Chapter 4 Four

Chapter 4

Astra's POV

I did not understand how sleep deprived I was until my head crashed on that pillow.

It was soft and fluffy, the kind of comfort I could get used to coming back to after a long day out.

My body for some reason felt utterly pleased and satisfied and I could have sworn that for a moment, I forgot just how pathetic my life was.

I wanted to sleep in, perhaps never wake up again and come back to this nagging world where everything seemed to be a failure.

But that was not possible. I could not have that.

My phone buzzed again, this time, it was incessant, over and over until I picked it up, still high from the intoxication of sleep.

It was the same message being spammed to my email, over and over and over again.

" Cole is dead" the message said simply.

My heart stopped.

I scrolled down slowly, until I found the image attached to it. I could not bring myself to open it. I won't open it.

But the more my heartbeat grew louder, the more curious I was until finally, I opened the file.

It was cole, battered up with a few limbs missing and his body in the most unsightly manner ever.

I knew I was screaming, but I was not hearing myself. The phone had long slipped out of my hands and I was clutching my head, trying to get that image out of my brain until I felt the arms again, strong and comforting.

I could hear Vincent saying something, over and over but I could not make out what it was. His voice sounded rather far, like he was on the other end of the planet and not bedside me with me in his arms.

" Im right here mi cara. I am right here. Please calm down" he was saying.

My heart beat slowly returned to normal, the habitual tears now taking their spotlight in my eyes as I gently lifted my phone to show him the picture.

" Tha....that is cole. Someone killed Cole Vincent. I don't...oh God..." I stopped, the tears and guilt choking me.

I felt like a fool. This man has done nothing but cheat on me and make me feel less of myself whenever he had the chance. So why was I so pained about his death?

Why did that hole that gaped in my chest grow wider the minute I saw that picture.

Vincent did not say anything, he just gave me a small pat on the back.

" You have been through so much these past days mi cara. You don't deserve any of this." He muttered slowly.

For the first time since I had known him, I was not eager to push him away to save myself from the feelings I knew would bloom.

Instead, I held him tighter and allowed him to comfort me, my eyes still wide with hurt.

" Let's go out. You should not stay cooped up in this room all day. It wnt do you any good. Get dressed baby girl. Let's get you loosened up a bit" he said suddenly, shocking me.

I was never one to go out..I hated mingling with people and it was never really my scene. But for the first time, I agreed with him. I did need to go out.

I deserved this.

When I got downstairs, he was already waiting, legs bubbling up and down as his eyes held mine.

I did not feel pretty. But maybe I was. Because his eyes seemed to light up the moment they laid on me, his demeanor growing tense.

" Why.... you look beautiful mi amor" he said, his voice a husky mess.

The shy blush I had been trying so desperately to hide as I descended those stairs with his eyes on me finally made their grand entry, my cheeks lighting up as I stared down at my shoe.

" So where do you want to go?" He asked when we finally got into the car.

Nowhere. I answered in my head.

I had nowhere in mind.

He seemed to read my mind because he tsked, eyes picking up that foreign look as nodded.

" I think I have the perfect place in mind" he finished, igniting the engine, bringing the car to life with it's soft purr.

The perfect place was indeed perfect. From the ambience to the food and the drinks.

It was nothing over the top, just an open bar with the dark sky above our heads and a live band performing slow jazz.

" When you said it was a perfect place I had my doubts. Forgive me oh noble one, this is indeed perfect" i said, giving him a small bow, watching him burst into rich velvety laughter as he led me to a table.

" You never quite struck me as a comedian"

" Well I try sometimes to make people laugh once in a while. And you have a nice laughter so I guess I will have to be doing this comedy thing a while lot longer than I expected"

Six drinks in was all it took for the vibes to flow. I found out he was now the CEO of the Ross company, one of the biggest companies in the world, very famous especially in New York and yet, he was still planning on branching out.

Unlike him, I was just a boring student with little to nothing in my name. I had my father's name which was always a plus, but it could only get me so far..

And then his phone rang.

" I have to go take this, I will be right back mi amor" he said, gently getting up and leaving.

It took me a few seconds to realize that if he did not have his martini in a bit, it would get tainted with the melting ice in it, so I got up, following him with the drinks.

" What do you mean you don't know? She got a fucking anonymous tip about her dead boyfriend. So you mean you have no idea who sent her that? You were asked to kill him, not break her fuvking heart you imbecile"

The martini in my hands slipped, my eyes wide as I listened.

He turned around quickly, his own look of shock mirroring mine as he ended the call quickly.

" Mi cara please...it's really not what you think.

I...it was my business associate and..." He stopped. He knew I was not buying it.

" You killed Cole" I said, the words disgusting me more when they left my mouth.

" Let me explain to you" he said, soft, hands reaching for me but I pulled away quickly.

" I'm going home and I'm taking the car. I presume you can find your way back" I said, snatching the keys from his hands, eyes stinging as I rushed towards the garage.

How could he be so cruel?

I had just opened the car door when his hands stopped me, eyes begging.

" MI amor...please...listen to me.".