"Nicolo, what the fuck are you doing here"
"I should ask you the same thing, seeing as how you rejected my help only to get kidnapped again"
"Fottuto inferno. You dumbass, this was apart of my plan that you ruined. Where did the guys go?"
"They threatened me so I knocked them out. Currently they're unconscious in my car"
She groaned, getting into the front seat. He got into the passenger seat after her and got a look of annoyance
"You have a car, what are you even doing?'
"I won't get out till you tell me what's going on. What are you planning Maeve?" He leaned in closer. Giving him a wary look, she put the car in drive and sped off.
"I know half your plans, why keep the rest from me?"
"You should not know that half in the first place Nicolo"
"But I do. And now I want to help. Stop playing hard to get and just give in Bellissimo"
They drove in silence, his words playing over and over in her head like a broken track.
Sighing heavily, she pulled over the car and looked at him.
"Five minutes, convince me why this would be a good idea"
"Two is enough Amore"
"Look, Maeve. We all know you can't get very far alone. Compared to big business men tangled up in dark webs, you're just a measly woman used for trades with money you have no clue how to spend and no influence whatsoever" He paused to see if she was offended in any way.
"Go on" she crossed her arms, giving him a skeptical look.
"I on the other hand, I have connections, money, influence and although my roots inside the association isn't too deep, I have deep connections elsewhere-"
"Cazzo, Nicolo. Pls do not tell me you joined one mafia or another"
"Of course not. You know well we don't dirty our hands with such."
"Your hands look elbow deep into filth to me" She eyed him warily. Groaning loudly, he prayed for some patience before looking at her again.
"As I was saying, it's quite obvious you need my help, so let me help you. In exchange I'll just make a couple of tweaks into your plan"
"Like what exactly?"
"I plan to steal everything my brother has built up, including his fiancee"
She tensed up at his words and looked at him slowly.
"No"
"All you have-"
"No"
"To do is-"
"No"
"Just act like you're-"
"No"
"Madly in love with me-"
"Nicolo, I said no. The worst thing is to be tied down to you. But romantically? Never in a million years"
He sighed again, massaging his temples.
Why was she being so difficult. Apart from the fact that they were rivals, he couldn't help but feel annoyed by her constant rejection.
"Look, I help you, you help me. It's a contract of mutual agreement, I see nothing wrong here"
He was right.
There was technically nothing wrong with this arrangement, but she still felt greatly burdened by the fact it was Nicolo. Of all people it had to be him.
She didn't like giving in, but he could really help her and she could really use his help.
The logical part of her told her to say yes.
But her heart shouted no.
Like every other decision in life, she went for the only acceptable choice.
The logical part of course.
"Fine, but you have to agree to my conditions"
"Which are?"
"Give me some time to draft it, for now I have to find a way to input you into my plan."
"I'm down"
"Of course you are"
~•~
An hour later, Nicolo burst into her house dramatically. He was panting and ended up alerting her worried and enraged parents
All anger washed off her father's face when he saw his daughter passed out in the arms of her worst enemy.
"What did you do to our daughter" Her mother shouted, walking up to him in a fit or rage.
"Ma'am, please relax. She's fine now but I would advice you give her some space and some time to recover from the shock"
"The shock of what exactly
..."
"Well, in not the right person to tell you this, but the shock of almost being kidnapped and raped"