"Lo ejecutaste bellamente, Princesa."

(You executed that beautifully, princess)

My hands burn, I've been scrubbing them for thirty minutes. I can't tell if my hands are red from the irritation or my mother's blood.

I've dreamed of saying that for so long

"Then why don't I feel any better?" My tone still, unwavering.

The question didn't need an answer, I'm aware there isn't one.

Cole turns off the water, in a quick movement he sets me on the bathroom counter. He takes my hands into his. Eyes tracking at the red palms, his cold hands comforting the burning sensation in mine. His left hand goes to my thigh, ghosting over the stitching of a now old wound.

"Do you want to know my first kill?" He gets a small white box from the cabinet above him, "I was a ripe 7, in fact, it was my birthday," Cole pulls some sort of cream, applying it to my palms.

"I had been training for 4 years by then. My mother gifted me my first gun. She said it was for hunting," Cole looks me in my eye, "She lied, I later found out it was to try to keep my innocence as long as she could. When I arrived downstairs to what I thought was to eat cake. A man, tied up, sat in a chair instead."

Cole stands straight, we were now at eye level to each other.

"My father and his men stood behind the chained male. My mother left the room. 'kill him son' were the only words that came out of his mouth. Do you want to know what I did next?" Cole's eyes never leave mine, "I shot him. In the head, just one bullet used. I love my father and believe in all of the lessons he taught me. I did and would do anything he asked of me. It comes with the lifestyle, Amor,"

(Love)

"I will always remember the eyes of that man, he died quick," Cole moves closer to me, his body stands between my legs, "But his eyes stayed alive for just a few seconds more." His hands reach my cheek, caressing it.

"This is a lesson, Gatita, we do what has to be done. Don't let your emotions get in the way. You will kill and then you will move on. No one's life matters in the grand scheme of things,"

(Kitten)

"Do you really believe that?" I ask, taking his hand from my face into my hands, "I believe somethings matter," I hop out off of the counter, pulling the bathroom door open.

***

I've been staring at these clothes for a while, I love the smell of them. This closet is bigger than my old room.

Knock

Knock

The door of the closet slides open, the sound of his leather shoes can be heard smacking against the wood floors.

"Yes?" I ask, hand still grazing the material of the clothes.

"Do you like them?" His voice is soft. I haven't spoken to him since the bathroom conversation two hours ago. Not during the car ride, not during dinner. Nothing.

"I love them," I turn towards him, "Did you pick it?"

He laughs nervously, it's kind of cute.

The handsome devil is nervous

"No, no, I'm afraid I'm not too good at that sort of thing," He wipes his hands on his pants, which I can only assume was because of his sweat.

"That's not the real question, is it?"

I've only been around him for two days, yet I know too well.

"We have a party, tonight,"

"Let me guess," I turn back to the clothes, "Someone's birthday?" I chuckle.

"It's a gathering of all the major mafias. There will be a private meeting during it to talk about trading agreements. The problem is I have been made aware of the Irish trying to infiltrate the new drug we harvest in our warehouse. At the party, I will kill their leader," He walks up and hands me a dress.

"There's this unspoken rule for at parties like these. You must look your best, no matter what you plan on doing," He lays the pretty pink dress on the ottoman of the closet, "I had this made for you,"

"I haven't even started training yet. You said it yourself, it's dangerous until I learn to protect myself,"

"The best way to learn is through experience," Cole quickly kisses my forehead before trotting back to the door.

The footsteps stop at the door, he turns his head over his shoulder.

"Did you mean what you said?" He starts, "Back there, in the bathroom?"

"What?" I face him, "That someone matters?"

He nods.

"Do you actually care?" My voice betrays me by emitting my tone as a pleading one.

He stares at me, eyes brewing a familiar storm. The intensity makes my skin crawl. The way he looks in that blue suit, it hugs his arms and chest. It makes me want to run up and jump on him. It's dangerous for me to feel this way, but I love it.

Cole lifts his hands just to put it back down, I can see it in his eyes that he's fighting to say something.

He opens the door and walks out. I look back at the dress on the ottoman.

"He has taste."

***

I look, pretty.

I don't remember the last time I thought that. Pink used to be my favorite color. Daddy use to say:

'The perfect color for a princess'

But it seems to me that a 'princess' sees more red than pink. I grab my matching clutch, pretty in pink as well.

One foot in front of the other, I make sure I don't trip. The stairs slick in a marble finish, make me a little nervous combined with the sole of my heels. My heels click when I reach the bottom of the stairs. The ring can be heard around the large penthouse.

Cole stands in the kitchen, talking with my brother.

"Ready when you are." I quip, making them aware of my presence.

Elijah's head snaps over first, a bright smile spreads like wildfire across his face.

"You still like the color pink?" He asks, "It looks like that one princess dress you used to wear. Your favorite one, remember that?"

A ghostly smile falls on my lips as I remember that dress. It truly was my favorite.

"What happened to it?" Elijah asks as he embraces me.

The smile disappears at his question.

That dress was burned, in our front yard. Seven days after the crash. It was my mother's first trip on crack. I think the ashes of the dress are still there.I clear my throat.

"We threw it away when we cleaned up that house," I lie straight through my teeth, I'm sure he can tell. However, he doesn't say anything.

"Well, the party starts in 30 minutes and the place is an hour away," Elijah rambles on while walking out of the door.

"We'll be fashionably late, nothing wrong with that," Coles's talking to Eli, but eyes glued to me.

"This dress was a good pick," I do a small twirl for him, "Looks like you are good at this kind of thing,"

"I had it specially made for you, Princesa,"

(Princess)

I laugh, "When?"

"When I first set my eyes on you," His voice is barely above a whisper.

"In the club?"

He nods.

"I've never cared, so much," He explains slowly, "About someone, before,"

I'm quiet.

"To answer your question," His hand trails my bare arm, "I don't think every life is worthless,"

The edge of my lips lift up,