No Strings Attached

CHAPTER 10

"Good idea," Ari smiles proudly at me, my lips curving upwards in return.

"Let's start packing the van," Gabriel says, putting the case back into an open box and shutting it, lifting it onto his shoulder with a loud grunt.

Soon enough, we're carrying boxes back down into the underground corridor and stacking them in the van, Gabriel standing at the side of the house and receiving everything the rest of us take.

"Is that everything?" he asks as he shuts the van door and bolts it.

"I think so," I reply, as Ari shuts the door to the staircase at the side of the house.

"Another successful Le Aquile Rosse and Fiore Mortale raid," Everett grins, patting my shoulder in a fatherly fashion.

"Where are we going to store it all? We don't even fucking need any of it," Griffon asks, his tone amused as he lights a cigarette.

"Basement," Everett says absentmindedly, leaning against the van.

Ari shrugs, "We have enough room downstairs," he says, walking over and unlocking his car.

"Then we can use it if we ever need it," Gabriel says, nodding his head. "I'll see the rest of you back at the house,"

I nod and walk over to Ari's car, opening the passenger side door and getting in. We wait for the twins to file into the backseat before Ari speeds out of the driveway, a cigarette hanging loosely from his lips.

"I wish we could be there to see Vincenzo's face when he realises half his shit has been taken," Griffon sighs, a cruel smile spreading over his face.

"You got into the cameras, if you really want to see it, just watch," Ari says in bored tone.

"That's weird, don't do that," I say, earning a few raised eyebrows in my direction.

"Watching a grown man have a tantrum is fucking weird and you can't convince me otherwise," I scoff.

"You're right," Everett says, "But I would hope anyone over the age of 10 is past having tantrums,"

I chuckle at his remark, "I don't know, sometimes you seem pretty close to a meltdown," I tease, narrowing my eyes playfully at him as he scowls at me.

"Bitch," he mutters, glaring at his twin as Griffon hits him over the head.

"You don't call your niece a bitch," he says, flicking Everett's ear as he rolls his eyes.

"She's called me worse," he mutters like a child, glaring at me as I laugh.

"Pussy," I laugh, sighing as Everett places a hand over his chest.

"Considering that pussy's can push children out of them, I'll take that as a compliment," he says with a smug smile.

"That's gross," I say,

"Don't use that sort of language near my daughter," Ari says firmly, giving me a stupid grin as I roll my eyes.

"That's vulgar man," Griffon gags, sticking his tongue out.

"Since when did you start using fancy language?" Ari laughs loudly, hitting the steering wheel with his hand as I laugh along.

"I'll have you know that I was top of my class in English all throughout school," Griffon says proudly, causing Everett to roll his eyes.

"Because Ms Smith had a crush on you," he retorts, "I swear she would have sucked you off of you asked,"

"I never liked her," Griffon mutters, shuddering at the memories.

"We need a muzzle for those two sometimes," Ari chuckles softly, only loud enough for me to hear.

I cover my smile so the twins can't hear as I laugh along, laughing harder at their indignant look.

"What are you two gossiping about?" Everett asks in a suspicious tone.

"Nothing," Ari and I say at the same time, both laughing as the twins both give us identical glares.

"We created a language for just the two of us when we were 7, so we can shit talk you too," Everett grins.

"I though we agreed to take that to the grave," Griffon mutters, crossing his arms over his chest.

"This is why I say identical twins are fucking creepy," Ari says curtly, turning into the driveway to Le Aquile Rosse's estate. 

"Well on that lovely note, let's unpack," Griffon claps his hands together and opens the car door, Everett following him out.

Gabriel parks beside us and Griffon opens the van door, taking out a box and walking into the house.

We all carry everything down to the basement, filling up the once empty space with rows and rows of cardboard boxes.

"Everyone at the office in 5," Ari says as he sets down the last box, everyone nodding and trailing up the stairs into the house.

I wait as Ari closes the door to the basement as we walk up together, making our way to the office.

"So what now?" Everett asks, leaning against his desk.

"Now we need to get serious," Gabriel says, "Tomorrow we begin planning on how to execute our hits,"

I nod slowly, attempting to push down the all too familiar sense of foreboding in my stomach.

Why do I feel guilty? I shouldn't. I'm just doing what I need to.

Right?

//

Bit of a longer chapter since I didn't post yesterday when I said I would,

This chapter was honestly just a bit of fun until things starts heating up,

And I'm going away this week, so I've written the next 10 or so chapters which I can publish (hopefully the reception is good)

I'll most likely post the next chapter later tn (it's currently 11:45pm) but if not, then tomorrow,

Until then, have a good day/night and don't forget to vote!!

Abi <3