Osvaldo's POV
"Maldito hijo de puta; (fucking son of a bitch), you're fucking useless you know that?" I stated angrily, looking at one of my father's men.
"I-I'm sorry sir we hadn't noticed that he-"
"Please save the bullshit excuses. Fuck off will you?" I demand as I gripped the sides of my father's wooden brown desk at an attempt to conceal my anger.
Trevor brushed past the man leaving through the door and entered the office.
"Hey, you seem...irritated?" he questioned.
"This morning has been a disaster. There have been these guys hanging around the house since last week. I told my father's men that if they saw anything off with these guys to come to me, not him, but what do they do? They act like fucking idiots and call my father anyways." I stated furiously, my leg shaking vigorously.
"Shit, now what's gonna happen?" he asked with a hint of worry.
"I already got a call from him. He said he's tied up with some shit going on down in Oaxaca and told me to handle it. I'd just rather not have his mind on business here right now." I sighed.
"Well, he doesn't seem to be too worried about this right now. Apparently, Sebastion almost killed those guys last night, you know miembros del cártel; (cartel members)," he whispered.
"Yeah, I've heard. I'm shocked my father put his warehouse in Durango in the first place."
*phone rings*
"I'll let you get that. Talk to you later?"
"Yeah, see you."
Trevor gets up to exit and I pick up my cellphone.
"Hello?"
"Hey, it's Ava. I need you to meet me at Pier 84 at around 8:00, okay?"
"Yeah sure. Is everything okay?" I asked inquisitively.
"I just wanted to talk about certain things regarding his arrival."
"Alright, I'll see you there, bye."
I hang up the phone and continue to get back to working around these shipment intakes that have been coming in. My mind raced with curiosity as I wondered why she would choose Pier 84 to meet but I brushed it off and continued working.
Ava's POV
"Are you sure you have everything? You have memorized all the plans I gave you, including the notes I made on the spreadsheet two days ago?" I asked Dante tensely as I frantically followed him around the warehouse while he continued getting prepared.
He did not answer me as he began loading his gun. He had changed into his gear beforehand and was just about ready to leave with the rest of my crew. I watched intensely as I began to notice that he had no fear of being alone tonight. I never expected him too, I'm fully aware Dante can handle his own.
Ever since my brother's passing, I've replaced Noah with Dante, a mistake I'm trying to fix as I'm sure Dante is over it at this point. Dante and I have grown up beside each other for as long as I've been alive. Slowly, Dante became like my second brother and has always been there for me and vice versa. If I couldn't protect Noah then the least I could do is protect Dante now, I thought.
After not speaking for about five minutes, he looked up and calmly said, "Ava, I'm going to be just fine. The last thing that I need you to do is to overreact and worry about how everything will transpire. I've got this."
He looked at me once more with a hint of reassurance and walked over to hug me. I held him close to me as his arms wrapped around me, grasping me tightly. His hands rubbed my back gently and once he let go he reassures me once more.
"I'm serious, go home and get some rest. I'll come back to you tomorrow morning with good news. How does that sound?" he asked, slightly arching his brow in a reassuring manner.
I let out with a sigh, "Sounds great," holding a slight smile.
"Dante, we have to get going. I'll see you tomorrow Ava," Rick said, peering through the back door of the warehouse.
"I'm coming. Just make sure everything is loaded and go over the plan once more to everyone," he spoke firmly, which gave me something to confide in.
Rick disappeared and Dante hugged me once more and we said our goodbyes. I watched him leave through the back door and kept watching until the door closed shut. There was no, wait Ava you should come or wait Ava I can't do this. Dante was standing his ground as I had expected and although some part of me was somewhat disappointed, deep down I was proud.
I took a deep breath and walked around the warehouse to each entry, making sure to lock each one before leaving. I grab my belongings from my office and made my way to leave but a picture caught my eye just as I was about to close the door. It was a polaroid pinned to the brown bulletin board that stood mounted behind my desk.
I pulled my key out of the lock and walked closer, allowing me to make out the figures in the picture. It was me, Dante, and Noah when we were just kids. I overlooked the polaroid, taking in my once happy and youthful self. I stood in the middle of Dante who was to my left and Noah to my right. It made me wonder, what happened to me, where did the little girl with so much life and enthusiasm in her run off too?
I look up at the clock above and realize I may run late if I continue to reminisce. I pin the picture back onto the board with its red push pin. I switch off the lights and pull the door shut to lock it. I gracefully jog to my car, slamming the door closed and quickly put my key into the ignition. Pulling my car out of the driveway, I make a right turn and drive all the way to Hudson River Park, where Pier 84 is located.
What'd I'd say is about thirty minutes later, I arrive at empty parking spaces lined up at the front of the Pier 84 gate entrance. I tuck away my documents into the glove compartment and lock my doors before making my way through the entrance and onto the grey stone pathway leading up to the railing alongside the water.
Just as I pulled out my phone to give Osvaldo a call, I notice a man leaning over the metal railing and realize him to be Osvaldo.
"Hey," he said calmly.
"Hey. So, what's been going on? You know, with your father." I candidly asked.
"Everything is still going according to plan. We almost had a mess-up earlier today, but I took care of it," he said.
"Good, good," I say calmly, mimicking his posture as I leaned onto the cold metal railing.
I then sit on the bench behind me and begin to take in the view of the glistening Hudson River. Osvaldo sits next to me, overlooking my face.
"Are you okay?" he asked curiously.
"Yes, I'm fine. Why?"
"You seem to have your mind on something. You're not that talkative like per usual."
"I'm never talkative," I honestly joke.
He chuckles and looks out into the distance. We both seemed to admire the view of tall glass-framed buildings and lit up boats docked by the harbor. I always wondered how someone so disapproving of his father like Osvaldo was, took on his business in its entirety while he was away.
"Do you like it?" I asked abruptly.
"What do you mean?"
"I was just curious about if you like caring for your father's business. If you like feeling in control of it."
Osvaldo's POV
What an odd question, I thought. I know I didn't like my father nor his business, but to have my own would be nice. The methods my father used to get his "fame" in our world is what I don't agree with, so to form my own uprising in this way of life would be a dream come true.
"Yeah, I guess it's pretty nice. You know, when your life is always dictated by someone it's nice to know you're in control of something in your life."
She didn't say anything and just continued to look straight ahead at the view. I looked back at her to find myself gazing over her features and was able to take in the view in front of me. The breeze of the nightly atmosphere brushed through her dark brown hair, causing it to flow beside her face. She looks my way and catches me staring but I don't look away.
"Are you okay?" she asks with a hint of shyness in her voice.
"Yeah *sighs* I'm okay," I answered.
I should probably change the topic so it doesn't get too awkward. We both continued to sit on the brown wooden bench while my mind raced for topics. Why can't I think of anything?
"So what has-"
"Would you like to come to my apartment? I have some things I needed to give you but I left them there. If it's too much trouble, don't feel inclined to say yes," she asked unexpectedly.
I was caught so off-guard that I didn't know what to say. She has never been this straight forward before, it made me curious if there was something wrong. If I were to decline and there is something wrong I wouldn't want to let her down so, I accepted.
"It's no trouble at all. I actually have some papers to show you anyways, so it would be better to show you somewhere secluded. Should we leave now?" I asked.
"Yeah, take your car and just follow me. It's night so there shouldn't be too many cars out on the streets anyways."
We arise from the bench and walk our way out of the pier to the strip of empty parking spaces. We both get into our cars, pulling out of the parking space and I begin to follow her. We take a number of turns until we finally set straight onto a narrow street lit by tall street lights embedded into the sidewalk. I observe my surroundings which include the trash set aside the light posts for the garbage truck to pick up in the morning, and the drunk/homeless people wandering the sidewalk looking for a place to go.
After driving for forty-five minutes we arrive at a modest, respectable looking building compared to the rest on the block. She stops in the middle of the road and I get a text from her saying to parallel park as she has to park in the garage. I do as told and get out of my car, meeting her at the glass front door.
As I entered the building, I took into account the elegance and atmosphere of the lobby. A gloss coated brown reception desk with a posh but old looking man sitting behind it observing the computer. He greets Ava as Ms. Giammari and notices me, looking slightly intimidated.
She led me to the elevator and walked in. Ava pressed the button on the silver elevator panel which would take us to the tenth floor. We both stood there in silence as the whirring of the elevator took us past each floor.
*Ding*
The doors opened as we stepped off and walked to the right of the hallway, stopping at about the sixth door down. She pulled out her keys and unlocked the door to reveal an exceptional, well-lit living room furnished with modern lightly colored pieces. Once fully inside, I took in the atmosphere of the place and the layout of the apartment in addition to how big it really was.
The living room flowed nicely into the kitchen/dining room. It was furnished with typical light-washed grey couches, a basic black table, a TV set and stand to match, and a standard white carpet underneath it all.
"You can sit on the couch, I'll just go and grab the files," she spoke as she disappeared into the hallway nearby.
I sit down and continue to admire the apartment. It only took a few more glances around to realize that I am in Ava Giammari's apartment. I know I only came for the files but it still shocked me that I am here. It feels like I have readily stepped into the danger zone and that now, anything can happen.
She seemed off tonight and very on edge. I have no place to question her but I just have this need to ask her, a need similar to before, but I know I can't push it that far even though I want too. I can not continue to return back to this questioning what to do state of mind because that only brings out the worst kind of situation between us. A situation I'm sure neither of us is willing to be in at this point based on our past experience.
Finally, she returned with the forms and sat down next to me on the couch. She laid out the file onto the black table in front of us, beginning to briefly explain what possible concerns she had found in the plan and wrote out some solutions. During our conversation, I had noticed she continuously checked the clock, looking up every five minutes. She seemed to fidget more as well and her leg would often continue to shake. Now I feel almost compelled to ask her what her problem is.
"Are you okay? You seem very, nervous," I asked, feeling a sudden urge for her to answer truthfully.
Her eyes quickly darted to mine as she seemly looks to be caught off-guard by my question.
"I'm okay, let's just continue please," she answered trying to sound nonchalant, but I wasn't convinced.
"I'm not going to sit here while you seem clearly worried about something," I answered again, urging for a truthful answer.
"Why do you care!? It's none of your business!" she responded getting angrier and frustrated. She got up from the couch and began to pace back and forth.
Shit. I got up and did something that I believed was doing the right thing but she took it to a whole new level within the course of five seconds. I walk closer to her, in an effort to get close and calm her down, but before I could comprehend how close we were, she grabbed my wrist causing our bodies to lightly collide. We became so close, chest to chest, and her hands rested on the back of my neck causing my head to lean down and face her.
She looked straight into my eyes, slightly parting her lips. My eyes traced her tan but fair skin all the way down to her dewy, luscious lips. We both leaned in more closely just until our lips met and we kissed.
All of this initiative brought on by her made me think, What the fuck was going on?
Ava's POV
Something took over me and I couldn't take it anymore. This feeling, this anxiety made me feel like I was losing my mind. Every minute, every second, I could feel that my sanity was slowly slipping away only to be lost forever. This wasn't just about Dante anymore, it was the memories of my fear, the same fear I had when my parents were killed. The same fear that overcame me while I hid in the spot my father told me to hide in. I needed to snap back into reality and Osvaldo just had happened to be there at that exact moment.
His hands rested on my waist while I lightly grasped the back his neck pulling him closer to me which deepened our kiss adding more passion by the minute. He walked forward, little by little until my back met the wall, as our kiss continued to deepen. I felt this surge of electricity coursing through my veins, it began to bring on this feeling that I soon became intoxicated by.
Why isn't it there, where's the disappointment? I thought. I was ready to feel angry at myself for letting my mind get to me, for letting it drive me to the edge. This isn't right, Dante is out there and I haven't heard from them, I shouldn't be doing this. But when Osvaldo lowered his hands initiating the motive to want to pick me up, I complied by wrapping my legs around his waist. My body was reacting, not my mind, it has to be. It feels like my mind has no way of connecting with my body, to send the signals to not go forward because if we do it'll be something we both will regret.
He ran his hands along my thigh in a light stroking manner that began to give me goosebumps. My fingers intertwined in his jet black hair as we both stopped for some air in between our kisses. This damned kiss that I liked was being shared with someone I'm supposed to hate and I couldn't believe it.
*cellphone ring*
Well that moment didn't last too long, did it? I thought while trying to figure out a less awkward way out of this.
"Osvaldo," I whispered, slightly breaking our kiss.
"Hm?" he murmured, not paying any attention to my words nor the cellphone ringing.
"My phone, I have to get it," I shyly responded.
He pulled away and we locked our eyes together before he let me down gently. I walk over to the table, taking short deep breaths in between before picking up the phone to answer it.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Ava it's Rick. Listen I need to tell you something but I need you to stay calm and not freak out okay? Please?" he spoke hastily.
"Rick, what's going on?" I asked, beginning to grow more concerned.
"We did what we had planned and everything was seemingly going well. We had infiltrated his warehouse and did what you told us, but Tarantino came back earlier than we had planned and he didn't return alone," he said, his tone began to diminish into worry.
"Rick... what happened?"I asked angrily.
"Well, *deep breath* Dante got...shot."
No...No this isn't...he didn't just say, Dante...
Before I knew, my vision went blurry and soon turned red. I could hear Osvaldo saying my name in the background but I couldn't move. I wasn't scared or felt sad, all I felt was anger.
He's messing with the wrong woman and I do not think he understands that. No one who is important to me will ever be taken from me again, I swore on it. If Tarantino wants a war, oh he'll get a war. This is going to turn very personal so this will bound to become very messy.
A war he wants is a war he will get, let the games begin figlio di puttana; (son of a bitch).
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Author's Note:
Helloooo! So, this was a very long chapter but I just had a lot to cover going forward so sorry but it's also a good thing cause man this chapter was a crazy one hehe. What will happen between Ava and Osvaldo? Will this affect their relationship going forward? Will Dante be okay? How far will Ava go now that Dante has been harmed but more importantly, who will dare to step into the crossfire?
Like always,
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Thanks so much for reading and I shall see you all in the next chapter 😘