The Mafia and Her ✔

Chapter 36

"You never get bored, do you?" I kissed his cheek and led him out of the room.

"In all honesty, I'm always busy, but my time with you is my favorite."

"That's sweet! Now, get out and prepare the movie and popcorn. I need to wear my pajamas and plant the flower," I said, closing the door in his face.

"Wear something sexy," he yelled through the door, and I rolled my eyes.

"Smexy is not comfortable, and I want to sleep comfortably tonight. You will be graced with my SpongeBob pajamas." I heard him grumble something, and I laughed.

~~~

"Jolene!" I hugged her when I opened the door. "I missed you so much!" She visited her dad, Dante, and her company in New York and decided to spend a day with Camila and me before going back to Italy. Vivian had a parents' meeting with Alvaro's teachers, so she couldn't come with us.

"I missed you too! I can't wait for our girls' day," she said, and a car pulled over in Izan's driveway. Camila and Carlos got out, and I frowned, remembering Izan's condition.

"Yeah, about that..." I trailed off. She followed my line of sight and narrowed her eyes at Carlos when she hugged Camila. "Izan insisted that Carlos must come with us for our safety."

"I bet I can beat his ass in a fight," Jolene commented, and Carlos glared at her. He was meeting her for the first time, so he was still assessing her personality and if he should trust her or not.

Off to a great start.

I patted his shoulder. He rolled his eyes, extending his hand for her to shake. "Carlos Guerrero. I'm your bodyguard for the day," he grumbled, and Jolene smiled. Camila just watched the scene unfold.

"Jolene Hansley, nice to meet you, grumpy pants," she introduced herself, and I sighed at the tension. Not the good tension either. She was happily engaged to the Italian mafia don.

I hope they don't break anything.

"Let's go, I'll drive you to the mall."

I grabbed his shirt, suddenly getting flashbacks. "Not that mall," I emphasized with a desperate look. He nodded, patting my head gently like a big brother.

"What am I missing? What's going on?" Jolene asked as we entered the car. She looked confused.

Camila sighed. "Long story short, Verena was kidnapped from a mall's parking lot a while ago by her ex-fucking-boyfriend, who is now very dead and escaping the devil in hell." 

I wouldn't have used these words, but it got the memo across.

Jolene's eyes widened, and she gaped at me. "Why did no one tell us? Izan didn't say anything to Dario! Verena, are you okay now?" she asked as she inspected my face, cupping my cheeks and squeezing the life out of me.

I tried to smile, but dang, she was strong. "I'm fine, but my friend, Jose, who was with us that day, got stabbed and shot. He is alright now, but it was pretty bad." It was all my fault. I kept blaming myself even after they reassured me it was bound to happen.

"I leave you for a while, and you get kidnapped... again!" She knew of what I had been through since I arrived in Boston, and I couldn't help but smile.

"Everything happens for a reason."

~~~

"Let's sit in the booth outside and eat. It's a nice day, and inside is too crowded and hot," Camila suggested as we finished shopping. We bought a few items here and there, and Carlos carried the bags. Surprisingly, he didn't complain. 

Izan must have scared the crap out of him if he was this calm.

"About fucking time! You girls buy too much stuff!" Spoke too soon. Carlos dropped the bags on the floor and sat on a chair next to me. He placed his arm behind my chair in a protective manner, and I rolled my eyes.

"Quit yapping and eat. You get cranky when hungry," I shoved the hamburger in his hands and began eating mine. Jolene laughed, and Camila smiled.

"Joe, do you know Verena was on TV not long ago?" Camila said, and I glared at her. She didn't need to see that. Good thing Jolene was in Italy most of the time and didn't watch TV often. Camila saw my face, and she winced. "You know what, forget what I said..."

Jolene looked between us but didn't press on the matter. "If you want me to see it, you will show it to me. I won't view it on my own," she shrugged, respecting my feelings. She was a very good reader of character and emotions.

"I love you," I said with a smile.

"I love-" she stopped talking when a man stood way too close, looking down at me with a very creepy smile. He was about six feet and relatively good-looking, but my boyfriend was hotter.

"My love, here you are," the man said cheerfully, and I looked back and forth to see who he was talking to, and he was talking to me.

He did not just call me his love!

"Excuse you? Do I know you?" I asked with one raised eyebrow, leaning closer to Carlos. He was ready to intervene. The man smirked as he was about to grab my face and kiss me, but Carlos made me duck down with one hand on my head, and his other hand grabbed the man's throat casually.

"I think the fuck not." He stood up, taller than the man and more intimidating. "How dare you come close to her?" Carlos squeezed the man's throat, and I looked around to check if someone was looking at us. Luckily, we were the only ones outside.

Jolene jumped from her seat, startling us, and ran to a bush. A second later, she grabbed a man hiding by the shirt and dragged him to us. "Why are you filming us?" she asked as we observed the huge camera in his hands.

I sighed, already with an idea of what this was about. "Did Dexter Amaryllis send you?" I bluntly asked both men, and they nodded without missing a beat. They looked terrified. Carlos was ready to use his gun. "Why?"

The man in Jolene's grip gulped. "He paid us to ruin your relationship with your boyfriend. He wanted Adam to kiss you and me to capture it on camera and then send it to your boyfriend. It's not personal, just business. We swear!"

So typical and uncreative.

"Verena, do you want me to call Izan?" Camila asked, glaring at the men. They were ready to pee in their pants.

"No need. Jolene and Carlos, please let them go." They immediately released them, and I felt like a queen. 

"I want you to go back to Dexter and tell him: it's fucking on." I punched each man in the stomach as hard as Izan taught me, and they grunted in pain. "It's not personal, just business."

~~~ 

14.02.2024 

The audacity of these people and Dexter. 

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Happy Valentine's Day to all the lovely people out there.