Chapter 4

I've been at the gym with Fabio most of the day it was peaceful until he decided to bring her up

"When are you going to release the poor girl?" my brother asks with a curious glare. The poor girl in question is Maria Angelo. I thought I could escape thinking about her for a while but I guess I was wrong.

I took her from her father as payment for all the wrong he has done me but taking that girl in feels like punishment for me and not her father. She's a spoiled brat that knows nothing about how this business works and how to behave accordingly, she doesn't even respect me and it's very evident she despises me. I'd like to say the feeling is mutual but it really isn't about her. Yes her father wronged me but she's innocent. I find her presence annoying but at the same time amusing, no sane person talks to me the way she does. If I hated her so much she would have been dead. Sure I might have done too much by sending her to that room but I can't really say I feel bad about it. If she likes trouble so much I won't hesitate to give her trouble, I enjoy the back and forth.

I look at Fabio thinking of the best response to give him "when her father learns his lesson" I say not giving him too much information.

He laughs "you really think Angelo would care? Sure his principessa thinks her father is a saint but you and I know how low he can go, he wouldn't dent his ego by apologizing"

I groan knowing my brother is right, if I'm being honest he's right most of the time because he thinks things through but sometimes I act impulsively. I nod and we continue our workout in silence not needing words to fill the silence.

I get to my room. My shirt got wet from all the sweat so I take it off leaving only my sweatpants. I decided to take a nice long shower to calm my nerves because tonight I have a major operation to run. Then someone opens my door. I look behind and see that psychotic girl with her usual mischievous grin.

"you don't know how to knock and why are you here?" I ask dryly, trying not to give her the satisfaction of me being annoyed.

She scoffs "I learnt my manners from you plus there's nothing to see honestly" her little mouth will put her in trouble one day. I walk up to her, giving very little distance between us. She smelled like vanilla and something I can't quite place. We were so close I could hear her breathing quicken. I raise her chin lightly unlike the other time " I didn't quite get that look in the eye and say that again bambolina" I grin devilishly. She backs away quickly as if she felt a shock

"Hey don't be like that, I only came to ask if you want to eat downstairs or I bring your food up" she folds her arms looking like a cute munchkin.

I laugh "all bark and no bite I see, I'll be eating up stairs thank you" she glares at me but I know she won't do anything. She leaves murmuring something in annoyance. I assume plotting my murder, how cute I'd love to see her try.

She brings up my food and leaves quickly without speaking to me. I eat and I hate to admit that she's really good at cooking. I thought she would be useless since I got the information about her being so sheltered. That girl was basically living in prison, I don't understand how she loves her father. He definitely hid his dark side well or maybe she's just that naïve.

I get ready to go make some business deals. I work in the mafia but I still have multiple different businesses so my income wouldn't look suspicious. Once I get to the empty warehouse I plan on buying for my new business. A man from an enemy mafia Nicolas Estephan shows up. He tracked me.

"What do you want Nico?" I say in a bored tone. I need to be done with this quickly. Nicolas is a dangerous man, he is small maybe even shorter than Maria and not that attractive most especially not that his hairline is receeding but he is also cruel and powerful. Money is everything to these people. They have no boundaries.

"You've been ruining my business and I need to teach you a lesson Capisci?" He points a gun and I raise my hands to show defeat. Of course I haven't given up but I need to find the safest way to take him out acting cocky won't save me.

"You wanted to start trafficking women and that's where I draw the line, a night club with drugs? That's fine, a few shady deals and businesses? Go ahead but trying to kidnap and traffic sex slaves is where I draw the line" I speak honestly even though I'm just trying to save time. My guards will be here any minute I instructed them to come later so I would look defenseless, of course I knew I was being followed I'm not a novice

He laughs "you want to keep the fun all to yourself?" I look at him blankly trying not to show emotion.

"What do you mean Nico" I ask hoping it isn't what I think

"I heard you're using Angelo's kid as your slave, she's quite a beauty I wish I had her for myself but…" and that is when I ignored the fact he was armed and lost my mind.

Disrespecting me is fine but no one talks about Maria like that except me so in a flash of a second I was on top of him like a beast punching him. I could only see red until my guards rushed to me. I got off him quickly before I did something I could regret. I turned to tell them to take care of it but then I heard a trigger. I touch my stomach and see blood wait was I shot?

Everything becomes blurry and I hear another gun shot but it sounded so far away I was losing consciousness. I can't die yet.