I am Emily Rose

Chapter 6: It's all gone

Emily's P.O.V

The evening went well. Riccardo and I talked about what we like and don't like, our favorite music, our future dreams. It was actually comforting to speak so freely and casually, as if we'd known each other for many years. We both ate the most delicious pasta and drank champagne. After dinner, we walked along the beach and put our feet in the water.

"I had a great time with you tonight, I'd like to see you again." Riccardo says as we're getting in the car to leave. "I'd like that too." I reply with a blush over my cheeks. "You look really cute when you blush like that... I'd like to make you blush every day for me." Well, if I wasn't blushing before, I'm certainly blushing now.

I struggle to clip my seat belt and Riccardo bends to help me. Our faces are inches apart, and he smells out of this world. He stops what he's doing and looks deep into my eyes, "May I kiss you?" I hold his face with both hands and move my lips slowly to his. He kisses me so softly and gently at first, the kiss then turns hungry, and I find myself grabbing onto his collar. His hand snakes around my neck, holding the back of my head to pull me deeper, and I see stars. He slows, pulls his lips away and rests his forehead on mine, "I've been wanting to do that for a while..." I close my eyes again, "You should have." He chuckles and turns back to the steering wheel, starts the car and pulls out of the parking.

We drive in comfortable silence. As we near my apartment building, I can see smoke and flames as high as the top of the building. What's happening? Oh my God! It's my apartment building that's on fire! We were unable to park close enough as the road was closed. There are police cars, ambulances and fire trucks everywhere. The entire building is on fire. I can see many injured people being carried out on stretchers and loved ones waiting to see who is alive and who isn't. The sight in front of me is a nightmare.

"Riccardo, that's my apartment! It's gone! It's all gone! Oh my God!" I hold onto him in a state of panic and shock. Everything that I own has gone up in flames. What am I going to tell Anna? Where will I live? I don't have the money now to pay for another apartment on my own. Where will Anna come back to? This is terrible. I can't help but sob into Riccardo's chest. He holds me and stares at the flames with a deadly glare in his eyes, as if he knows something that I don't.

Riccardo's P.O.V

Dinner was just how I planned. It was wonderful to see her smiling and carefree. I just could not stop myself from kissing her tonight. That, however, wasn't part of the plan. I'm supposed to be taking things slow. It's hard though. We pull up close to her building, but the road is closed and there are flames and smoke everywhere. The entire building has almost burned to the ground. Casualties are being carried out and rushed to the hospital, the dead are zipped up and put into the mortuary vans. It's chaos everywhere. I eye out my surroundings and in the far corner of the next building, I notice a fuel can sticking out of the trash bin. I have a feeling that this was intentional. There's only one fucker that comes to mind that would pull off this s**t.

I feel her go limp in my arms. She's passed out. From crying so hard, shock or pure exhaustion, I don't know. I carefully ease her into the backseat of the car and drive to my house. There's no way that I'm leaving her alone now. It's not safe. That was a warning and there's more destruction on it's way. Looks like I'm not the only one who found out where she's been hiding.

Emily's P.O.V

I'm in the dark corner of my room again, the monster has already entered and is holding out his hand for me. Slowly, I stand and stretch my hand out to take his. I feel sparks as I touch his fingers, a sense of calm. I look up at his face, but there isn't one. No face, no name, nothing. All I see is his figure and his outstretched hand. "Let me make you feel good baby, I'll take away the demons."

Ugh! I wake with a start, sweating and panting for air. I take in my surroundings and don't know where I am. I see a glass of juice and a pill next to the bed. I swallowed the pill and finished the juice. Once I've calmed down a little, I look around the room. It's very big and masculine. The walls are a light gray with darker gray carpets. There's a door leading into an ensuite bathroom. I can see the shower from where I am. There's another door next to the bathroom. It could be a closet. I see a set of large french doors that open onto a balcony. My curiosity makes me stand and walk towards the balcony. There is an amazing view of the ocean, there is a dock with a few boats and yachts anchored. Where is this place?

"Enjoying the view?"

Ugh! Riccardo.

"You scared me! Where are we?"

"Welcome to my home, signora."

"It's beautiful, but... why am I here?"

"Do you remember that you no longer have an apartment? Where will you go?"

Oh my God! He's right. It's all coming back to me now.

"Riccardo! What will I tell Anna? What about all of my stuff?" I start to cry again.

"We'll figure it all out together, come here."

I go to him, he makes me feel safe. He pulls me into a hug and rubs my back as I cry. What am I going to do now?