AUTHOR'S NOTE:
I
know I promised an Angelo POV, I am so sorry for that and also I am almost half an hour late. So sorry. Yeah
But I would really appreciate if y'all vote and comment. Please. Please do so, it helps a lot more than y'all would know.
I'll let y'all get back.
The woman sat on a white leather chair, her dark hair pinned at the back, exposing the shining diamond rings dangling from her ears.
The green eyed woman, thoughtfully swirled the wine glass, before taking a long drag of the aroma of the liquid before taking a tasteful sip.
She was quite enjoying her visit to this warm land of grapes and olives. She loved the luxury she lived on.
However, she was yet to make any female acquaintance of power and position. This minor fact troubled her greatly.
There was just nobody to host tea parties or have afternoon tea with. She was dying for a girl to girl gossip.
Door to the office room opened revealing a younger man, clad in black suit, white shirt, tastefully picked up tie completed his outfit along with the combed back brown hair.
"Alessio." The woman piped up setting the wine glass down by the bottle, crossing her long fingers on the tabletop.
"Ma'am." The man nodded in recognition as stood before the table, arms pinned behind him, standing at ease.
"What is the news, Alessio?" The lady asked in her accent sharp as her eyes stared into the man's.
"It's bad news." The man signed with a slight bow of his head. "The girl got away."
A sigh followed, the much older women, the sides of her eyes crinkled from age. "Again?"
"Yes." He replied, a feeling of regret but relief at the same time flooded over him.
The lady sighed again, her anger slowly surfacing.
But as long as Alessio had known his new mistress, he learned that this woman was a cunning bitch.
She played her game calm and smart. She outsmarted using her intellect not temper. She wasn't new to this game to rat and mouse chase before finally pinning down the mouse and killing.
No, this woman was not a sadist. She was rapacious and materialistic for sure. She was so much insatiable so that she didn't care if somebody came in her way of plan.
She simply eliminated them like one eliminates pebbles when they disturb ones evening stroll.
"I suppose then we need a better plan?" The lady asked, her voice calm and business like.
A better plan? Alessio thought.
"Ma'am, the girl is under heavy security, the Alec Santos plan failed, the shoot put failed-".
" I did not ask for any elaboration, Alessio." The last held up a manicured finger to stop the younger man. "I said we need a better plan."
"A plan that will not either way fail." The lady uttered with a small smile on her face, picking up the wine glass once again.
"Yes, ma'am." Alessio said. "I suppose you are inevitably right."
Alessio exhaled, his jaw muscles working.
"Come what may." The woman said. "I must rid of the girl in order for the will to change."
"Do you not think we are messing with the wrong crowd?" Alessio bit the inside of his cheek, knowing exactly the truth.
That they were in fact messing with the very wrong crowd in a list of wrong crowds.
The women simply smiled, her demeanour not changed even slightly.
"We must get rid of the girl." She prompted. "Some how or the other. Before I execute my final plan."
Alessio nodded placing a file on the desk top, the file he initially came to deliver.
The woman, opened the file, revealing an A4 size picture of a girl with bubblegum pink hair. She was sitting on a chair in some shop. The photo was clicked without her notice or permission whatsoever.
There was all the information detailed about the young girl.
However what there wasn't, was one tiny part of her life. The present one.
Angelo wasn't beside me when I woke up the next morning.
Stretching my arms over my head, I felt the soreness in my muscles, the quivering ache between my legs evident and very much present as I got down from the bed, pulling the shirt discarded by Angelo the night before.
The black cotton T-shirt smelled of him, it almost made up for the absence of him in bed.
Almost.
Yelling for the dogs, I exit the room walking down through the stairs while pulling my hair up in a knot bun.
"Poodle?" I call for my overactive mutt, entering the kitchen waiting for both the royalties of the household to make an appearance.
"Coco!"
The sound of barks echo throughout the house as both of them run toward the kitchen as hungry and sleep strained doggies as they were.
I added water and food to their bowl sitting down to pat and scratch their head.
"You've been hungry huh?" I ask. "So hungry."
Poodle yaps in response lapping up the water from the bowl. Coco just keeps on eating like I have been starving him for the week.
Mean.
Pushing my attention away from them, I walk to the sink washing my hands and getting a light breakfast of fruits and cheese started.
As late as it was, I wasn't still out of medication and I had to eat something.
Even though I feel like eating nothing. Nothing at all.
With my small bowl of breakfast, I walk outside followed by the dogs, excited for another day of playtime and getting mud all over themselves.
There might be a need to put fencing around the garden so these careless mutts don't wonder about those plants like nobody's dad's business.
Sitting on the table placed outside, I slide open my phone, seeing that I have two missed calls from Blaire.
"Good morning, sunshine." Blaire yelped from the other end, picking up on the first ring of my call.
"Good morning yourself." I say popping a grape in my mouth. "How are you?"
"Abso-fucking-lutely grand." She replies. "How is you?"
"Good." I reply moving around to find a cherry in my bowl, because god forbid I remember to but enough of them.
"Did you have a good night?" I ask.
"Did you?" She asked back with a suggestive tone.
"Yes." I replied. "What about you?"
"Good." She sighed. "Slept like a dog, woke up working like a bitch because god forbid Roman pays me."
"You are working?" I ask, slightly alarmed.
Blaire- working?
"Yep." She replies.
"Well, what are you working on?" I ask.
"Rearranging papers." She said. "Got my hands into Roman's desk-"
"God." I shake my head. "Did you at least ask him?"
"No." Blaire asks. "This is suite life of Blaire not Roman. He is point blank irrelevant-"
"You're just looking for trouble." I say with a shake of my head.
"Roman is a nerd." She says, clearly distracted.
What in the hell?
"Bub, what's up with you?" I ask. "You okay?"
"Yep." She says. "I'm just cleaning."
"Blaire." I warn.
"Fine." She huffs. "I got into a flight."
"And?" I ask.
"And I said some pretty bad things to mister my ego is bigger then my dick." She says. I can almost see her eyes rolling.
"And he left." She adds.
"And so you are in his office, rearranging?" I ask.
"Sí." She replies. "Gonna make it look all nice and clean."
I nod even though she can't see me and put a piece of strawberry in my mouth, chewing the juicy goodness.
"And if Roman gets mad, I'll just say you told me to, in that way he can't say nothing to me."
"Okay." I say. "If that works."
"Oh, that will." She says. "Are you busy through the day, by the way?"
"No." I reply. "Why?"
"Come over." She says. "Bring the dogs."
"Oh?"
"Yep." She says. "We are at the estate, I'll call Devil-o and invite him for lunch."
"You want to invite Devil-o for lunch?" I ask.
"Yep." She says. "We can have a double date."
"Okay." I reply. "Want me to being something?"
"Desert?" She says. "Coralyn's book is a mad trip around the world, but I can fix us some good old pasta."
I giggle. "Okay. I'll make some tart?"
"Just don't put grapes." She says.
"Sure." I laugh.
Just slightly before one thirty in the noon, I walk in through the estate gates, a maid leading the way for me as the dogs run ahead, their behavior telling that they've been here before.
Bertie.
The maid, leads me inside and through the foyer, into the polished and decorated kitchen with bay windows that over look the garden at the side.
"Hello yourself." Blaire says, she had a small plate in her hand, leaning against the counter, eyes twinkling with mischief.
"Hello, you." I say placing the box I carried on the counter. "You look good."
Blaire shrugs putting the plate containing a half eaten small flan pudding down.
"What?" I ask, narrowing my eyes at the taller woman.
"What?" She asked.
"Did you do your hair?" I ask.
"No." Blaire waves me off. "I woke up this way."
"Lies." I say moving toward the double door fridge and finding a bottle of water for myself.
"You did and you look pretty." I add.
Blaire makes an uncomfortable noise at the back of her throat. "Don't."
"Don't what?" I ask pouring cold water on a glass.
"Don't." Blaire sighs.
"Okay." I reply. "You also did mascara and blush."
Blaire gives me a narrowed eye.
"Just saying." I smirk taking a drag of water from the glass. "Anyways."
"What did you make?" I ask.
"Spaghetti Bolognese." She sighs. "Skipped other fancy shit, cause I was tired."
"It's alright." I say. "I'll plate it if you want."
"Thanks babe." She says picking up her flan pudding. "Do you want one?"
I shake my head but Blaire walks to the fridge nevertheless bringing me out a chilled pudding topped with caramel.
"Not a fan of flan." I say accepting the plate from her along with a spoon.
"Well, it jiggles." Blaire says. "And I made it, so you better.".
I help Blaire to plate the spaghetti bolognese into four plates and garnish them like how Blaire wants, given that she's not too picket about anything.
But it bothers me so I do them garnishing, putting a decent amount in each plate.
Angelo and Roman didn't arrive yet so, we kept the lunch plates in the kitchen, carrying a bottle of chilled Rosé outside.
I could see the dogs playing about, in the sun, rolling over in the grass, sounds of their barking and playful yaps as they nibbled each other.
"We should do this twice a week." Blaire says dropping on a chair, using her hand as a fan, to fan herself.
"You think so?" I ask, smiling sitting down myself waiting for the men to make an entrance.
I pour us each a glass of the chilled wine and pass Blaire her glass.
She sips the wine casually.
"This is good." Blaire pipes up.
I nod in agreement.
Angelo and Roman walked into the outside dining area fifteen minutes later we sat on the table talking about nothing in particular.
When Blaire talks, she doesn't really need a topic. She just runs like a train, and I just follow.
What surprised me when the duo of the brothers walked in, was the presence of a third party behind them.
He was undoubtedly younger than Angelo and Roman. Mare inches short from Angelo. Almost same height as Roman, clad in a beige suit.
I stand up to greet Angelo, he places his hand on my waist leaning in for a peck.
"How was your day?" I ask against his mouth.
"Good." He says. "How about you?"
"Good." I reply with a smile as Angelo turns to take a seat on the chair beside me.
"Ariel." Roman calls. "Meet Alexander, my cousin." He gestures at the much younger man standing beside him, with a soft half smile on his face.
"Hello." I say extending my hand toward him for a shake. "Ariel LaRusso."
"Alex Richardson." The guy says shaking my hand, firmly.
Smiling I pull my hand away and watch Blaire introduce herself shaking his hand before inviting us all to sit.
I take my seat beside Angelo, his hand placed on my exposed knee as he picks up his wine glass with the other.
Smiling I look at Blaire who was engaged in a conversation with the new man. Alexander.
They were talking animatedly, his face turned to her while he explained when and how he came to Napoli and has been working for Angelo.
"What are you looking at?" I hear Angelo's voice, his hand was gently rubbing my knee, spreading goose bumps along my skin.
"He is Roman's cousin, he says." I turn to face the man seated on my right, dressed in a pinstripe charcoal suit.
"Yes." He replies, a frown settling on his face. "And-"
"He looks like you-" I say. "Somewhat from the side."
Angelo sighs shaking his head, his jaw muscle contracting and relaxing as he places the wine glass on his lips taking a generous sip.
"Can we begin?" He asks putting his glass down on the table.
"Of course." Roman nods and gestures to the maid standing behind him to bring out the dishes that we had prepared beforehand.
Placing my hand on Angelo's thigh, I rub gently, trying to ease away whatever had troubled his cool demeanor.
What was that, impaled his attitude into a stern one instead of his charismatic one that he portrayed while it was just us.
This was what is was, right?
A double date lunch?
A double and a half, actually. I corrected myself.
My eyes shifted to the man seated beside Blaire.
She was cushioned between Alexander and Roman.
He did look kind of like Angelo from a side angle. He did.
Everything else was different.
He spoke with a heavy American accent. He carried himself different then Angelo did.
The man's honey brown eyes lifts up, only to catch up with mine.
I offer him a gentle smile.
"Do you like the pasta, Alexander?" I asked, purely out of politeness as I picked up my fork.
"Yeah." He said, with a smirk like smile. "It's- uh- delicious."
"That's great." I replied. "Like your stay in Italy so far?"
The guy nodded putting a spoonful of pasta in his mouth. "I like it. Great."
I nodded.
"I'm new to Italy too." Blaire pipes up, dabbing the corner of her mouth with a linen napkin.
No Blaire. You are not.
"How many places have you been?" She asks the man seated beside her, turning to face him.
"Nowhere, really." Alex replies. "My flight landed in Rome so I got do a bit of sightseeing, but apart from that nowhere."
Well.
"It's bullocks, mate." Blaire replies rolling her eyes and swirling her spaghetti.
"I've been dying yo go see Florence. Nobody has time it appears so my sorry ass does cleaning all day-"
Blaire...
I sigh.
"Florence is gorgeous." I say.
"You've been?" Blaire asks a mean look in her eyes, that says 'no fair'
I nod.
I was born and raised in Florence.
"Yeah." Blaire says. "Those churches and galleries are something else to visit huh?"
"Certainly." Roman clears his throat.
"Right." Blaire mumbles with a roll of her eyes and we finish the rest of the lunch in quiet.
After an uncomfortable desert and coffee episode, I follow Angelo into the car, as a man helps to put the dogs at the backseat.
I claim the passenger seat held open for me as Angelo slips into the driver's.
As Blaire and I carried the plates once after lunch was done with, she sighed resting her back against one of the columns that separated the kitchen from the dining room.
"That was some uncomfortable lunch." She had said.
I didn't disagree with the woman.
"Never mind." She replied shaking her head. "Let's do this again, sometime. Maybe a dinner or something, minus that Alex kid."
I agreed with her silently with a nod of my head.
"What's wrong?" Blaire had asked watching me only nod in order to agree with her.
"Nothing." I replied feigning a smile, shaking my head.
"What's bothering you?" She asked, frowning and moving closer to me.
"I- Blaire-"
"What?"
"It's weird how Roman and Alex are brothers but both the boss and the underboss kept their guard up and sealed in presence of him." I say, with a frown.
"Roman is not really close with his uncle or that family." Blaire volunteered. "Some old issues."
I nod.
"Where are you lost?" Angelo asked reaching for my hand, that rested on my lap.
Bringing my fingers to his lips, he placed a cool kiss on my knuckles, a warm feeling spread all over me.
"Nowhere." I replied with a shake if my head, feigning a smile.
"You didn't say you were bringing a guest over." I say. "It startled me, that's all."
"Ruining the lunch wasn't in the plan at all, baby." He replied apologetically. "I apologize."
"You don't have to apologize." I pout. "I was just surprised, that's all."
"So was I." I hear him mumble almost inaudibly.
Pretending I didn't notice the man uttering those words, I focus on the the scenery outside as we drive through the dirt road, both sides of the road filled with thick lush olive grooves, small wooden storage one in the middle of each plot as we drive toward the house.
The dogs, tired from all their activities, silently lounging at the back.
"I have a surprise for you." Angelo said out of the blue.
"Oh?" I ask raising my eyebrow. "And what that might be?"
"I am not supposed to disclose it you." He said, the corner of his mouth turning up, into a smile.
"No?" I ask. "You can tell me. I won't tell."
He chuckles airily.
"So, what's the surprise?" I ask again.
Because God help me, if I can't but get exited.
"I have had mama's house cleared recently." He says. "It's a bit of a ride to positano but-"
I smile.
"Are we going vacation?" I ask.
"A weekend tour, if you will." He says. "Alberto will have the dogs."
Hi! It's me again, obviously. 👉👈 did you like the chapter?
Now- who is the anonymous lady ready to kill our bubbles?
And what are tour thoughts about Alexander?
Should Roman take Blaire to Florance?
👉👈
Vote and comments. Show some love and affection to my lonely ass soul.
-November.