Aurora
I was sitting on the floor of the bathroom, trying to contain my tears. I shouldn't have eavesdropped. Mama has always gotten on me for eavesdropping. The door to the room opens. Footsteps grow louder and soon, there were knocks on the door.
"Aurora? Open the door." Antonio called softly.
I shake my head. "N-No." I said back, trying my best to sound tough. How does he expect me to act? He KILLS people. And it doesn't sound like this was only one time. It sounds like he's done this plenty times before.
"Aurora." He called once more. His voice sounding harsh. "Open the door."
"No!" I yelled. "Y-You're going to hurt me."
"Baby, I would never hurt you." His voice turned soft. "Come on, just open the door, alright? Guido's here. We just want to talk." With tears rolling down my face, I stood up and unlocked the bathroom door. I don't know why I'm crying right now. I opened the door as I was wiping my tears. "Come here, please." Antonio held his arms out.
I wanted so bad to just resist the urge to walk into his arms. He's a murderer. My body failed me and I walked slowly towards him. His arms wrapped around my body, embracing me. "You're a murderer..." I whispered, still trying to grasp what I had heard.
"No, Aurora, it isn't like that." Guido interjected. "Antonio has a business, it's his job to not only protect his business, but the people he works with and now you." He explained. "He doesn't just hurt people for the sake of doing it like some other people do. The people we have had to get rid of, there was a valid reason for all of it."
"But they had families. Some of them were probably fathers. How does that rest easy on your conscience?" I asked in disbelief.
"Most of those men weren't even thinking about their families." Antonio said. His finger slowly goes under my chin and he brings my head up. "I have to protect mine. If only you knew the amount of times I or Guido has gotten shot at and almost killed. I may be a murderer, but everything I do is to protect my family."
I nodded my head, still trying to understand. Antonio leans down and presses his lips to mine. Shit. He knows how to trap me under his spell. He moves his lips slowly against mine. This didn't pull me from my thoughts. I didn't know what to think. He pulled away slowly.
"Does my parents know? About what you do?" I asked him.
He nodded. "They do. That's part of why they weren't so hesitant to let you marry me. You see, your father, when we were young, he started gambling bad. He got into it with some folks, who turned out to be my enemies. They were after you. Your dad owed them big loads of money that he just couldn't pay. He reached out to my father. They were good friends back when they were in high school. He almost became my father's right hand but he had met your mother and he wanted to keep her safe. You marrying me was an order of protection over you. I took over for the Organization when I was 17. Me doing this, is all for you. Let me protect you, okay?"
I heard what he was saying. I couldn't believe that my Dad had a gambling issue, and I assume that if it wasn't for Antonio, I probably would've never known. I couldn't say much. I just nodded my head. Now that I know this information, I already know that it will be difficult for me to continue living normally. I don't want to have the feeling that someone is out for me. I want to live like a normal person, and not have to worry. And hopefully I don't. Hopefully after today, I can let it go and continue living regularly.
"I understand." I said, looking up at him. "Just please, be safe. The both of you." I gestured to Guido. "I couldn't bear if something had happened to the two of you."
Antonio smiled and engulfed me in a warm hug. This hug made me feel safe and calm. It was almost like he was reassuring me. Telling me that everything was going to be okay. And I believed it.
"Guido and I have to go. We have work to do." He tells me, pulling away from me. "Kylie and Daniel are visiting after the school day for them is over, so you won't be lonely. In the meantime, go downstairs and have breakfast and help yourself to the library." I nodded.
Even though the wedding is tomorrow, I've pretty much done everything I needed to do. Kylie has her bridesmaid dress and she and my Mom have been speaking with whoever they needed to speak to in order to make sure that the wedding goes smoothly. I would assume Antonio's mother would have reached out, but she hasn't. The last time I had saw her was when I had to tell the wedding planner the colors I wanted. She had completely disagreed with everything, making a complaint. It took both Antonio and Mr. Maricelli to get her to shut her mouth.
"Are you coming back, though?" I asked him. "We're getting married literally tomorrow."
"Oh, it won't take us too long." He replied. He kissed my cheek. "I promise that we'll do whatever you want when I come back." I nodded and he went on his way, Guido following behind.
Guido
"At least I don't have to keep it secret anymore. It was getting exhausting..." The more Antonio speaks about her, the more I feel the urge to tell him off. My feelings for Aurora has done nothing but progressed and I hate it for myself.
My dreams at night are engraved with the sight of her. I wake up and feel all flustered. Antonio doesn't deserve her, I do. I want her to be mine. Part of me wants to tell her, but the other part wants to do the best I can to sabotage this wedding tomorrow so that she can see that I'm the one she deserves to be with.
I'm gonna tell her. Today. I can't let her get married without knowing how I feel about her. Maybe there's a chance she might feel something back? It isn't worth sabotaging my best friend's wedding. That would be low, especially for me.
"Are you going to take her out when we come back?" I asked him.
"Probably to that ice cream shop nearby. Buy out the place so that it's me and her. I don't really know the whole 'day before wedding' process." He said.
"I mean, it's not like it's real." I mumbled.
Antonio turned his head to look at me. His face spoke of confusion, and I instantly felt bad for saying that out loud. "What's going on with you?" He asked me. "You've been distracted and cold towards me. Did I do or say something to offend you?"
What the hell am I doing? Antonio is my one best friend, not my enemy. And I'm falling for his woman, which is so low of me. He doesn't deserve my resentment, no matter how deep I feel for Aurora.
"No. I've just been stressed. Because of Mom." My mom is currently sick and battling cancer. I've been taking care of her alongside my dad and little sister.
Antonio nodded. "I understand. If you need anything, just let me know." I nodded my head. There's nothing I can do about the fact that I want Aurora. I guess I just have to let time work on its own. Maybe later, she'll see that it's me who she belongs with.
We arrived at our destination. Antonio was pissed and felt like our men, and women, should be better informed collectively. We can't have what happened last night to happen again. Kai was already standing at the door, waiting for us. Kai is amazing at his job. I've known him just as long as I've known Antonio. He's been a good friend to me throughout everything with my mother and sometimes visits her on some days.
"Kai." I greeted. He nods to me and turned to face Antonio. As they were engaging in conversation, I never noticed that his arms have gotten somewhat bigger. It seems as though he's working out, so I may need to ask him his workout routine so that my arms could be just as big. "Antonio, what's the plan?" I asked him.
Antonio signed and a devious smirk spread across his face. "Let's scare the shit out of them first. Let them know that in order to be in the Organization, you mustn't slack off." Kai and I nodded and followed Antonio inside our warehouse that we have. It's away from the city so that no cops are able to trace back to us.
As we walked in, majority of our staff was already here. Some were playing a game or air hockey, playing Just Dance, and some was just standing and having a drink. It was full of noise, which slowly irritated me. There are things that need to get done and they're over here having a blast while Antonio, Kai, and I are doing whatever it takes to keep ourselves and their stupid asses alive.
"QUIET!" Antonio shouted. Everything got quiet as everybody was turned, facing the three of us. "Everyone line up. I want to see everybody's faces when I say this." Staff scattered to quickly line up in front of us. Antonio steps out and walks back and forth, looking at every person as he was slowly intimidating them. I fought the urge to let my small laugh seep out of my mouth. Antonio knows what he's doing, and it's pretty funny.
"There is no room for slackers in this business." Kai interjected. "Last night, a few of our people slacked off and almost 50 grand was stolen from right under us."
Chatter echoed throughout as everyone looked at each other in confusion. "Shut up!" Antonio yelled. "Those slackers got dealt with, but let this serve as a warning to all of you. Let's be clear that all of you have given your lives to us, meaning that it's up to us to save it or simply take it. Just like that. There's no room for laziness and slack in this business. Which is why some people who's missing today you no longer see."
Someone gasped, which only caused a smirk to spread across my face. Instilling fear in the minds of others is the only way they will learn. We don't make empty threats. So they have no choice but to tighten up.
There was a mumble in the crowd. "What was that?" Antonio turned around sharply, implying that he had heard the same mumble that I did.
"You're heartless. How could you do that? They have families!" It was one of the new guys. The nerve he has.
"They fucked up." I stepped to him, looking into his fearful eyes. I could laugh straight in his face. "Something you just did." I snapped my fingers. "Take him to the basement." I ordered. His screams and pleads echoed as he was being pulled away. "Don't try to be bold." I told everyone standing in front of us. "There's work to get done, so drop the controllers. It better be done by tomorrow, or there will be insufferable consequences." I threatened.
"Yes sir." Antonio looks my way and nodded. I nodded back and took out my phone. I saw that there was a text from Aurora.
'I'm sorry for being so upset w/ you and Antonio earlier. Please be safe.'
My heart warms up as a smile spread across my face. It feels as if the more I'm around her, the more I can't resist her. I quickly sent her a text back, letting her know that it was okay and that Antonio and I were safe.
"Who was that?" I hear Antonio's voice behind me and turn around to see Antonio walking towards me. "Everything okay, man?"
I nodded. "Yeah, and that was... it was Aurora. She was texting to apologize and to make sure we were safe." I told him.
He nodded. "Okay. We should start leaving, though." I nodded and we gathered Kai who was talking to one of our own, Michael. He seems so smiley around him, which is odd, because Kai doesn't really smile around anybody.
My feelings for Aurora are heavy and I hate it, but then again, it's not the worse thing possible in the world. I just can't let Antonio find out.
Here's the new chapter! Sorry it took so long. Follow me for updates! Please vote and comment.