Fiery Revenge⎪✓

41

☀︎

Xavier hasn't said a word to me after requesting we talk in his office, not even when we entered the familiar space. The tension is heavy and my mind collects all my points before diving in, this conversation will be annoyingly difficult since I have no clue where he stands in all of this. He might as well be one of them. 

Throwing myself onto the leather couch, he sits down on the table in front of it. He's too close, but I don't want to appear weak by distancing myself from his intense black eyes. 

"Both of us know what's going on here," I start. "It wouldn't make any sense to sugarcoat shit, especially not between us. Carlos Romano is your father, the former boss of this exact mafia, he is dangerous and is currently out for me. You knew about this and chose not to tell me, am I right?"

His elbows lean onto his thighs and his head comes closer to me, "You're right. I chose not to tell you for a reason though. No matter how attracted I am to you, you're still a threat to my mafia and I can't gamble with that. Technically, Eloisa Martinelli should be dead and yet here you are."

He knows then; shit. 

"You have no idea what I went through to end up here, and you don't have the power to define my struggles either. I don't care that you feel I'm a threat to your mafia, they were after me for weeks after all. You talk about not being able to trust anyone, but you have an entire world sprawled with men who have promised their life for you. I'm alone in this, Xavier, and I fucking love being alone. It does entail some consequences though and I'm slowly figuring out what those are," I still don't know how much I can trust him, he is loyal to these men and the former leader. 

His eyes are piercing my own, it feels like both of us are trapped in this dangerous cycle. He knows his dad wants to kill me, the same woman he fucked last night, and I know his dad is the killer of my family, the one I want to kill. 

We're doomed in this game and none of us are willing to recognize it, both of us are stubborn as hell which clearly shows now. There is an internal battle going on inside his eyes.

"What do you want to do? He is powerful, Eloisa. He is ruthless. That man is the one who taught me how to kill and enjoy it. He forced me to watch him rape countless women when I was a child, he has killed children. My father is too strong of a man, he has too many behind him for you to challenge him on your own," He says this with no emotion. 

I know perfectly well how fucked up Carlos is; he killed my family. 

Shaking my head, "I can't tell you, Xavier. If I tell you what I know, there is a chance you will go running to him and tell him everything. He is your blood, you were raised into loyalty, it's what the mafia thrives off. My first mistake was sleeping with you even though I knew who you were, I won't make a second one."

"You are planning something, whatever it is, just don't. I'm not telling you this to help my father, it's solely to help you. He's dangerous, he doesn't care," It's impossible for people like us to trust, he's hardwired not to and I won't dare to trust a mafia leader.

"I won't let you in on this," Saying this, I stand up from my position on the couch, wanting nothing more than to leave the mansion completely. 

His hand grips my wrist and he turns me around, his height towers over mine, "You can't kill my father, Eloisa. If that's a part of your plan, then I can't allow you to leave this house."

His tone has changed to something much more sinister, "You surely aren't threatening me, are you?"

"My mafia comes first, always. You just admitted to plotting something against the former leader."

"Careful there, Mr. Romano. Your true colors are showing and they're fucking despicable."

His grip on me tightens and I rip my hand from him, his eyes darken to a dangerous extent, "Eloisa, don't force me to lock you up. I can't allow some woman to harm my mafia in any way. Give me time to talk him out of it, he will listen to me."

"No!" I say and back away from him. "Lo lascerò." (I'll leave).

"Eloisa," He says in warning, inching closer to me. 

My hands grip the cold surface of the gun in my waistband, he doesn't seem to spot my movements. "Get the hell away from me, Mr. Romano. You know better than anyone that I simply don't care about hurting people."

"You will die if you try killing him, you don't get to leave this house," One step closer. 

"I'll survive," I say and grip the gun in my hands. "Somehow I always do."

Pulling the gun, I shoot his foot and smash the weapon against his temple. He falls onto the floor with a grunt, knocked unconscious instantly. My thoughts are fleeting when I run out of the office, hurrying down the stairs where multiple men are seated around the kitchen island. 

Marc is one of them. 

"Eloisa?" He asks with a frown. "Is everything okay?"

Guilt suddenly washes over me, a feeling I rarely encounter. Looking around the room, I spot the keys to the SUV on the kitchen island. 

Meeting Marc's eyes and trying to talk through my heart throbbing in my throat, making it difficult for me to breathe, "You need to go check up on Xavier, he seemed completely out of it."

He doesn't say another word, but hurries up the stairs with a group of the men. I instantly grab the keys and run out the door, jumping into the vehicle I drive onto the road and sigh deeply by being away from their property. 

Reaching a random spot in the woods, I park the SUV and sprint as fast as my legs will take me. Trying not to leave any trail behind I wonder where the hell I'm supposed to go. 

Xavier knows where I live now. 

Oh, fuck.