INTO THE LION'S DEN

AURELIA

I took one final last look at the room. I didn't know if I would be coming back here. I was going to spy on a dangerous Mafia heir, gather information and records and send them to Vincenzo, I was basically going there to ruin him. If I succeeded I guess I was born to be lucky for once in my already miserable life and if I get caught I'm definitely not coming out of it alive.

I sighed and closed the door behind me. Vincenzo was in his office when I walked in. His handsome face was completely focused and serious as he had a discussion with Slade. He looked so dangerous I had to remind myself that this was another mafia Don I shouldn't disappoint. Our familiarity and closeness made me forget how dangerous he can be sometimes. I put it at the back of my mind to not disappoint me. He has been treating me like his own blood for 11 years now, there's no saying that he might switch on me if I play funny, no one messes with Vincenzo and I'll try not to mess with him. He dismissed Slade and stood up to meet me, his expression softening.

“Once you know the coast is clear and they trust you enough without suspicion, reach out to me, I'll provide you with everything you need on this mission.” I nodded and turned to leave without a word. My hands wrapped around the gold handle of the door when Vincenzo spoke up again.

“Aurelia…” I paused. He called me by my actual name, not Nova but Aurelia.

I stopped. Everywhere was quiet. I could hear the faint ticking sound of this wristwatch. My heart pounded loudly. I thought I was hearing it with my ears. I swallowed as I realized I was about to tear up. I turned to stare at him.

“Stay safe,” he said finally. I nodded with a smile. I turned, took a deep breath and pushed open the door. Slade was waiting outside already for me.

“We'll send 3 shadow bodyguards to follow you, just in case something goes wrong, but I don't think it will. We would have placed a tracker on you but that would be risky, I trust you'll keep yourself safe.” Slade stopped and turned.

“I don't know if I'll be seeing you again but regardless, stay tough Nova,” he said with a smile. I laughed and playfully punched his shoulder.

“Trust me to deliver, Boss picked me for a reason,” I teased. He laughed and relaxed.

“I'm glad you cheered up, you've been awfully moody since the boss explained the mission to you.” I shrugged.

“A car is waiting outside for you, it'll drop you at the Zayn di Laurentiis' penthouse. Don't fret okay.. everything will go smoothly as long as you act you, Good luck.” He patted my shoulder and turned. I watched his back disappear and I turned and walked out. A black sedan was parked outside. The chauffeur opened the door for me. I got in and the door closed after me. The car started driving and I stared at my palms. I refused to stare out of the window and after a while I finally gave in. I watched the trees brush past in a blur. The drive was silent. All I could hear was the hum of the engines as the car sped away.

I couldn't help but think about my parents. I wouldn't be able to drop off my usual anonymous random gifts I leave behind like before. Everything I do had to be carefully planned out, a slight slip up might ruin everything.

I couldn't help but wonder why Vincenzo was so bent on revenge. He had killed Zayn's mother, Zayn had killed Vincenzo's wife. It was eye for an eye but Vincenzo couldn't bear it. The death of Angela changed him. I watched the powerful dangerous man who took my 16 year old dirty ass in, taught me all I knew, trained me to become equally ruthless and dangerous, I watched the man become a shadow of himself as he painfully mourned the death of his wife.

He wanted more, he wanted to completely ruin Zayn, break his empire into pieces until he had nothing left. That was his revenge and that's how I'm here on the way to help him get it done. He wanted me to get ledgers or any documents that showed records of Zayn's illegal drug deals. What built Zayn's empire to be as big as what it is is the fact that he was one of the biggest and most powerful drug traffickers. Zayn might seem like a billionaire to the public but people who were in the same field as he was, who dealt with what he also dealt with, knew he was way more than a billionaire. He was the fuckin' mafia heir. The most powerful and dangerous person to ever exist. News of his ruthlessness had reached her ears. It was part of the reasons why I feared going on the mission for Vincenzo.

I didn't want to admit it but this was the first person I feared more than Vincenzo. I feared someone I had never met before in my life so much I was tempted to tell the driver to turn back and tell Vincenzo to find someone who was capable and stronger.

But my mouth remained sealed. Vincenzo had chosen me not because of the bond he shared with me but because he

trusted that I was the only one capable of doing what he wanted.

The driver pulled into an estate and I watched expensive Mansions and penthouses blur by. I swallowed. We were nearing Zayn's empire. It didn't take long before we reached an isolated road, no houses were seen, it was like that for almost five minutes before we finally saw a house come into view. It grew bigger and bigger as we neared it.

It came into view and I gaped at the insanely huge mansion that looked twice as bigger than Vincenzo's. The driver stopped at the gate. I got down from the car and stared at the cowering mansion at my front. The car drove off, leaving me to my fate.