when she pointed to me, I forgot what I wanted to say and I went quiet. I remember the teacher saying 'Ok someone else...' and yet I had the answer so my ass shouted. 'No mummy wait!'," I put a hand over my eyes and shook my head just thinking about it. "The class laughed and I had never wanted to die so much before."

I felt Vittore shake against me and when I removed my hand, he was hiding a smirk.

"Are you laughing?!" I accused sitting up.

"No no tesoro I swear I-" a snicker rolled out fo his mouth and I huffed.

"Unbelievable," I gasped and stood up as he tried to reach for me but failed. When I turned to him with a glare, that's when he broke apart.

His laugh was loud and booming like thunder but seeing the creases in his eye as he laughed made me happy. This was the firs time I'd generally seen him so joyous and I loved it. Even if he was laughing at me. I rolled my eyes and kept my soft smile to myself.

"You know what I'm going to take a quick shower since we both have blood on us."

I walked to the bathroom and Vittore's laughs died down a tad.

"No wait tesoro-"

"Too late!" I shouted and shut the door. As I stripped down, I heard a knock on the door.

"You know, we should save water and just shower together..." Vittore suggested.

"Screw you!" I replied and stood under the shower's spray.

"The environment tesoro... care about the environment," the Italian bribed and I shook my head with a smile.

"Next time Mr. big bad and scary!" I shouted and heard him sigh and walk away.

"Next time," I repeated more to myself in a softer tone.