Love within Ashes

Chapter 6: The Girl Who Lived in a Windmill.

"Hey! Stop it! You are hurting me-Ah! Stop! Please!" I screeched to a senseless Billy Darley who dragged me to a gloomy alley, going directly to his parked car .

I tried to punch his strong muscular arm, but even if I tried, my strength couldn’t defend my sore arm that was grasped tightly by his hand.

"Look, It‘s not like you‘re fuckin‘ bleeding to death. So stop with your whining and get in the car," he roared.

I stood my ground and stared at him apprehensively, I opened my mouth in sign of indignation. He sighed irritated, and walked toward me. He was really close, we were eye to eye and heart to heart , even though I was like four to five inches shorter than him. He got his cigarette out of his mouth and exhaled a cloud of smoke to the left side of me, then tilted his head and looked at me with an intense gaze. As soon as he seized me with his rimed blue warm eyes, I was left breathless. I lowly gasped and my heart started to race. I'm sure he saw my vulnerability because he smirked.

Then he scowled and firmly stated, “This is gonna be the last time I fuckin’ tell you to get in the car. Next time you see me around with that car, know that you have to get in the fucking car," while he spoke he pointed proudly with his chin his black bizarre car.

I actually didn’t know what he meant. Would I always have a ride with him? But I thought I was like his enemy, I owe-well my uncle owes this guy money, why would he wanted to give me a free ride for life? Ah, but tonight I will pay him, so tonight I was going to be free from any debts. Would he wanted a relationship with me? Nah, I wasn’t that interesting, and he’s a wild soul that can’t be tamed. I don’t know why but behind his words and behavior, I could see an sincere and warmhearted man. But the fact that I was physically attracted to him made me want a ride with him any time to any where.

“Anytime?” I asked while he had his hands on the steering wheel, and as soon as I asked, awkwardness infected the car.

“Anytime what?” he double asked still looking at the road.

“Now I can ride with you anytime, anywhere?”, I repeated my question with more emphasis.

I was hoping he said yes, and maybe asked me out on a date, but I doubted that, he seem the type of guy that women usually bought the drinks for him. But I liked him. In that moment I realized that I liked that bald, striking, powerful man, that rude gang lord.

He swiftly looked at me and ignored my question. I knew he was in control and that he wouldn‘t answer, so I decided to look outside the window while he was driving. Then I started to think about the way he reacted on the bar. He asked me that if I was there, at the bar, to pay him or to be all over a guy. I didn’t pay too much attention to it until now. What did he mean by that? A soft smile appeared in my face at the idea of a jealous Billy. Maybe he was jealous, I mean, I didn’t saw him near my table at the Four Roses, so how did he knew I was with some guy? Well the guy was hitting on me and I rejected him, but... Billy didn’t know that.

“Can you turn the radio, please?” I asked politely with a flirty tone.

“No," he responded not even bothering to look at me.

“Well, then, can I sing?”

“The fuck? No," he frowned.

I smiled. I wanted to bug him, annoy him, exasperate him.

“Why? I sing pretty. Not like Christina Aguilera, but I can try. My singing voice is like a mix between Jerry Springer’s voice and Justin Bieber’s puberty tone of voice. Yup, I’m falsetto," I joked and gave him a demonstration by trying to sing in a high pitch, which was really funny. I knew he was going to smile. C’mon, the guy must have a funny bone in his body, well-built powerful body.

He’s going..... He’s going.... He’s going.... and.... He’s gone.

He smiled softly but never moved his eyes off the road. He was driving unhurriedly, so I had more time to talk to him, believe it or not I was eager and thrilled to spent more time with a dangerous gangster. Poor of Grandma if she knew.

“Was that a smile?!” I mocked.

“Yeah, and?” he admitted unsympathetically.

“Nothing. Did you knew that smiling makes your stress go away? You should smile more often. Anyways, I’m glad I made you smile," I said to him while I grinned.

“You’re pathetic.”

“Maybe," I said in a positive tone, “Yeah, I’m pathetic and hot.”

He snorted.

“What? It’s the compliments that I received tonight. Pathetic is yours and hot is John’s," I made that name up 'cause it was the only one that came to my mind. I wanted to see his reaction so that’s why I wiggled things up.

“Who the hell is John?” he asked indifferently and fixed his eyes to his rearview mirror.

“Oh, is one guy I met in the bar. He looked nice.”

“Yeah, that fuckin’ faggot would say anything to get through your legs and fuck you," he responded with an altered tone as I looked, through the mirror at my side, at his reaction, his nostrils flared and he grasped the wheel tighter.

“I agree. That’s why I rejected him”.

“Get out," he more requested than commanded, while he opened his door and got out of his car.

I looked to see where were we, and I saw that we were at my apartment so I got out and trod myself to the door. “Business are first for this man," I thought, “He won’t even flirt with me, he just wants his freaking money.”

“Ok, I’ll get the money. I’ll be right back,” I informed him while he smoked his cigarette.

I opened my front door and walked in through the door hallway as he followed me and I wasn’t aware of it. And when I was going to close the door, I jumped of terror when I saw that six feet tall man standing inside my house, observing the inside of the apartment.

“I thought you were going to wait for the money outside," I told him.

“It was cold," he said casually as he took off his leather trench coat, “Neat place.”
He remarked as he examined the decoration of the hallway.

“Nuh-uh, sorry, you can’t smoke in my house," I informed him taking his cigarette off his mouth and throwing it out the open front door.

“Emma, my money," he commanded warmly while he looked at me with penetrating eyes.

I was delighted to hear my name for the first time in my life. He was right I am pathetic. He was the only human who made my name sound like it was something exquisite. Oh, that deep manly voice made me melt. “He could read me the phone book and make it sound interesting," I mumbled.

I nodded at his order and went upstairs to arrange the cash I had in my room. Most of the clients who bought my paintings yesterday paid me in cash and I recollected approximately $767 with all my paintings. I grabbed $447, and organized it to make it look orderly. In my room I took my jacket off and closed the door on my way out. When all the sudden, I see Billy all comfy in my couch relaxing there. He had his arms behind his neck and his feet on the coffee table. I was a bit surprised by the fact that he came from downstairs, that man was slowly assaulting my personal space, and strangely, I felt comfortable with it.

“Here you go, $447 exact. Count it, if you want to make sure. I gave you $898 already and the debt was $1,345, so $447 is what’s left," I notified him whilst I laid the money on the coffee table that was in front of him.

He leaned forward and counted vaguely the money.

“Do you want something? Maybe coffee? Water?” I offered him at the same time I was walking to the kitchen.

“Got any beer?” he asked standing up and looking to some family portraits.

“Sorry, I don’t drink alcohol.”

“So this is your brother?” he asked me with a portrait of me and Paul, in Disney, on his hand. I walked to his side to see.

“Yeah, he’s my little brother," I calmly responded to a treacherous gang lord who was in my living room. Definitely, Billy had me hypnotized.

“What do you do?” he asked once again looking at a painting that I did half year ago.

(The painting was about a girl who lived in a windmill, and waited for her true love. She had blond hair, and black eyes, she had a miserable look on her face and looked down at her feet in disgrace.)

“I’m a painter.”

“You painted this?” he asked standing there, right in front of the paint, admiring it. I stood beside him and joined him.

“Yes. The windmill represent time going by, her black eyes represent disappointment at her true love for leaving her, her ashamed face shows that she did something disgraceful to her family, that’s why she’s separated from the world, alone," I explained.

He gazed at me while I turned my face to meet his eyes. Suddenly this man changed. From a dangerous barking gangster to a serene delightful man. Our eyes converged and we stood there gazing at each other with passionate eyes. It was a breathless moment. My heart stopped. The world felt in slow motion. I felt something overwhelming taking control over my soul. I wanted to kiss him again, to feel his touch, his breathing, I wanted to caress his lips, his chest, his heart. Those bright rimed eyes made feel vivacious, made me feel secure, made me feel wanted. I broke the intense gazing when I thought that my heart was gonna explode killing me and leaving me moribund at his mercy.

“So... It‘s probably getting late, so... Goodnight!” I said interrupted our gazing.

He coldly but charmingly took the money of the coffee table and descended the stairs. My intention was to say goodbye and close the door so I followed him and waited him to put on his leather trench jacket.

“Thank you for the ride," I said while he was walking to the door.

Suddenly, he did something totally astonishing. He hastily turned back, and walked to where I was standing. He gently grabbed my cheeks while his soft, irresistible, and overpowering lips met mine. I wide opened my eyes as my heart speed raced. It was so rapid. He then softly smiled breaking the kiss and leaving me with trembling knees. He turned away and paced to the door saying, “Goodnight.” I closed the door and ran to the hallway window. I saw how he smoothly walked smiling to his car, he got into it and pressed gas, which made the engine roar loudly, making some dogs bark. I sighed happily and touched my lips remembering the kiss. I knew that I liked him, but now I confirmed that he liked me too! Or maybe he was playing with me? Maybe he kissed me to play with my feelings. Maybe. Maybe. All I know right now is that I feel affection for him, and I wanted to know him more. I wanted to know all his mysteries, all about his life and all his secrets. I wanted to know the real Billy Darley.