Chapter 8  - Protection

The next day, Aria woke up with no one by her side. Well, she couldn’t expect her boss to stay there all day.

But Aria couldn’t help but blush as she remembered the day before. His scent was still present in the room.

The woman was not to show weakness to anyone, but she was grateful for Giovanni’s help.

Finally, she could not stay in bed all day. I could not accompany the youngest to school, but could take care of Laura. 

Giulia helped her get dressed and she thanked her. A dress was much easier, so Aria wore a blue one today. 

"Aria! You woke up." Laura ran to hug her, almost dropping her crutch. 

"Buongiorno, Laura. Yes, let’s do something today? Just don’t do something that makes me run after you. Please, I’m not in shape yet." she laughed.

"Let’s play doll then. After you have breakfast. " 

Aria laughed, Laura was really smart. 

"You got it, boss."

-----

At the breakfast table, Aria did not expect to meet Mr. Mancini. 

Giovanni just laughed and kept having his breakfast. 

"How was your evening, Miss Ricci?" 

"Great, Mr Mancini." She stammered. 

"What a great place." 

"By the way, thank you for yesterday."

"There’s nothing to it." He smiled and approached her, keeping his faces very close. " But I have a question." 

"And what is it, sir?" she stammered. 

Giovanni smiled and she could see the freckles of his face very close. 

"Why are you afraid of thunder?"

"Ahh." Aria didn’t expect that.

"Well." His gaze became sad and Giovanni stopped smiling. " My parents died in a car accident on a day like yesterday. In a mighty storm. I can still remember the moment."

"Long ago?" he asked in disguise.

She stated with almost tears in her eyes.

"Yes. 12 years old."

Giovanni shook her hand in a comfort and wiped her tears.

"Forgive me for being curious."

She smiled.

"Don’t worry, sir. It’s been a long time. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to take care of Laura."

She left him alone with her thoughts of who that woman was. Giovanni did not think she was someone to harm him. But something told her I knew her from somewhere.

--------

The first thing Lorenzo did when he arrived at the school was to give a sigh of anger when Maira arrived hugging Cassandra.

"You’re coming to my mother’s party, aren’t you? Everyone’s invited. Including you, Cass. Promise me to make Lorenzo dance.". 

"How ridiculous, Mai. You don’t know if Cass likes it." 

"Thank you. I want to go, yes, I’ve never been to one of these." Cassandra replied excitedly. 

Lorenzo rolled his eyes and Maira gave him a mischievous smile, saying that now he had no excuse. 

They argued for a few moments until Cassandra told them she was going to the bathroom and they didn’t care. She could do it alone. 

Even if Maira and Julio were carefree. There was one person who could have targeted Cassandra and Lorenzo won’t allow it.

When the couple had left. He waited for Cassandra on the opposite side of the bathroom. Lorenzo noticed that she staggered. That surprised you, was the girl sick?

When she left, a young redhead stopped her, as he expected.

Leonardo was the bully of the school, he thought himself to be strong and the son of a Russian mobster. Not that Lorenzo cared about his size. He had a gun. 

"Hey baby. How come nobody introduced me to you?" Leonardo said, holding Cassandra’s chin. 

Cassandra knew he was no good just for touch and speech. 

"Let me go please." she asked politely. 

"What if I don’t want to? Pretty, useless little things like you, that you can’t see, should stand like a ornament." 

At that moment, Lorenzo punched him. Leonardo fell to the ground, surprised. 

"Cass. Are you okay?" 

"Lorenzo? Is that you?" she asked, trying to identify where her voice came from. 

"Stay there, all right? If you move, you might get hurt. I’ll sort it out." 

"That’s all Mancini has? I heard what my father did recently with his family, isn’t it?" Leonardo said standing up. 

"Yes, I know. And I know we won." Lorenzo responded with one more punch. 

This time, Leonardo turned and fought back. Lorenzo had a black eye, but did not give up. 

Soon another punch was thrown at Leonardo. 

"Now you want to defend the rookie? What is she? Your girlfriend? You’re defending your girlfriend, Mancini?" He laughed. " Did you find a decorative object to replace your father’s absence?" 

Leonardo laughed and punched Lorenzo against the ground. 

"Shut up." Lorenzo fought back, punching and pinning him to the ground. Nothing could contain his anger.

"Shut up. Don’t talk like that with your filthy mouth." he said, continuing to punch the redhead.

Lorenzo took all his anger out on Leonardo. The fact that Dad was never home, that he was removing the photos of his mother without explanation, that he let Laura suffer for him, that he let Aria be kidnapped, that he had to lie to Cassandra, and of course, for everything that Russian prick was saying about her. A sweet young woman, the only one who didn’t approach him out of interest.

The punches continued and the doors of the classes had already opened to see what had happened.

Leonardo’s face was swollen and bleeding from being caught.

"Lorenzo, please stop. It looks like you’ve been doing this for a long time." Cassandra screamed.

Lorenzo came out of his trance and looked at her. Cassandra was frightened, her eyes wide with terror.

"Damn. Now she might think I’m a monster." he thought.

"I’m sorry, Cass. I’m trying to protect you."

She smiled. 

"Nobody did anything like that for me except Aria. Thanks for protecting me. Are you okay? And him?" 

"I’m fine. Just with a black eye and he, well, unconscious. But, I didn’t kill him. Don’t worry." 

I could have pulled the gun. They didn’t report me. But, it would create a bigger war between both mafias. - He thought. 

"What happened here, Mr Mancini?" Miss Mairani, the director, asked.

At that moment, Cassandra had a sudden dizziness and almost fell. Lorenzo caught her in time, but couldn’t help but smear her clothes with a little blood.

"We’ll take everyone to the infirmary and you’ll explain to me what happened. , Mr. Mancini. Being your father’s son does not prevent you from receiving punishment."

Lorenzo just agreed to it.

------

In the infirmary, they had already taken care of the wounds of Lorenzo and Leonardo, even if the second had not yet woken up.

Soon, Cassandra woke up and Lorenzo went to see her.

"Don’t tell my sister, please. "

"Why? The nurse says you fainted from the scare."

"Did she say?" Cassandra sighed in relief. "Great."

"Mr. Ricci and Mr. Mancini, I’m glad you’re all well, but that doesn’t mean I have to call your people in charge."