𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚠𝚎𝚗𝚝𝚢 𝚘𝚗𝚎 ─ 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚎𝚟𝚎𝚛
By the time we had gotten downstairs everyone was alright. They had all hidden behind the island counter safe and sound. The little ones had luckily gone home earlier that day, and everyone except Christian and I had been in the same area. I had to admit, once I saw Katelyn was okay the weight on my shoulders lessened some.
Everyone agreed we had to get out of there quickly and head to separate hotels to be safe. That was before I broke the news that there was still sharp shooters hiding in the garden.
"What do you mean?" Amalea stood up from the floor, "They aren't gone?"
"No." Christian spoke up this time, and I glance back at him, "They're hiding in the tree line." I bite my lip, trying to think of a plan.
"I have an idea." I say suddenly, and everybody's eyes turn to me. Christian's father watches me especially close. I can tell by the way his eyebrows knitted together, focused on me. His son had the same expression.
"Um, okay, there's a back door through the pantry, correct?" I ask and nonna nods. My eyes flick down to her shaking hand which held her husband's. It broke my heart, "Amalea, you and I can go out that way and sneak out to the garden where the gunman are hiding. After five minutes someone make a distraction. Push over a chair or break a plate, something that'll get their attention so they'll start shooting again." I glance over at Amalea, "Then we'll kill them."
I see something flash behind her eyes, something great.
"I like it." She smiles, grabbing my hand. I step over the bodies sitting on the floor, but not before Christian grabs my wrist and pulls me toward him, holding me in his arms. I get a feeling it wasn't just for show. His pulls back and kisses me on my temple. I smile before turning back to everyone else.
"Well, go. What are you waiting for?" Adrian gave me a look, and I roll my eyes.
"Bye Adrian."
"Be careful. You wouldn't want to lose me." He squeezes my hand when I reach out to him, and I nod.
"We wouldn't want that." It was last thing I said before I followed Amalea out to the pantry, gun in hand.
"You ready, babe?" She asks me, I nod. I could hear the care in her tone. She was worried about me, but I refused to be scared. I'd kill these men before they could kill her family.
I was strong. This totally wasn't insane. I could do this... right?
Amalea counts to three then opens the back door, stepping outside. I realize... this was happening. I could actually die. I wasn't ready to die. I still had so much to do. I still wanted to model. I wanted to explore this new relationship with Christian. I wanted so many things still. But there was one thing I knew I needed in that moment. I needed to survive.
I follow Amalea through the garden, guns at the ready. She leads me through the bushes so we were positioned behind the shooters. We crouched down, waiting for the signal.
I shift on my feet. The grass was wet against my bare feet. It was about 2 am by now, and I didn't get a chance to change out of my pajamas. The night air was cold against my skin.
Amalea nudges my knee with her hand, and I look up at her. She winks at me. I take her hand.
Suddenly we hear a glass shatter I inside. I peer through the bush leaves and sure enough we see two sharp shooters crouched behind two of the trimmed trees. Then the shooting starts. I sit by and watch as they once again shoot up the house, and I pray... I pray everyone is safe behind that counter.
Amalea nods at me once then we stand in sync and both fire our guns. The two bodies slump to the ground, and I have to turn away. Amalea immediately rushes to hug me, and I collapse into her shoulder as I finally begin to cry.
The weight on my shoulders suddenly feels heavier than its ever been.
By the time I was done crying I immediately felt sick, throwing up somewhere in the bushes. Everybody ran outside to see if we did it, and immediately encircled us. Amalea did most of the talking that time while I stayed silent. Even Kate hugged me.
"I'm so glad you're okay." I cry into her shoulder, wrapping my arms tightly around her, "I'm so sorry, Katie."
"No, stop, I'm so sorry, Marie." Her voice cracks, "I should never have said those things to you last night. You aren't selfish, and you don't only care about yourself. You're so brave that you just killed someone for me, bunny," She pulls away from me, taking my face in her hands, "You killed someone for all of us."
I cry more at this. After the tears and reunions were over we all headed back inside to go through the wreckage. Millions of dollars destroyed and ruined.
I retreat back upstairs to pack my bags, stopping at the doorway to remember at had happened there just a few hours earlier. I don't even try to stop myself from blushing.
I stumble to the closet and grab an outfit to wear for the day. I definitely wasn't going to get any real sleep, so I was hoping I could get in a nap in the car. I undress then put on wide legged high waisted jeans and a white crimped crop top.
Sighing, I collapse down against the end of the bed, and glance over at myself through the floor length mirror adorned with fresh bullet holes. My hand laces through my hair as I laugh softly. What the hell did I get myself into?
I squeeze my eyes shut and begin laughing harder. This was crazy. This was absolutely crazy. A few weeks ago I had just started a job as a waitress and now I was the fake girlfriend of Christian Moretti. Or shall I say billionaire bachelor Christian Moretti who, oh yeah, is also a member of the Italian Mafia. The Italian fucking mafia...
I was cracking myself up by now.
"Fuck!" I curse and kick my legs out angrily as I felt tears prick at my eyes. I pull my knees to my chest, covering my face with my arms. The door creaks open, but I don't look up. Someone slumps beside me.
"Your boyfriend's downstairs waiting for you." I hear Katelyn's voice as she nudges my shoulder.
"He's not my boyfriend, Kate." I admit, my voice muffled by my arms. I was ashamed. I was embarrassed and tired of all the lying and sneaking around. I wanted it all to stop.
"Oh... bunny-"
"He asked me to pretend with him because he didn't want his father to force him into an arranged marriage, okay? And I obviously agreed because he's Christian fucking Moretti." I look up at her. Her eyes were filled with pity I didn't want or need.
"I would've done the same thing." She murmurs. We're both quiet.
"I'm so sorry I didn't tell you, Katie," I sigh, wiping the tears off my cheeks, "I was just so overwhelmed." I hide my face in my arms again. She sets a hand on my back, "I'm honestly freaking out."
"Yeah, I am too." She agrees making me laugh softly.
"You are? 'Cause you definitely hide it better than me." I say, and she smiles.
"But seriously," She looks over at me, "The mafia? Like come on, how much more cliche can it get?" We laugh, "That's like some Episode story kinda shit."
"Really? I thought it was a Wattpad kinda thing." I smile, and she nudges my shoulder again.
"Here." I glance down at her hand which holds a thick glass bottle of bourbon. I grab it from her, pop off the cap, and take a more than long enough sip.
"So, your relationship may be fake... but you still love him a lot, huh?" She asks. I freeze.
"Love him?"
"Yeah... I don't know. He's in awe of you. Believe it or not, no matter how different they act, Adrian and Christian get the same look in their eye when they see women like us," Her eyes are gleaming when she says, "Awe." Her hand swipes across the sky as if she was showcasing it. I roll my eyes, hitting her shoulders with mine.
"Oh shut up," I say, "I mean, he's quite a bit of me, but I do not love him..." I feel a smile coming on, "Yet." I add.
"You sly cat." She laughs then looks at me, "I love you, Maria."
"I love you too, Katie." My eyes soften. She holds out her pinky finger, and I link it with mine.
"You're my best friend." She whispers.
"For forever."