❖Anna❖
"Good, now try to hit that target over there."
All morning, Gabriel has been teaching me , like he promised, how to correctly use a gun. He loan me one of his smaller pistols for today, cause he thinks that it would be less likely for me to harm myself.
I aim carefully and shoot, somehow hitting the targets ones again.
"You're a natural Anna! Even the twins had more trouble learning this."
I laugh softly, feeling flattered as I see Gabriel's proud look. "You did great mio angelo." He leans down and leaves a sweet kiss on my lips.
"We'll practise again some other day. I think you've worked hard enough for today."
We clean up the mess I made and walk back towards the house.
Gabriel had send the guys out to work with some other members of the gang, so we have the house for ourselves for a couple of hours.
"How about some food?" Gabriel asks ones we step into the house.
"Sure, we haven't had lunch yet."
"Then I will make you something. Go sit."
I sit down at the kitchen table and watch Gabriel move around the kitchen. It's almost mesmerising to see the way he walks around, the way his muscles flex when he works.
"Like what you're seeing? Gabriel suddenly asks.
I blink out of my trance and feel a blush coming up, slightly embarrassed that he caught me staring.
"Can't really see anything." I answer, thinking I'm very smart to come up with that.
Gabriel raises an eyebrow and looks at me "Really?"
I see the glance in his eyes change into mischief and I know I was maybe not so smart.
Gabriel slowly steps closer and his hands find their way to the front of his shirt. His eyes keep connected with mine as he starts to lift his shirt.
My eyes start to travel down to his abs ones they come in view. I can feel my mouth fall open while my eyes follow his movements.
His strong chest and his arms full of muscles make my mouth water.
"How about now?" Gabriel asks as he drops his shirt on a chair. "Is this better?"
Unable to form any words, I nod my head, earning a smirk from Gabriel.
"God to see that I have the same effect on you as you have on me. Next time I need something from you I'll just drop my shirt. I'm sure I can get anything that I want then." I nod again, still not able to say something.
Gabriel's smirk grows as he steps closer and leans down, his lips almost touching mine. "Good to know." He whispers before quickly turning back around and focussing on the food he was preparing, leaving me to be a hot, melted, mess.
❖Gabriel❖
Anna is currently cuddled up on the couch with a book. I slip my shirt back on an smirk at the thoughts of what happened earlier.
I'm about to sit down next to Anna when my phone goes off.
"Yes?" I say as I pick up.
"We caught a fly." River answers and I know right away what he means.
"Keep him sweating till I get there."
I put my phone back into my pocket and look towards Anna, whose eyes are already on me.
"Everything all right?" she asks with her eyebrows drawn together in worry.
I bent down and smooth the skin in between her eyebrows with my thumb. "Everything is fine angelo. You have nothing to worry about." I kiss her softly and stand up straight.
"River asked if I could come by the warehouse for a little. They need my help with something. I promise I will bring back everyone before your graduation ceremony starts. Then we can all go together."
She nods, but I'm not convinced that she is okay with it. I can practically hear her brain work overtime. "Anna, have a little faith in me. Go get ready for your graduation. I will be back long before it starts."
"Without any cuts or bruises?"
"Without any cuts or bruises." I try to reassure her. Bending down, I leave a soft kiss on her lips. "See you soon mio angelo."
I steel one more kiss before going away. Leaving Anna with a soft blush on her cheeks.
❖❖❖❖❖❖❖❖
Outside of the warehouse, Nicolaas is waiting for me. We nod to each other as a greeting and walk to the warehouse.
"We sent the twins and Elliot with some older members on a patrol around the warehouse, to make sure there aren't any other flies following the idiot inside.
Raphael and River stayed with him. They might have had some fun already."
"As long as he's still breathing I'm fine with anything." I answer. "Stay up here in case one of the guys calls for help." I order Nicolaas before starting to walk down the stairs to the basement.
Down there we have a couple of cellars and a 'questioning room'. We figured that the basement is the best place for it, because no one will hear the screams from down here, not even when you're up in the warehouse.
"Good day gentleman." I say once I step in. "I've heard that we have a special guest today."
Raphael snickers. He is leaning on a table filled with weapons, while our guest is tight to a chair.
"He hasn't said much yet. All we know is his name: Jeremiah." Raphael says with a small smirk. I can see some redness on Raph's knuckles. Guess he beat his name out of him.
"Well then, maybe Jeremiah would like to play a little game with me."
My eyes glide over the table. There are some guns, a couple of knives and two cutters.
"We'll start easy with you." I say as I start in front of Jeremiah. Raphael and River both take their spots next to him, ready to hold him down when that is needed.
"We already know our name and we know you're a Bratstvo Bitch, now, I want to know what you where doing here."
Jeremiah turns his head away and I snicker. "Playing hard to get are we now. Sorry to disappoint you but I already have a lady waiting for me."
"We know about your slut." He answers, earing a hard punch in his stomach. He doubles over in pain, but the guys push him back into to chair.
"That isn't what I asked you."
Jeremiah looks at me and spits in my face, still refusing to answer me.
"Okay then, I'm loosing my patience, let's go a level higher. Raph, give me my knife"
I see a flash of fear pass through Jeremiah's eyes and I know I found my opening.
"So, mister hard to get, what where you doing on our grounds?"
He looks away from me, trying to mask his feelings again, but I already got saw I needed to see.
I press the blade of my knife against his hand, not yet leaving a mark, but making sure he can feel the sharpness. "Did you forget why you are here?" I ask when he still doesn't answer me. "Well maybe this can help you refresh your memories." I push the tip of my knife into his skin and carve some lines until he starts to scream.
"Seems like he does speak." Raphael says whole holding Jeremiah down.
River hasn't said anything yet, but that's his thing and it creeps some of our prisoners out.
"I will ask you ones more. What are you doing here?"
When he still doesn't say anything I nod to the guys who rip his shirt off. Time to go towards the chest. I place my knife there and cut a couple of times, making sure I'm leaving deep, big cuts that will eventually become some ugly scars, if he survives at all.
"Give me an answer!" I demand as soon as his screaming has died down.
"I was on patrol. Checking a lead we had gotten."
"What lead?"
"About.... About the place being empty tonight, because that slut of yours has her graduation."
This time my fist collides with his face, making him spit out a couple of teeth. "If I where you, I would have some more respect!" I say angry, but it somehow makes Jeremiah laugh.
"Respect you? Like everyone who works for you does? How do you think that we know about tonight? There is a moll in your gang sir."
I try not to show anything, but I know that surprise is flashing through my eyes cause Jeremiah only laughs harder, making me angry and with a low growl I push my knife into his shoulder, making him scream.
The guys nod and Raphael walks towards the table. I follow his lead and lay the knife I was holding back down.
"We'll find out who it is Gabe." He says softly, making sure our guest can't hear our conversation.
"Of course we will. He is a dead man walking. Be home around six. We have to be there before seven. And Anna will know nothing about this at all. I don't want her involved in this."
Raphael nods in agreement and turns back towards Jeremiah.
"No it's our time to have some fun together."
❖Anna❖
True to his word, Gabriel was back two hours before my graduation ceremony started and promised me that the others would be there around six.
Something had happened. But when I tried to ask about it they brushed it off, telling me the focus should be on me now.
Right now, I'm sitting in between my fellow students, waiting for the ceremony to start.
"O my god! I'm so exited!" Kaylee says. "I can't believe that we are actually doing this Anna! We are graduating!"
"I know right! I am so proud of us." I answer giggling. "Are you ready for your speech?"
Kaylee has been chosen to be the speaker of our year, she had the best result and is the winner of our annual debate, so everyone knows for sure that she is the best person for the job.
"I rehearsed it so many times these days. I'm sure my mom can speak along with me by now." She answers laughing.
Mister Kennerly steps on stage and signals us all to quiet down.
"Welcome class of 2019!" he says and everyone cheers.
"I speak for all of your teachers when I say that we are very proud of all of you. We are sure that, in the near future, you will be wonderful teachers who will inspire your students with every lesson that you teach them."
The audience applauses for his speech and Kaylee steps on the stage.
"Thank you mister Kennerly for those wonderful words. And a big thank you to everyone of the staff who has helped us grow over the years!
My fellow students, we did it! This is our start to..."
While Kaylee starts her big speech, I take a moment to look around.
The hole Capello gang, or well, everyone who lives in the house, plus Hunter and Sam, is sitting a couple of rows down.
Gabriel notices me looking at them and gives me a small smile. I smile back and let my eyes glide on over the crowed, until my eyes meet his.
After all these years, those eyes still have the same effect on me. I can feel my breathing quicken and I'm slowly starting to panic.
My eyes fly back towards Gabriel, my safe place, and he notices my mood change. Gabriel follows my glance and I look back to the person whom I've been running from. The person who hurt me so many times.
At the end of the yard, is my father looking at me with a sickening grin.