Bloody City: Temptations

Chapter Twelve

I heard his footsteps in the hallway before I'd seen him, which was barely three seconds later when Alessio walked into the kitchen dressed in a steel grey suit that went well with the brown shoes and the watch band of his Patek. Though I couldn't blame him for wanting to be dressed well when his job was to meet with his Capo's and Familia advisers to ensure that the empire he'd built remained his. What caught me off guard was the pistol that hung from his waist and the second smaller one in his jacket along with the knives.

Those six piece suits hide a lot.

"Good morning Aria," he says walking across the room without making eye contact with me until he made it to the coffee machine and he'd reached for the pot at the same time that I had.

"You first," Alessio says stepping back and I cast him a confused look since this wasn't usual behaviour from him. He was being polite and that was about as far as it could be to the reality of who he was.

Why was he doing this.

Pouring my coffee I took a second mug and filled it before handing it to him while trying to figure out what had caused the change, though I had a feeling it had something to do with our conversation last night, and the fact I'd shown him kindness which if I had to guess, was something that he almost never experienced.

"Thank you Arianna," Alessio says with a small nod before carrying it to the other end of the counter and pulling open the fridge.

"What is the war that you mentioned last night, it's not between the Salvatorini Familia and my own is it?" I ask and I watch him pause as he set down the carton of milk.

"Not at all, it's been the Fianntino Familia and the Vincenzo Familia. The Fianntino's did the appropriate thing and had someone who had dishonored them killed. The Vincenzo Familia views it as a personal attack because they are forced to be subservient to the Fianntino's," he says turning and pulling out a tub of strawberries, and a bag of protein powder, along with several light spices like cinnamon, and Cajun.

"The Vincenzo's strapped a two kilogram bomb to the bottom of Pietro Fianntino's Mercedes. Pietro's bodyguards caught the bomb and removed it, the Underboss of La Spezia went home in the back of a different car last night. I was called out there to deal with the people who tried to kill one of my underbosses, they haven't said anything yet, it was three squads of soldiers. There's nine left to be questioned," he adds before screwing on the lid to the cup he'd put all his ingredients into and blended it all together making it so I wouldn't be able to talk to him. When he eventually stopped I spoke even as he drank his morning breakfast.

"So that's what Nosebleed means an attempted assassination?" I pry and he nods.

"Among other things, it also can mean a kidnapping, or a successful assassination," Alessio replies indifferently and rinsing out the cup though he glanced at me as if I'd had a reaction that he'd noticed.

He probably had seen my reaction.

I wouldn't have been surprised if I'd had a small tremor at the word kidnapping, I'd seen what the Bratva had done to women, the other's I'd been taken with were savagely treated, and dishonored as Alessio would have called it. He wasn't unaware of the words I could tell he wasn't I just had a feeling he was uncomfortable with it because of what had happened to Violetta, the woman who had been apart of his life not too many years ago for him to have forgotten her.

"Are they all going to die?" I ask looking at him and hoping that Alessio would be willing to spare any of those that had been caught if they're useful.

"No, they can die being traitors to their Underboss, or they can die traitors to the Familia, both end with a bullet to the back of the head. I'd be a weak Don if I wasn't willing to follow the correct traditions".

A silence fell over the kitchen as Alessio had once more talked about traditions, the things that he stuck by and was willing to break if needed but wouldn't do it because it convenienced him. I could say that it made Alessio dangerous but it also made him unpredictable. Matteo though seeming more relaxed was still dangerous, there wasn't a single Salvatorini family member who wasn't dangerous, but it was Alessio who was the calmest while it was Luca who was known for being the most vicious. The others I didn't really know what they were like and I likely wouldn't for a long time, at least not until the wedding.

"What are the other traditions, Alessio?" I ask, "the ones for a wife".

"Besides the obvious which is a Mafioso will expect a woman to match their lifestyle, and position which means, I expect you to be intellectual, not snobbish, polite, but not malleable, sharp tongued but not rude," Alessio replies walking over to me and placing his hands on my waist and pulling me closer to him until I could feel the heat from him through his clothes, or maybe it was just the proximity between us.

"What do you expect from me as your husband?" he inquires parting his lips with the tip of his tongue a habit he had but how he felt when he did it, I wasn't sure.

"For starters, I can do those things as your future wife. But I don't want to be a trophy wife. I will be a good wife, and as good a mother as I can be when it's that time. I expect trust and respect, never lay a hand on me or whatever children we have. Don't cheat, I've seen it happen, I'm sure you have too. I ask that you protect me, but still teach me how to defend myself," I say feeling like my expectations were slighted compared to what I may have asked if things were different. The thing was Alessio was controlled and so he knew what he could and couldn't do, and had already promised the things I expected from him.

"I'm sure I can do that. As for children, if we follow tradition, and we only have one I will not be upset if you choose to have that be the only time you allow that level of intimacy from me, especially in sexual form".

"I know you will treat my body with respect. You've never looked at me like I was yours to possess, like I was nothing but an object, I appreciate you for that," I say and he nods curtly.

"You're welcome, also your comment about a red door of secrets. You don't have to hide any of yours Arianna, I'm a Mafia Don, and your future husband, not a psychopath," Alessio remarks before he turned and walked away towards the doorway of the kitchen.

"Oh and there will be an event at the end of the month, all Underbosses and advisors will be their with their families. We're going to a Villa in Ticino, It'll be one of the most prestigious events of the year by Cosa Nostra Standards, we will be trying to keep a low profile when travelling, even if it is in my own territory, there will be no convoy," he explains.

"I'll find a dress somewhere for it," I say and he exhales.

"Don't bother, take one of the cars go pick one out, just send me the number of the dress, and I'll pay for it," Alessio instructs and I shake my head.

"If it's expensive I insist on helping to pay for it, or picking something else".

"Arianna, you can have whatever you want, you are under no monetary restrictions here, I make enough to buy whatever one could desire. You are not my prisoner here mon cherie, you are my forever guest".

"I know" I say and he just nods before disappearing out of view before he took a key for whatever car it was and crossed the driveway towards a newly polished Range Rover and I couldn't even fault him for what he did, he had the kind of money others in the Familia envied simply because he took his commission like everyone else and still took less then most others would, my father took fifteen percent and Alessio asked only ten from across his entire controlled area.

It did make me worry, he was going to get mixed up with a war that he had no hand in starting other then doing what he believed was right, and now it was possible that it would come back and bite him because he'd done what any other member of the Familia would in his position. I would just have to stand by him and his choices because that was what was required of me.

I watched him out the kitchen window get into his car and drive off away from the mansion and down to the gates before disappearing from view entirely as he sped away towards his duties as Don of the most powerful Familia in Europe.

And all the consequences that go with it.
    
    
So I'm happy with this I hope you all are too, also we get more of what Alessio is like at work and some of the actions that his council takes with the conflict he faces. Comment, vote, and share. Anyways

Peace✌