Addicted | 18+

Chapter 23

Aaron's POV

I sipped on my drink and looked over at Nate, who was  happily getting drunk and dancing with his invisible partner. I arch my brow at the CEO of Armani.

If Georgio Armani and his father weren't childhood best friends, then he wouldn't be the CEO of the company. Since Georgio doesn't have any children, he had handed over his company to Nate, and surprisingly, he's managing it well. The reason for his happiness is Alyssa, her soon to be wife. They are getting married tomorrow, and we are celebrating his Bachelorette party in this expensive VIP lounge of one of the most expensive club of the state, drinking alcohol.

He is so outgoing, yet his only friend is me, that's partying with him. I seriously don't understand how.

"Why did you pre pone the wedding? It was due in February. It's been just five months since you both started dating."
I asked Nate.

"My dear friend, love doesn't have any boundaries or restrictions or rules. I just want to be with her. I want to spend every single minute of mine with Alyssa. I can't let another man have her. She's so beautiful and kind. And we both love each other a lot. Do we need another reason to be apart and not get married?"
Nate spoke as he sat beside and swung his arm around my shoulder.

"No one will say you both were arranged to be married together. People will think of it as a love marriage."
I shook my head, looking at my best friend smiling widely.

"It was love at first site, Aaron, not a marriage of convince. When I saw her, everything blurred except her. I lost myself in her eyes and magical scent. Her presence captivated me. Every time we look at each other, our heartbeat syncs. I knew from the moment we met that we were made for each other."
His words made me think about Isabella. That's what I think when I'm with her. But I shake my head.

"Made for each other? Like soul mates? There's no such thing like that."

"There is. Just like you and Isabella."

"I... don't know. We aren't made for each other. I..."

I visited her at work almost every day just to get a glimpse of her mesmerizing self. I have my bodyguard follow her everywhere every day. I saved her from her ex-boyfriend. I took care of her when she was sick. I cut off the hand of the waiter that grouped her. I am paying for her therapy so she can live her life comfortably. I took her to the trip on her dream place for her birthday. I killed her father because he was the reason for her misery.

I sighed, placing the glass on the table.

"...I just can't stay away from her. She's like a drug to me."
I thought for a minute before finishing up my sentence.

"Aaron, the first time I've seen you smile after your parents' death is when you are with Isabella, and you are saying you are just addicted to her like a drug?"
Nate said in a little irritated tone.

"You just need to open up to her. You are finally seeing yourself as a human and not a workaholic machine anymore. Introduce her to mom and dad tomorrow. She'll be happy to meet them."
I raised my brow on hearing his words as he got up and stumbled his way towards the door.

I walked over to him and held him, placing one of his arms around my shoulder.

"You are too drunk. Talking nothing but nonsense."
I shake my head, whispering the words to myself.

I held him, walked out of the club, and placed him in his car as the driver drove him to his home.

I took my phone out of my pocket and dialed a number. The ring went twice until the person picked it up.

"It's me."
I said.

"Yes, boss."

"Did you find out about it yet?"

"Boss, we are still looking for the person who ordered the gang for shoot-out."

"Hm. Make it quick."

"Yess boss."

I hung up the call and sat in my car and drove to my apartment. I entered in and saw Isabella talking to Grace and Luna on a video call while sitting on the couch. She looked up from her phone and smiled brightly at me.

"Girls, I'll talk to you tomorrow. Aaron's home. Bye."
She said and hung up the call.

I walked towards her and sat on the couch beside her.

"How was the party?"
She asked.

"Good."

"What happened? Is everything alright?"
She asked worriedly while looking at me and placing her hand on mine.

"Tomorrow is Nate's wedding..and I would like you to meet Nate's parents tomorrow. They've been asking to meet you."

"Nate's parents want to meet me?"
She asked, confused.

I sighed deeply before speaking.

"Nate's parents were the ones to raise me after my parent's death. His father is a very generous man. My father and Nate's father met each other in their college days. They both were rommates in the college dorm, and eventually, their friendship grew into a deeper bond. After my grandfather's death, my father moved from London to DC. He set up his business of real estate here on his own and fell in love with my mother and married her. My mother was a florist. Soon after their wedding, I was born, and my little sister, Sofia. We were a happy family. We used to have meet-ups with Nate's family on weekends, and we all used to spend Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays at our vacation home. It was a week after my tenth birthday. We all were at our home, spending our evening like usual, drinking hot cocoa in front of the fireplace, waiting for Nate's family for dinner. Mom and dad were chatting and laughing while Sofia and I were playing hide and seek. I went to hide in the cupboard in my room and I waited for Sofia but she didn't come for a while. I got out of the cupboard and was going to check on Sofia when mom bargged in with Sofia in her arms, and blood was rushing out from her abdomen. I was... horrified looking at her like this. She just gave me Sofia and told me to lock myself inside the room and not come out. It was a shoot-out. But I didn't know what to do. I was...I was scared myself, but still I held onto Sofia as my mother looked at us with sad eyes and closed the door when I heard multiple footsteps coming towards us. I pulled Sofia with me, but she let go of my hand running behind mom. Before I could catch her, the killers shot her, and I was left stupefied behind the door as I saw my five year old sister being shot by them through the keyhole. They made their way towards me, and I backed off, hiding myself in the cupboard and shut my mouth, hiding their in silence. I was afraid they might find me and kill me just like they did to my family. It was all planned. They planned it and even had silencers on the gun so they could kill us without getting anyone's attention. I... was such a coward hiding in there...I couldn't even protect my family... my little sister."

A tear rolled down my cheek as my voice cracked, and I curled my fingers together in a tight fist.

"It wasn't your fault. You were a child back then. Don't blame yourself for all this.. you couldn't have done anything, but to protect yourself."
Isabella said while caressing my arm in a comforting way as tears filled her pupils.

"After the shoot-out, they set the house on fire. I got out of the cupboard and saw my father laying on the floor with multiple bullets in his chest. He wasn't breathing, I shook him multiple times, but he won't wake up, and so did my sister and mother. If Nate's father hadn't come inside to rescue me, then I would've died there. I owe him my life. He saved me and raised me as his own son. He quit his job and worked in my father's company. He grew it and handled it until I graduated and was capable enough to handle the business. He never differentiated between me and Nate. And Nate took care of me as an elder brother. Everyone I loved died on that day."
I looked down at my feet as my chest stinged in pain.

"You have me. I'll never leave you. And no one will take you away from me."
She said, holding my face in her hands and wiping away my tears.

"I love you, and I promise to protect you at all cost. I won't let anyone hurt you."
I held her hands in mine and looked at her, promising myself. She looked deeply into my eyes with tears.

"Aaron.. I love you so much."
Her lips curled up, and she hugged me tightly. I held her close to me and buried my face in her neck, inhaling her addictive scent calming my mind.