Chapter 7

Antonio's eyes got darker, his teeth shut tight as he stared at the dead man who Buccolini had just ended his life.

“Portalo via. (Take him away.)” Buccolini ordered while some of the men standing squatted and dragged the body away, “The rest of you should clean up this place, I won't want anyone coming to see this.” He said before turning to look at the ice cold face of Antonio.

“This is what I do to men who betray me. Men who backstab me, this is how they always end up Antonio.” He said and sat down offering Antonio a seat beside him.

Antonio sat at the edge of a seat while Buccolini watched him, “Do you still have nightmares at night?” He asked, glaring at Antonio's face.

He started having nightmares from the first day he met Buccolini and ate with him. Just like today, he had come in on him forcing himself on a woman who he later strangled to death.

He had been terrified ever since then. “I don't. I'm already too big for that.” Antonio said, reaching for a glass of wine which was on the table.

“Want some hard smoke?” Buccolini offered while he collected it from him, Buccolini watched him struggle to light the smoke, “Let me help you.” He said and lit it for him and Alessandro took a hard puff. “Alessandro, I don't know why I loved you so much and took you in. I think I'm beginning to forget and I will be needing you to remind me from time to time.”

Antonio knew that game and he won't fall for that trick. This is Buccolini's own way of telling him to start behaving himself for Vittoria else he would end up like the man he just killed.

An old man who will never change his scheme. Just the same old ways of him. He smiled.

“You took me in because you needed someone to make you become a good person, didn't you?” He replied sarcastically, hating the smoke infiltrating into his body.

“And I wanted to make you a good person too. So poor and wretched, I needed you to rise and shine and there you're,”

“You can as well put it that way since I got to where I am now today because of you.”

“And I think you forget about this part of the story every single time.” Buccolini's voice changed, even the way he looked at Antonio changed, “You are suddenly acting up and running around like a cheap shit. You're forgetting that no matter how powerful you're in this country, I'm bigger than you.”

Antonio smirked, “Well…”

One of Buccolini's boot lickers rushed in and bowed before them causing him to stop talking.

“Hai inviato il messaggio alle Hawaii (Have you sent the message to Hawaii?)” Buccolini asked him and he nodded his head, “Very good.” He said and dipped his hand into his pocket, tossed some pound notes to the ground while Mr. Francesco scampered around collecting them.

“Thank you so much sir. Thank you sir. Grazie Signore”

“You said you have a daughter right?” Buccolini asked and Alessandro's eyebrows raised up immediately, he knew about Buccolini's scores with women.

Never merciful and loved to have them whether they liked it or not and probably, he might have eyes for Mr. Francesco's daughter!

~AMORA~

She was shocked and surprised, how could he change his mood so instantly? Yelling at her like that. Did she do something wrong? She asked herself for the umpteenth time as the car sped off taking her home to Camila.

“So you're saying that he asked you to become his mistress?” Camila questioned her after she was done narrating her story while she nodded her head.

“Yes, he said he will give me what I want if I should become his mistress.”

“And you're thinking of becoming a rich man's mistress? Don't tell me you're thinking of giving that a thought.”

“But it's not bad Camila. You needed to see the way he was looking at me, the way….”

“You just said that he pushed you off with a hard scowl when his wife called him, isn't that a sign of how bad of a man he is.”

“He's not a bad man okay? He likes me. He wants me to become his mistress and I'm going to be his mistress.”

“Then how come he hasn't called you ever since that night? How come he hasn't reached out since that day?”

“Maybe..” Amora stopped, yeah, Camila is right. Why hasn't he called her after sending her away. “Maybe he's busy with his wife and kids.” she defended.

“That's a sign that you don't have to get into his life. Married men can be very complicated.”

“But he's a sweet man compared to my father.” She said and brought the cheque he gave her earlier, “He gave me this cheque and he promised me a house, Camila.”

Camila rolled her eyes, bit her lower lips while clawing on her own skin. She stood up from her seat and reached for her phone.

She went through her chats, HEY, THAT YOUR HOT FRIEND YOU POSTED ON I*******M, WHEN ARE YOU BRINGING HER OUT FOR A DATE?

Camila texted back, “DEW, I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU WOULD LEAVE ME AND DECIDE TO  HAVE EYES FOR MY FRIEND!

He replied; “YOUR FRIEND IS SO HOT!”

She typed ferociously when she read the text: “DON'T TELL ME WE BROKE UP BECAUSE OF THAT.”

He replied: “WANTED TO BE SINGLE AND…” Camila tossed her phone to the couch biting her lower lip and gritting her teeth alerting Amora's attention to her face.

“Are you okay? Is everything alright? Camila, you looked tense.” Amora hurried over to her side and sat down.

“You know what? Why don't we go out for clubbing and parties.” Camila suggested smiling broadly at her.

Amora frowned, “You told me you had to go on a date today, or aren't you going anymore…”

“Uhm, that can wait. Let's just hit the parties and…” Camila struggled to force out a smile holding Amora's shoulders, “You need one so you can stop thinking about Antonio.” She said and dragged Amora away so they would dress up and prepare for the party.

“Ando buscando money puesto pa lo mío ando enfocado

Un traguito de Gin tonic y con el brillo colorado

Ando buscando money puesto pa lo mío, ando enfocado

Un traguito de Gin tonic y con el brillo colorado.”

The Deejay was playing Twenty Six and Trayson Kiss songs. Hyping while everyone was singing along and dancing.  Amora was so happy, dancing,  shaking and wriggling her body.

Camila was dancing with her, “Amora.” She suddenly called, “I'm coming, let me go get some hots for us!!!” She screamed into her ears and danced towards the counter.

“I need a drink!!!” She shouted to the bar attendant so he would hear her, “Two!!!” She shouted gesticulating with her fingers and the bar attendant nodded going inside to go get a drink for her.

He came back with them and offered to Camila, she collected them, “Can you get me some candy?” She asked the attendant politely winking at him and immediately he left, she reached her hand inside her bra and pulled out a powdered substance.

Voices were echoing in her head, “Amora is so beautiful and lovely, can you ever be like her?”

“Look at how Amora is so curvy and smallish, I bet every man will be betting on who will have her?”

“Oh damn, Amora is the most beautiful girl in the class.”

“Camila and Amora, who's more beautiful? Answer is Amora, have you seen that girl's smile?”

She churned with hate as she undid the wrap and began to spill the substance into one of the glasses.