45 minutes of silence.
45 minutes of awkward side glances.
45 minutes of feeling like I'm about to make the worst decision of my life.
I feel the car finally coming to a stop at the front of a gorgeous restaurant. The red sign reads 'casa italiana'. The sign contrasts with the mysterious and dark colour of the green exterior. How ironic that we're at a dark looking restaurant where I'm about to confess my dark past.
I'm so in awe of the building that I don't even register Cole as he gets out and opens my door until he speaks.
"Are you coming out, piccola? Or are you going to keep gawking at my restaurant?" He smirks.
I roll my eyes at his ego. Of course he has a restaurant. Typical mafia man.
"I think I might keep gawking at the gorgeous building. It's better to look at then you." I lie.
It's my turn to smirk as I step out of the car and his face drops at my comment.
I chuckle under my breath as I hear him cursing in Italian under his.
As I go to open the door, the waiter sees Cole behind me and briefly goes wide eyed. He rushes to the door and opens it, greeting us as we step in.
"Good evening ma'am. Don. It's great to see you here. Your usual table, I presume?" He says.
Cole simply nods at the man and walks to his 'usual table', not even waiting for the waiter who is rushing over with 4 menus. 2 drink menus, 2 dinner. We haven't even sat down yet when Cole orders food and drink for us both.
"Two of my usual, and two whiskeys." He says, completely stripping me of the privilege to see what food they have at his restaurant.
"Actually, can I have a red wine? And I won't be eating, so only one of the 'usual'." I ask the waiter, whose name tag reads Vlad. Ignoring the subtle questioning look being sent to me on the other side of the table, I gulp nervously and remind myself that the waiter is not Vladimir. That I am safe. That I am protected. No one can get me here.
I hate that the smallest things can set me off.
Vlad nods his head and walks away to get our drinks as I turn to face the impatient man opposite me. I look at Cole and the expression he gives me. It's a mixed expression of concern, curiosity and, I almost want to say, worry?
"May I help you?" I asked, confused as to why he suddenly cares after giving me so much whiplash since we first met.
"Yeah. You can. Why aren't you eating?" He queries.
"Trust me, I won't have an appetite." I reply.
"Well I'm that case, I believe you owe me an explanation. Because you see, miss Clarke, when I did a background check on you, your existence appeared from thin air. There is absolutely no trace of your existence until you magically show up in Italy 6 years ago. How does that happen?" He questions, raising an eyebrow.
I inhale a shaky breath, and just as I go to speak, our drinks are placed on the table. I thank the waiter and he leaves once again after acknowledging my thanks. I take a large gulp and brace myself for the evening ahead.
"My real name is Cassandra Voronovo, but everyone calls me Cassie. I'm from Chicago, and six years ago I moved here to Italy. I changed my name and changed my profession to get away from certain people of my past. I spent a year moving all around Italy, never staying still for too long. Eventually I ended up here and got a job working for Carlo." I sit there, fiddling with my cutlery while receiving a confused yet intrigued look from Cole sit opposite me.
"Who are you running from?" He asks, staring at me intently.
"Typical mafia leader. Always so perceptive." I whisper, yet he still hears and laughs at my statement.
I take a deep breath and brace myself for the reaction I'm about to receive.
"Vladimir Velkov." I say quietly, staring at the plate in front of me before-
"The Russian Mafia?!" He whisper-yells at me as I finish off my wine.
Boy, am I glad that we're in a secluded corner of the restaurant right now.
"Explain yourself. Right. The fuck. Now." He grits out.
"After I got my degree in law, I went to Russia where I have- had family. I became very successful after a year, and they reached out to me. I'm pretty sure you know what my role was from there." I breathe out shakily.
"You covered up for them whenever they were in trouble with the law and got them out of certain... situations. I'm aware how that works." He says calmly, his eyes -however- have rage swirling in them and I gulp.
"So how did a lawyer end up on the run from those who she works for?"
I steady my breathing.
Do I tell him what it is?
Can I trust him?
"You promised me safety, right? Protection from them?" I ask, cautious to see if the deal still stands now that he knows who he's protecting me from.
He sighs heavily and I'm basically on the edge of my seat at this point.
"As much of a dick I can be, I am a man of my word. I don't break the promises I make."
"Is that a yes?"
"Yes."
I sigh in relief and ready myself for what's next.
"One day my -at the time- boyfriend messaged me with a new case. I was in my office when I received it and I couldn't believe what I saw..."
Breathe, Cassie. Breathe.
"There was a pile of bodies, women and children that had been killed for escaping the grasp of the human trafficking team. I couldn't believe what I had been supporting. I was repulsed with myself, so I did the only thing I could..."
Looks like it's about to be out in the open.
Please don't freak out. Please, please, please.
"I had printed pictures and evidence of their crimes. Incriminating evidence that I was going to hand into the Embassy. Names and rankings of all the soldiers that I knew of."
Cole takes a deep breath, as though he's trying to calm himself down and allow me to finish. He lightly nods at me and I continue.
"I got in my car and drove. Half way to my hideout where the evidence was, I got ambushed by two dozen men pointing guns at me. They surrounded my car and the next thing I knew, I woke up bound to a chair."
I hadn't noticed the tears streaming down my face until the waiter arrived with the food and asked me if I was ok. I assured him I was fine and wiped my face dry.
"I spent the next 4 months in agony, being interrogated about the location of the hideout. I spent 4 months of being beaten by the mafia leader and his close circle, three months of being raped by Vladimir, two months of everyone slicing me open. I never told them what they wanted. Not once did I slip. Not even when they told me that my mother died. I didn't even get to attend her funeral."
The only person I had ever sought any type of comfort in, besides family, had turned his back on me. He allowed Vladimir to do what he did, all the while being aware what I was going through.
"That's it. That's my story. That's my past."
"Nuh uh. You forgot one thing... Who's your ex-boyfriend?"
The person that has caused me so much pain. So much hurt, physically, emotionally, and mentally. The monster that has forever ruined me. That has caused me so much agony, even after 6 years apart. The monster that keeps me awake at night when Vladimir isn't in my nightmares.
I try my hardest to keep the rest of my tears at bay. Dreading the poisonous name about to leave my lips after 6 long years. The name that leaves Cole Santini, of all people, wide eyed and speechless.
"Viktor Velkov. The leader of the Russian Mafia..."