~Grace~
"Those on the right. The remainders on the left." I tell my employees as they scatter around the hall getting the large room ready for the party that will start in a few hours.
"Grace? Where do I put-" My employee's words slow down and her eyes dart to something, more like someone behind. I can smell his god damn colone.
Rolling my eyes I spin on my heel, coming face to face with Ricco. What does he want from me?
"Ricco," I mumble, looking at his suit, a grey suit, messy hair, perfect freaking face.
"Grace." He mocks, looking at my dress, his gaze lingering on the slit on my left thigh.
"Eyes up here Russo." I mumble and he smirks.
"Are you busy amore?" he asks me, walking closer to me.
"Yes." No. I was leaving.
"Are you leaving soon?" he asks, looking around the hall. The blue and white balloons, the white flower wall with minor pinks in the middle. It was exactly what my clients wanted and it gave me so much joy bringing it to life.
"No." I lie.
"Actually Grace you can-" I throw the clipboard from my hands at my employee.
"No. I can't." I grit out and Ricco rolls his eyes.
"Well, can you leave with me?"
"Can you go back in time and leave Italy for me?" I ask him, tilting my head.
"Gracie-"
"No. You can't."
"Grace, just hear me out-" I turn around, but he pulls me back.
"Don't walk away from me."
"Watch me." I pull my wrist away, walking away.
The sad part is I was waiting for his skin to touch mine again, for his warm hand to grab mines and pull me closer to him, so close that I'm drowning in the scent of his colone.
But he doesn't.
I swear I'm bipolar or something.
I head to the table where my purse and keys sat amongst the several random decorations. I grab my stuff, getting ready to leave. I take one last look at the hall, it's as perfect as perfect can be. I'm so excited for the clients to see it!
"Leaving Grace?" I hear a very familiar voice. I turn around and there stands Ella in all her glory.
"Hey E!" I smile at her, she breaks out in her familiar grin and she runs up to me.
"What are you doing here?" I ask her.
"Well, I have nothing to do at home, like ever." She scoffs.
"I'm really good with decorations." She winks at me and I instantly get her request.
"I don't know E," I mumble slowly.
"Oh please! Pretty please?" her British accent whines.
"Do you have any work experience?" I ask her.
"Yes. I've worked at a cafe, art gallery, bookstore, another cafe for like a hour." She frowns and my eyebrows raise.
"Uh, a farm and a shoe shop!" She yells.
"That's a lot of jobs E." I chuckle and she shrugs.
"Why'd you work so much? I mean, your dad is the leader of the English Mafia." I whisper.
"Experience, now, please? Can I have the job?" She pleads with me. I guess we can use some extra help. Summer is pretty busy.
"Okay. Fine." I get wanting new experiences, in a lifestyle of blood, bullets, and bullshit, that's not much of an easy row.
"Yay! When do I start?" she asks, clapping her hands.
"Uh," I take a look around.
"Now." I smile and she chuckles.
"What should I do?"
"Go help Riley with the streamers," I tell her, pointing to Riley.
"Okay, great. Thank you G!" I smile as she walks away.
"Hey E?" I call after her.
"Yeah?" She reples, turning around.
"How'd you know I would be here?" I ask her.
"Oh, Caden told me." She smiles and I slowly nod. When did they meet?
Not my business.
"Hey everyone!" I get their attention.
"I'm leaving now. Wrap this up and you guys can leave." I tell them. They nod and I walk out of the hall, but not too fast, I hear when Ella yells over my shoulder.
"Damn. The boss is hot." I laugh, walking out the building.
Ricco's stupidly handsome face drops to my mind, he's so good looking for what? But he's so stupid too! God, why did he have to leave? I can't forgive him. It'll prove how weak I am. It'll shrug all the pain I went through, right off the mountain of reasons as to why I shouldn't forgive him.
My shoulder is suddenly knocked to immense pain as a stranger in black suit bumps into me.
"I'm sorry-" I try to apologize to the man, but he cuts me off.
"You Graclyn King?" he asks and I tense. Rule number one of this life, always have a back-up name.
"Nope. I'm Grace Kingston. You have the wrong person." I tell him, hoping no praying he buys my lie.
"I thought Gia doesn't like lying." He chuckles and my hopes crash. He knows mom, he knows me.
"Excuse me-" What's with people and not letting me finish speaking? It's rude.
"Shut up!" He covers my mouth with his hand and place a damp cloth over my nose. Everything goes black. My feet go numb and suddenly I'm cold. Way too cold.
---
~Ricco~
I stare at the melting ice through the tinted glass as Nicholas's voice bores me to fucking death. This man makes everything fucking boring.
"With that being said, all the mafias have decided-" A loud knock rings through the room, signaling everyone in the room to look at it. Do they fucking expect the door to open for itself?
Assholes. I don't look away from the ice, it's a fucking door, not a cinema screen.
Leo gets up and opens the door, allowing Gia inside.
"Gia, I'm in the middle of a meeting," Nicholas says and Gia pushes her way past Leo and into the office.
"I know, I wouldn't have interrupted if it wasn't important you know that." She sniffles. Maybe she's still upset about Sarah's disappearance. Or not. I really don't care. I just want to get out of this damn meeting and find Gracie.
"It's-it's Grace." Gia sobs and this time I do look up. Something in me drops, maybe my stomach, maybe my heart. I have no fucking idea. But I hate the feeling.
"It can wait." Nicholas says and Gia eyes widen.
Is this man fucking serious?
"But-" She stutters.
"I'm busy."
"Like hell you are. This meeting can wait, what's wrong with Grace?" I stand up, walking towards Gia, taking a tissue from the near by tissue box. I don't miss that they're lemon-scented. Grace sure as hell placed these here.
"S-she was supposed to be home an hour ago. But she hasn't returned."
"So what? There's traffic Gianna." Nicholas angrily spits out. I clench my jaw. I can't fucking stand this man.
" Would you let her fucking speak?" I ask him calmly. I turn to Gia.
"He- he sent the dress she was wearing! Gia breaks down against the door.
He?
Her God damn dress?
"Who?" I ask, everything turning red. The thought of another man having access to her dress pisses the fuck out of me.
"I-i can't say." she sobs.
My fucking God woman spit it out!
"Gia, who the fuck sent you her dress?" I ask her, trying to not smash everything in sight.
"The- the leader of The Lowline Lopez." She says, her head bent. Nicholas's hand collides with the table.
"Get me my fucking phone!" He growls out. One of his men bring his phone and he makes a call, about what? I have no fucking idea.
Why the hell would the Lopez Family want Gracie? The Black Spade Mafia has never had business with the Lopez gang.
"Nicholas, what's going on?" I ask him, fucking furious.
"Ricco, stay out of this one." Man, they really trying me tonight.
"Grace is in danger and the last fucking thing I'm doing is staying out. So you either tell me, or I do something about it on my own." I tell him and he sighs.
"The Lopez family and us Kings, we aren't really a tight pack."
"Well, no shit. Considering the fact they kidnapped your daughter and sent her fucking dress to you, I'd guess you aren't a tight pack." I glare at him. Nicholas is a very powerful man, but fucking stupid. The guilty look on his face will either make me kill him, or damage him really badly.
All of which will happen after I get Grace back.
"What did you do?" I ask him and he shoots his eyes up to mine.
"W-what?" Now he's stuttering. What the fuck did he do?
"Nic, I think it's time we tell Grace, I-" Gia mumbles, but she's overtaken by her asshole of a husband.
"Shut the fuck up!" He's Grace's Father, don't end him.
"Would you just fucking explain!" I yell at him.
"It's not easy!" he yells, passing his hand up and down his face.
"Sir." The door pushes open and one of Nicholas's men walks in.
"Your daughter is on the phone."