Mr. Mafia's Bodyguard

Chapter twelve

It felt like a minute before the gunshots stopped.
Stephano's phone buzzed again. We all gasped fearfully.
We were so close so we could hear the voice across the line.

"Boss, it's all clear."

Stephano hung up immediately.

"We gotta leave now." He said, standing slowly and carefully.
We followed suit. We all walked quickly out the door. Hurrying out. The restaurant was almost empty. The back door was agape. A few workers his behind tables.

"The people must have escaped hearing the gunshots." Giovanni said, the blonde.

We walked through the back door too. Sophia's hand clasping Quinn's tightly.
Her breathing was fast, and tears seemed to gather at her eyes.
Stephanie held unto her brother. She was frightened too but held it in more than Sophia.

"We are heading home. Some of our men are outside. They will excort you all home." Stephano said.

"Where are you going?" Sophia gasped.

"I have got to take care of something important." He answered.

"I am coming with you." I said hastily.

He looked shocked for a moment.

"No you are not." He answered sternly and finally.

"But I am you are bodyguard." I frowned.

"Guard my sisters." He spat, "I don't have time to argue. You all head out now. The car right in front of the gate. The door is open, hop in. Now move."

__________________________

Quinn walked Sophia to their room. The two holding close to each other. Giovanni and the brunette left when they made sure we were safe.
Stephanie just invited me to stay with her for a while, she was still astonished from the day's events. I didn't think this was something she saw often even though her father and brother were deep in the mafia.

I was seating in Stephie's room playing cards. I discovered her grandma called her that. She was a bubbly personality. She starred intently at the cards in her hands, she was trying to show me a trick. Her room was full of drawings and paintings of what looked like comics.
We were seating on her bed, it was a little messy and had purple and black sheets. I could guess she would be around seventeen. She was fun to be with and loves to talk a lot.

She calmed down like we didn't almost get killed thirty minutes ago. She was acting older than her age. I liked that.

"I remember when I and Steph play all sorts of games, he knows a lot of tricks. We used to be a great team of troublemakers." She smiled at the cards in her hands.
"But then dad came in with his big plans or whatever it is." She snickered. "Steph used to be fun to be with, he went to live with dad for a while and he changed. Rarely smiles, being secretive and no more fun tricks." She frowned like a cute five years old girl.

I didn't interrupt her, I listened with interest.

"Dad claims he is planning for something big. He always gave Stephano more attention, he used to do same to our elder brother but I dunno what went wrong." She flicked her nose.

"Most of us never knew our true mothers so grandma is our one and only." She took a deep breath and looked up at me. "What about you?"

I sighed, I hated to talk about my life.
"I don't really have much to my life. Never really knew my mum or dad." I smiled lightly, I didn't want to seem sad.

"That's sad." She patted my shoulder. "How come you find yourself a bodyguard to my bastard brother?" She raised her brows inquisitively.

"My life turned around and I just happened to land here." I sighed.

She chuckled a bit, before going silent for a while.

"Any ideas about what happened tonight?" She asked.

"I wish I did." I answered in a whisper.

"Do you know anything about my father's business?" She asked.

"I don't." I replied confusedly. Didn't she know her father was a mafia Don?

"He and my brothers are quite secretive." Was all she said. "I have got gut feeling grandma knows a lot about all these. But she won't say either. Sometimes I just hate it here, living with people I know nothing about." She sighed.

"But... I know my siblings care for me a lot, especially my brothers. I thought today we were finally going to have a nice get together, and then all these happened and... It's ruined." She twisted her lips to the side a bit.

I felt like I could relate to her, but in a different way.

She yawned. She still had her name up on. Though she took off her gown. I still had mine on.

"I am quite sleepy now. Sophia might be in her room having her brains drilled out right now." She laughed.

"What." I asked confusedly.

She winked sinisterly. I laughed as I got her point.

I will see you tomorrow Stephie. Sleep tight.
I stood, dropping the cards and walking to the door.

"Goodnight." She said.

I pushed my door open. The lights were off. I was tired I peeled the gown of my body. Turning the lights on. I walked into the bathroom for a shower. I needed to know what the deal is.

_____________________

It was eight in the morning. I was seated on my bed with the novel Stephie gave me. I wore baggy blue pants and a singlet.

Stephano pushed the door open suddenly, walking in.
"We are going out, grab yourself a dress and let's leave."

"My father wants to attend a meeting. He wants me to be there." He said as we both got in the car.

"Ok." I replied.

"As my Bodyguard, I guess you should come along." He laughed humourlessly.

I did not say a word as we drove out the compound.

"A woman." He sighed.

I huffed.
"Why? You underestimate women?" I blurted.

"No. I don't." He answered. "But my father does. And that makes the whole puzzle harder to piece."

I relaxed visibly.

"What puzzle?" I asked, surprised we were making small talk.

"You never wondered why my father hired you so easily?" He asked.

"I have." I answered.

"What's fishier is you coming for the job." He said.

I didn't answer. I just starred out the window and pulled a strand of stray hair out of my face. I glanced at the cop car parked by the side of the busy road.

"I know that he didn't hire you to protect me. It's a lot more than that, and it all mixes the entire thing up further." He said softly, like in a trance, starring ahead.

Only then did I fully turn to him. So many things aren't right at all, true.

"You better be careful bambina." He added. "I smell rats."

I opened my mouth to speak, but he beat me at it.

"Play it cool when we get there. No talking to anyone. As a matter of fact, you will stay in the car." He said. His hair was tousled. His jaw was clean and I couldn't help but notice how young Stephano looked. And how he didn't really act stern to me anymore since he was drunk at the bar the night we were attacked.