It's been four weeks since Dom and I agreed on giving a relationship a chance, it's also my second month in Italy. For the most part, everything has been much the same. We go to school each day, we hang out, we go to parties and Dom and I go on date nights once a week.
Bex and Riccardo are still glued to each other's side, but they're still super cute. Since meeting his family it's only brought them closer. Riccardo has one sister and three brothers, all of which are Lorenzo's men including Riccardo. I don't know if Riccardo has told Bex about his hidden life, but seeing as it's only been two months, I don't think it's likely.
Dom and I have been doing well to keep our relationship hidden from our parents. The only contact I have with my dad is when I talk to him on the phone, and Lorenzo isn't at the house much so It's easy for Dom and I to spend time at his place, and when Lorenzo is home, it's isn't to bad, we usually tell him we have an assignment or we're hanging out, and because it's Dom's job to 'look out for me' he doesn't seem to think much of it.
I make my way up the front steps of Dom's stunning home and ring the doorbell. A moment later he answers dressed in some jeans and a casual hoodie, his hair a mess.
"You took your time Tesoro" he grins
"The taxi took a few wrong turns, but I'm here now, isn't that all that matters?" I smile sweetly up at him
He takes my hand and pulls me into the lounge room quickly, the door closing behind us "Yes" He mumbles as he sits down and pulls me onto his lap and presses his lips to mine.
I kiss him back softly until I hear a voice clear behind us. I open my eyes and pull back from the kiss. Phew, it's just Franco.
"You two know dad is home right?"
"Shoot" I stand up and take a step back from Dom
"I know you two are in love and all but you really need to be more careful if you don't want to get caught" Franco smirks once more and leaves the room.
"What a way to ruin our fun" Dom grins up at me
"He has a point though." I shrug my shoulders
"Alena, nice to see you again." A loud voice booms from behind us
Thank god Franco walked in before Lorenzo. Both Dom and I turn to see Lorenzo standing there dressed in a black suit, looking nice with his hair slicked back.
"Hi Lorenzo, nice to see you as well"
"I have to head off to work but I should be home at around ten, I take it you two have homework to do?"
"Yes father, we have homework, that's why Alena is here" Dom lies
"Very well, have a nice day." He exits the front door and Dom and I let out deep sighs
A moment later Franco bounces back down the stairs with a grin "I'll leave you two to have the house to yourself, don't do anything I wouldn't do." He winks
"Which is nothing by the way." he yells as he leaves the house with a laugh.
I look at Dom who is biting down on his bottom lip, damn I hate it when he does that. Dom and I still haven't had sex. I know what you're thinking it's only been a month, but Dom isn't a virgin and either am I and we're in a relationship so I really don't know why either of us are holding back but we are.
"So uh, what did you have planned for the day?"
"I was thinking movies in bed?"
"Sound perfect" I smile and hold my hand out to him
***
"Have you spoken to your father?" Dom questions as he strokes the top of my hair with his free hand, his other arm wrapped around me as we cuddle in his bed.
"I spoke to him last night, he said everything is going well at home."
"I'm surprised you're not homesick yet"
"I miss home, I miss my Mum and Dad, hell I even miss the Cobras, but I really like it here and I only have a year to enjoy it, so I have to while I can."
"You keeping saying that, that you only have a year here."
"Even if I loved it here and I wanted to stay forever I can't. I know dad is dying to step down at the leader and I'm next in line. I have to go back and take over for him."
"Is that what would want?"
"It's all I've ever know, it's what I've been taught, it's what I've been trained for."
"But is it what you want?"
I take a deep breath and look down sadly "I don't know."
He places his hand under my chin and raises it so I'm looking at him once more. "I know how you feel Tesoro, I don't want to take over either."
"You don't?" I ask surprised
"No, and I'm not the oldest so really it shouldn't be going to me anyway, but like you, I don't have a choice, once school is over for me, that's it. I have to take over, and you'll of taken over for your father and we'll be nothing more then Alliances."
"I think that's why I'm so unsure," I say honestly "What if I don't want to be just your American Alliance? Why can't we be together and still ruin our separate groups?"
"Because that would never work Tesoro and you know it."
I nod my head sadly
"If things had of played out like they were meant to and Franco took over as the leader this wouldn't be an issue, I'd leave and I'd come with you to America, but I can't."
"Why isn't Franco able to step up?" I question as I look up at him once more
"While Franco is still a member, Father doesn't trust him enough to take over. A few years ago Franco really went off the rails, he was smoking, drinking, taking all kinds of drugs, he was making deals with small time drug runners and street kids. He put us in danger so many times and each time he'd get taken to jail for the night, father would go and bail him out and that only put more heat on us. When he'd finally had enough dad sat him down and told him if he didn't pull himself into line he'd hand the title of the Don down to me."
"How did he take it?"
"He said he never wanted it anyway, but I don't think that was true because after that he got so much worse, he was out drinking all night and then he'd come home and drink some more. He has girls coming in and out of the house at all hours of the day and night and he was off his face on cocaine most days, it was horrible to watch."
"How did he stop? he seems okay now."
"One of the girls he was seeing overdosed at some kind of drug party they were at one night. I think he really liked her because after that, he asked father for help and we went away to rehab for a couple of months."
"Wow" I whisper softly "And even now that he's clean, your father still doesn't trust me?"
"I think he's just waiting for him to fall off the wagon again. He still likes a drink, he still likes to bring home a heap of different girls" he shrugs softly
"I see." I nod softly "My dad and uncle Nate were like Franco in their early teens, dad made me sware I would never touch drugs because he almost messed up his life."
"And have you?"
"No." I answer truthfully "I've never been interested, you?"
"Once or twice, but not enough to get me hooked"
I nod my head and bite down on my bottom lip "Did you hear about the party tomorrow night?"
"Yes, why? Are you thinking of going?"
"Yeah, Bex and I both want to go, but Riccardo is busy, will you come with us?"
"I want to, but I'll be with Riccardo we have some work things to take care of?"
"Really? Work things?" I raise a brow "You don't need to keep things from me, I'm in the same world as you remember"
"I guess I forget sometimes, I'm so used to keeping everything hidden from everyone." He admits "We have a drop to make to one of the shipping ports, we're moving some guns and drugs across the country"
"I understand, work comes first" I smile softly up at him
"But" he smiles down at me "I'm sure after we could meet you both at the party? I really don't want you there on your own and I'm sure Riccardo feels the same about Bex, but I'm not going to tell you can't go without us."
"We'll be fine, I can protect us remember."
"Oh yeah? You're in the habit of carrying your gun around in that little clutch of yours are you?" He smirks softly
"No, but I can fight, probably better than you." I sit up
He raises a brow at me and his lips turn into a soft grin once more as he tries to hold back his laughter
"Don't laugh at me, I'm serious."
"I'm sure you are baby." he nods, the same smirk on his lips
"Alright fine, I'll just have to show you" I stand up and begin to walk to the door
"Where are you going?"
"To the gym, what are you waiting for?" I exit the room and head down the stairs towards the gym.