No Strings Attached

CHAPTER 12

I laugh and carelessly toss my cigarette on the ground, letting the dust from Gabriel's bike dampen it out.

"Always with you Ana," Gabriel smiles, his eyes wrinkling as he looks at me. I chuckle and nod, grateful for their support. A strange way of supporting me, but still support nonetheless.

"What's for dinner?" Everett suddenly says, snapping us all out of our thoughts.

"I dunno," I shrug, stifling a yawn.

"Italian?" Everett asks, winking at me as I roll my eyes. He's been constantly joking that it would be the ultimate plot twist if Vincenzo and I fell madly in love. A joke that's getting old, but still makes the guys laugh.

"I feel like some shitty service station food would be fitting," Griffon says, saving me from further humiliation from his twin.

"Let's go up the road then," Ari says, jumping off the top of the car. I follow him and get in the passenger seat before Gabriel can beat me to it.

"I'll just ride my bike then," he groans, rolling his eyes as he smiles at me. I laugh and wait for the twins to stumble into the car before Ari starts the car and we drive down the dirt track to the service station we've also claimed.

The poor manager has had to accept that his stop is the place we regularly crash, and he's been forced to accept that when we're there, no one else will come in.

But I wouldn't have it any other way, these people are my family, and this strange little way of life has become one which I've grown accustomed to.

We pull up in the carpark and all get out of the car, Gabriel following us after he parks his bike, the man at the register smiling at us.

"You're not Tommy!" Everett shouts, grinning at the cashier who is now visibly sweating.

Tommy is the manager and is considered an ally to Le Aquile Rosse, purely because he gives them shit for free.

The man chuckles, "Tommy called in sick tonight, so you have me instead. Take whatever you want," he smiles, looking me up and down.

Suddenly the air changes and Ari pulls me behind him.

"I can lower the cost for a pretty little girl like yourself," the man winks, looking at me like a piece of meat.

"I'm good thanks," I say coldly, walking over to the fridge and taking out a coke. "No money needed," the man says, adjusting the bulge in his pants.

The twins immediately walk over to me as Gabriel chuckles, "Playing with fire there," he says cooly, as Ari makes a scene of removing his gun from his belt.

"I'm just having a joke," the man laughs, holding his hands up in surrender.

"Well fucking don't," Everett says harshly, pulling me behind him.

"I was just saying, a woman of her social standing-" he doesn't get any further before Ari shoots a single bullet, landing in the back of the man's head as he croaks and falls to the ground.

"Let's raid the place and get the fuck outta here," Ari says gruffly, shoving his gun back in his belt.

Everett presses a kiss on my forehead before going over to the heated box and taking out a few sausage rolls, one for each of us Griffon places chip packets and chocolate into a bag he found at the counter.

I take as many bottles of coke as I can carry before we all walk out of the store, loading the food into the trunk.

"Perverted motherfucker," Ari grunts, still standing near me as I roll my eyes and get back in the front.

The drive back to the track is silent. We haven't had an encounter like that in a while, but they always start and end the same. Some gross man makes some dumb comment and one of the guys kill him. I'm not complaining though, I have 4 personal bodyguards.

Once we arrive back at the track we unload our food from the trunk and all sit on the top of the car, enjoying our free feast.

I take a swing of my coke and put a generous helping of tomato sauce on my sausage roll, letting it cool down before taking a bite.

"Here's to getting rid of the De Santis' for good!" Everett says, hoisting his bottle of coke up in the air.

I laugh as we all clink glasses, pushing down the guilt which threatens to creep back up.

Here's to getting away from my Grandfather and living the rest of my life with nights like these.

//

I love Le Aquile Rosse so much, ik I wrote them, but they're still so fun,

Anyways, next chapter will be out tomorrow, so until then, have a good day/night and don't forget to vote!!

Abi <3