That night when I got shot I didn't want anyone trying to save me. I've done many things in my life that I shouldn't have done. This was the perfect time to die peacefully leaving everything, everyone behind.
I'd made a terrible mistake by looking back before I reached out to Gio. This gave Carlos' men the chance to shoot at me and guess what? I believed I deserved it. When the bullet punctured my lung, I grasped for air, Gio not realizing when he pulled me into his arms.
Back in the car, tears silently rolled down my cheeks. I felt bad for lying to him but it was for the best. I didn't want to be a burden to him or the mafia business. I'd never make him give it up for me.
If I make it out alive, I'm going to be one of the best assassins and not make any more mistakes like I've done. "I love you." He'd say to me before I died. My heart stopped beating, hearing him say that to me, I'd stop trying to breathe.
I'm sorry my love but here I am alive and well, with tubes attached to my body thinking how I made it. I don't remember anything from after I got shot, nothing at all. It's not like I wanted to know what happened. I looked over at the clock ahead of me seeing it's four in the afternoon.
The IV tubes felt uncomfortable so I yanked it from my arm, I should be fine. I'm awake and should be able to consume solid foods. I left in the breathing tube because I knew where I got shot and most definitely needed it.
I sat up ready to press the call button when the door knob lowered. I jerked up only to see Giovanni with a huge smile plastered across his face. "What are you doing?" He cocked a brow. He looked awful, sleep deprived. Did I cause this?
"Why do you look like that?" I refused his question.
"Like what? I'm fine. How are you?" He paused after each sentence. No he was not fine and I regret not letting him know that I'd been shot. I made him miserable and maybe he deserved it for throwing me out. The other part of me wanted to hold him and make love to him, oh how I missed his touch and kisses. "Are you just going to stare and not answer my question?" He walked over to me. How can I not stare at his perfect body? His black t-shirt reveals every single muscle.
"That was the plan until you rudely interrupted." He'd not stop smiling from the time he entered there. "Why are you so happy?" I groaned.
"You're alive, what is there not to smile about?" I'm waiting for the part when he yells at me for lying to him but he doesn't. "There's stuff to discuss about," His smile fades away. "But first, when you heal." He continued.
I'm not going to sit all week wondering what there is to talk about nor am I staying on this bed for the entire week.
"No, Gio, tell me right now. What is there to talk about? Did something happen?" He'd better open his mouth right this instant and start talking.
"Irina." He slaps his head.
"I'm not hearing any of it, Gonzalez. You better start talking." I hissed. He knew he had to or else I wouldn't speak one word to him for this entire week and he knows he hates it.
"This was your last mission. I can't take the chance of what happened to you occurring again." This is all bullshit. What happened was an accident and because I made a terrible mistake within those three seconds. I love what I do and they all know that.
"I don't know who you're talking to because it's clearly not me." I rolled my eyes at him. I can't believe him right now. I know this life is dangerous but I'm like this because of one mistake.
"It's your last mission and that's it. I could have lost you if we made it just five minutes late, Irina." He hissed. I'm trying to change his mind without arguing with him. "Why did you lie to me when I asked if you're okay?" He clenched his jaw. This man clearly forgot himself.
"Things were hectic, I didn't want to be a burden anymore. Gio, it's the past and I'm doing just fine now." I spoke softly.
"Your lungs are incomplete, Irina. You almost left us all. We'd be nothing if you did."
"Giovanni no shit, I'm fucking alive and I'm not taking orders from you. We got a wedding to plan my love." If looks did kill, I'd be dead by now. I brushed my hands over my face trying to hide my laugh knowing that he can't do anything to me even if he wanted to.
"Fucking women." He murmured under his breath but I still caught it.
"What was that?" I raised a brow, knowing well what he said.
"I said this was your last mission, you're to remain indoors, baby." He lied. He lies but I can't? He roughly pushed me over to the side to sit next to me.
"What the fuck, Gonzalez? Be more careful." I elbowed the side of his head. This didn't hurt one bit, just an excuse to hit him after his bullshit talk. "I miss you." I chuckled, nuzzling my head in his neck, taking in his woody scent.
"When did you like to be careful?" He chuckled and I knew exactly what he meant. This nasty SOB but it's true, I've never been careful and this is something I needed to work on. "I miss you too, baby." He parted my lips with his thumb before taking my lips with his. A kiss rough yet passionate with his hand around my throat just how I liked it. "So, what color theme would you like for our wedding?" He pulled away from me. He looked handsome as always even with dark under eyes.
"White. It's tradition." I scoffed. He didn't seem pleased. I've never seen these men wear white and this is the perfect opportunity.
"No." He highly refused. "Black sounds great." He smirked.
I looked at him confused, "Black? Giovanni, no." We stayed there not agreeing on anything. Why would anyone have a black themed wedding, this wasn't a funeral. I understood black was their color but no. Seeing Giovanni's facial expressions when I gave an idea made me laugh. In the end, we'd both have to agree on something we both like.
***
Freya said it was okay to go out for some cool breeze and it was just what I needed. Giovanni and I's wedding was on Sunday, April 17th in the evening at Uffizi Gallery. I chose the place and Gio chose to get married at the house. I've dreamt of having a big wedding, one so special that he had to agree with me, making me agree to his black wedding but only if he agreed to have red with it. This man was complicated, he liked nothing.
"Hola chica." Valentina rushed out of the door with pregnant Anastasia and Olivia. Elena was out with Mateo working for Giovanni. He'd be at the house in an hour. When I saw Anastasia pregnant, I felt overjoyed like when Olivia was. She was four months back in January and didn't show at all. "What are you thinking about?" I shift my gaze to her.
"Nothing really, what are you guys doing here? Aren't you supposed to be at work?" Giovanni had asked the girls to go down to the warehouse to deal with intel on the military. Someone had been selling drugs illegally and using his name.
"Giovanni got all the information he needed and it's Friday." She winked. On Fridays the girls go down to the club to party. Giovanni owns the club and checks up on it every Friday night with his men and it's the most busy day. I'm done staying indoors, it's been two fucking months. "We wish you could go with us. We have lots of fun talking about you know." She winks on the last sentence, a laugh coming from us all.
"Anastasia, you're going?" I raised a brow.
"Of course." She laughed. "This baby boy won't stop me from having fun." She rubbed her swollen stomach. "I go for the dances and talk. No drinking." She finished. "I'm having fun before bed rest."
"Too bad, Gio won't allow you to go. How are you holding up, Nina?" This was the name the twins called me and it stuck with Oli.
"I'm doing fine, great actually. Giovanni doesn't listen to me when I say this. He thinks I'm to remain in doors until he pleases. I'm sick of it." I rolled my eyes. Everyone is going to the fucking club but I'm not. This is not fair. Giovanni can't make choices for me. I'm going to the club and that's final.
"Sweetie, this is what men do. They're possessive. I say you go with us. You said you're fine and I take your word for it." Anastasia chimed in. Olivia and Valentina nod their heads in agreement.
"Maybe next time." I disappointed the three. I'm unsure. What would Giovanni think or do if he found out they told me to leave the house without his knowing. "It's all up on footage. Delete this scene, Val. Gio can't know what we talked about." I pointed at the camera that panned on the three of us.
"Good call, chica." Valentina has been working alongside her man in technology. Learning hacks, coding and decoding but most importantly our doctor in any emergency.
They left just in time as Giovanni pulled into the driveway. The rain started pouring. I watched as my sexy fiance climbed out of the car, the rain wetting his suit. He didn't care one bit. He looked sexy as always in his business suit. He walked towards me, his muscles broad. He hasn't touched me in months and I miss him so much. He bit his lower lip, looking at me. I felt sexually aroused.
"Good evening, baby." He took my hand and placed a kiss on the back of it. I chuckled like a sixteen year old in love. "How do you like outside?" Really? I'm still in doors that's not outside.
"It's great to breathe in some fresh air. How has your day been my love?" He pulled me in his arms to take in a deep breath into my hair like he depended on it.
"Let's get you inside before you catch a cold." Was his reply. Giovanni thinks I'm a kid, I'm fucking twenty-five. This is starting to piss me off. We reached our bedroom and he quickly got undressed to get a shower.
I stood behind him tracing his scars and planting kisses all over his back. "Not now baby, I need a shower. When I'm done, I'll fill you in about my day." He'd stop me from touching him. I felt doltish for trying again. He'd only give me kisses, I'm a woman. I need more than just fucking kisses.
I layed out on the bed staring at the ceiling in deep thought until Giovanni finished his shower. Why won't he touch me? Did I do something wrong? Did he find someone else to fuck when he leaves the house for long hours? He wouldn't hold me when we slept either. I felt vulnerable. Maybe I'm just overthinking. He wouldn't cheat on me when we are to be married soon. He stepped into the room with his towel around his waist and one on his head. He grabbed his undergarments from his drawer and headed back to the bathroom.
"Gio?" I asked, my voice cracking up because I'm hurt. Why did he need to leave to get dressed?
"I'll be back, give me one minute." He looked over his shoulders. A cry escaped my lips but I quickly hid it before he returned. "What is it baby?" He asked. "How are you feeling?"
"I'm fine, my love, there's nothing wrong." I sniffled then smiled at him. "Are you going to tell me about your day now?" I crossed my legs.
"Right. Today, Angelino and I went to the Uffizi Gallery. We met up with a business partner and discussed deals with his company. We need new vehicles, at least one for Riccardo and Antonio. After that I went to lunch in a new restaurant in Florence. From there I went down to the warehouse to deal with shipments. That's how my day went." He went to a new restaurant but with who? Angelino clearly did not go with him. What is a man like him doing alone in a restaurant? I'm trying to think positively, that he was trying the food and it was just grab and go. I questioned him not. If I did we would be in an argument and it's not what I want. "Can you do my hair tonight?" He asked and I did it. He's my man and I should do what he asks. I twisted his curls between my fingers until he was satisfied. "What did you do today?"
I responded like I expected this question, "Sleep and breathe in some fresh air. I played with Rosa for sometime before Maria came to pick her up." Rosa would come to the house then leave to give me time to heal. I'm fucking fine.
"I'm sure she understood why she had to leave." He stood up to fix his watch around his wrist.
"Gio, I feel fine and would like to go out with you." He fixed his tie and looked at me through the mirror.
"Not now, Irina. We've talked about this." He kisses my forehead. "I'm leaving now. I'll be home late." And he left. Left me speechless, left me broken, left me in tears.