DANTÉ'S POV
"Danté, I'm the leader of the Sydney mafia." Erika said finally.
The words completely flying over my head as she says them.
The car became dangerously quiet after those words were said. My face stays emotionless and neutral as I finally attempted to register why she had just said that. Analysing every word she said.
To say I was speechless would have been an understatement.
After all it's not everyday that someone's new and possible girlfriend reveals that they are a mafia leader.
The movement of the car turning a corner, brings me back to the moment, making me realise that Erika was probably waiting for a response. But I couldn't think of one that would express how I feel. But then again, what I felt couldn't be considered one emotion.
I was intimidated, scared and sceptical about all of it. I also felt betrayed by her, that she wouldn't tell me something as crucial as this during the almost 3 months we dated, but then again, I could understand why she would wait this long to tell me.
A whole 8 minutes of silence had past when Erika's prominent voice broke the silence with my name.
"Danté." She said in a tone that felt like she had endowed my name with a value I never knew it had.
She had that effect when she spoke. Making anything she said; sound a thousand times more important and precious than it usually would be. It was one of the things that made it impossible to not give her my undivided attention.
"Yea." I said in a whisper, regaining my ability to talk.
"You haven't said anything for over 5 minutes. Are you alright?..." She said with genuine worry, reminding me who I was talk to.
I smiled.
"Yea, it's just a lot to take in...I mean it's not everyday your girlfriend tells you that they're the boss of the Sydney mafia..." I chuckled, nervously.
She huffed out in response.
"And you're serious about this?..." I asked hoping it was a joke.
But it wasn't, as she slowly nodded, focusing back on the road.
I let out a sigh and sunk into my seat.
"I understand that you'll have questions, so don't hesitate to ask them. I'll tell you what you need to know." She said while turning into a highway.
"What I need to know..." I said carefully, waiting for some elaboration.
Her grip on the wheel tightened ever so slightly meaning she was thinking hard of what to say next.
"Dante, being in the mafia, let alone the leader of one isn't something I can tell everyone... hell I'm even surprised that I told you this so early in our relationship... but then again, all of my past ones have been guys in the mafia too soooo..."
"Wait... I'm your first normal boyfriend?..." I asked as I processed everything she said. No wonder she's been so nervous and slow with me. Looking over to her, I notice her nervous smile not knowing what to say.
God, she's so cute when she's speechless...
My girlfriend, well... my soon-to-be girlfriend who is the leader of the Sydney mafia.
As a thousand questions fly through my mind, I manage to narrow them down to three that I hope she can answer.
"Ok then... I just have three questions, maybe more... I don't know just yet..." I said, mentally preparing for all of the possible answers.
"Shoot." Erika said, stopping at a red light.
"Ok, first question how did you get involved with the mafia?" I ask genuinely curious and concerned, if she is somehow in debt with the mafia or owes them a great deal of money, I won't hesitate with helping her. But then again she's the leader so I doubt she's in any financial dept.
In the end it would hurt find out.
"I was born into it. Back in the day, my grandfather's bestfriend was the head of the mafia at that time. He didn't have any children, because finding love in the mafia world never ends well. So he passed his business down to his best man, my grandfather. Since then its been passed down to the most reliable child to the next. I don't have any siblings so I became the leader by default. So long story short, I didn't have a choice." She explained.
I nodded my head slowly in shock.
So I guess it's a family business... interesting...
"Ok... second question. How long have you been the leader for?"
"Almost 9 months now... my father left the business for me to run here in Sydney. It was his last job here before retiring to America. He now basically looks over our dealings with other mafia groups while he acts as the head. Meanwhile, I'm here doing the heavy lifting while barely getting any credit, but I have to admit, he does clean up the dirty work."
"Must be hard..." I said trying to sympathise. But how does one sympathise with a mafia boss.
"Oh you have no idea..." She added with a sarcastic groan, earning a chuckle from both of us.
Erika reversed the van into her garage as we sat in silence.
"So what's question number three?" Erika asked, her hands still resting on the steering wheel.
"When was the last most 'serious situation' that took place in your gang?" I asked, curious and intrigued.
"Well... serious situations happen all the time, please elaborate." She said, nervously chuckling, as if these situations are a regular occurance.
"Have people died because they couldn't hold up their end of the bargain?" I asked, actually scared for my life. I have to realise that yes, maybe I do like her, but she's the leader of the freaking mafia. This isn't an everyday thing for me, I've never wanted to be with anyone this dangerous.
"Well of-course... But the scary thing is, not the fact that they died because they couldn't finish what they started... no. The scary thing is, is when innocent people die. People who were at the wrong place at the wrong time. Families... children who are related to the people who meddle with the mafia. They are the ones who end up getting hurt. They are the ones who are wrongfully murdered. That's the stuff that I can't live with. And that's why people who are in the mafia are better off alone, they don't end up hurting people they love." Erika finished, looking at me completely drained.
I didn't know what to say. I am left utterly speechless. Did she just indirectly say she was better off without me because she's scared I'll get hurt?!
"Are you scared something's gonna happen to me if we end up together?" I asked, my voice raspy.
"It doesn't matter if we end up together or not! I just told you something I shouldn't have told anyone. Not even Ange knows! And I've known her since we were kids! Telling you was a bad idea. I'm sorry!" She exclaimed, tears forming in her eyes.
As the first tear begins to fall I don't hesitate to catch it and wipe it away before letting my hand linger on her cheek caressing it.
"I'm honoured that you trusted me enough to tell me something as personal as this about yourself." I said with sincerity. "... but please don't ever feel like anything that happens to me is your fault to begin with... after all I'm choosing to stay with you..."
Slowly erika's expression morphed from fear and guilt to shock and disbelief as she realises what I've said.
"Y-your staying with me. After everything I've done and told you?..." she asks, astonished.
My lip twitches into a smirk as I grow closer Erika, gradually become comfortable with the intimacy I share with her after finding out her secret life.
"Yes, without a doubt." I said, "And besides... it's not every day you find out that your girlfriend is a mafia boss." Earning her signature smirk.
"Oh so I'm your girlfriend now?" Erika asks, surprised.
"Only if it's ok with you." I replied.
"Yea... I think I'd like that." She said before grabbing hold of my shirt and pulling me in. "...Now get over here and kiss me." she ordered me.
"Ok Boss." I answered back, earning a chuckle before--
*ring ring*
My phone goes off, absolutely demolishing the moment. Letting out a groan I move to see who it was.
"Oh for fuck sakes!" I hear Erika murmur under her breath.
I look to see the name on the contact to see none other than Prospero's name on the screen.
Never have I wanted to kill my brother more... even if he was probably calling about the artwork.
Wait...
"Shit it's my bro. What do we say?!" I panicked, now remembering that we had just robbed my house only moments ago.
"Calm down, its ok. Just act normal. Remember that you're at my place and you don't know anything about the artwork." Erika said calmly before handing me the phone back.
With a deep breath, I muster up enough courage to answer the call and finally...
I swipe right.
"Hello?..."
"Where are you?..." He asked with a significant tone of seriousness and worry.
Almost forgetting my own lines and the situation I was in I quickly reply.
"Bro what do you mean? I already told you that I was spending the night with Erika tonight. What's up?" I asked with perfect fake concern.
"Someone broke into the house, we've been robbed..."
"Shit... is everything ok! Are you ok?..." Danté exclaimed playing the role of concerned brother so well that I was slightly put off by it. But I knew it was necessary.
"We just got robbed! Of course everything isn't ok, I just called to check up on you."
"Of course I'm ok, I wasn't even at the house today, you need to stop worrying about me all the time. I'm fine, I'm with Erika." I said, without hesitation.
"Well, stay there! Send me Erika's address, I'm on my way!" Prospero yelled through the phone and ended the call.
I place the phone on the kitchen table, as Erika looks at me astonished.
"What just happened?" Erika asked.
"He said he's coming." I said, texting Prospero Erika's address.
"Wait, why is he coming? Here? Now? Have you gone mad?! He can't come! The painting is still here you idiot!" Erika yelled at me.
"Yea but he doesn't know that. So let's just hide it." I said quickly, grabbing the painting.
She looks at me quizzically just before her eyes light up in realisation. Walking up to me, snatching the painting and running towards her room.
Curiously I follow, just in time to see her pull out a rectangular chest-like safe, designed with red stained titanium steel. Now with more curiosity I subconsciously walk into the room, my head slightly tilted in confusion as to why she would need one.
Then as she opened the safe to show folders upon folders of what looked like documents and photos, I remembered... she's the leader of the mafia.
"They're files from when I first started, so don't question it." Erika said firmly. Shutting the lid of the safe and placing it back in her a secret compartment.
"Wasn't gonna..." I trailed sheepishly.
She looks at me with an arched brow and a knowing smile.
"Ok fine... but hey, I'm still learning more things about you day by day, you can't blame me for being curious." I said smiling.
"I don't, just make sure that curiosity doesn't get you killed." she mumbled half jokingly and half seriously.
*Knock knock*
I hear the door knock and I look back to Erika seeing that she is just as tense...
"Shit." We both say before scrambling out of her room. Me to the door as Erika diving to the couch, turning on the tv and trying hard not to laugh and act natural.
I hear Prospero through the door complaining, "Hey, open the door!".
"Coming!" I say as I swing the door open to an agitated Prospero.
"Where the hell is Angelica?!"
~ END OF CHAPTER ELEVEN ~
A/N:
Sorry for the wait! But... We're BACK!!!
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Xoxo P. & J.