If someone had told me I'd end up in this situation, I'd have called them out and shot them. Not only did my plan do a 180 degrees turn , but I strangely find myself okay with it. Is it really the best for me? My heart says being with Damiano will make me happy, but my mind, as a whisper, warns me to be careful with this fleeting happiness.
Damiano… I can't deny that I love him. But trusting him fully? That's a different story. He protects me, yet he keeps me in the dark about everything else. If I take a moment to think, I realize I don't know much about him. Sure, he worries a lot, and he's a master at deception, managing to hide all my killings without causing a war. He's dangerous, no doubt.
My eyes follow him bringing me some clothes. His upper body is shirtless, and I can't help but remember how his body felt under my touch last night. He's undeniably handsome, even with messy hair and a tired face.
My heart takes a slow pace, and the more I stare, the quicker it gets. How can I believe he'll be… my husband? I don't even know how I got him to fall for me. Everything is moving too fast, but I guess I'll go with the flow; answers will come along the way.
He tosses some clothes on the bed - large pants, a T-shirt, and a hoodie, all kind of big. Closing the closet, he stands in front of me. If he keeps exposing himself like this, looking all hot and bothered, I won't be able to resist. I didn't resist last night, and it wrecked my body. I never knew the after-effects would be this bad.
My entire body aches, especially my core. It's clear to me that he forgot, perhaps after the initial encounter, that I was a beginner at this.
Just a few minutes ago, he seated me on his lap and approached me from behind while I was innocently washing the tea cups, attempting to seduce me. Hell no! I don't think I can handle anything more for at least a week. I enjoy his touch, but anything beyond that would probably lead me to reach for painkillers later. And taking meds is something I really don't like.
"Dress. Or do you want me to help you?" He gazes at me, and I know he has no intention of leaving the room. That's Damiano for you. He'll likely stand in the middle of the room, waiting for me to change.
Well, it's not like he didn't see all of me last night, or as if the shirt covering me isn't already pretty revealing.
"I will dress up." I take the pair of pants, and as I sit on the edge of the bed, I pull them up until they reach my thighs. He smirks while I stand up, my hands exposing my midsection as I drag the pants up to my waist.
His hands undo my shirt, and I can see he's enjoying himself. I stay calm until he undoes all the buttons, his gaze fixed on my naked upper body. As I bend to take the T-shirt, I slip it on, my nipples perking through the material. It's not my fault he ripped the bra when he wrecked my dress. He completely destroyed the front buckled closure of the poor bra. Sigh… He dresses me in the hoodie, and I feel much safer and warmer than in that shirt.
Damiano smirks, observing me, his hands gripping the hood making me come closer to him. His lips touch mine briefly, and I am a little confused. He is so gentle now, reminiscing of last night makes me question if he is really Damiano. Why is he so natural at acting the boyfriend role? Maybe because my mind forgot he actually loves me? Yeah, probably true.
He departs, taking a shirt on him, and turns to me.
"Let's go, Bittercandy. Today is gonna be a long day." He opens the door, and I get out of the room with him on my trails.
"I am going to take my phone." He nods as he takes his jacket. I stride to the kitchen and take the phone from the counter.
Damn, it has 5 missed calls. One from Terzo and the rest from Emilio. The worrywarts. Sigh. My lips curl into a smile, and I feel like breathing properly.
Today I am free of revenge. It is the start of a new life. I can live without hiding and lying. An honest life with friends on my side. And, of course, Damiano. Sounds quite promising.
He stands leaned on the door frame looking at me, his hands in his pockets.
"Who got you smiling like that?" I furrow my brow at his comment, unwilling to reveal that the primary cause was, in fact, him.
"Emilio and Terzo."
He frowns.
"These two again." I can't help but wonder if he actually despises both of them.
"I have to call them. Five missed calls; these two will block my phone with more calls, for sure." I sigh, passing him. The phone is already pressed against my ear, dialing Emilio. He was the most crucial person to catch up with.
We step out of the cabin, and my eyes take in the breathtaking view ahead. The forest is adorned in hues of gold and copper, with a few evergreen pines standing tall.
"Amy! Where the fuck are you?!"Emilio's blaring voice forces me to yank the phone a bit away. Damiano shoots me a look, catching the tone Emilio is taking. Mind you, the phone isn't even on speaker.
"Emi … I am … I am fine." I glance at Damiano, who passes Marco's car and keeps walking. I follow him, not knowing where we are actually heading.
"That's good to hear. But, where are you?" I frown, trying to keep up with Damiano's big steps.
"I am …" Uttering that I'm with Marco might spill info Damiano can't backtrack on if he's scheming something. I'm juggling between avoiding a lie and not causing Damiano trouble. Luckily, he seems to have a narrative ready before me. He snatches the phone from my hand.
"She is with me. We are on a date. Got a problem?" His voice is sharp, and I can see Emilio unable to articulate anything against it. He gives me the phone shortly, and I can't hear Emilio well since he is whispering.
"Amy … what happened … are you really fine?" His tone drips with concern, and I get it. I never fancied being alone with Damiano, and suddenly, I find myself on a date with him.
"All good. You got some explanations to give. I will let you off now. Have fun… I guess?" He sighs deeply, the echo unmistakable.
"I will. See you later, Emi. Thanks for calling." My voice carries a happy ring, and he chuckles.
"You're welcome, sweetie. Take care." His voice makes me feel that everything will be okay from now on, and I form a smile as I close the call.
I shoot Damiano a quick glance as he casually walks past me. We're on the main road now, leaving the cabin's yard behind. I notice the two guards lying lifeless on the side near the entrance.
We're wandering without a clear direction, at least as far as I can tell. I reckon Damiano's got some scheme up his sleeve. He seems ready for whatever, a pronounced frown shaping his face.
"Are you fine?" I ask, unable to pinpoint what could make him so glum out of nowhere. He glances at me, almost furious.
"Sweeatie?!" So, he heard Emilio… but is it really something to get angry over?
"He likes to call me like that sometimes…" I put my hands in the hoodie and stroll forward, waiting for his remarks. I kind of find it funny.
"And you're fine with it?"
"Why wouldn't I be?" I glance at him, my lips forming a smirk.
"..." He doesn't reply; my guess is that he's trying to come up with a comeback that I can't contest.
"Should I be?" I say in a mumble, but he hears it.
"You should." I can't believe he actually says this. I find it pretty amusing, though. I won't let it bother me. Emilio can call me how he wants, and that's not something Damiano has a say in.
"Frankly, I kind of like it…" I say, knocking the wall like a nut. He is silent for a few seconds, then he grabs my sleeve, turning me to him.
"So you're actually into it? Think I can toss that name your way too? Just so you remember, you're gonna be my wife, sweetie." He raises my hand, flashing the ring on my finger. Didn't see that coming – him being all… jealous.
"Stick to Bittercandy. Only Emilio gets to call me sweetie." I flash a smile, indifferent to whether he frowns even more. Let's stretch the rubber band a bit further. See if it snaps. That's always the best way to truly know a person. After it snaps.
"Give me a decent reason."
"Emilio is like a parent to me. Do you want to be my parent?" I state it seriously, tucking my hand back into the hoodie, my eyes watching him intently.
"I can be your daddy." He is so serious, and I am too stunned to laugh. Both of us look at each other, and I retake my stroll after mumbling, "You already are… call me whatever you see fit."
If I knew I won't blush, I would have looked back at his grin.
After a few minutes of silence, I see his car parked near the road, and with fast steps, we approach it. Damiano is in a good mood, his smile making it hard not to stare at him. I never really saw him smile this much.
Usually, he was more serious, frowny, and in criminal full mode. Today he seemed more relaxed and normal. Maybe the sportswear makes me feel that, his usual suit and black clothes giving him that edge of an affiliate of criminal organizations.
I get in the car as he unlocks it.
"It's my job to open your door. Never do this again." His frown appears again, and I nod. How in hell do I manage to make him frown 24/7?
I can't say he doesn't look hot doing it. But his smile is more splendid than that. I put on the seat belt and let myself relax in the seat. The clothes I wear make me feel comfortable, the hood keeping me warm.
"What's the plan?" I turn my head to him. He is focused on the road.
"Plan for what?"
"Emilio knows that I left with Marco last night. What am I supposed to tell him now that you say that I am on a date with you?" I pivot, eyes on the road, thoughts buzzing about Marco, likely chilling in the room on the floor, blood spattered everywhere.
"I have one question for you, Bittercandy." He glances at me, and I catch his eyes for a moment.
"What's it?"
"Do you want to be involved in my plan more, or not?" His question is serious, and I have to think before answering.
"I am already involved. Does it matter if I am involved more?" I turn to him, showing him the hand wearing the shiny ring.
"Valid point. But here's the deal: I could offer you the choice to live the mafia wife life. Picture it – money flowing, chilling all day, and blissfully ignorant of anything dicey."
"I'm already a made man, even before being your spouse." I size him up.
"Once you're my wife, that part goes straight to hell." He glances at me, looking careful at the road in front of him.
"Either way, I won't be able to stay at home… relaxing."I furrow my brow, not even sure what that word truly means. Relaxation isn't on my agenda, especially with my teammates caught up in this mob mess. I'll stick to my duties even if I end up being his wife. And who knows how long he'll drag out the wedding…
"The old man called me up for the cabin gig too. We split around midnight. Heading back with the crew today to give the place a once-over, and, well, surprise! Marco's kicked the bucket. That's the plan for last night." He glances at me, and I nod approvingly.
"If you wanna know the ins and outs of your little murder marathon, you gotta swear you're ride-or-die with me on this. Otherwise, I'm keeping my trap shut." He glances at me.
"I swear to keep my lips sealed. Bound to you for life anyway… might as well go all in if I'm still doing this." My words resonate within the car.
"Smart move." He smirks and turns the wheel, hitting the national road.
He continues, "I played your killings to set up Salvatore. You're familiar with the guy – a greedy bastard poking his nose into our territory. The Commission can't pin him down, no evidence. But with the drugs swiped by you and Terzo, the cash, and the bodies piling up, I've got the proof. I've even got the 'killer' in the mix. That's the gist. Shoot any questions you got for the nitty-gritty."
I'm all ears, taken aback by his moves. The guy's cunning, no doubt… I'm not itching to be on his bad side. Realizing this, I appreciate his smarts a bit more. He's not just sly; he's got brains too.
I nibble on my lip, realizing how fortunate it is that he's fallen for me. He could've dragged me into some seriously dark stuff. I'm talking manipulation; that's the tame end of the spectrum.
"You know the deposit where we put the drugs and money, using the location app on my phone." I mumble as I glance at him.
"Bingo." A smile plays on his lips, and a short laugh escapes me. The guy had us figured out from the get-go.
"The killer… from his gang, huh?"
"Yeah. Wanna take a wild guess?" He smirks, and I fight the urge to roll my eyes. Seriously, who does he think I am?
"As per my connections, he doesn't roll with any hitmen. Although, there's a buzz about three skilled women, 'The Red Sisters,' who did his dirty work in the past."
"You're on the right track. Every made man in La Cosa Nostra knows The Red Sisters are no joke—a living nightmare. They only move when Salvatore calls the shots, which is why many steer clear of crossing paths with him. Not my style, though."
"So you are gonna use the Sisters?"
"I already made the deal with them."His eyes, locked onto the road, carry a lethal intensity.
"Awesome." I am not even surprised.
"We'll pay them a visit soon. The grand finale is in sight now that Armando has taken care of Salvatore. A sit-down with the Commission, present the evidence, leverage the Sisters' testimony, and presto! Armando gets to extend his lifespan by a few more years. I rescue Rosa from tying the knot with a scumbag, and you get your sweet taste of revenge."
"The Commission wouldn't punish the Red Sisters?"
"Handled that too. When a hitter's got a solid reason to cut ties with the puppet master and drops some bills, they stay in the game. Seen it play out before. The Sisters are sorted."
His intense gaze locks onto mine, and damn if I don't find myself falling for him all over again. The guy's got a knack for handling everything. Damiano pulled me from the abyss, and it looks like he's playing the savior for others too. Beneath that dark exterior, there might just be a decent heart in him after all.
"What part do I play in this mess??"
"You are my partner in crime, Bittercandy. You get to know everything."His smirk plays on his lips, and I look away, the hoodie masking my face. My cheeks warm up, and I can't help but wonder how he effortlessly pulls off lines like that.
"Am I…?"
"You are." I can hear his raspy voice as my eyes close, the happiness blooming in my heart. The air warms up, his fingers clicking something. My eyes still closed, I can't help but fall asleep. Last night I barely slept because of the man next to me.
Everything will be fine.
I have this certitude.