XIV.Withered Roses

I was too young to die,a measly twenty-two year old that hadn't even truly lived life.

Oh my days.

I was going to die wasn't I?Fall on this rough asphalt and let the angels sing hallelujah into my ears as I walked into the light all because a man had smirked at me and hoisted me on his death trap.

The fourth competitor finally arrived a bald man with a sinister grin that revealed his colored teeth,he had sneered at me causing Luca to threaten him.

"One more look at her and I'll feed you grass"

"Who do you think you are kid?!"

I bet to the thirty something looking thug man with tattoos all over his shaved head,neck and chest arms revealed by the white singlet he had on,Luca was young.

"Your end if you don't stop"

The man growled and almost hopped off his bike when Pierre butted in and calmed him down,people were gathered around the four competing motorcycles cheering us on,I gripped Luca tighter as the engine rumbled.

"Remember racers,no rules!"An exotic looking lady in a bikini and high heels yelled and started the countdown waving a white flag in front of us and when she got to one,everyone cheered the moment we dashed off.

It was like riding lightening,the speed so fast I thanked the Lord my visor was down,wind pinched my skin and i was screaming so loud I was surprised Luca didn't burst an ear drum.

My eyes were tightly shut,refusing to open,the bike curved and my eyes flung open,I whipped my head to the side and we were in first place.

Holy shit

"Luca watch out!"

The tattooed man was directly behind us and had a gun pointed towards us,my palms turned clammy,the gravity of our situation and the no rules thing pounding my head.

"Fucker"Luca cursed and swerved right when a bullet was fired,it dashed into the air missing us by a fraction.

The man didn't give up,he fired another one and Luca dodged it again,his left hand removed the gun I didn't know was in his pocket and gave it to me,I gripped the deathly metal my eyes widened to saucers

"What do you expect me to do with this?!"

"Ride it like a cock"

My jaw dropped at his crude words"Luca!"

"The fuck are you supposed to do with a gun,Mirabelle?!"

Ah,shit"What if I faint?!"

"Then don't"

This man was going to be the death of me.I twisted and pulled the trigger,missing the man on purpose because I was aiming for his tires,he grinned when I failed cranking up his speed.

Luca noticed and suddenly we zipped through the road at an inhuman speed,giving the crazy guy gap

"What's that?!"

"Nitro"

The crowd cheered when they saw us at first place,my spiked adrenaline did not calm down not even when we parked to receive the hollering cheers and people chanting Luca's name.

Luca helped me down his jaw clenched and anger swirling in his grey eyes.

"Are you okay?"He clutched my upper arm as he checked if i was fine frantically,i nodded still shaken and handed him his gun he tucked it into his pocket and glared at the man who's rumbling motorcycle was approaching.

"Hey…don't do anything rash"

"He tried to kill us"He gritted his teeth,his face just inches away from me

"But he didn't"

"Because i dodged"Then he cracked his knuckles"Murder wasn't in todays agenda"

"It's not usually on anyone's"

"No,it's on mine,not until next Friday but that just changed"Like a bullet he darted to the man the moment he parked and flung his fist at his jaw.

I heard a crack.

~*•*•*~

"Ouch,what the fuck Mirabelle?!"

"Can you stop whining?!You literally just killed a man!"I yelled as i dabbed at his bleeding knuckles with the spirit we got from the drug store.

"He'll live,stop being dramatic"He rolled his eyes at me,he literally rolled his eyes!Father lord,the sass of this man.

Luca had beaten the large man to a pulp,if Pierre hadn't dragged him off i wonder if that guy would have died.After taking his winning share,we had gone to the drug store and then here.

I didn't know exactly were we were but Luca had said he knew a spot and I found myself in a quiet and oddly beautiful place.

It was a hilly deserted land filled with old crashed cars and trucks,the smell of rust and fresh grass tinging the cold air.

Absentmindedly, i trailed my finger on the ink on his knuckles,one on his index and the other on his middle finger.A withering rose and another a sword respectively.

We were sat on the soft grass as we overlooked the view of the lit up city,i wrapped his knuckles in a bandage and smiled at my neat work.

"You're surprisingly good at this"He mused observing his left fist.

Luca was left handed.

"Many of the men that came into my dad's private club had bloody fist.They would let me tend to it when i was bored in exchange for their grueling stories"I wrapped my arm around myself"It was interesting and i felt like i was experiencing their dangerous life"

"You didn't peg me as someone that liked danger"

"Like I've said multiple times,you don't know me"

He shrugged off his jacket and placed it on me,i mumbled a thanks,his scent wrapping around me in a warm comfort.

I hugged my knees to my chest and let the tips of the grass brush the palm of my hands,Luca sat crisscross beside me his hands flat on the grass behind his back to steady his leaning posture.He looked deep in thought as he stared at the little lights emanating from buildings below us.

"I first came to Vegas when i was sixteen,my brother the one directly older than me was the enforcer.Debtors liked to come here to hide,i could see the appeal though.The vibrant night life,the happy crowd,the endless parties"His low voice pierced the silence"I was practically his shadow,training to be the next enforcer when he ranked up,i really like here,I still do.No one knows my dad is a capo,I'm just me."He smiled and closed his eyes"I had a lot of my firsts here."

"Women?"I snickered

"Kills and tattoos"He peeked at me and sighed running his thumb on the withering rose,his voice taking a dark note.

Oh…

"Why a rose?"I mumbled

"My mom loved flowers,the garden back at the island is hers,she loved that house,designed it herself.I remember how she always warned me not to pluck her roses and one day i did,shouldn't have though,it's thorns tore through my hand"He lay flat on his back and cushioned his hand with his hands,his shirt rode up to reveal a sliver of his olive skin,toned abs peeking through.

"Delicate things always fought back she used to say"

"That sounds beautiful,she sounds like a wise woman …"

"She was"Luca deadpanned

"What?"I whispered

"She died during the Infiltration when i was eight"He sat up and his soft gaze was replaced by a glare,dark and brimming with rage

"Your mother worked as a maid in our house.My mum loved her,took her with her when she wanted to go shopping and with information from your mum she was kidnapped at the mall"He clenched his fist,grey eyes like a storm ready to drown sailors at sea.

I scooted away from him tears stinging my eyes,Luca had every reason to hate my family.

"I'm sorry…"

He smiled,a sinister one and whispered"Don't be"