CHIARA
Morning came. And for the first time in my life I wish it hadn't. I waited the rest of the night for him but he hasn't returned yet. And he wasn't picking up his phone. I should've gone with him. Damn it. "Go and get ready, we're leaving." Storm came out of the bathroom and informed me. It was insane but we spent the night together last night. If spending a night together meant her lying on the couch, unmoving and not responding to anything I asked. At last, she said, 'I'm not your fucking babysitter.' Typical Storm style.
"Where are we going?" I asked.
"To the rig."
I narrowed my eyes. She sighed, buttoning the rest of her shirt and tucked it in her suit pants. "Junior's Mafia rig. That's where we're meeting them." I jumped and rushed to the bathroom.
Minutes later our car pulled up before the big black gates. I willed my racing heart to calm the hell down. The moment we entered inside, it felt like an entirely different world. Armed men and women, going around here and there. Some training, and some going about their day like the world outside the gates didn't exist. It was a very wide space, almost like an estate as far as my vision could go.
I've always heard about this place in Milan. And to think that a twenty four years old Junior owned this place and these were his people was overwhelming. No wonder Antonio was intimidated by his existence. This young man was… trouble.
The car stopped by the lawn. Storm got the door for me and I stepped out. "This way," I followed her lead. We entered the brick walled mansion. Unlike outside, it was pretty quiet inside. The walls were decorated with different kinds of weapons and a couple of metal boxes aligned here and there, probably stacked with explosives and ammunition. Yep, I was not exaggerating. When I turned to my front, Storm then disappeared from my sight. Where the fuck did she go?
I walked further in and followed the voices. In the living room sat the brothers, Black and two more men and a woman whom I couldn't recognize. "Melo?" I uttered. The men stood up at my call and I ran into his arms. My hands circled his neck. "Are you alright? Why won't you pick your damn phone?" I pulled back and inspected him. He wrapped his hands around my waist and hugged me again. "I'm fine, tesoro. And sorry, my phone is dead. Did you sleep well?" He kissed my hair.
"How could I? What question is that?"
He snorted, and pulled back. "That means you still have your sanity, tesoro. Come, have you had breakfast yet?" I nodded, sitting down with him and looking at the people, staring at me. "I own an art gallery. I'm not one of the paintings." I told them, staring down at each one of them.
They watched me so intently and then broke out in fits of laughter, all of them. And I sat there watching the idiots. Including the one who sat beside me, stifling his own but failing miserably. "I told you, didn't I?" Junior said to them. "And you were right. I get why he is spooked." Said the woman pointing at Melo with a knife, and an apple on her other hand.
"What is the meaning of this?" I said to the man holding my hand in his proudly. Not fazed by them. "We got the paintings tesoro, but…" he trailed off, his eyes not facing mine as if he was finding it hard to tell me.
"But not all the other items. My men are still on it. And we got someone who might help us find them but the fucker is tight lipped." Junior explained for his brother, catching an apple one of his men had thrown at him, and took a big bite.
I swallowed. Just some of them. "Who was it?" I had an inkling already but I wanted to be sure. "You're fian—" he paused when his brother shot him a glare. "You're ex fiancé apparently." I frowned, "Enzo?" I thought it was the other demon but it was him, the foolish one. "I think he is getting his revenge on you. You know, you are his runaway bride and all." He teased me. "But he ran away before we could get him, what a loss." He pouted, almost the same as his brother.
Oh, I will kill him with my own hands. "I've already sent Black with the few ones we got to the gallery. We'll get the rest before this evening, don't worry, tesoro." said Carmelo. I nodded, pecking his lips. "Where is the man?" I asked Junior. "In the basement." The woman responded. "Great. I need coffee. Two cups at least." One of the men stood up and went away. I followed him to the kitchen.
When I returned they were all staring at me, curiosity dancing in their faces. Oh they were in for a good show. I stopped before the woman, "Show me to the basement." I said. Holding two cups of coffee, smoke clouding them. She looked surprised but then she got up after receiving a signal from Junior. I could feel them all behind me, especially Carmelo but none of them said anything.
We climbed downstairs, she opened the door and I walked into a dark hole. It stank with blood and some disinfecting smells, and a young man was cleaning the damp floor. He stared at me and then continued with his work as if I didn't exist. "There is your man." Said the woman, pointing at the man tied on a chair, his head hanging limply and blood trickling from his mouth.
"If you need weapons, pick one of your choice, there." She then pointed on a table nearby and a wall above it, all filled with pointy or sharp weapons. But I wasn't going to use any of those. "What is she up to?" "Is she giving him coffee?" "Shut up, man. None of us have any idea."
I heard them from behind me. I smirked and placed the cups on the table. I was giving him coffee, he was thirsty after all. I grabbed a fistful of his hair and lifted his head, his bloodshot eyes with purpled circles stared at me. "I said, I don't know anything!" he snapped. "Shh… your mouth stinks." I frowned.
"So this is how it is going to work. You give me the name of the place and I'll stop giving you coffee. If not, you are in for a lot of coffee today." I cleared my throat, "Where are my items?"
He glared at me and barked, "I don't fucking know, you bitch!" I pursed my lips, sighing, "It is coffee then. Okay." I let go of him and walked back to the table. I positioned one of the cups and then fished my ultimate weapon. One that I got from the fridge earlier. I undid the seal and poured it on the hot coffee. I didn't feel like killing anyone lately, so this was me being civil again.
"Wait, is that chilly?" "Holy shit!" "Your woman has fucking lost it bro, love it!" "Jesus Christ, tesoro." I didn't pay them attention and focused on the task in hand. I dragged his head back and then brought the cup to his mouth. "Have you had breakfast?" I asked, watching the horror in his eyes as the smoke hit his nose. He must've smelled the chilly in the coffee by now. Too late.
I gripped his cheeks, forcing his mouth open and poured the coffee. He started to thrash on the chair and started screaming. I paused when I reached half of the cup. "The place?" His eyes bulged out, shining with tears but he still didn't answer, so I carried on and threw the cup away when it finished. He coughed and screamed, drools and saliva leaving his mouth, tears and snorts all over.. "You know," I went to take the other cup, "I can do this all day." I gripped his cheeks again, just when I was about to pour he gave in. "Stop! Stop! I'll tell you!" he trashed on the chair. "Fuck! I'll tell you the place! Stop!"
The corner of my lips lifted, "And here I thought you loved coffee so much." I went to place the cap on the table and returned to him. He gave us the name and I started to walk out, walking past the people who were looking at me as if I grew a second head. "Let's go, baby. We're done here." I grabbed Carmelo by his wrist and walked upstairs with him. Behind us the rest of them were talking about my method. What they didn't know was that I went through it. My smile fell at the sickening memory. I knew that man wouldn't last. I didn't either.
Carmelo pushed me against the car before slamming his lips on mine. "Fuck, tesoro. Call me baby again," His eyes were sparkling as he watched me. I bit my lip, feeling giddy from the proud look on his face. "Baby,"
He smiled, "God, you were so hot in there. So powerful. You made me lose my mind. I think I left my brain back there," He pecked my lips.
I giggled and pushed him off me. "Come on, I still have an exhibition to host." He opened the door for me and together, we went to get my items. Two cars of Junior's men escorted us. Turns out the fool stashed my items in his ghetto. A drug stinking shithole. I should've killed him.