Assassins Heart

5

-ADRIANO-

From here, you could see the light shine as it hit the water. Lush green hills, cover the vastness of the yard over that were houses so far away they looked like kids building blocks.

"Mr. Marino, Mr. Vincelli and his men have arrived." Sasha's voice sounds from the door. Walking across the office, I take a seat at the round table.

My men have already taken their places. Donatello sits on my right, Vinny on my left. "Hopefully he's more cooperative this time." Mumbles Vinny.

"Ah! If it isn't Adriano!" Giovanni says as walks into the room his men accompanying him. "Giovanni, my friend it's been a while." I say to him.

Giovanni was a man of many talents. Business however was not one he possessed. He'd always wanted more, money being the main factor. He didn't understand that to make money- you first had to lose some.

I stand and offer my hand to Giovanni who is quick to shake it. "It has. You'll have to excuse me for my outbursts last time we were here."

"It's all good. We're here on different terms- different matters. Please, have a seat." I gesture towards the chairs surrounding the table. "Sasha, bring drinks!" I call.

Sasha comes scurrying in, pouring drinks into glasses. "Alright, now on to more pressing matters. I hear you have a proposal?"

-LONDYN-

"Hello, I am Hanna. I was here this morning." The voice is small and childlike. Hanna's hair now flows in gentle blonde waves down her back, neatly brushed. Her skin is pale, her eyes dull.

"Hi." I breathe. "Mr. Marino wants you to be changed before his arrival." She says to me as she sets a pile of clothing onto the bed.

"What does he want with me? Do you know?" My voice quivers, as I bite back a cry. "I don't..but I do know that fighting only makes it harder, if you behave he will treat you nicely." Her voice is pained.

Looking up I study her face, her gaze is pointed towards the ground her eyes watery when she blinks tears threaten to run down her face. "Hanna, has he hurt you too?" My brows furrow as the realization sets in; I am not the only one.

Her voice is quiet, her body begins to tremble. "I don't want to talk about it." Just as she came in, she was quick to leave.

I stare at the pile of clothing, neatly folded. Tears flow past my cheeks. I felt lethargic and with no energy to spare I lay back onto the mattress.

Eyeing the single light dangling by a cord from the ceiling, sleep comes easily it was the only thing I could do to escape reality.

"Hey, wake up.... He's here." Slowly peeling my eyes open I'm met with Hanna hovering over me, as she shakes me awake.

"What?" I mumble. "He's here. You have to get changed, he won't like that your not changed." Hanna's voice is small, and shaky.

"Oh my. Your hair, he won't like this. Can I help you?" She asks, although she doesn't wait for an answer, her fingers work rapidly gathering my hair into a braid.

I reach for the clothes resting at the foot of the bed. My hands wrap around the silky material. "Mr.Marino insisted that you wear it." Hanna says.