Chapter 84: "Very Badly"
It wasn’t until late the following morning that Aren finally stirred from her sleep.
Heavy curtains kept the brilliant sunlight at bay, leaving the bedroom dim, pleasantly cool, and wrapped in a sleepy stillness.
The first thing she became aware of was the comforting weight of an arm draped around her waist and the steady warmth of a broad chest pressed against her back.
Next was a familiar breath ghosted across the nape of her neck, slow and even, while the tip of a nose brushed lightly against her skin.
A soft smile curved her lips before she even turned around.
’Ah... he kept his promise.’
Relief followed immediately.
’Thank God his men didn’t reach me in time last night.’
Carefully, she turned within his embrace until she was facing him, slipping an arm around his waist in return.
Almost at once, his hand rose to sweep a loose strand of hair away from her face before his lips settled into a gentle kiss against her forehead.
"Only waking up now, hm?" he murmured, voice still rough with sleep. "You slept for a long time."
Aren blinked up at him. "Did I?"
"You did." His thumb absently combed through her hair. "I woke up several times, and you were still completely out. I didn’t want to disturb you."
"Oh..." Her gaze drifted toward the drawn curtains. "Is it really that late?"
"Must be close to noon."
"Then why are you still here?" She turned back to him with curious eyes. "You’re usually gone for work long before this."
Caio looked down at her with mild reproach.
"Didn’t I promise I’d be here when you woke up?" he reminded her. "Besides," his expression softened, "I gave the men the day off. Mobilizing the entire force last night was a massive operation. They earned a break."
Leaning down, he pressed a kiss to her bruised cheek.
"And so did I."
Aren leaned into the kiss, her nose brushing lightly against his.
"What time did you get back?"
"Hm..." His fingers continued stroking her hair. "Late. I never checked the time. By the time I got back, you were already asleep."
"Oh..." She hesitated before asking quietly, "And... what happened to your cousin?"
"He’s in my prison now," Caio answered without hesitation. "Locked in a cell down on the detention level, having the absolute time of his life."
"And Daria?"
"There too. Probably telling my interrogators every detail about how she handled the poisonings during the year she spent here as Gael’s mole."
Aren frowned thoughtfully.
"How did she poison them, though?"
"It was a contact poison," Caio explained. "It absorbed slowly through the skin. Took several days of repeated exposure before it became lethal, but it left virtually no trace. Daria made casual visits to the laundry facility and coated the prisoners’ uniforms with it. Gael supplied the poison."
His gaze darkened almost imperceptibly.
"Apparently, a few people inside my laboratories were supplying him with it as well. That department is overdue for a thorough cleanup."
"I see..." Aren murmured.
After a brief silence, she asked the question that had lingered at the back of her mind all night.
"And... what about your aunt?"
Caio didn’t answer immediately.
’Should I tell her everything? About my father... about all of it?’
His gaze drifted toward the ceiling.
’No.’
’The moment she learns the full story, she’ll make it her personal mission to hunt Liviana down herself.’
After another quiet moment, he cleared his throat.
"Liviana already fled the city. Leo’s handling it. Don’t worry. They’ll find her soon enough."
Aren’s expression softened with disappointment.
She hated knowing the woman had slipped away. Without thinking, she began rubbing slow, gentle circles across his back.
"I’m glad you weren’t hurt," she said softly.
A smile spread across Caio’s face, warmed more by her touch than by the words themselves.
"I had my entire vanguard with me."
Then something mischievous flickered in his eyes.
"Though... there were a few things last night that didn’t quite go according to plan."
Aren stiffened immediately.
"What things?"
His smile widened.
"Well... a particular sniper rifle somehow disappeared from the strike force’s inventory..."
He paused just long enough to savor the growing apprehension on her face.
"...and then, rather miraculously, reappeared after everyone returned to the estate."
The color drained from Aren’s face.
’Oh no.’
She fought to keep her expression neutral.
"...Y-yeah?"
Caio caught every flicker of panic she failed to conceal. The harder she struggled to appear innocent, the more entertaining he found her.
"Mm-hmm."
The corners of his mouth lifted another fraction.
"And apparently, one of my most trusted capos was responsible for allowing that to happen."
His voice remained deceptively calm.
"So naturally, I had to punish him very severely."
The panic in Aren’s eyes transformed into outright horror.
’No, no, no... the capo was only doing what I asked him to do!’
’He shouldn’t take the blame for this!’
She desperately wanted to confess everything, yet the dangerous amusement dancing behind Caio’s eyes made her hesitate. Very carefully, and with no small amount of dread, she asked,
"W-what... what did you do to him?"
Caio’s expression remained solemn, though suppressing his laughter was becoming increasingly difficult.
"You really want to know?"
Aren nodded anxiously.
"I threw him down into the detention level too."
The words detonated inside Aren’s mind.
"No, wait!" she blurted, catching herself far too late. "I mean... that... what he did doesn’t sound like something that deserves the same punishment as Gael and Daria..."
Caio nearly laughed outright.
Still, he decided to push just a little farther.
"Of course it does," he replied with perfect seriousness. "Anyone who knowingly disobeys my orders deserves a strict lesson."
His voice dropped into a conspiratorial whisper.
"In fact... I think he deserves something even worse."
That finally shattered the last of Aren’s resolve.
"No! No, he didn’t do anything wrong!" she protested, clutching his pajama shirt. "It was me! I asked him to get me a sniper rifle!"
Caio raised an eyebrow, pretending to consider this revelation despite already knowing the answer.
"Really?" he asked, feigning surprise. "And why exactly would you need a sniper rifle? Weren’t you supposed to be back at the estate?"
Aren bit her lip, then forced the words out.
"I... I stayed behind. I didn’t come back immediately."
Her eyes dropped.
"...It was me who took those shots."
Caio savored every second of her confession, a triumphant smirk slowly spreading across his face.
"You took the shots?" he murmured, leaning down until his lips brushed softly against hers. "What shots, exactly?"
Aren’s frantic thoughts ground to a halt beneath the gentle pressure of his mouth. The teasing in his voice had become painfully obvious now, especially with the way he toyed with her lower lip.
"You... already knew everything."
She frowned, fixing him with a thoroughly pouty look.
"How?"
Caio never stopped kissing her, casually unraveling his deductions between lingering presses of his lips.
"Four precise shots. Every one aimed exclusively at Gael and his vehicle. Whoever fired them could’ve taken out my convoy, but didn’t. They could’ve put a round through me, too... but didn’t. With that level of marksmanship, there were only a handful of possibilities."
His gaze lingered on her fondly.
"And considering how unbelievably stubborn you are... you were right at the top of the list."
Aren’s pout deepened. She pulled back just enough to study him, suspicion written plainly across her face.
"You... you didn’t actually do anything to that capo... right?"
Caio finally gave up trying to suppress his laughter. Teasing her was proving infinitely more entertaining than he’d expected.
"Hm. I wouldn’t say I did nothing. He received a rather severe reprimand. And just enough threats to ensure he never makes that mistake again. But as for you..."
His voice sank into a dangerous murmur.
"What exactly am I supposed to do with you now?"
Aren blinked, immediately catching the heated shift in his tone.
"M-me?"
"Didn’t you agree to come straight back to the estate?" His expression turned briefly serious. "You promised me, Aren."
Aren’s eyes darted away, guilt written all over her face.
"Well..." she mumbled. "I only promised I’d let the medics treat my wounds."
Caio fixed her with a flat look as her exact words from the previous night replayed in his memory.
"You sly little thing," he murmured.
His hand slipped beneath the hem of her pajama shirt, his warm palm gliding slowly over the bare skin of her back. His other hand caught her chin, tilting her face up so she had no choice but to meet his stare.
"Mmm... Caio?" She stared at him, suddenly very aware of the heat gathering beneath his touch. "W-what is it?"
"You deserve to be punished," he murmured darkly. "Very badly."
