Alessio:
Eliana fell asleep in my arms, which was the way it should be. I had fooled myself for a long time, telling myself thatI did this to help her ward off nightmares- and while it did seem to help her sleep through the night, it was for my benefit too. Nothing was more calming to me than looking down and seeing her peaceful face against my chest. I might have been able to fall asleep too, if not for the chaos still reigning inside my head.
My thoughts kept going back to the Russians, and how long it would take them to rebuild. Dimitri seemed to be rational and level headed, and based on the way he led the insurrection, I figured he would be a good leader as well. This could be the perfect opportunity to align ourselves in a better way, to create alliances that would help in the long run. It would all come down to how they rebuilt, and I was ready to offer my help.
The ride felt shorter to me this time, maybe because I wasn't fueled by adrenaline anymore, but Leonardo pulled up in front of the house at the same time Dr. Montcroix did. I was careful not to jostle Eliana awake as she instinctively adjusted herself in my arms.
The surgeon saw her state and already started to rifle through his bag, "Is Ms. North alright?"
I spoke quietly so I didn't disturb her, "I think her ankle is the worst, but her body took some major hits over the last few weeks that I think may be worsened by all of this. There are some others that need help more immediately, Angelo over there probably the most."
The truth was that I wanted her taken care of first, but I didn't want to disturb her peace. Not to mention the fact that Eliana would probably be furious if she got medical care before those who were in worse shape.
Dr. Montcroix threw a glance at Angelo who was now stumbling out of the car with a sickly pallor. The doctor hurried in his direction but called over his shoulder, "I would ice her ankle when you get the chance. It'll be easier to address if it's not so swollen. And disinfect her arm!"
I had already planned on doing all of those things. Eliana had been underfeed for extended portions of her life, and I was pretty sure that it left a permanent mark on her, because she was lighter than I would have expected. It was almost no effort to carry her up the stairs to our room and set her down on the bed. She curled up onto her side, the one that didn't have a cut from a near miss with a bullet.
Not wanting to wake her up, but not wanting her to be uncomfortable, I gently tapped her and handed her the pajamas she usually slept in, "Eliana, how about these?"
She murmured something, barely opening her eyes before pulling the legging and sweatshirt to her chest. It was hard not to laugh at the way she slept, curled around whatever was nearest to her like a cat. Multiple times I had come to bed later than her, only to find Eliana clutching my pillow like a lifeline.
I made my way to the kitchen to find a cold compress for her ankle, as well as a glass of water or juice to help replace any fluids she had lost from the blood. I didn't expect to come across Angelo, "I thought the doc was taking a look at you?"
"Couldn't tell me anything I didn't already know," He grunted, limping towards the counter and falling against it. "Told me lots of fluids, gave me some quick stitches, he's done that for me so much that he didn't have to give me anymore instructions."
I stared as he reached into the liquor cabinet and pulled out a bottle of clear liquid. "I'm pretty sure that isn't what the doctor meant."
He raised an eyebrow, daring me to say anything more. "It's a remembrance for our Russian comrades."
Angelo didn't even have to ask before pouring two shots, sliding one across the counter towards me. I didn't exactly like the taste of straight vodka, but it wasn't about flavor. For me it was about taking the edge off, for Angelo it was probably about getting rid of some of the pain.
"Just make sure you drink something real with that," I commanded quietly.
He nodded, pouring himself a second shot before raising it in a toast and downing it all at once. I went to grab the compress and leave, but I stopped, unsure how to say what I needed to.
"Angelo, I appreciate....." I sighed, realizing just how horrible I was at finding the right words for things that were not work related. "I know Eliana said it, but I didn't. Thank you for what you did today. You saved her life and she means more to me than.... Thank you."
He stared at me for a second before he poured himself another shot, throwing it back immediately.
"That ought to do it," He muttered before twisting the cap back onto the bottle and setting it back on the shelf. He set his hand on his side before turning to me, "Eliana is a good woman. She's strong, mentally and physically, and she's had life that wasn't exactly easy. Maybe it made her a better fit for all of this, for you, but whatever the reason, I think she's a good match. She's realistic and still kind, but she wasn't born into this world. There will probably be some things she has to get used to, I just ask that you keep that in mind."
"Of course."
"Besides," He grinned tauntingly at me, "The men like her a lot. If you were to bring anyone else around, I'm not sure how they would compare. The others might mutiny."
I shook my head, but I knew there was probably some truth to the matter. Many marriages in my line of work were arranged for political reasons- often you liked the woman that your don was with, or you shut up and said nothing. Eliana was a rare choice I got to make, and I was lucky. The men could have grumbled, and while listening to their complaints would have been my choice, there was no ulterior motive. They liked her because of who she was and what she did.
"Goodnight, Angelo."
"Good morning," He corrected with a pointed look at the window where the sun had begun to show.
I turned on my heel to leave, "It probably doesn't need saying, but our meetings for the day are cancelled."
Angelo chuckled as I left the room, but the quiet hallways gave me too much time to be thinking. There was no question about whether or not I loved Eliana, but there was still so much guilt in me about bringing her into a world of violence. Angelo said it himself, she had a tough life so far, and didn't she deserve to be wrapped up in a future that would be the same thing.
It would be her choice. If she ever wanted out, I would let her. No questions asked, no hesitation. I would suffer the consequences of what I did for work, Eliana shouldn't have to. Until that day, I would try to give her the best version of life that I could.
When I got back to our room, she was still out cold, clutching her clothes. I set down the ice pack and shook her, "Ellie, don't you want to change clothes?"
She groaned, unbuttoning her jeans with her eyes closed and trying to push them down. I was going to look away, but her sigh of irritation made me turn back around. Eliana was stuck trying to get the leg of her pants over her bad ankle, unable to reach all of the way down without pulling at the skin around the cut on her arm. I went over to help her, gently pulling at the fabric and working it loose from her foot.
I finally got it off to see her wrestling with the long sleeve shirt and jacket she had on. She sometimes called it 'sleep drunk'- being so tired that you lose control of your actions and thoughts a little bit.
"Come here," I muttered, leaning over her to help her take it off as well without hurting anything new.
She fell back into the pillows in her underwear, but on closer inspection of her ankle, there was no way I could get leggings over it without hurting her- it was so swollen and blue that it wouldn't be possible. Instead I reached into one of my drawers to dig out one of my old t-shirts, gently tugging it over her head.
Once she was settled again, I wrapped the compress around her ankle and tucked the blankets around her, trying to make sure she didn't get cold with the dropping temperatures. I was going to run to my study quickly when her arm shot out to grab my hand.
She was so quiet before that I didn't even realize she was still awake when she said, "You need sleep, too."
"I should really get some work done....." I trailed off, already knowing that I would be defenseless if she asked twice.
Eliana merely nodded with her eyes closed, but there was a distinct pout on her lips. Alright, it turns out I'm defenseless against anything she asked for.
I threw on a pair of shorts and climbed into bed next to her, grabbing my phone to check my messages. There was one from Dr. Montcroix saying the he could check on Eliana whenever I wanted, but if she wanted to wait, it would take him a couple of hours to finish with the other men. I texted to let him know she would wait, then set an alarm so we could get a little sleep before she got her diagnosis.
Eliana gripped my arm and pulled herself closer, eyes still closed and she breathed, "Ti amo."
"Ti amo anch'io."
Eliana:
Alessio made a great pillow, which you normally wouldn't expect from someone with so much muscle. But there was no such thing as a good alarm clock, and even the man I loved couldn't soften the blow of having to wake up.
It was for a good reason, I had to admit, since the cold compress he gave me could only do so much. I could barely even remember him coming in, or changing clothes at all. My ankle had stopped swelling slightly, but it was incredibly discolored, so much that when Alessio woke up and saw it, he insisted we go see the doctor immediately.
Since it was cold, he wrapped a blanket around me and scooped me up, insisting that I shouldn't be walking. That was the first time I realized I was only in his shirt and not my own pajamas. Since it would probably take me a year to roll out of the burrito Alessio had wrapped me in, and his shirt on me was basically a dress, I said nothing.
Dr. Montcroix seemed a bit surprised, but his preliminary examination made him think that I hadn't broken any of the bones. His first assumption was a severe dislocation.
"Well Mrs. North, I can say that I've never actually seen a dislocated ankle without accompanying fractures in person, they're incredibly rare. Then again, I've never heard of anyone being saved by the foot when falling out of a window. As for the wound on your arm, I think we can avoid stitches if you're extremely careful. Change the bandages often, and make sure it doesn't get infected."
"Yes sir," I confirmed. Alessio had asked to be in the room during the exam, but as his phone rang he stepped out into the hall, giving me a reassuring smile.
I looked back to the doctor as he showed me a marked body of a diagram on his clipboard. "Where I've marked on this chart are areas where you've taken a hit over the past few weeks. You've got a lot of bruising and a few ribs that are still healing. I'll say this- you're a great patient, but I'd love to see you less often, for your sake at least. Now that it seems the worst of your risks are over, please take it easy. Know your limits and give yourself some healing time."
"I will," I promised, hoping that I could keep that agreement. The chart he showed me was marred in red, and I could feel the pain from a lot of those injuries in my body still. I was grateful for the pills he gave me to keep some of it at bay, and the extensive instructions he offered on how to properly wrap my foot while it healed. He recommended that I stay off of it for a long time, making me internally sigh. I was hoping I would be able to go back to work and see Ezrah, and I was dreading finding another excuse as to why I couldn't be there.... And when I could go back, I would have to explain why it was bandaged.
Soon after he left and I sat staring at the instructions sheet he gave me, footsteps started to approach. I expected it to be Alessio returning, not a limping assassin who should have been in the hospital. She leaned against the doorjamb almost in a casual way, but anyone who knew what happened to her could have guessed that she was still aching and wanted something to lean on. I realized what always felt slightly unsettling about her presence- this was the first time I ever heard her footsteps. She was usually silent and elusive, but she barely seemed fit to be walking, I was sure her posture was the least of her worries.
"Allegra? Are you here to see Dr. Montcroix as well? I thought Aldrich took you to a hospital-"
"No, I stopped by to talk to Alessio. Your boyfriend's going to be very busy for a while since he's the one that volunteered to help Dimitri reorganize and turn the Russians into a not corrupt mess," She raised an eyebrow at the blush that ran up my cheeks. She was the first one to label our relationship out loud like that so brazenly, and only now did I realize how much I liked it. "But the Russians were just a part of that particular trafficking ring. There's more heads to cut off of this snake, and Aldrich was already looking into it when all of this began. He and I are going to see if we can do a little more damage to them, but I thought I'd check with Alessio before we got started. I figured he may have found something more since we last spoke."
"You know, I...." Struggling to find the right words, I had to cut myself off. I wasn't sure how to put this into the right words, that I would never have expected someone in her line of work to be so even headed. The best word I could think to describe was warm. She wasn't exactly comforting to be around, and she didn't seem quite selfless either, but Allegra had a type of loyalty to her. "That night in the forest, you went out of your way to help Scarlette, and you saved both of our lives. Thank you. I should have said it the moment you helped us."
She pressed her lips together like she was thinking, then tilted her head to the side, "You're very welcome. Thank you for being a person worth saving. I wasn't sure when I first met you, just because you had this dead look in your eye and you seemed so guarded in a room full of mafia men, but you're smart. I think you'll do well. You'll hold your own I'm sure, but don't let any of these men push you around. Alessio is one of the good ones, but there are still plenty of them in this industry that don't see women the same way."
"Thanks for the tip," I offered her the best smile I could, but her warning did make me slightly nervous. I wasn't always the most assertive. She stared at me a moment longer, seeming to be lost in her thoughts. "Are you alright?"
"Hm?" She snapped out of her reverie. "Oh, I'm fine. You just remind me of someone that I used to know. I'm sorry, these pain meds are really messing with my head."
"I'm surprised that you're up and walking. How did you get them to release you from the hospital that quickly?"
There was a mischievous glint in her eye. "They didn't want to. I told Aldrich I would either knock him out or jump out the window if they tried to keep me any longer. It just took a little persuasion."
"They already got your results back?"
Allegra shrugged, "The ones that mattered. CAT scan showed no bleeding in my brain, spine was alright. There's nothing else I can't handle, I can feel the broken ribs and sprains, I don't need a doctor to tell me that they're there."
"Allegra, you're a pretty great woman, I see why you're one of the best in your field," I tried not to grin at her shocked expression as I offered her the small compliment. "But if there's one thing that being here taught me.... it's not a weakness to accept help. When you're a good person, the people you know might genuinely want to help you. You're not an obligation."
She stared at me with an unreadable expression, and I wondered how long it had been since someone encouraged her to do anything other than stand alone. Instinctively she reached for her belt, but whatever she was used to having at her side wasn't there. I noticed that her gun and holster were missing, I was willing to bet Aldrich still had them and took them off of her before carrying her into the hospital. Instead, she seemed to nervously twist her fingers.
"You're not so bad yourself. If you ever need anything..." She let her offer trail off, nodding at the implication.
"Thank you. And if you'd like, I would love to be kept updated on how it goes with taking down the ring."
Allegra grinned her signature sly smile. "I will. If you see your boyfriend, let him know I'm waiting in his office. Take care of yourself, Eliana."
She turned and sauntered away, but I knew she probably couldn't walk normally at the moment. For a few minutes, I just sat there, thinking about how far things had come. The people I met along the way had changed me, I had grown as a person through all of it. I slowly stood, careful not to put pressure on my bad ankle.
Alessio's footsteps announced him as he rounded the corner, "I just got a call from Aldrich. He says that Allegra didn't stick around to hear about the rest of her tests, but she basically bolted. He seemed concerned, said that she might come here first because when she woke up, you were one of the first people she asked about."
"Actually she was just here," The irony made me smile. I would have to text Dimitri immediately and ask him to convey Allegra's apparent health to Scarlette. "She's in your office when you have a free moment."
"I'd rather spend my free moments with you," Alessio said ruefully. He had taken Allegra's place in the doorway, staring at me with a soft expression and taking in his oversized t-shirt and the blanket loosely draped over my shoulders. "Are you alright, cara?"
"You know, you called me that for the first time the day I was abducted. I had no idea what it meant, but I remember you being the last thing I thought of before I was unconscious."
"I'll never stop blaming myself for that."
"Don't. Everything that's happened since then, I would do it again because it got me to you." I sighed, knowing that protesting or showing him reason would be futile, "But that day taught me something- whenever I fall asleep, I like it that you're the last thing I think of."
He stepped closer to me and his hands snaked around to my lower back, pulling me closer with a smirk. "Is it too cliche to say that I don't stop thinking about you when I fall asleep? You're in my dreams too."
My head fell back slightly as I laughed, "A little bit. But I'll let it pass because I love you."
"I love you, too," He murmured, kissing me softly and letting one of his hands drift to the back of my neck. His eyes were soft and adoring, a look that I looked forward to seeing for a very long time. "You make me better than I ever thought I could be."
"You've taught me a lot, too, about being a better person," I admitted. "I think we're better when we're together."
"Together."
4 months later
"I'm going to be late for my shift," I giggled, pushing on Alessio's chest to get him to relinquish his hold. Making out with him was great, but so was having a job that I wasn't late to.
It was nice not having to pay rent, though. Even after things calmed down and it would have been safe for me to stay there again, I only lasted a week before I realized that I didn't want to. I ended up staying at Alessio's every night anyways, and I didn't have a sentimental attachment to many things in my old apartment. He seemed to understand my hesitancy about giving up my personal space and autonomy, so when I told him that I'd move in, he had disappeared for a day. Only when I arrived with another box of my books did I realize that he had cleared out the room next to his office, deeming it an anti-mafia space just for me.
No one was allowed in there without my permission, and no questions were asked. He helped me put up some shelves and my art easels, but he stuck true to his word after that- if the door was closed, he let me enjoy my own space in peace. On occasion if I hadn't shown up at dinner or no one had seen me for a couple of hours, I would hear a knock on the wall that divided my room from his office, and I would quickly knock back, giving him some peace of mind.
"I'm sure we could come up with an excuse," He teased, trying to coax me into one more kiss. "Besides, I'd be late for my shift, too."
I rolled my eyes at his antics. The whole thing had been coincidental. It started at lunch one day when Alessio packed my lunch for me, since I had been on his case lately about taking time to do some things he actually liked. It had been enough food for Ezrah and I to split, and some deserts as well. Upon Alessio's next visit, Ezrah jokingly told him that he would pay him to be one of the bakers, and it spiraled.
Somewhere along the way, Alessio had agreed to take his Friday nights 'off' by coming into work with me. Once a week, the kitchen switched to Italian pastries and deserts. After a little longer, he started cooking some of his nona's and mother's pasta recipes too. It started on a trial basis, but customers loved it, and Alessio did too. I think it was a scheduled break from the insanity of the mob, and he looked forward to it.
I finally grabbed his hand and tugged him towards the door, but he paused by a closet and tugged one of the jackets over my shoulders, "It's freezing out there, Ellie."
His nickname for me was one of my favorite things. He only used it when we were alone, but somehow he had found a way to personalize my full name as well when we were in public. Everyone else used it with the long and drawn out 'n' sound, but his accent made it swift, sounding like the letter 'L' followed quickly by 'yana'. Eliana North wasn't my real name, but when Alessio said it, caressing every syllable and making it his own, I finally felt like it was.
We made our way to the garage, climbing into his dream car that he had been restoring with Leonardo and Angelo. I worried a little that I was encouraging him to take too much time away from work, but it was doing him a lot of good. He smiled more and he was happier when he got to cook or take a couple hours to work on his cars, so I would walk into his office every couple of days with a reminder not to stay up too late, or to take a break in general.
The best part was when he took off a whole week as a surprise for me. I needed a chunk of time to heal completely and go to work again, but once I did, Alessio already had something in mind. Without telling me, he had contacted Ezrah to have my shifts covered and tell him what was planned, which my boss did happily because apparently he thought Alessio ws a great guy for me. It completely blindsided me. I knew something big was planned the moment I saw suitcases by the door, but I didn't expect him to drag me out to his personal jet where he warned me about jet lag. My first time on a plane was a little anxiety inducing, but it was completely worth it when we landed and I realized we were in France.
A private tour of the Louvre, taking me to hear the symphony, all of it made the trip the best week of my life. I hadn't stopped thanking him for weeks, I probably never would. But it did spur me to consider getting a degree in art history or museum studies, which he fully supported.
"Do you think Scarlette will stop by tonight?" I asked, lacing my fingers through his and resting them on the console.
"Probably. You told her that I was making panna cotta, last time she drove all the way from out of state to make it back before we closed that night."
It was true. Scarlette and I had kept up a good friendship. We texted often, and I was helping her with some fundraising efforts that would benefit young women faced with homelessness and rehabilitation from sex trafficking. Dimitri and Alessio maintained a good working relationship as well, and sometimes he came with Scarlette to stop by the cafe. The whole restaurant changed slightly during Friday night's extended hours- when the world had fallen asleep, a different type of clientele had started to filter through. Some of the Russian men would stop by for food, as did Alessio's, and a couple times when they were in town, Blaise' men as well.
There was only one unspoken rule for the dangerous men that started to occupy the tables between the civilians: there was no talk of work, and no animosity beyond the door. It was a place of truce and peace, where old friends from different syndicates could meet, new alliances could be formed, and there wasn't fear of judgement. Celebrations could be had there- in fact, Lucia used it to host a congratulations dinner a few weeks before when her brother got engaged to his boyfriend.
Ezrah was still oblivious to what Alessio did for work, but he knew it was something lucrative. Over the last four months, Ezrah had been doing well. His condition was getting better, and a small miracle put a spring in his step and a smile on his face- his son had called him. Apparently it had been done without the knowledge of his ex-wife, and I think his son was starting to see through her lies. Alessio still wanted the identity of the angel donor for Ezrah's treatment to stay anonymous, he said that he didn't need any thanks. Sometimes when Ezrah and I worked together or joked, I could feel Alessio's stare on us, and I would catch him smiling as he watched.
As we pulled up to the cafe, I glanced at the man I loved. He smiled more now, he was generally more happy ever since I started encouraging him to do things he actually liked in his free time. I knew that I was different, too. He had helped me find my passion again, made me laugh and feel safe in the world. We were a good balance for each other.
I realized that he had parked and was staring at me in return with a quirked eyebrow. "Are you alright, amor?"
"Couldn't be better," I smiled back, feeling the happiness deep in my chest. "You ready to trade your suit for an apron?"
"More than you know."
Alessio climbed out of the car, pulling my door open for me before I could even tug my coat back on. He offered me his arm which I gladly took, strolling up the sidewalk to the place where it all began.
Did I get a little teary eyed finishing this? Yes. Did I take some comfort knowing that you'll see Alessio and Eliana again? Also yes. But, since I don't want to leave you all too sad, I stayed up all night and neglected all of my real duties in order to put up the first chapter of the next book in the series so that I didn't leave you hanging. Thank you for finishing out Eliana's story, I'm forever grateful to everyone who read and voted. If you'd like to give me some feedback so that I can make the next book something you would enjoy, feel free! Easy basic stuff, like 'what was your favorite part?' or 'what about their relationship made them unique/special?'. 'What would you like to see me develop more in the next book?' and 'is there something you hated that I might consider avoiding?'.
Any feedback is good feedback! I love you all, and I'll forever be grateful!
-Eilzabeth