My leg is nervously twitching up and down as I look around the room to quickly scan it. A cloud of smoke disappeared once we entered the room, as Daniele opened the window to let it out. The desk in the middle of the room is covered with so many papers that I am wondering if those are new or old. There is a laptop on the side of the table, with an ashtray full of butts, and cigarettes consumed until the last inhale.
There is a little window behind the brown leather chair covered by Venetian blinds, half opened, letting a dim light from the sun come in. There are various posters with names, locations, photos, markers, and red wires connected between faces and names on walls. Then on another side of the wall, two big steel cabinets are closed apparently with a key. I wonder if inside that, there are all his cases and which of them are accomplished.
A warm hand covers my flicking leg, tightening it. I move my eyes on it before stopping my gaze on Kevin's face giving me one of his comfort smiles. I smile back at him, slowly feeling my body calm down.
«Sorry for the wait, kids.» Daniele appears from the front door with his name on the glass part of it. «I had an urgent call from my ex-wife telling me our daughter apparently fell from a bike and it's my fault.»
As he said the word 'ex-wife' it makes me think if his job took him so much in deep that brought his marriage to an end. But the way he says that makes him look like he really doesn't like her.
He enters the room with another cigarette on his lips, filling the room again with cloud smog. I try not to cough as he passes next to me, exhaling the smoke right in my face. I shake one of my hands to blow away the white cloud before pointing my eyes at him. «Is she fine?» I ask, worried about the kid.
Daniele gives me a quick look before nodding and sitting on his chair. «That's the third time she fell off that damn bike. She doesn't learn the lesson,» he comments and I wonder about whom is he talking about. «Anyway, let's head quickly on the situation.»
I shift my position on the seat, nervously looking at my hands and waiting for him to say anything that leads us to start to act.
Daniele turns on his laptop before pointing his eyes at Kevin, the main character. «Boy, you're the bait here. Everything will be around you, are you still sure about it?» He asks like he is afraid the plan drops down because of the doubts the one next to me could have, but Daniele has no idea how sure he is.
Kevin arches a brown on command. «I wouldn't be here if I didn't want to,» he comments with a sceptical gaze and his hand squeezes my thigh as he got nervous by Daniele's unbelief and I lean mine on him, so he can relax but this time my touch doesn't help.
«I don't want you to back off in the middle of everything,» the man speaks again, no flinching at Kevin's angry mood. «If you reconsider it, I will keep going and you'll follow your father in jail.»
«He won't back off,» I speak preceding Kevin, sensing he would say something with the wrong tone. «He was the one telling me to do it, so we do it.»
I made the plan, but the go was up to him. If Kevin refused, we wouldn't be here.
«Just wanted to be sure,» Daniele asserts before pointing his eyes at his laptop. «What you have to do is pretty easy, from the outside. You will go to your father and tell him you're ready to be like him, as Enede planned. You will do whatever it takes for him to believe you and when you think he has taken the bait you tell me.» He takes a break to inhale the rest of the cigarette before pushing it into the plastic bin. «You'll wear a bug. We need evidence to incriminate him and to know where we can find him to do the arrest.»
«Can't you arrest him at his house?» I ask, with my poor knowledge of how this works.
Daniele shifts his gaze from Kevin to me and shakes his head. «Mobster's houses are the cleanest because they know it's the first place where we search. We need to find him on the act,» he explains to me. «If Kevin will be good enough to make his father fall, he will tell him where the big shot will be. He surely wants his son to do it, to fully prove to him that he is worthy.»
Kevin hasn't spoken since Daniele started to explain the full plan and I am worried about what he is thinking about and then he makes his thought aloud. «What if he wants me to kill someone to prove to him that I actually want to be like him?» He demands and his eyes have something I can't fully read but he probably doesn't want either to have someone on his chest and risk jail.
«You can shoot someone in some body part in order to make them look like dead but they're not. It will take one hour for them to revive,» Daniele conveys with a firm glance at Kevin. «But in the worst case, I will take care of that. You don't need to worry, you won't run in jail except if you back off from the plan.»
«I have records,» Kevin speaks again.
«Is there any proof about it?»
I lift my eyes to Kevin's face as he shakes his head. «My father always cleaned everything,» he admits. «Whatever I or he have done, it doesn't exist.»
«That's why we're here, right?» Daniele tilts his head, switching his look from Kevin to me and back to him. «We need to collect new proofs so we can finally finish all this sadism war. We'll all have what we want: me accomplishing a case I have open since you weren't born and you being free from your family's name.» A little break. «Do you have brothers?»
Kevin's silence makes me confused about it. Has he?
«I had,» he starts. «He is no longer alive.»
My heart drops as he gives me a quick look, knowing he should've told me.
«Then you're one child. If your father goes to jail, the spot will be empty for a while,» Daniele keeps talking as Kevin hasn't just said one of the saddest things I've heard from him.
He had a brother and he is dead. How did he die? Is it his father's fault? Was he younger or older? All this question spins in my head while they keep talking but I can't hear them. I sigh looking down at my fingers, counting them like I don't know how many I have and then I check my hand on Kevin's. He hasn't left my leg since he touched it. The grip is gentle and I can see a little part of his tattoo appearing under his black leather jacket. Without even noticing it, I am rubbing my thumb on his skin and I feel his body react to my touch by stiffening but his voice is still neutral.
«Enede,» Daniele calls me and I quickly look up to face the man on the other side of the desk. «You won't have an active part in this plan but you can help me from here, collecting proof and keeping everything in order. As you can see, I am a mess. I won't reject a female touch.»
I give him a comforting smile, nodding. «Sure. I wasn't going to step aside anyway, so for me, it's okay,» I comment shrugging. «And yes, you need an organisation here.»
«Don't judge my work, young lady.»
«I am not. I am judging your way to keeping altogether,» I joke raising my shoulder. «It seems like the second world war was in this room.»
Kevin chuckles at my words as Daniele gives me an annoyed look. «I get it, I am a messy man but I have no time to take care of the space around me.»
«You should. Chaotic space gives chaotic work. I'll help you wrap everything together, don't worry.»
Daniele looks at Kevin. «How do you handle her?»
Kevin shakes his head, with an amused gaze. «I don't,» he answers and I smile. «I think no one can. She can be very stubborn.»
«Yeah, I have realised that.»
«I am still here but you can keep your chat as if I don't,» I fend off and then leave Kevin's hand to stand up. «Is there a coffee machine?»
Daniele nods and chins me the door. «As you leave the room, walk towards your right and after a few steps you find it. It's free, for your joy.»
«I am sure it's a delicious coffee,» I comment thumbing up before snapping a gaze to Kevin and then leaving the room. I need some fresh hair and clean my lungs from all that smoke.
When I sit on the chair next to the table with the coffee machine, I try to not complain about how bad this drink is. There is more water than coffee and it's very disgusting. I don't like strong coffee, but this is too liquid and it looks like dirty water.
I move my attention away from this kind of American thing, thinking about how Daniele seems to have everything planned. It looks like he knows what he is doing and even if he has probably lost his touch, we need to trust him and the process. He assured us that he will protect Kevin if he have to do something he shouldn't. And I'll be here with Daniele coordinating with him and checking the background while Kevin does the big job.
However, I am scared for him. Joe appeared to be a very hard and impervious man and I am still asking how Kevin's brother died. I need to clear that question marker in my head otherwise I will overthink it too much and different scenarios of it will hit my mind, driving around the truth I have to know.
Lifting my head, I meet two blue eyes checking on me. He is probably aware of what I am thinking about and I am worried it is too hard for him to talk about it. But we both need to face this step.
Kevin reaches me and sits on the chair next to me. He takes a long inhale. «He far four,» he murmurs and my heart aches. I low my head, breathing deeply. «He found one of our father's guns and started to play with it. Thinking it was a game. He was too little to know the truth,» he explains with a dim voice and I have no strength to look at him. «He shot himself in the head.»
I put a hand on my trembling lips for the brutality of this and the direct way he said it. With no hesitation, knowing that it was the right way. My chest hurts and I swallow a knot in my throat, feeling the tears filling the corner of my eyes. Suddenly, in front of my eyes appear the picture I saw at Kevin's house. The one where he was little and with another kid, with brown eyes. Now I am seeing that kid with a gun in his little hands, playing with it and smiling before his life shuts down. Everything for him is over.
Four years old.
A full life to live.
Without controlling it, I am sobbing and my head is smashed against Kevin's chest who pulled me towards him. I let him do whatever he needs to do while I tear on his shirt, filling it with my emotional cries. He says nothing but from where I am I can hear his heart racing in my ear. I can't imagine how he felt, once that happened. His little brother. Maybe he also felt guilty, knowing that he had little responsibility for him.
I can imagine why Kevin's mother can't even want to hear about Joe and why she is never around.
His hand is caressing my head while he sighs deeply. «This is why I didn't tell you,» he whispers amid my sobs. «I knew it would have affected you a lot.»
I still don't answer, trying to stop crying. I am too sensitive about these topics and I would've rather not know the truth behind this. I won't blow away the picture of his little brother easily.
Kevin loosens the grip and takes my face, lifting it so I can put my sight on him. He wipes away tears from my cheeks before I try to read his gaze. I don't know if he is more upset about seeing me cry or bringing out the story. «You shouldn't cry,» he comments. «It's funny how strong you are on most things but then it needs this little to break you like a flower.»
«I placed a homeless man in my father's hospital because I couldn't sleep thinking of him and his dog hanging along night streets,» I retort frowning my brows. «How wouldn't I fall for this?»
Kevin slightly nods and rubs his thumb under my left eye to wipe another tear. «I know,» he inhales sharply filling my gaze with his and moving away his hand.
My skin suddenly feels cold with his absence but I manage to sit back up again. «What was his name?» I ask with a sloppy tone of voice.
«Gabriele,» he answers smiling. «He was a terrible boy, always complaining about everything. But he was strong.» His eyes are away from here and probably on the image of his brother. «He had my mom's eyes and the temper of my father. I always thought he would've been the one.»
«Don't say that,» I snort, already knowing where he is going.
He spins his head towards me. «Not in that way. I mean, I feel like he would like my father's world and if he was still alive, I could've left with no hesitation.»
These words make me think they would've not been closed. Gabriele would've followed his father like a puppy, as Kevin is saying and this one would've left before he could even speak with him. In the deep of my heart, I wished his brother was really alive so right now all of this was different. But then my mind changes ideas.
«If he was alive, you wouldn't be here and never met,» I whisper and then realise. «I mean- this sounds so bad,» I groan pushing my hands on my face.
Kevin chuckles at my reaction. «It's okay, I get what you mean,» he tries to reassure me. «And I sort of agree. I guess right person wrong universe.»
I take off my hands from my face and slightly nod, growing my brows. Right person. This makes me chill because it's true. If we take the reality of Adonis' family, Kevin and I seem to work very well together and we could've been a good couple. I am sure I would finish my studies and he would've been an amazing lawyer. On the other side, I am not giving up on the hope that this can be the future.
I am not leaving once everything is finished. I am firm on my decision on doing serious with him if things work out well but I am not saying this to him. I don't want to raise uncertainty.
«Kids, what's going on here? Why the room smells like sadness and hormones?»
Kevin and I lift our heads together, looking at Daniele standing up in front of us with an arched brow and an annoyed gaze. He gestures with his hand against us, before looking at Kevin. «Anyway, when do you think we can start this?»
Kevin shrugs. «Whenever,» he responds and my eyes move from him to the man standing, in silence. «I can meet my father tonight and speak with him, seeing at least what is his reaction.»
I start to get nervous at the thought of Kevin and Joe in the same room after what his father did to him. His face now is fully healed but I am still not over the incident and I am still waiting for my moment to meet him and have a deep chat with that man. He should know how to be a father.
About that, what was Joe's reaction to Gabriele's death? Did he feel guilty? I shake that thought away from my head and focus back on the present.
«Good. Keep me on track on everything, every detail,» Daniele speaks up, then he looks at me. «Your dad called me. He wanted to know what I think about your book?»
My cheeks quickly turn red once I have four eyes pointed at me. «I needed to tell him something. I couldn't get the number without making up a story,» I explain my theory before doing a shy smile.
«Sure but he said it was a good plot, now I am curious to know about it.»
«I just said to him what we are doing,» I start and feel Kevin stiffing next to me. «Not the whole story, calm down. Just that the main character is an investigator who wants to expose one of the biggest Mafia leaders. And I told him I needed to talk with someone who knows the job, so I could write a good book.» I shrug, shifting my gaze from Daniele to Kevin.
Both of them are deeply looking at me, silently and I hold back a laugh at the weird concerned look they have on me. I have no idea what they're thinking about but I don't think it's that bad.
«Yeah, anyway. Keep me on track. Now leave,» Daniele shakes his hands in the exit direction. «I have things to do.»
«This is basically your first case after years, what is so important?» I speak up as I stand up, followed by Kevin.
Daniele gives me an offended look. «First of all, that's not true. Second, none of your business. Leave.»
—
It's early evening and I am laying down on my couch, staring at the ceiling with my mind spinning like a spinner. After leaving Daniele, I came back home to meet Antonio. He wanted us to meet since it has been a while and I said yes. Kevin dropped me at home and told me he would text me to let me know how it went with his father and I am still waiting for it, afraid of the worse news about it.
«Do you want to watch a movie?» Antonio's voice appears after he went to the bathroom but I don't focus on his words. He decided to sleep here, not wanting to leave me with my working mind. «Enny?»
I shift my eyes to meet his. «Mh?»
My best friend sighs before sitting next to me with a heavy movement, making Broody whine and jump off the couch. I groan pushing the feet so Antonio could sit properly. «I know you're afraid your boyfriend will get another black eye but you should relax a bit.»
«What's wrong with you all?» I huff nag before taking my legs and sitting. «Stop calling him my boyfriend when he is not,» I fend off before inhaling sharply and looking away from my best friend's amused smile.
«No need to put yourself in defence mode, I was kidding,» he comments but his gaze tells me a different story. «I mean, it wouldn't be anything wrong with it if he wasn't a killer and planning to expose his father for his crimes.»
I give Antonio a hoarse stare. «He is not a killer,» I address with a seething tone. «He has never killed in his life, just once because he was forced to.»
My friend narrows his eyes, giving me a scan glance. «Mh, you're protecting him from my evil jokes. You put yourself in defence mode if someone calls him your boyfriend. I wonder if he kissed you.»
Me blushing and becoming like an apple makes Antonio freaks out, sitting on his knees. «Did him?»
«No, you dumbass.» My voice trembles and then I clear my throat. «He tired.» Antonio's shiny eyes are waiting for me to keep going. «But his father called him and I ran away.»
After his disappointed face, I smile. «Good way to make him know you like him.»
«That's not what I want, in fact,» I explain. «Not now, not with all it going on. And I thought you wanted me to report him!»
Antonio shrugs. «I mean, I still think you should but if you tell me that you're doing all of this because you want to help him get clean and get free from this toxic family, then I am no one to judge it and to opposite you,» he admits. «Plus, I know what it feels like when you want someone but you can't have them. The continuous controlling yourself because your body doesn't react as you want it to.»
I lift an eyebrow. «Ayo boy, can we talk about something else?»
I am really not in the mood to talk about how my body reacts to Kevin because it's really something I am not comfortable with and not because I don't like it but because the more I think about it, the more intense is and I end up by isolating myself to think about it. Plus, I am still waiting for him to give me some vital signs. It's not cute to think spicy stuff when he could be under his father's punches.
Then my phone rings from the table and I quickly jump off the sofa to catch it.
«Damn, girl,» Antonio's amused tone pushes me to give him my middle finger while I open the text.
Kevin
It was a long chat.
And?
Kevin
He doesn't believe it.
Not fully.
I bit my inside lips nervously while I sit on the chair with a deep sigh. I decide to call him, instead of keep texting. It's better to talk about it. He answers right away.
«What does it mean?» I ask.
He stays quiet for some seconds. «He said that there is something behind it because after all these years I can't have changed my mind for no reason,» he explains and his metallic voice sounds floppy. I wonder if he is speaking from the car's radio. «I tried to make him believe that is it just because I want to. I threw some random fake words about leading and being powerful but he thinks I am teasing him.»
Antonio comes across me, sitting on the chair next to me and pushing his chin on his hand, giving me a puppy look. I roll my eyes and put the phone in speakers but push a finer against my nose. He needs to stay quiet because I don't want Kevin to feel uncomfortable while talking about his convo with his father.
«Do you think he will fall?» I ask biting my nails but my best friend pulls away my finger.
Kevin sighs very deeply. «He is a very firm man. He rarely changes his mind about something. I'll try my best to make him believe it, even if it needs to make me do something...»
«Hey, no,» I shake my head. «There is no need to do things you don't want to. If he doesn't fall for it, we will find another way.»
«I don't know, this seems just to go nowhere. You should've seen his face.»
«I don't think I should've,» I retort with an unwilling tone and Kevin laughs. «But we will make it. I am not giving up on the first try.»
Antonio gives me a deep stare, as he is thinking about something he can't say now and I am afraid of what that can mean.
«I know you won't, missy headstrong. Apparently, I am tied up in this situation.»
I control all my body after his usual nickname is said for the first time in front of Antonio who is now standing and acting like a girl seeing his crush. I flick my hand in his direction, trying to shove him off. «You're free to leave, I'll handle it.»
«Sure, it will be very wholesome to see you handling my father.»
«You think I can't?»
«I am sure you would but I am afraid he would directly kill you if he sees a threat,» he admits and I close my lips in a straight line after those words, feeling thills along my spine also Antonio stops his happy dance. «But that's not something I'll let happen. He will never lead a hand on you, not even think about it.»
And now my best friend is on his knees, bowing twice before blowing me a kiss.
I shift my focus somewhere else and turn off the speaker. «I know and we will accomplish this. Don't worry. It's just the beginning, let's give it time,» I whisper giving Antonio my back.
«Yeah, time,» he murmurs and I don't know what that means. «I'll leave you now. I'll call Daniele and tell him how it went, to see if he has some advice.»
I nod even if he can't see me but neither of us hangs up. «He probably has. He seems crazy but I am sure he has a clever mind.»
Kevin chuckles. «A clever crazy mind,» he asserts before telling me goodbye and hanging up.
I turn around and Antonio is still there, on his knees, looking at me. «Oh, you're so fucked up.»
«Oh, drop it Tonio!» I throw him an apple and he laughs at my action.
«And what was that?» He asks with a diverted expression. «Missy headstrong?» I am standing up now and also Antonio does it, stepping back. «Okay, okay. I'll stop,» he quickly warns me raising his hands.
«Good,» I retort sitting back on my sofa. «And I know I am fucked up, I didn't need you for that.»
Antonio sits next to me and lay his head over my shoulder. «Little missy headstrong is falling in love.»
«Okay that's it,» I grunt and then start to slap him on his head before pushing away.
We laugh as kids and I spend the last part of the day with an easy chest thanks to Antonio who only brings joy into my life when he is with me and I've missed having him around. I need to see him more; he is still my comfort person, the one who can bring me down and firmly set me in the reality of the world but in a soft way that always makes me feel at home.
Little missy headstrong is falling in love.
Am I?
—
AUTHOR SPACE:
Happy Sunday, how are you all?
I am happy to announce you that i've finished writing the whole book! I'll probably try to post more often, since it is complete now. I have wrote the Epilogue yesterday soooooo, i am really hoping you're going to like how it will be finished.
Anyway, second meeting with Daniele, what do you think about him? I personally think he is really funny but also a good man with a grumpy mind.
And Antonio is the best here.
Do you think Enede is already falling in love or she is just confused about what she feels?
Lemme know <3
Love ya,
Benny :*
CHAPTER COVER MADE BY ME.