"You have everything sweetheart?" Her sweet mother, Rosalie asked as she helps take her daughter's suitcase out of the trunk of her 2018 Honda Civic.
"Yep," Alessia says, tightening the straps of her backpack. "I had gone over my checklist last night and this morning, don't worry."
Rosalie pushes the trunk hood down with a grunt. Take note that she should be doing some more arm exercises. She stared at her beautiful daughter, admiring how grown up she was now.
Alessia would be at her side 24/7; she was a clingy child. But Rosalie didn't mind; she cherished each moment with her because when her teen years came, Alessia would want to spread her wings.
And she has just had to turn 15 and yet being so mature for her age made her mama so proud. Alessia loved being with her mother, working at the restaurant, having spa days, movie nights, everything.
Alessia never had many friends, she would spend most of her days working or exploring their little town. Her mother had tried to get her to go out with kids her age but Alessia was simply not interested.
But deciding that she needed a change of scenery. Rosalie had surprised her to go visit her father in NY. She hadn't seen him in years, only once on her 8th birthday because he was in the area for a business trip.
Alessia was not interested at all to see him. She would have rather stayed home, and not go through the trouble of packing, unpacking, repacking, and the worst of all, meeting a man who she hardly knows.
Alessia hate for her father grew even more over time. She had a reason too, while he was living it up in the big city, he left is family in the slums.
And that was fine, she didn't need his sympathy.
"You be good for your dad okay?" Her mother said sternly before getting a little teary. Alessia smiled, bringing her other half into a warm hug. She was going to miss her like crazy, for a whole 3 months they'll be apart.
Even though Alessia was against going to NY she decided to just suck it up and let her mom be happy. Her mother believes in a strong father-daughter relationship, and after all these years she decided that her father had to build one with her if he liked it or not.
Rosalie lost her father at a young age. So she never got to experience that father-daughter dynamic.
"I will mama I promise." Her voice cracked a bit at the end. The two hugged for a while until they both finally decided that their long-waited goodbye had to come to an end.
Rosalie held her daughter's face in the palms of her hand. Gently wiping away the rebellious tears that fell astray. "I love you." She whispered.
She kisses her forehead then finally released her.
The two went their separate ways both praying for each other's safety. Getting herself through security was easy, she had an escort direct her the whole way.
Her mother wanted to be the one to take her all the way until her gate but unfortunately, she was called in for an early shift.
Arriving unscathed at the gate she still had 3 hours until she could board her flight. She decided to roam around the food court glancing around each sign to see what she might be interested in.
The line at Starbucks was ridiculously long, so that was an emediated no. So she went to Dunkin Donuts, she had preferred them over Starbucks anyway.
Starbucks confused her too much.
"That'll be $10.62." The young cashier told her as she prepared her order. Alessia dug through her pocket and pulled out a $20 bill because that's all she had on her at the moment.
"I'll take care of it." A deep voice spoke behind her. The man steps beside her handing the woman $15. "Keep the change."
The man toward over her 5'6 frame, he had to be at least 6'2. He had worn a white dress shirt that fitted perfectly showing off his broad muscles. His golden blond hair complemented his dark blue eyes, his olive skin inked with tattoos that peaked from his neck.
He was probably the most beautiful man she's ever seen.
"Here you go." The woman at the counter handed her drink and donuts. "Have a good day." Both the man and Alessia step out of line, she looked up at him with a raised brow.
"Did you not want to order?"
The man turned around to face the small girl."Is this your way of saying thank you?" The girl cheeks flushed red of embarrassing for forgetting to use her manners.
"Um..thank you." She mumbled quietly fumbling with the paper bag in her hands. "But! Why didn't you get yourself anything, you were in line so..." She peaked her head up a bit through her freshly cut curtains bangs.
Her dirty blond her slightly fell awkwardly past her shoulders making her slightly irritated due to it falling forward instead of keeping it back. She had taken a mental note to tie her hair back once she gets back to her seating area since she would have to dig through her bag pack to find one.
"I just felt like being kind, wasn't really hungry anyway." He shrugged, now that she was able to get a good look at his face she noticed a deep scar running under his eye. She frowns a bit wondering how something like that could have happened.
"Done checking me out princess?" He smirks, his eyes lighting up a bit.
She scoffs, "As if." Walking past him to go back to her gate to relax for the next 2 hours. She thanked him once more before leaving.
ꨄ
"What are the odds that you and I would be on the same flight?" That same blond man goes to sit from across from her.
Alessia looks up from her book, she furrows her brow at him. "Are you stalking me? I only have 20$ on me so theirs no point in trying to rob me."
The man chuckles, "No, no. Nothing like that little one. Speaking of which, I don't think I've gotten your name." He crossed one leg over the other leaning back comfortably.
She bookmarks her spot closing it a bit aggressively then intended. "I don't give my name to strangers." She hisses at him.
"My name is Daniel," He quipped immediately smiling as she glared at him. "Alessia." She said finally giving up. "And why are here by yourself?" Daniel asked interested and why such a young girl who looks barely 14 flying by herself. He thought that teenagers don't start their rebellious faze till 17/18.
"I have pepper spray on me."
"I already said I wasn't going to do anything!"
She crossed her arms stubbornly keeping her glare on him. "And how do I know you're not lying?! You could be some creep trying to get close to me to only kidnapped and probably sell me in a traffic ring!"
"......."
"......."
"I have a daughter and 2 older sisters, I'm scared of you females more then you should be of me. " Daniel deadpanned slightly shivering at the past memories of his evil sisters.
Alessia's eyes lit up at the sound of sisters.
"What's it like having sister?Is it fun? Do you guys hang out together? When you were younger, did you pull pranks on your parents? Did you guys ever wear matching pajamas? Did you she ever make you put makeup on-?"
"Woahhh, slow down buttercup-"
"Stop with the nicknames!" She snaps at him. He raises his hands up surrendering chuckling nervously. "Gosh, you have a nasty glare you know that." Alessia rolls her eyes but smiles, finding herself enjoying this conversation with this man.
She hadn't been able to speak freely like this since her 15th birthday. It was that day her friend moved away, she had lost all purpose in making new friends after that. Her mother was her best friend, but her other friend was more than a friend to her.
He was family.
She missed him a great deal, they had done everything together.
Memories flash through her mind,
Kisses.
Gentle touches.
Darkness.
Heat.
Grunts.
Moans.
Promises made.
P̸r̸o̸m̸j̸s̸e̸s̸ b̸r̸o̸k̸e̸n̸.̸
As her mind wanders off, her heart starts to ache. The familiar feeling of loneliness crashes against her, despair was all she felt. How did she get to this point? She was meant to forget. Her throat tighten and she became visibly pale.
The light in her eyes fades into an abyss of nothingness. Her smile faded, and she was now staring into nothing. It wasn't Daniel in front of her anymore.
It was him.
Daniel had caught the change in her mood immediately. Feeling the atmosphere around them drastically change in a matter of seconds. He called out her name when she stared aimlessly at him.
"Alessia." He called out again. He stood up from his seat walking towards her slowly. Her eyes glazed over, and that fire that shone had been put out like it was just a tiny flame.
Worry washed over him, "Hey. Alessia!" He tried shaking her, "Snap out of it!" He shouted in frustration. He looked around, and ironically there was no one really here besides a random woman who was asleep in the back corner.
"Dammit." He cursed under his breath. He took a deep breath before doing all he knew he could do. Deciding he would apologize later, he gently lifts his hands placing them on her cheeks. Pulling her head forward to lay comfortably on his chest.
"Wake up baby girl." He whispers gently into her ear hoping that whatever is going through that kind of hers would finally be over.
"I'm right here." He strokes her blond he'd back, noticing the dark color of her roots peaking out.
After a few moments of silence, Alessia had regained her senses. Feeling herself pressed up against an unfamiliar body she pushes them away on instinct. Blinking away the fuzziness she regains her senses.
White walls.
Blue carpet floors.
Glass windows.
Airport.
Daniel.
"I-I, y-you." She took a deep breath and pointed an accusing finger at him. "I probably won't ever see you again after this flight but if I do, you do not mention whatever that was. EVER."
Daniel gave her a hard look making her slightly back down, "What was that? I was calling your name and shaking you." She looked down slightly embarrassed, "It...It just happens."
"That's not normal."
"It's none of your business anyway!"
"𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙔 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤𝙤𝙣, 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙚 4𝘼. 𝘼𝙜𝙖𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙁𝙡𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙉𝙔 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙗𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙖𝙧𝙙𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙨𝙤𝙤𝙣, 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙖𝙩𝙚 4𝘼."
Alessia gathers her things silently, heading towards the boarding line. After about an hour of checking passes and boarding the passengers. Alessia was finally relaxed and sitting in her first class seating that her father had paid for.
"Listen."
Alessia groaned, being to the point she wanted to cry because of how annoyed she was with the man.
"I won't mention anything about what happened. We have a 5-hour flight, why do we just get to know each other?" He smiled sweetly.
Alessia turned to him giving him the dirtiest look, "Sir, I am a minor."
Daniel looked at her horrified, "NOT LIKE THAT!"
Alessia laughed at his reaction making him feel a lot lighter than before. The two of them spent the rest of the flight talking about anything and everything. Both keeping the incident in the back of their mind.
"So, why are you going to New York? Family? Or work?" She asked still very interested in that aspect of his life. He cringes slightly at the mention of work. "It's a bit of everything, my family is in New York living just outside the city. But I also have work that has to be done in the city." He sighs leaning back in his comfortable seat, taking a sip of his Pellegrino.
"What kind of work ?" She leans back taking a sip of her drink as well. Apple juice sounded more appealing then the tomato juice they had offered her. He tensed for a moment but his slight hesitation went unnoticed by the young girl. He cleared his throat, "I'm a criminal defense lawyer-"
"Borrrringggg." She groans, amusement swimming in her tone. "It's not that boring." He huffs, pouting like a child. Alessia gives hun a genuine laugh finding herself not able to contain it.
Daniel had a feeling that this was the first real smile she had in a long time.
ꨄ
"Well, it was nice meeting you Alessia." Daniel smiled kindly at the young girl. She mirrored his smile feeling the same way. " I'll see you when I see you I guess." She picks up her backpack throwing it over her shoulder.
"I thought you said that you didn't want to see me again?" He raised a brow. Alessia rolled her eyes, she wouldn't admit it out loud but she would definitely be lying if she said that she wouldn't be sad that Daniel and her would have to go separate ways.
"Shut up, I don't know what you are talking about."
"Mhm. Okay." He chuckles.
The two then sadly went their separate ways silently wishing each other for the best. A ding on her phone interrupted her thoughts. She pulls out her phone from her pocket inspecting the message that's been sent.
Retrieve? What am I, a dog?
The message slightly enraged Alessia, this whole arrangement enraged her. But she had to keep her attitude in check, knowing if she's not careful, she'll get herself in a lot trouble.
She wasn't scared of her father, mainly just her mother. If she found out she gave him a hard time, she'd fly over to kick her ass for doing so.
She's a bit baffled as well, you would think a father would want to see his daughter he hadn't seen in 7 years personally. But instead, he sends a measly driver.
What a joke.
She couldn't wait till August rolled around, so she can forget about this place. 2 months, she just had to waited out. So reluctantly, she had messaged him back a simple response.
〚 𝘼𝙡𝙚𝙨𝙨𝙞𝙖 〛 : 𝑜𝑘.
That's all you're getting from me asshole.
Alessia smiled defiantly knowing that he would be slightly annoyed by her half assed answer.Ignoring the possibility of him commenting on it later.
Walking out near the waiting area, she sits outside on a bench scrolling through her phone . The airport was pretty quiet surprisingly, but it was a little late in the evening. Alessia had only realized that her stomach feeling the aftereffect of a 5 hour flight.
She has barely ate, and now she's starving.
"Ms. Russo?" A voice called out to her tired-looking form. She looks up being met with an elderly man who looked about in his late 70s. His hair was a mixed shade of black and gray, he had blue eyes that shined like a clear blue sky. His face held some wrinkles but you can tell he was not just a feeble old man.
His muscles and tattoos said otherwise.
She knew that her father's last name was Russo but that was his name. Not hers, and not ever . Alessia Foster will always stay Alessia Foster, it was her mothers last name and it held meaning to it. A meaning that she would forever hold onto.
"It's foster." She replied a bit coldly, "Who's asking?" The man's smiled widen. "You really are your fathers daughter." He chuckled, he stood up straight, "I'm Roger, I'm the family driver and escort. I hold no actual value but besides the fact that I've known your old man for many years now." He smiled warmly.
"And how do I know that for sure?" She was not going to fall for an easy trick. Alessia was not ignorant to the fact that they are many dangerous people in NY. And she would make sure she would protect herself as best as possible.
"If i was some creep trying to kidnap you then I wouldn't know," he looked around, lowering his voice to just about a whisper. "That there is a star looking birthmark on the middle of your chest."
Her eyes widen.
He pulled up his sleeve, showing her his wrist. Revealing an identical, but tatted mark on his wrist. "And it looks exactly like this."
"Alright. I believe you." Alessia smile at the older man. "Wonderful, now." Roger takes a hold of her rolling suitcase. "Let's not waste anymore time. We have a busy schedule tonight before you get to meet your father and brothers."
He walks away towards the fancy looking expensive car shoving the luggage in the back. Then in that moment, the words finally registered in her head.
"Brothers?"
ఌ