Ace's POV
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She kissed me.
I don't know if she did it because she wanted to, or if she was trying to get rid of Kai, but she actually kissed me. Her lips were soft, tasting of the salt water, but I could also taste a slight hint of amaretto.
I pulled away first, both of us out of breath. The entire beach was silent. Everyone was watching the whole thing. Hannah's face immediately flushed and she quickly walked back to Sarah. Kai looked beyond mad, but Cixi looked more excited than anything, with a devious glint on her face. She may be a power hungry heiress, but at least she was never the jealous type. The capos were all shocked too, including Antony who had his drink halfway to his mouth.
"Bro..." Antony trailed off, staring at me. "Think she'll kiss me next?" I rolled my eyes and Ben smacked the back of his head.
Hannah and her friends had already left, but the rest of us didn't stay much longer either. Cixi and Kai had to leave so we decided to go ahead and head back as well. Before they left, I gave Cixi and hug and made sure to pat Kai's right shoulder. He tried to hide his pain, but he still winced a little. I'm not really sure what happened, but I know when I went to the training room this morning he was bandaging a pretty deep knife wound. I didn't know for sure but something tells me he tried to make a move on Hannah.
The rest of the day went by pretty smoothly, until night time came. I was just sitting in my office, trying to go through paperwork and work on trades for next week when my phone rang. It was Cixi. I don't know why she was calling me, but I figured it wouldn't be important. I let it ring till it went to voicemail, but she quickly called me again.
"Cixi?"
"Ace!" I immediately froze. She didn't sound smooth and confident like she normally does, but scared. She sounded terrified and I could tell she was crying.
"Cixi, what's wrong?!" It was raining in the background, making it hard for me to hear her.
"It's Kai. He's switched sides."
"What?!" That fucking bastard.
"Theres more..." She sighed. "He told Jack about the girl from the beach." Hannah.
"Are you okay?" I asked, trying to contain my anger.
"I'll be fine. You need to move out of that compound as soon as possible, and protect that girl. Something tells me she's innocent in all of this."
"She is." I said, hanging up the phone. I was silent for a minute, the whole compound was silent.
I chunked my phone across the room, causing it to shatter in tons of pieces. Of course that son of a bitch would do this shit. He gets jealous over a girl that isn't even his wife and now he puts her as number one on a mafia's hit list.
This is why I don't do love. Now she's going to be seen as a weakness to me. Jack won't go for me anymore, he'll go for her. He'll torment and kill her, trying to hurt me. She's innocent in all of this. She shouldn't be involved in this war, she shouldn't even be in this fucking mafia. Now though, it's too late.
Within an hour I had every Capo in Italy awake and ready. We were clearing this compound out, and we were doing it tonight. The plan was to send everyone here to surrounding compounds. They would all stay there, but Ben, Antony, Vinnie and I would go to one of our safe houses.
I couldn't decide what to do with Hannah. It'd be safest for her if I put a bullet in her head right now, but I honestly don't know if I could do it. There were two options. Hannah could go to one of the compounds just like the rest of the soldiers. She'd be hidden and under twenty four hour watch. It'd by her time, but they would still eventually find her.
The other option was the one I hated the most. She's already gotten all of the attention, so we keep it on her. We make her to be the best soldier in the sicilian mafia, have her constantly seen in public, and have her make appearances with other mafias. She would stay with me and the capos so she could train and be more involved, but also be a distraction. With this option, though, she could die tomorrow.
I didn't want her to choose the second option, but it wasn't my choice. She's one of my soldiers, but her life is on the line. I don't get to decide, she does. The capos and I made our way through the busy training room, filled with people packing up weapons and supplies. We took the stairs up to the sixth floor, avoiding the line for the elevator.
People were running in and out of rooms, frantically trying to pack their belongings when we got there. We walked into Hannah's room to see her and Sarah packing up her things. Oliver, Thea, and Leo were also in her room having a conversation, but they got quiet as soon as we walked in.
"Ben? What's going on?" Sarah asked, slowly walking up to him. He looked at me before making eye contact with her.
"We need to speak with Hannah." She froze in her spot.
I tried to keep the rumors contained for now. Everyone knows that our location was compromised and suspects it was because of our guests, but no one knows it was out spite because of Hannah.
I looked around the room, expecting everyone to leave, but they all just made themselves more comfortable. I'm glad she fit in here, and that she made close friends, but did she have to pick the most stubborn people in the compound?
"Hannah." I say, getting her attention. I looked to Antony, who quickly closed the door to her room. "Theres more going on than just our location being compromised."
"Okay?"
"When you kissed me on the beach-" Her face immediately flushed. "It made Kai mad. He's an ignorant asshole, but he also runs a mafia. He switched alliances on Cixi and I and told the Russian and American mafia about you." I don't think she was breathing. Her friends immediately looked over to her, worriedly. She's scared, but they're more fearful. They've been in this life longer, so they know what it means.
"What are we going to do?" Sarah asks.
"You have two options. You can go to a compound, just like everyone else. You'll be under twenty four hour watch and protected. They'll still find you, but it'll buy you more time."
"Whats the second option?" She quickly asked. Her voice cracked and I noticed her eyes slowly fill with tears. She was trying to stay strong though, fighting them back.
"You're now the center of attention for the four most powerful mafias in the world. The second option is we keep you there. You stay in the spotlight. You'll come to a safe house with the Capos and I. We'll train you and protect you. We'll do everything we can to keep the center of attention on you while we make moves when they aren't paying attention. With this option though, you could die at any moment."
"So, I'll die either way?"
"Theres always a possibility of death." I say, trying to sound professional. I can't influence her in anyway, she has to choose.
"What about them?" She asks, looking to her friends.
"Sarah and Oliver would accompany us to the safe house if thats what you decide. Leo and Thea are our best soldiers with technology. They'll stay at a compound, but will still be around frequently. If you choose to go to another compound, I can assure that you all stay together." Regardless of Hannah's choice, I have a feeling Sarah would end up at the safe house anyways. He gets on my last nerve, but I'd let Oliver stay with us.
She was silent, thinking. Everyones eyes were on her and trying to figure out what she was going to do. She let out a frustrated breath, looking around the room before her eyes landed on me. She didn't say anything, but she gave me the same look as the last time I gave her an option. She wanted time to decide.
"You have five minutes." I tell her, walking out of the room with the Capos.
The hallway has started to quiet down and most people have moved to the training room. Everyone was supposed to wait down there until the cars came to take them to other compounds. It was going to be a long, stressful night, but at least my soldiers would live.
"Five minutes, dude? Seriously?!" Antony asked. "I mean, that's like asking some if they want to die tomorrow or next week and giving them five minutes to decide." I gave him an annoyed look, telling him I'm not in the mood.
"She chose to die or join up within five minutes." I tell him.
I know five minutes is a short amount of time for a big decision, but it makes you think. You don't have time to contemplate your options in five minutes, you only have time to look over them and choose. This time it didn't take five minutes though. The door opened and Sarah and Hannah walked out.
"I choose the second option."
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