"LA, huh?"
"What can I say?" Roma shrugs as he grins from ear to ear, "they want me." I always knew Roma was heading for the NFL— I just didn't know where he'd end up. Now I do, Los Angeles, the city of angels. "And you?" Alex asks as he knocks on Hayden's shoulder. "Austin, baby," he says with a smile. "God, imagine Hayden in Texas," Roma mutters to me as he cracks a smile. Hayden will happily take on the cowboy lifestyle, I have no doubt about it.
The four of us, well, the three of them have officially finished college. Summer is here, and now the realization sets— we are all going in different directions. Roma is heading to the west coast, Hayden is going down south, and Alex will probably head back to Italy. Or, if he's taken my brother up on his offer, he'll head to New York and fight in one of his underground fighting rings. Surely, Alex must know that I'm aware of what shit my brother does, and he can't be left in the dark long enough— Alexander Lewis must know what his brother, Andrew Lewis does.
"You're dragging Liv to Austin? Does she know yet?" Roma taunts knowing Liv won't go anywhere near the south. Liv isn't one for the ranch life, I don't blame her either. "Liv is staying here to complete college, and then we'll talk," Hayden explains. "She wants to start her fashion line, and to do that, she must be in New York," he confesses to us.
"What about Ele?" Alex asks Roma who stares at us blankly. "Ele has her family business here, plus her family home— let's be real," Roma comments as he leans forward, resting his arms on the table in front of him, "I'll probably grow old here," he says as if that isn't my worst nightmare. Pullman's been great, it's been a home to me for the past four years, but I can't stay here my whole life.
New York is my home— it's my Empire, always has been. My children will one day take over my business, and they will be in control. The Bliss Empire belongs in New York, and with rumors of an attack, I need to be there to figure out which family is truly a threat. Nathaniel Patriarca and Luca Garcia put money on the Italian Mafia starting it— yet, I have my doubts about Boston. Patriarca isn't stupid, yet, he also wouldn't betray his friends, would he?
If what they say is true, a war won't happen for another five-ish years, at least then Kai would have grown up, and realized the danger that comes with it. Kai Bliss is destined for greatness, he just needs to see that. Blake will be abroad on whatever mission our father sends him on, or whatever enemy he's working with. Blake Bliss cares for himself, and he'll do whatever he can, at least our father didn't raise cowards.
"Shit, you'd do that for Gomez?" Hayden questions, despite everything that's gone on between Roma and Ele— Hayden is still protective over her. As I am with Em. "Yeah," Roma nods as he stares at Hayden from across the booth, "we are going to be with each other until either of us dies," Roma utters as he pulls a face of disbelief as if it's obvious. Ele and Roma deserve each other— truly. They make each other happy, and we'll always support that.
"We should head home before they lock up," Roma comments as we glance around the dinner to see the other couples clearing out. As the four of us exit we stand on the sidewalk staring out into the lot. Our two cars parked together with one space in between. "Are we going to the girl's or home?" Alex asks as he glances between me and Hayden, waiting for an answer.
"I think Ele wants to have a girl's night," Roma explains with a shrug as he peers down at his ring finger, he's waiting for the right time, as is Ele. They'll get their winter wedding. "I got a suggestion," Hayden utters as he steps forward off of the sidewalk and onto the black cement. "Let's race home," he says with a smile as he walks back towards his car, Roma winks at Alex before rushing over to join Hayden, leaving me and Alex.
"Ready to win?" I question as I reach for my car keys in my jacket pocket, "always," Alex states as me and him jog over to my tesla just as Hayden begins his engine. Despite how old we get, and where ever we end up, we'll always race home.
"Meeting the family again, Em?" Liv taunts as we all sit around our kitchen table for one last time. We'll be here next year, in the same apartment— yet, we won't. Ele won't be here, but I know she'll come back to visit. Because of Liv's parents, we don't need to rent out Ele's room, so, it'll stay the same. Just a little emptier.
"I fucked up last summer," Em confesses with a smile, someone didn't try to learn Italian. So from what Em told us, she sat there for around ten minutes not having a clue what everyone was saying because they were speaking in their native language. "It couldn't have been that bad," Liv says trying to lift the mood. I think Liv's new year tradition was to be more positive and optimistic.
"Liv, I sat there looking like a fool," Em snaps as she sighs, "it couldn't have been any worse than mine," I mumble, but the three don't hear thankfully. My own father-in-law was going to kill me if Kian didn't choose to betray me— nothing can get worse than that, surely? "Well Ele, LA," Em says turning the attention back to reality. "It'll be different," Ele says as she smiles. Her engagement ring is still on her finger as it has been for over a year. I wonder if this is the year they'll get their winter wedding?
"Hayden's going to Austin," Ele informs me and Em, it doesn't come as a shock. Hayden and Roma are both going pro, compared to Alex whose taking part in underground fighting, as if I didn't know? Kian can't keep a secret for shit, especially when it comes to telling me. It doesn't come as a surprise, Alex always has a bruised eye, or ribs— it's not shocking, and I know Em knows too.
"Going to be a cowgirl, Liv?" Em taunts with a massive grin knowing Liv won't go anywhere near a ranch, or horses for that case. "God no, but after two years, I'll head to New York for my fashion line," Liv explains, "and if me and Hayden are still together by then, he can come to the East coast," she states knowing Hayden will chase her anywhere. Whereas Roma played a risk with Ele, risking his football career, he choose love rather than football, which at one point was his life.
Hayden loved playing the chase, and once he saw Liv, he knew the two were destined for each other. And despite Liv's past, and her high walls, she couldn't resist the desire. I know Hayden will eventually propose to Liv, I give it a maximum of two years, "love at first sight," as he claims. Fake dating was never the right move, but it got Em and Alex to realize their feelings for each other. Friends to lovers, they just needed a push to see that.
Playing the game wasn't the smartest decision me and Kian made, but in the game of who would fall first, I knew I'd lose that. I fell for Kian the moment we kissed in the rain for the first time. He was the darkness, and the danger I needed in my very borning, and controlled life at the time. Who knew my first love would end up being my last? Romeo and Juliet, never experienced another love, yet, neither did I. And now I know I'd never want to, no one would be able to compare to Kian Bliss.
Maybe one day I'll tell the girls about my life, about Kian's Empire, but I know it would be pointless. Some things are better kept hidden.
"Your talent makes you who you are, you should be proud of it."
"Never give in to the sorrows of life; always smile as much as possible and remain happy."
"It's so beautiful out here. I can't believe we get to stay for the whole season."
If you didn't grow up in these movies, you didn't live.
~
Chapter Sixty-Five, I hope you enjoyed Playing The Game; Lizzie and Kian's story was the most anticipated— and I know in this book we didn't focus on the friend groups as much, but rather took on a different sub-genre. College / Sports romance meets Mafia, who would have thought it?
The New Gen // The Mafia Sins will definitely be interesting, nothing too dark, but it will be different.
Again, please do vote and comment on the chapter, it means the world to me and shows me that you enjoyed it.
Anyways I hope you guys enjoyed it. Feel free to follow my Instagram if you want to message me or get updates on the upcoming chapters. /multiverseeditsx
<3