"I came to see an old friend of mine," Dominic responded with a cocky smirk. "How are you doing?""Go straight to the point," Juan hissed, staring at him with murderous eyes. Being in the presence of Dominic was infuriating. He still could not get over the betrayal that had ruined their friendship.Dominic nodded. "Marco Bellini.""What's with the dramatic pause?""You won't offer me a seat? Drinks.""If I'm offering you anything to drink, it will be poison."Dominic walked further into the living room and sat down comfortably, leaning into the cushion. "He's in contact with one my men.""What has that got to do with me?" Juan asked. "Sort out your own problem of betrayal with your men.""The thing is, it's a set up," Dominic laughed half heartedly. "And why would you be setting up a man who no longer works for you?""He's dealing with several of us. Information is power.""Agreed. Your point being?" Juan commented, folding his arms across his chest. "I can find out who he is workin
"Oh, I will kill for her, I will die for her, I will burn the whole world if I have to for her," Juan responded."For a woman you barely know?" Dominic laughed. "A woman who sees you as a monster? A woman who doesn't love you?""I will get to know her, and she will get to know me Dominic, who can resist me?" Juan asked, with a raise of his brows. Dominic laughed, while shaking his head..Juan didn’t drop his smirk, not even a little. He took one slow step back from Dominic, keeping his eyes on him the whole time. His hand moved to his collar, where he adjusted it calmly, brushing it like there was something on it he didn’t like—maybe dust.“You’ve said what you needed to say,” Juan told him, his voice cool but firm. “Now leave. Before I decide to throw you out myself.”Dominic let out anogher short laugh. It was dry, not the kind that came from humor. It didn’t feel friendly. It was the kind of laugh someone gives when they think they know something you don’t.“You haven’t changed,”
Juan let out a breath he did not realize he was holding once Dominic was out. He was angry that Dominic would even suggest trading Arya off. Even though he knew Dominic could be useful to him. He was not about to take chances with the person that had betrayed him once before. Juan walked away from the living room and went to the backdoor of the house. He stepped out onto the lawn and let the warm air brush against his face. The breeze was soft and light, carrying the smell of sun-dried leaves and flowers that were beginning to wilt. Everything around him was still. The trees swayed gently, and the bushes lining the path stood tall and trimmed, but none of it helped settle the feeling in his chest.He looked around slowly, his eyes scanning every corner of the garden. First, he looked at the stone benches near the fountain—empty. Then his eyes followed the narrow dirt path that went between the hedges and led all the way to the back gate. Still, there was no one there. No sign of her
It wasn't up to a minute before Juan received a call. He sighed, annoyed by the buzz against his skin from where his phone lay in his pocket. Bringing it out, he squinted at the screen and then clenched his fingers. "Dominic, what the fuck do you want?" Juan said, swiping the ID up and bringing the phone to his ear. "Marco Bellini is dead.""I'm aware," Juan replied, his jaw tightening in anger. His brows then knitted in confusion. How many minutes had it been and how did Dominic know in such short time."I can almost see the wheels turning in your head Juan," Dominic laughed and the sighed. "I had men looking into him, that's how I knew.""And how does this have to do with me?" Juan asked. "Do you know what his death means?" Dominic asked. Juan knew, but he decided to know what Dominic was thinking. "They didn't want him talking?""Marco knew who sent him. He knows the face—.Look at the other men you've caught. He didn't find a way to kill them because they don't know who he is,"
Arya wanted to scream her lungs out at him. She wanted to yell so loud until the windows cracked and throw anything withing reach. She didn't care if it was a glass or chair. As long as it was going to hit him hard and chase damage . Her chest was full of unbridled anger that was pushing against her ribs like it was trying to escape. Her hands felt shaky, not from fear but from how hard she was trying not to explode. Every part of her wanted to fight him, to tell him to leave, to never come back. She didn’t want to be near him. She didn’t want to hear his voice. And yet, somehow, she also wanted him to stay. That made her even angrier. But she didn’t yell, throw anything or push him out of the room.. She just stood up slowly and carefully. It was almost like her body was moving without her permission. Her legs felt heavy. Her chest still ached. Her pride screamed at her to stay seated. But her heart whispered something else. And so, without saying a word, she turned and followed him.
Arya blinked once and then she blinked again because she was trying to ground herself in the silence that filled the space between ghem. The sound of her name in his voice was still bouncing around in her chest like it had nowhere else to go.“Go to bed,” he said again in a gentler voice this time. He didn't trust himself anymore around her and the last thing he wanted to happen was for something to happen in the moment that she— Arya will regret. He knew for a fact he'd never regret whatever happened but Arya would even if she had wanted it because everything was too sudden for her. A part of him even wondered if she had regretted that kiss. He could not say for certain, but he wished she had not and that was the exact reason he needed her to leave. She could end up regretting anything with him.Arya on the other hand knew she should listen except she wanted to start a fire she wasn’t ready to finish but still, she didn’t move. Her pride as well made her to stay rooted in spot, star
Arya lay in bed, unmoving. Her body ached and felt stiff- as if it did not belong to her. Something inside her had gotten up and left and she had missed it. She stared at the ceiling, allowing her mind to do the thinking she did not want to do.The room was warm. The blanket was pulled up to her shoulders. And yet, she felt cold. Not at her skin. But all the way deep inside; the cold was sharp, mean, and hard to get rid of.She did not want to think about Juan. She did not want to remember how he had said her name or how he had looked at her sitting on the other side of the dining. his eyes searching her and reading her like she was important, like he could not let her go. She did not want to hear his voice in her head but it just kept showing up anyway. That voice- the strong, gentle voice, that voice was deep and warm and made her nervous. And every time she closed her eyes, she saw him. Just standing in the back of her head like he belonged there. Waiting for her to stop pretendin
Rolling her eyes, Arya walked out of the kitchen and to the dining table. Belle was seated there already, doing something on her phone. The moment she noticed Arya's presence, she rolled eyes. Ignoring Belle, she took a seat and then furrowed her brows in confusion when maids began to serve up food. Just then Juan walked into the dining."There's more than one kitchen," he said to Arya, noticing her confusion.Breakfast began shortly in s blur, the only thing anyone could hear was the soft sound of knives and forks tapping against plates. Nobody was talking. Nobody was even looking at each other. The eggs on the plates were starting to get cold after a while of being served but it didn’t seem like anyone cared.Juan sat at the end of the long table, drinking from a small cup of coffee. It was his second that day. He looked calm, like he had no reason to rush or speak. Arya was seated somewhere in the middle. She wasn’t really eating—just using her knife to push a piece of toast aroun
"You know... It's funny," Juan smiled. "Your Italian saviour who deserves to be the top Mafia is not coming to save you..."Ricotta said nothing, but only gritted his teeth even harder. "How easy were you to brainwash," Juan shook his head. He turned his head to Hernandez who stood in the door way and then gave him a nod. Hernandez walked towards Ricotta, his expression blank as he punched him in the eye. However, Ricotta's scream was no where near Diego who was in intense pain. "Just kill me already," Diego gasped. If it were possible, he would have burst open and his eyes would probably pop out of it's socket. The burning sensation in his p3nis was brutal and not something a human should endure. It was exactly what Juan wanted— for the pain to be unbearable to the point where he would wish for death. "Kill you?" Questioned Juan. "No, that would be way too easy Diego. You cause lifelong damage, I intend to give you pain that matches."Juan stood up once again, slowly. He walked t
Juan gritted his teeth together and then gave Dominic a long stare.“Very well then, we have a deal,” he said.Dominic put out his hand for a shake, while Juan only gave him a mean look. He sighed and then retracted his hand.“I should go,” Dominic said.“Yes, you should,” Juan replied, and then turned, entering his car.He sat beside Arya and picked up her hand, placing it on his lap while interlocking fingers with her. The trees ran past them as they drove through the city. It was a long drive, and after what seemed like eternity, they arrived at a deserted street. The car was parked, and then Juan got out, opening the door at the other end for Arya.He held her hand as he led her into the warehouse. It was the same as Arya remembered, with people hanging from ceilings and all what not. He put his hand over her eyes, realizing that she did not particularly enjoy seeing these men.Arya was led into a room by Juan, where she saw her stepfather being tied up, and there was a man she had
"Il Lupo?" Dominic's voice was hoarse when he asked the question. "You're sure of it?""I spoke with him. He's alive," Juan responded, eyes cold and distant as if lost in a memory that has passed a hundred years ago.."But you killed him in the last war," Dominic said, blinking rapidly. Confusion was marred into lines on his forehead. "You literally killed him. I remember... That day my father and I came to help... You were the one who pulled the trigger from the top of that building when he thought he was victorious. After he killed your father and mine.""I pulled the trigger," Juan confirmed, his voice still in that dangerously calm icy tone."It went into his head. You didn't miss. A funeral was done... He...""He is alive Dominic, and I don't know how.""Wow..." Dominic muttered. "We should have let go of tradition and not given his men the right to bury him.""I should have burnt his body, but there's no use in dwelling in the past now, is there?" Juan asked. After a brief momen
"Juan," Arya gasped, sitting up and using the bedding to cover her chest. He didn't respond, rather he stared ahead into space. He was hungry for blood and needed the screams or someone pleading for mercy to ease the anger he felt towards life and he has just found the perfect scapegoat. First, the bastard sold her off to become a sex slave just so that he could pay his death and now he was hearing he had molested Arya as a child? Diego had been trouble from the start, swinging from one Mafia boss and gambling house to another, trying to help in dealing drugs so he could gamble away. Always getting himself caught up in one mess or the other. He had not been a responsible father to Arya when her mother had died and he still has the guts to molest her?Another surge of disgust coursed through his veins at that. He was going to kill the bastard. "You don't havw to.""I don't but I want to," he commented, swinging his legs off the bed. "Get dressed principessa."Arya did not argue thi
Dead people could not rise from the grave, but hearing the voice of Giuseppe Rinaldi was enough confirmation that dead men could rise from the grave. "Hello? Riccota? I thought you were on my side. I thought you were fighting for our cause," Giuseppe hissed angrily. "Why am I seeing news that it was the textile plant that needed cleaning that got bombed?""Il Lupo," Juan said, taking the phone out of Riccota's hands. "You are supposed to be dead.""Ah, if it is not Moreno's son." The wolf's voice changed into something amused. He was definitely not expecting to hear Juan's voice and was not yet ready to go into a heads on war with him, but with what had happened it seemed he was going to have no choice. "I killed you," commented Juan quietly. "Did you?" Guiseppe laughed heartily. "I'm alive and kicking Juan. You failed to do a thorough job, as always."Juan gritted his teeth together. "Daddy was always complaining, wasn't he?" Giuseppe continued laughing. "I am curious though. I g
"I never said I was waiting for anything," Ricotta said in a shaky voice. He appeared confused, glancing at the TV once more as if he was wondering why Juan was showing him what played on the TV. "Is that... Not the textile house?" he asked in a somewhat breathy voice.Juan didn’t say anything at first. He stayed quiet and slowly took a sip from his wine glass. His eyes looked half closed, like he was thinking about something far away, not the drink in his hand. On the TV, the video kept playing. It showed a building with blackened, burned walls. Smoke rose slowly into the evening sky. In a few minutes firefighters moved around, spraying water on what was left of the building, trying to stop the last bits of fire."Oh, yes it is," Juan said offhandedly. "I'm thinking of starting a new vineyard there so I guess it needed cleaning up."The faint ticking of the grandfather clock in the corner suddenly felt louder and more pronounced. Ricotta swallowed hard. "May I ask why you are tellin
"I suppose it does," he commented drily. He did not necessarily seem interested in whatever Juan was saying. He was glancing at the grandfather's clock at the end of the room way too frequently. "Do you have somewhere to be?" Juan asked, looking at the clock. Surprisingly, a lot of time has gone. It was five forty five p.m. already, that meant the bomb was due in fifteen minutes. "Not at all," he said, looking all too relaxed. "But you seem so interested in the clock," Juan replied, lifting a brow in challenge. "Is there a reason for that?"He shook his head and shrugged. "Not necessarily. I just like it... Archaic... Beautiful even. The ticking sound... It's... Soothing," he smiled but Juan could see an evil smile beneath that. Maybe Juan was overthinking it but perhaps the ticking of the grandfather's clock in the corner was soothing because he was expecting something to happen. And the evil smile was probably because he was happily anticipating for Juan to receive the news that
"What?" She asked, her voice already hoarse and cracked from the tears."Who did it to you, mio Angelo?" Juan asked again. Beneath his skin, his blood was boiling like never before. A feeling of anger clawed at him, begging to release a beast on whoever had dared to hurt her. "What are you talking about?" She asked in a small and timid whisper. "You know what I'm talking about Arya," he replied, stepping further into the room. "What is his name?"Fear and realization washed over her in that instant and she gasped softly. How could he have known that a man had assaulted her when she had never said anything about it? Could he read into her mind and soul? "I don't know what you're talking about Juan," she lied in a timid voice. "That's a lie, Arya," he walked towards her menacingly. "Tell me who he is!" He commanded.She flinched, moving backwards a little. Just then, a knock came on the door interrupting the conversation. Juan did not bother to face the door or look at it. His eyes
The room went quiet. The kind of silence that felt heavy, like a weighted blanket being draped over something. Juan ran his fingers through his hair, frustrated and unsure. He looked at her one more time before standing. He grabbed his underwear and trousers from the floor, putting them on promptly. “I’m sorry,” he said quietly. “I’ll give you space.”She didn’t move or even look at him for a second. She just stayed there, wrapped up in the blanket, her whole body tensed. Her eyes stayed on the wall, unmoving. That looked distant, and even though she was in the room, Juan could tell her mind was not. Her thoughts were loud enough for him to see but not loud enough for him to hear. He wondered what had happened, why she had suddenly backed off when she seemed to be enjoying it. It was not her first time, so why had she been scared?Arya, on the other hand, didn’t know how to explain what she was feeling. Shame. Fear. Hurt. It all mixed together.Then he left.The door closed behind