CH.18

"Si. Non ti preoccupare, va tutto bene-" Annie was saying in Italian on the phone when Dom and the rest of the team came in and seated here and there in the bar.

She saw him and motioned him to wait a second: "Ok, ti chiamo io tra qualche giorno, ti devo lasciare adesso. Ciao," Annie ended and hung up the phone.

Meanwhile two tourists came in starting to talk French. Annie immediately helped them. "They're looking for a souvenir store" she turned to the team.

"First on the left then second on the right," Mia said and Annie translated for them.

"You speak French very well," Dom said. It wasn't a compliment, just an observation.

"Why thank you," Annie replied staring at him.

He looked so damn serious. "What's wrong?" Annie asked frowning.

"You should tell me," Dom said raising an eyebrow.

Annie blinked astonished. "What?" "Oh?- Oh! You mean about the call!" Annie said smiling in relief. "I'll give you the money back, don't worry." Letty laughed sarcastically.

Annie looked at her for an explanation, then back at Dom.

"No. You're not talking about that," Annie said seriously, breathing deeply, trying to find something in Dom's eyes, an answer. But he was impassible.

"There's a loss of 2000$ in the garage cash," Dom said waiting for her reaction.

Annie looked lost waiting for more but he was just looking at her. She didn't understand. "But no one enters there, your friends never go in there -" Annie reasoned.

"No one except for me, Mia, the team - and you," Dom continued.

She looked at him still not comprehending, then suddenly it struck her. Her eyes widened and she opened her mouth in surprise: "No! You -" she couldn't believe it. "C'mon, don't look so surprised!" Letty said toughly, her arms folded, since Dom seemed undecided to act.

But he gave her a warning glance and Letty, even if snorting, shut up.

"So someone steals the money and you immediately think of me," Annie said ironically, nodding. "God. Where's ended all the trust in me?" she asked him quietly but her eyes flashed of rage.

"We found a paper in your room about a bank. You sent some money - where? In Italy?" Dom inquired.

"You've also been in my room," Annie said showing a calm that she hadn't inside. "Great!" she ended sarcastically. "That means truly trusting someone!"

But Dom was staring at her very sincerely.

"Oh, come on! Why should I steal the money?" Annie asked loosing her temper.

"Who was on the phone now?" Letty asked gesturing at it with her head. "Your partner?"

"Letty stay out of this!" Dom warned her so firmly that she didn't dare to reply.

"I can't believe it." Annie shook her head in incredulity.

"You know, Anastasia, this is one of those times when you need to be clear about what you say," Dom said in a menacing, but at the same time calm tone. "Who are you?" he asked her. "We know nothing about your life except that you come from Italy, that you speak a lot of languages pretty well and that you can run a bar," he continued.

He was giving her a chance to explain. But how could she explain that she'd lied him since the beginning? That she wasn't what he thought she was? That in someway she'd taken him for a ride? "I - " she said hesitantly not knowing where to start or what to say.

Someone was setting her up and she had no options other than to give in. He would have never trusted her, if she had told him the truth. She was lost. She looked at the team: Jesse and Leon waited for an explanation speechlessly, Bryan and Mia looked at her worried, knowing the truth but not able to talk. Vince was suspicious, it was in his nature. Letty was the only who looked at her almost content with what was happening. Why did she look so calm and not even a little surprised at all? Her gaze came back on Dom. He looked confused and hurt and she could do nothing to make him think differently.

"Please, all of you - leave us alone" Dom said suddenly.

Silently the team exited the bar leaving Dom and Annie staring at each other.

He felt betrayed and she couldn't say anything to make him change his mind.

"Thought that you weren't the kind of man who trusted appearances - then I was wrong," she said bitterly. "I'd never steal your money," she told him. Words, coming from her heart. "You have to - trust me." She was almost begging him.

He stared at her angrily, a muscle twitching on his jaw. "Yeah? And why? Because of your pretty face? Why should I trust you? Basing on what? What proves?" His words were hard as stone.

"You don't need proves. You - know me." Better than anybody else, she would have wanted to say. Her voice was a whisper as she looked in his eyes searching for any feeling, some kind of warmth, but she found only ice. He looked at her painfully. Heck! He wanted to trust her! But couldn't. Too many things had happened. He breathed deeply. "No. I don't know you at all," he replied coldly.

It was a slap in her face.

"I see." The only reply she found the strength to. She felt defeated. It was all useless. "I suppose that nothing will change even if I tell you that I haven't taken the money," Annie said quietly.

"Why did you do it? Thought we had a deal," Dom said shrugging with contempt.

"Looks like I've already had my trial and have been judged," she only said smiling bitterly.

He looked at her and shook his head. She felt a stab in her heart. Don't do this to me! Don't look at me in such a way! She screamed inside her.

"What will you do with me now?" she dared to ask him. "Will you call the police?" Words came automatically.

"No," he simply said, "you'll pay me back by racing and working for me. You won't be allowed to touch any more money, and from now on you'll always be controlled," he said toughly as if reading a verdict. He was angry and disappointed, she could read it in his eyes. He was closing her out of his life: From now on she would be no more than an acquaintance.

Her eyes burned. She blamed herself because what he thought was important to her. Because only now, she realized that she'd fallen in love with him. He was watching her so coldly that she would have liked to disappear. She had discovered her love for him the day he was banning her out of his life.

The rest of the team, as if they'd felt it somehow, slowly came inside saying nothing. Letty glanced at her calmly. Annie looked at Letty knowing that she couldn't resist any longer. She was going to cry. Fuck! She would not cry in front of Letty. She would not give her that gratification! So she smiled forcedly and digging her nails in her skin, she swallowed her tears.

Dom was still staring at her. "Don't worry, I won't make this mistake again," Annie ended in a whisper through her teeth.

The telephone rang and Leon answered. He talked briefly then hung up. "Dom?" Leon called him. "It was Harry. He got the parts we ordered, we can go get them now."

Dom slowly looked away from Annie as if it was a big effort and glanced at Leon nodding. "Let's go. Vince? You'll remain here with Mia and Annie," he ordered and went away.

"Erm, think I'll stay outside Mia, if you need me just call," Vince said embarrassed and left the two girls alone.

Annie swallowed and breathed deeply staring into space. His punishment had started. Dom didn't trust her any more. Why had love to be so painful?

"Annie?" Mia called her. "Are you all right?"

"Yeah," Annie said in a whisper maybe too hurriedly. Her voice trembled. Damn! I have to look strong.

"Why didn't you tell him all the truth?" she asked her softly.

"Think he would have trusted me?" Annie asked bitter.

Mia stared at Annie and shook her head. She knew her brother. "If it someway matters: I trust you," Mia said gently. "Thank you," Annie whispered hugging Mia and big tears crossed her face.

"You and my brother are so similar: so stubborn and proud," Mia said shaking her head.

"Yeah," Annie admitted trying to smile while drying her tears, "that's maybe why we fight all the time." She breathed deeply. "Now, let's go back to work," she suddenly suggested as if to keep herself from thinking and started to reorder a freezer.

That's why he's mad in love with you, Mia thought, watching Annie working.



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Since that day Dom had treated her very coldly, like if she'd never existed for him.

He'd started to stay with Letty again. She was always around him. They were always exchanging caresses. They kissed and embraced insolently in front of everybody. Seemed like Dom wanted that, especially when Annie was there, paying attention that she was watching him and several times Annie had caught his look at her while he was touching Letty. This was the most terrible punishment for her.

She knew she'd never had the right to want Dom, but she was in love with him and all that was terrible to support. Every day was worse. She slept always less because she passed her nights crying silently and also eating had become difficult. It was an unbearable situation.

That night at the umpteenth party she felt terrible. Not being able to stand the music no more and after having talked with some girls out of politeness, she now stood alone on one side watching the others, no better, watching Dom and Letty holding one another in each other's arms. She'd also tried to talk with some other guys but, they unknowingly avoided her like she was public enemy number one. Suddenly, she felt like she was going to suffocate so she decided to go outside, sat on the step in front of the house with a bottle of Coke in her hand and sighed.

She remained outside: looking at the sky, letting the delicate breeze of the night running on her skin.

Inside the party was at its top, she heard people laugh and having fun, but fortunately the noise reached her softened.

She felt so tired and alone at that moment. The team, the family that had welcomed her so warmly now seemed to have turned their backs on her. These sad thoughts overwhelmed her so much that tears appeared in her eyes. She felt so lonely . . .

"Mom, Dad . . . I miss you" she said in a whisper and started to cry. "What do have I to do?" she asked herself while crying silently.

"Firstly, you shouldn't cry," a male voice suddenly told her from the dark.

She recognized it immediately, but she didn't turn, she didn't want him to see her crying.

"May I sit?" he asked her.

"It's a free country after all," Annie said breathing deeply to calm down.

"Mmh, we're in a good mood tonight," he commented sitting next to her.

"You dare to sit nearby me?" she asked him with a certain sarcasm through her tears. "Are you sure? I mean you're risking your own life, Bryan." Referring to the fact that everybody stayed far away from her.

"I'll take the risk," he replied grinning.

"You didn't like the party?" Annie asked still looking forward trying to regain her control.

"I simply wanted a time out," he said taking a swallow of his Corona. Annie nodded looking at her bottle of Coke.

"Oh! Want good news?" Bryan asked.

"Yeah," replied Annie absently.

"Henry has been arrested."

"Who?" Annie said frowning and forcing her mind to work.

"Henry, remember? The night of the truck," Bryan insisted.

"You're kidding me," Annie said sadly smiling. At least one piece of good news on that horrible day.

"No. He's been caught with all the loot. They were already searching for him for quite a long time," Bryan explained.

"Who told you?" Annie asked flatly.

"A friend of mine. A cop."

"He gave away our names?" She asked him a bit concerned.

"No, don't worry. It's over," Bryan reassured her.

"Mmh." She should have felt relieved but she couldn't. Her mind, her feelings were all focused on Dom.

"How are you?" Bryan suddenly asked her. "I've seen better days," she murmured with a bit of irony.

"Annie?" Bryan insisted turning her to face him with a finger under her chin. He could see her even in the darkness. She was crying silently. Even like that she was stunning. Now he realized why Dom had fallen for her. Her big blue eyes full of tears had become green/ turquoise, with her long blond hair waving in the night breeze she looked like an angel: so lost, so innocent. It would have been even too easy to fall in love with her, he thought.

"How do you think I feel Bryan?" she replied sharply staring at him, feeling her heart broken, her tears coming down wildly.

He gently wiped one tear away with his finger.

"Everybody thinks I'm a thief, when I've never stolen a penny in my whole life, or - almost," she ended uncertainly with a tart smile thinking at the truck. She looked far ahead again. "I would never do something that harms Dom," she told him decisive. " It's true, I've broken some rules, but I would never do something that might hurt him."

"I know" Bryan said quietly.

She turned to stare at him.

"You love him?" he whispered watching her.

"Is it so obvious?" she smiled sadly.

He smiled. He would have wanted to touch her, hug her to reassure her that everything would be fine. But he could not. He wasn't allowed to.

"I've been so stupid!" she continued shaking her head: "I came here to show that I'm worthy and what do I do? I fall in love with an engaged man! How pathetic I am!" she ended emphatically angry with herself.

"No," Bryan said. She frowned waiting for his explanation.

"Maybe you were destined to meet him like that," Bryan said shrugging.

"Like what? Engaged? I was destined to come and separate a couple?? Come on!" She shook her head desperately.

He looked at her and couldn't reply. He barely shook his head. If she only knew how things really were between those two . . . .

"Why do things have to be so complicated?" she sighed feeling so confused.

"You know I broke some rules with the Torettos, too. But they pardoned me." He paused: "Why don't you talk to him?" Bryan insisted.

"It would be useless. Did you see him? How he treats me?" she said indicating the house. "I don't exist as far as he's concerned," she declared with her look lost in space. This was the worst thing that made her crazy.

Bryan observed her. Her inner pain. He lifted his hand - how he wanted to touch her now. But then, his hand fell down. "He loves you," he only said after a while.

She turned to look at him: "Oh, yeah! That's why he's sitting on the sofa taking care of Letty," she replied sarcastically shrugging: "It's clear! He treats me like that because he loves me! Why else?"

"It's because, you know Dom needs some time to find out what he really wants," he said.

"C'mon Bryan, we both did things that were wrong. And we come from another world than the Torettos. You know how things go, so let's face the truth. Dom and I are too different. He's with Letty and she's perfect for him." She stopped.

For a long moment they remained silent. Then she sighed. "So why do I feel so terrible now?" she whispered almost to herself watching the sky.

"Be patient. Time will tell," Bryan said simply.

"Do I have any choice?" Annie turned to look at him.

He stared at her deep blue eyes for a long moment but didn't reply. She was right.

"What will you do?" He suddenly asked her.

"Don't know yet. But I'll figure something out," she replied thoughtfully.

"If you need anything you can count on me."

She turned to look at him. "Thank you Bryan. You and Mia are my only true friends," Annie said sincerely, words coming from her heart spontaneously. She hugged him strongly as if to find the strength she needed.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine," Bryan said still holding her tightly.

But someone inside the house had watched the scene and frowned. Dom angrily took a swallow of his beer and went back to the party.



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