Stupid, stupid, stupid idiots.
She was so fucking sick of all these stupid men deciding for her. So fucking sick of it.
Granted, Gabriella wished she had thought it all through before she walked away, but really, she regretted nothing.
Now, she was sitting outside on one of the stone benches facing the ridiculously useless garden the family had. Sebastien had picked her up - but she gave him a piece of her mind. So there went that ride.
She also told Niccolo and Vincent to shove it so...
Maybe she could call Lucas?
Damn it. She really didn't want to ask any of them anything.
Like who the fuck even asked Sebastien to fucking get engaged and involved in his family business? Seriously. Did he think she would be swoon and forget everything? He wasn't honest with her from the start and he made decisions for her.
There was no getting back that trust.
Sure, she asked him for a few favors, and she used them - but honestly, everybody else had been using her. She was tired of it. She wanted to make her own damn decisions. Every time she took a step forward, she ended up taking two steps backward.
Did she want to owe Vincent a favor? No.
Was it good she didn't have to become anyone's sex slave? Sure.
But did she ask? Did they wait and see if she could get her own damn self out of it? No. And No.
"Kind of an abrupt escape for someone who made such a grandiose exit."
Of course.
Niccolo.
Everyone got the message and left her alone.
But he couldn't help himself. He never could.
"Oh look, it's my white knight in shining armor, coming to rescue me, the poor damsel in distress."
"So you do have a way back?"
Fucker.
"I'll walk."
"You know where you're going?"
"I used to come here a lot."
He chuckled. "Yeah. I know."
Gabriella turned her head to finally look at him. He was standing behind her, his arms crossed in front of his chest with that stupid smirk of his. Like he had won or something. But he hadn't.
"Why are you the only one who can't get a fucking hint?" Everybody else was leaving her alone - even though this was their house. "Pissing me off turns you on or something?"
"I do like you feisty."
Gabriella clicked her tongue against her palate. "Seriously, Niccolo. Read the fucking room."
Eventually, she would have to talk to him. She was stuck with his dumbass and he had her mother and brother somewhere. But could he give her time to be fucking pissed at him for acting like a dumb caveman?
"I don't know what you're so pissed about."
Alright, that was it. Enough!
She jumped to her feet and turned around to look at him. "Are you serious? Did you even hear a fucking word I said? You don't know why I'm pissed? Really?"
"You made a stupid deal because I couldn't get myself out of a jam. It was my fucking business too."
"No, it wasn't. I made the deal. It was my business."
"That's not how it works Gabby."
"No, I know how it works. The women are around for entertainment and their tits. The big men do all the thinking, right?"
"Look, it's always been like this. It's not like you didn't know getting into it. So I don't know why you're so fucking pissed now."
Really... at some point, she had no choice. As if he would have let her have an out the moment she stepped foot in his house. She might not have known exactly what she was getting into, but it was already too late by then.
Still, this wasn't that.
Things were different now, things had changed.
"I'm sorry to tell you but, you don't have anything right now. So you don't have to act like that. You know, I must be a fucking idiot. I keep thinking, there's gotta be a person somewhere in there, deep beneath the cocky and the asshole. But you sure love proving me wrong."
Gabriella wasn't deluded. She knew there wasn't a prince charming hiding in there, waiting for someone to peel the layer of hurt. She knew that. She did know he was a product of his environment, fine. But did he not have any opinion that didn't align with this stupid way of thinking?
"Why do you need this so much? Like who cares?"
He chuckled. "Who cares?"
"Yeah, who cares."
Yes, she wasn't stupid enough to think the Devil wasn't a treat, or that he wouldn't be coming after her anymore. Of course, he would. But, despite her lack of knowledge about this world, she knew Niccolo wouldn't build himself back up in a few days.
So that wasn't the viable option to escape this. They had to do something else.
"This is my whole life. I've worked - fucking hard - to have all this."
"And for what? Look easily it collapsed!" she pointed out, slapping her hands against her thighs. "Has it really made you happy Nico? Was it worth it? Because you never seemed happy to me."
"You don't know me, so you don't know how I feel about it," he replied through gritted teeth.
"I don't know you, no one knows you it seems. Maybe Lucas. But no one else. You're too busy being whatever you think you should be. You're not happy, you're fucking miserable. That's why you are the way that you are."
"Maybe I'm just that way sweetheart, sorry to shatter the illusion."
She scoffed. "Trust me, I have no illusions about what you are."
There was a pause and Gabriella fully expected him to do one of his little comebacks, one he knew would irritate her to no end.
"Fine."
Wait what?
"Fine?"
"Blue car out front. Take it, go back."
And? He didn't follow her all the way here, argue with her to simply let her go. There was something else here, she couldn't see the full picture, that was all.
"And then?"
"Nothing, you go back by yourself."
"And you?"
"I'll go back later."
"Why, you wanna make more deals on my behalf?"
Though she couldn't see how he could benefit from her leaving, she had to assume he was - somehow.
"I'm letting you storm off. In a way."
"Why?"
"For fuck's sake Gabby. Can't I be nice?"
"No."
Gabriella watched for a beat as his lips pursed, his jaw ticking. He wanted to say something, but he wasn't.
"The car is there. Take it. Don't take it. I don't care."
Those were the last words he spoke before he walked away from her, leaving her alone, standing there. What was she missing? What was his goal? She did want to leave. If she hadn't been stuck and lacking in options, she would have been gone already.
But now that he wanted to help her achieve her goal, it felt strange.
She blew out a breath, her chest caving in. Fine. Maybe she would figure out his plan later. For now, she didn't want to be here surrounded by these assholes.
***
"Luuuucas!"
Oh, that sounded loud. Was it loud? Was she loud?
After returning to Lucas′ hideout, Gabriella stewed in her anger. Part of her had thought Niccolo would return shortly but he didn't. Minutes turned into hours, and he was nowhere to be seen.
Either out of concern or annoyance - she couldn't tell - Lucas had brought her some alcohol. What started with one glass turned into another, and another... and now... she may have lost count of how many she drank.
Enough that she felt warm in her chest and her head was swirling. Not enough that she couldn't talk. Or - wait. Could she?
"A glass of water perhaps?"
She shook her head. Woaw, spinny. "Nah, I'm good."
Lucas chuckled but he nodded regardless.
"I have a question."
"Yes?"
"Why does everyone think they can decide for me?"
"I suppose it is the way it's always been."
"Yeah, well, the way it's always been sucks."
"I do not disagree."
Right. His family were assholes. Like her grandma's side of the family. "It's not working for Niccolo, so I don't know why he sticks to it."
"In his defense, he was trying to prevent a worst-case scenario where you end up a prostitute."
"In his defense, he didn't ask. He assumed. And in his defense, he left me out of his plan."
"Good point."
Damn right it was a good point. "Would it kill him to talk to me about it?"
"Niccolo doesn't open up the people."
She snorted. "Yeah, no kidding. He makes no sense."
"He makes a lot of sense, except when it comes to you."
Here it was.
"Should I be grateful? Oh, he breaks his asshole ways to be a little less of an asshole with me? Not really, no thanks." She gripped her half-empty glass. "Sure, we're married on paper and we had sex... and..."
Well shit.
"Wow. Between him and Sebastien... I may be attracted to big giant walking red flags. Damn."
"I'm... sorry?"
"Yeah, me too," she replied as she brought her glass to her lips, finishing the rest of it in one gulp. "I do care about him. I'm not in love with him, but..." She didn't want him to be stabbed to death... then again sometimes, she wanted to be the one to stab him to death.
"Gabriella, do you know why I usually keep to myself?"
"Because people suck?"
He smiled. "That. People are messy. Emotions are messy. Humans are greedy. I've seen it firsthand. I try to stay out of it."
"Maybe I shoulda done that." Too late now.
"It might be the problem with you, Gabriella. You're too positive for this lifestyle."
Positive. Maybe, a long time ago. Did she even believe anything good could happen at this point? Everyone was out to get her or to use her. No one was helping her out of the kindness of their hearts.
Maybe that was why she was so willing to put it on the line for Niccolo. He had nothing to gain by throwing away his life for her. If only he could learn to be a decent human all of the time, maybe there would be hope for him.
But he would never get there on his own. Oh well.
"Sucks to be him," she mumbled.
"Who?"
She shook her head as she reached for the honey-colored bottle. She poured her glass to the brim and slammed it back down on the table. Oops. A little too strong. "EVERYBODY!" she answered before taking a sip.
"Is this how you watch her?"
Motherfucker.
Gabriella didn't even need to raise her head to know who that was. Finally. After fucking forever, he was back. Who knew what he did while he was talking to Vincent and Sebastien? They probably mapped out her whole life.
"I don't need a babysitter."
"Are you sure about that?"
"I can handle my alcohol fine." Was her f a little long there?
"I see that," he replied, sarcasm dripping from every word.
"Fuck off, alright. Did your little meeting go well?"
"Not really no. They wanna do their own thing."
"Imagine that," she said, popping the t. "People wanna make their own fucking decisions. Crazy." She pushed the bottle with the tip of her fingers. "Why don't you loosen up for once? You ain't the big boss in charge anymore. So stop having a stick up your ass."
No point in acting all high and mighty when he wasn't anymore.
Maybe he needed to learn something.
"You're on, princess."
***
Fuck.
When was the last time he got this fucking smashed? He couldn't remember. A long time ago. Once or twice when he was a stupid teenager? He couldn't afford to lose all inhibitions. Sure, he could get drunk. No issue there. Part of it.
Drunk enough that his thoughts weren't coherent? No.
No, he couldn't. He couldn't trust anyone, or himself in that condition.
While some of his half-siblings failed, messed up, and spent daddy's money, he was different. His mother taught him to never step out of line. Never be noticed for the wrong reasons. He didn't have their privileges and he couldn't afford to fuck up. He had to be flawless.
He had to study hard, he had to work twice as hard, get stronger, and get more powerful. He started with a losing hand.
It stayed with Niccolo.
He couldn't show weakness. He couldn't fail. He couldn't be less than perfect. Everything he did, he went over the top with it. Perfection was the aim.
It worked in a way.
Despite the fact, he was not their top choice, and they initially excluded him... eventually, he was included. It took a lot of butting heads and a lot of proving himself. He had to fuck with them enough until they realized it was best to have him on their side.
It wasn't easy.
He never stopped, he put himself in harm's way. He did it all until he earned his prize.
Niccolo was consistent. Everything he did, he did for a reason.
He never let himself falter or get distracted from his end goal.
Then there was Gabby.
Gabriella.
Who made him fuck up - a lot.
Too much.
To the point where he almost died. And she saved him. And he owed her. Niccolo didn't like owing people.
"Why the sourpuss?"
Gabriella's words were slurred as she lay on the table, her cheek pressed against it. She had started drunker than him and now she was a goner.
"Enjoying the view."
"Yeah- well looking is all you're getting."
"Come on, Gabriella. We've done that dance before. You usually lose."
"Not this time."
Fucking her brains out sounded like heaven, but he had a feeling it would be a hard sell right now. Then again, he loved an angry fuck. Gabriella always shone brightest when she was trying to prove him wrong or put him in his place.
He got off on it.
Though he was pretending to be in tip-top shape, especially in front of Vincent, he wasn't. Nothing was healing as well as he wanted. Usually, he would get better care but at the moment he had to make do with Lucas.
It wasn't ideal.
He had better medics but they were with her brother. A brother he couldn't risk her seeing yet because he didn't know how much of their movements were tracked, and if someone was keeping tabs on them.
Niccolo would love to assume no but he knew better.
Plus, had to figure out Vincent's game. He let Gabby off the hook. He saved him. So what was he getting in the end? This had to go beyond his little puppy son doing his bidding and entering into a new alliance.
It wasn't enough for what he lost. But it couldn't be about allying himself with the Devil because then he wouldn't have betrayed him in the first place. So what the fuck was he trying to pull?
"My grandpa died," she said before pushing herself into a sitting position.
"I know. I'm sorry."
"Probably my fault."
"No, it wasn't."
She snorted. "Come on. I'm a big girl. I know."
"Come on, with how obsessed he is, he was always gonna find you. It was a matter of time."
"I sure made it easy," she said, tracing the rim of her glass with her finger.
"You're not that easy."
"Can you be serious for ONCE!"
"Maybe you shouldn't be so serious, princess. I live on borrowed time. Fuck it. I'm gonna live every day as if it was my last."
"You're such a moron. Do something else. Be someone else."
"I don't wanna be someone else."
"Really? This is peak happiness for you?" she asked, tossing her arms up. "This is everything you've dreamed of?"
Niccolo knew what the question was and it had nothing to do with her. Yet he was there, looking at her. Doing a bunch of stupid shit for her. Why the fuck was he doing this? She was more trouble than she was worth.
They were heading nowhere fast.
She was a good lay.
Yeah, did he almost die for a lot of good lays?
"Well?"
He really needed to get his shit together. This - he couldn't do this. The tiny space living with her. The nothing else going on in his life but her. He did a thing thinking it was the end for him. Now it wasn't.
"Yeah, it is."
"You're hopeless."
"Probably. Now, back on topic."
Her eyes were half-opened. "What topic?"
"You, me, that bed."
"I'm still here," Lucas reminded them as he lifted an arm, revealing his presence in the corner.
Yeah, that could be taken care of if he wanted.
"Fat chance buddy," she said, pointing her index finger at him. "I still hate you."
"You don't have to love me to fuck me."
"Clearly."
"Come on, we've done this dance before. You rarely win."
"I'm tired of losing."
"So don't."
She could hate him as much as she wanted, he knew he'd have her again.
"Yeah well, that kind of fun comes with a reward system now."
"So you're not saying no?" he teased.
He watched her eyelids flutter as she tried to roll her eyes but evidently she was too drunk to do so.
"It's the equivalent of no. Because we both know you couldn't earn your treats even if your life depended on it."
The glare she was throwing his way wasn't having the intended effect. No, because all he could think about was how she called that fucker for a ride. How she let him near her, how she trusted him - in a way she'd never trust him.
He didn't like it.
"Earn my treats, what does that mean?" he asked with a smirk.
"Ya know rewards for good behaviors. If you're a good boy you get a cookie. Conditioning."
"I'm a dog now?"
"Weren't you always?"
"Can't argue with that."
"Good."
His entire life was turned upside down. He had nothing. Everything he worked for his whole life, was gone. He had to start over - if he could. He could, no, no he could. Might take a while. But he would.
It was his goal. He would work towards his goal.
But this? It was like a welcoming distraction.
Something to do so he could ignore the collapse of his world. Because Niccolo didn't know how to live in a world where he wasn't sitting on top. Where he didn't have power or money. Gabriella was worried about her family, and their safety.
He was scared to have nothing.
"Alright. Game on, princess. Game on."