August POV
"What? Your room? Why?" Oakley questioned. "I don't want to hide."
The banging on the door continued. The patterned rhythm telling me exactly who it was. I looked back at the door then at Oakley.
I grabbed onto Oakley's arm, "For this one time can you shut up and listen to me?" Her dark green eyes searched mine, probably sensing my seriousness because she nodded.
That's a first.
I let go of her and watched as she turned around to walk back to my room. I exhaled as I heard the door behind her close and began to walk towards the house door.
He had to come around now? He couldn't wait at least an hour fucking more?
Bang! Bang—
I swung the door open, "I get it, I get it," I said to Mathew on the other end of the door.
Also known as, Salvo's Boss.
He held a cigarette in between his fingers, his hair was beginning to gray at the roots considering he was nearly fifty years old. He was still a well-built man, broad shoulders and tall, meeting my height. But young enough to do the work that he does.
"Was beginning to think you were dead," He said, walking past me into my house. He tapped the ash from the cigarette on the floor.
Maybe that would be the better outcome.
I sighed, "Not just yet, I'm all flesh and bone." The house door shut.
"No text, no calls? I send you and your boys on a mission, you fail for starters. Then I hear from Caleb that you have him at the hospital for a bitch that's not even associated with us?"
"We were heavily outnumbered at that party and you know that. It was a suicide mission, half of my men are dead, and yet Apolo and Wilson are alive and well."
"It was up to you to figure out the best way to go about it as Capo. I gave you the position because I know you are capable of pulling off jobs as big as that one. What got in your way?"
I chose not to respond to his last comment, "And Caleb volunteered to stay with the blonde who, by the way, is associated with your hard-headed niece."
Words of Oakley cause silence to fill the air. Mathews unpredictable, he has to be, being the Mafia leader. But even with Oakley being his niece I'm not sure of his intentions or thought process when it comes to her.
He could see her as competition and shoot her on the spot if he felt like it.
"Speaking of my niece, where is she?"
I walked over to the table where I placed my bottle of beer and lifted it to take a long sip. The cool liquid ran down my throat.
I lowered the bottle, "With Caleb at the hospital." I lied.
"Why? And more importantly, why the fuck are you here at home instead of making sure she doesn't make a run for it?"
"She won't. Trust me, she's more your family than you know. The mafia is in her blood."
He exhaled a cloud of smoke, "A true Salvo." He chuckled.
"That she is."
The sound of a door shutting came from the other end of my house. Footsteps heard soon after.
"As much as I love seeing two men floundering over me, I'd much rather be there when it's happening." Oakley's voice came from down the hallway. I snapped my head up at her, she smiled and sent a wink my way, "You know, never such thing as too much attention."
I closed my eyes, internally sending a bullet through her head. I should've known she'd come out, all she's done is throw me under the bus. Mathew's eyes shifted to Oakley then back to me.
"The hospital, huh?" He said, going back to the lie I told him.
I looked at Oakley and threw a hand up, "You can never follow orders can you?"
She shrugged, "Your room was boring and I didn't hear gunshots so I came out."
Mathew sent a glare my way and I already knew I'd be hearing from him later. But he was probably choosing to dim himself down in front of Oakley.
"Look at you, all grown up. You look just like your Dad, does anyone tell you that?" Mathew asked, and I could practically see the gears turning in Oakley's head from the mention of her father.
Her eyes were locked onto him, "I didn't know I had other family members. After... the crash... no one came to claim me."
"I'm Mathew Salvo, your Uncle. I didn't know about your father's assassination until a few days after it happened, and even then I was informed that you died in the crash also.
Lies. Lies. And more lies.
"It was a hard time for Salvo, your father was a good man." He continued.
Oakley rolled her eyes, "I don't need the soft talk. I've been there done that for too many years of my life. The only reason I'm here is to kill Apolo."
"That has been an objective for ten years, Oakley. If it was that simple it would've been done. Salvo and Dynemo mafias are practically at war and have been at war for two decades. Apolo is the least of my worries. Yesterday was a day I assigned his assassination, but someone just wasn't cut out for the job." Mathew darted his eyes towards me. He's never gonna let it down.
I prayed Oakley doesn't tell him just how Apolo had gotten free.
The Dynemos are just as ruthless, and they'd stop at nothing to come after her if she killed him, especially after they discover exactly who she is. Mathew wouldn't understand my reasoning, she's better dead to him than alive.
Oakley glanced at me, her cat-like eyes hovered on me for a moment before snapping back to Mathew.
"I'm not going anywhere till there's a tunnel through that bastard head." She stated.
"Was hoping you'd say that—"
Yeah, because now you don't have to force her to stay.
"—Because it just so happens I have a spot to fill for our next mission. And it'll be the perfect way to test your abilities in the mafia before we go at Apolo and William Dynemo again."
"And what spot is that?" She asked.
"Right where you've been. Beside August."
I furrowed my brows at his words, "What? I don't need another soldier--If you can even call her that--she isn't trained."
Oakley is all shoot first think later. And that's the last thing I needed to worry about on missions. She's a distraction enough and it's only been several days, I can't begin to imagine working beside her.
"I'm trained enough to kick your ass." She hissed. I sent a death stare her way.
Boss looked my way, "Train her then. You just said you lost half of your men," Mathew reasoned, ignoring Oakley's comment. "I don't think it'll take much, considering she is alive after finding her own way through all of this so far."
I took another sip of my beer. It seemed to be the only thing I could count on to ease me, "What is the mission." Is all I asked.
"To kill an old friend of mine."
"Why kill him?" Oakley questioned.
Matthew began to pace, "I loaned him money months ago to pay off his debts. He said he was gonna pay me back, yet here I am a hundred thousand dollars poorer. Got to keep up the reputation somehow."
"So you want us to do your dirty work?"
"I would call it... my test."
Oakley let out a long silent breath, her hands playing with the two necklaces on her neck, the bullet, and wings. Oddly enough, the two go well together.
Finally, she shrugged, "Okay, sounds easy enough."
"You have a death wish or something?" I asked her.
"Don't we all?" She replied.
Our gaze lingered on each other's before Mathew spoke, "You fucking my niece?"
I shot my eyes to him, "What?" Oakley and I said in unison. "What the fuck makes you think that?" I said.
Is it that obvious?
I fuck her one time and it's all over us. Even Caleb was saying some shit like that. Guess it was just a good fuck.
He shrugged, "For starters, it's the only reason I could think of that'll make you lie about her being here. And the way you two look at each other; not even a blind man would miss the connection."
Oakley's cheeks reddened, her eyes avoiding mine. "Sort of too late to play the protective Uncle role don't you think?" She snapped.
That's what she does I noticed, once she's uncomfortable she resorts to hostility.
"I don't plan to play Uncle, I plan to play your boss," Mathew said, walking to stand in front of her, his boots clicking on my wooden floor. "So I expect to be treated as one."
There's one thing about Mathew, he doesn't care for relations, even his very own family. I only hope Oakley doesn't fall into his trap in believing otherwise.
"Or what?" She challenged.
"Excuse me?"
"You heard me, old man, or what? What happens if I don't treat you as my boss. You gonna shoot me?"
I wouldn't test him.
Matthew smirked and shook his head, "No, I'm not going to shoot you. I have other plans for you."
"Well, in that case, get used to it. I'm a Salvo after all, aren't I?"
"That... you are," Mathew said, walking back to me. He patted my shoulder. "Take care of my niece, August. I want her in your sight at all times. Got that?"
I huffed and nodded my head.
"Three days I'll give you two before the next mission. August alert your men, Slasher and Axel are at the sanctuary as we speak. And Oakley... don't die."
"Not planning on it."
Mathew smiled and pointed his finger at her before heading to the door. We watched as he silently left my apartment and once the door closed, I let out a breath.
"He doesn't seem all too bad." She said.
"I'd like you to know if anyone else new talked to him the way you do, they'd be dead before the words even left their mouth."
"Could say the same for you."
I glanced at her. She's right, only for her I have let shit slip by me. I ripped my eyes from her and threw the empty beer bottle in the trash. I hate when she's right.
"Get your heels back on, we're going to pick your shit up from your apartment."
"What? Why?" She followed me as I pulled my jacket off the hook beside the front door.
"If it was up to me, I'd keep you in that dress all day long." My eyes raked her body. God that dress is fucking sexy on her. "But unless you wanna walk around like your going to a night party all day, I suggest you pick up some clothes."
"Why can't I just stay at my house?"
If questions could kill me, I'd be dead a long time ago.
"Because you can't, so say hello to your new temporary home."
"And what about Olivia, she's my roommate." She said, "She coming back soon."
"Figure it out when she gets out. Now shut your pretty little mouth and hurry up."
***
Oakley had taken her sweet time putting her heels on for rushing her and ran her fingers through her hair before we left. The way down to the car was silent and so was most of the car ride. Now we were nearly ten minutes away and I could feel the tension from last night oozing off her.
I glanced at her as I drove. The wind was zipping through her brown hair, a frown plastered on her lips.
"You okay?" I asked slicing a hand over to her thigh. I grabbed her, my rings sliding across her skin. She inhaled, goosebumps rose on her legs. I loved the way she reacts to me. It does things, dangerous things.
"Yes." She said, I could see her staring at my hand from behind her hair. She didn't tell me to move it. Her shoulders softened after feeling me; like my touch was all she needed as reassurance.
Or I'm just thinking too much into her. Fuck, why is she so difficult?
"Very convincing." I joked. She said nothing in return.
We came to a red light and I turned to her. I lift my hand to her chin and pulled her gaze away from the window and towards me.
Her pink lips slightly pushed together and I would be lying if I said I didn't want to kiss them. But that's the one thing that will rule whatever this is that we are, to being more. And I don't think either of us wants that.
"What is it, angel. Talk to me," I hummed.
She put her hand on her necklace, not the one she taken from my closet but the bullet one that still hung around her neck. I remember giving it back to her the night we met and the face of relief that flooded her when she realized it wasn't gone.
I lowered my hand back to her thigh and she focused on the road ahead, watching the dozens of strangers walk across the streets.
"Just thinking of my mom."
I was half expecting her to tell me to piss off or some shit, but her giving an actual answer was a surprise. I stayed silent, not knowing what to say. Or more so, wondering if I'll say the wrong things. I've never been good at comfort and shit. Hence the reason relationships aren't my thing.
"She um..." She started, bitting down on her bottom lip like she was trying to hold in tears. "She used to drive me around all the time. It was our favorite thing to do. It was hard finding something I liked as a kid, so when she found out I like car rides she never rested getting me in the car." She laughed and sniffled.
"She sounds like she was an amazing mother," I said.
Oakley looked up at me, her eyes glossy and red. She nodded after a moment, "Yeah, she was."
The light turned green.
I let out a breath through my nose, slightly squeezing her thigh as I stepped on the gas. I wish I could find the right words to tell her that she can let out whatever she wants around me. That she doesn't have to force her feelings down. That I want to hear her speak and cry, shout, and laugh.
If we were to be working together, we have to form some solid ground. Right? And based on how she speaking of her mother with me, I think I can see the first fragile layer of it forming.
But it's only so long till it all falls apart. It always does when it comes to me and women.
It always does.
So why do I have this gut feeling that with her this time will be different?
[A/N]
Whipped.
How you guys like the chap? What you all think of Mathew? I like August POV's but he's harder to write idky lol. There's more to come, smut, fights, laughs, blood haha you just wait on it.
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