Three days have passed since my date with Damiano, and despite his promise to visit, he's only resumed texting. Now, in the morning, I'm in the living room, clad in pajamas, gearing up to spend my Sunday watching TV with Bianca. What else is there to do on a free day?
"Do you really want to tie yourself down with that ring?" Bianca continues with the same nonsense she's been spouting for the past three days since she saw my ring.
"Yeah, I guess," I reply.
The moment they all examined the ring that night after Damiano left, their reactions mirrored Bianca's. I can't pretend my thoughts differ much right now. There's a fear of hurting myself that lingers. Damiano has haunted my nightmares for the past three nights. I resorted to sleeping on the couch to avoid disturbing my roommates, though it's far from comfortable.
I glance at her and sigh. "How are things with Vincent?" Bianca looks at me, clearly displeased with him.
"It's worse than a ring. I can't really leave him even if I want to. But don't spread this gossip around," she smirks and returns to her cartoons.
Dependent on his stick… it's definitely worse than having a ring. I sigh, remembering the night I spent with Damiano. It's not like my body won't heat up instantly recalling that, but I don't think I'm as dependent as Bianca is. Or at least, I hope not.
"I won't," I assure her nodding .
Since we first met, Bianca has become easier to understand. Her temperament can change depending on her mood and, surprisingly, how well she got laid. Despite her tough exterior, she cares about us. I came to that conclusion when I injured my ribs; she fed me and helped me get dressed. I couldn't believe it when she asked me to call her Bia. It was a shock.
Emilio enters the living room, already dressed up. In his shadow, Terry is half-naked, with a pair of shorts covering his lower part.
"How's the wifey doing?" Terry smirks at me, and I roll my eyes. He seems to derive amusement from my suffering.
"Better than your crushed motorcycle," I smirk back, recalling that Carlo had crushed his motorcycle yesterday. Honestly, I wouldn't have given Carlo anything; he tends to destroy everything he touches.
"I am hurt…" he puts his hand on his heart, and his hurt expression makes me smile.
"Kids, shut up for a moment."Emilio's phone rings, and we all fall silent.
Carlo is coming from the rooms, and Terry smacks his head when he opens his mouth to talk. We all know how Emilio punishes us if we anger him – no home-cooked food for a week, in case he's genuinely not really upset.
"Yes, boss," Emilio's voice resonates in the room, and I assume it's Damiano on the other line.
Terzo enters the room too, already dressed up; he heads to drink some water. Glancing at me, he turns away. We had a talk, and he seemed displeased that I accepted the ring. Probably the shock was too much for him to handle. I used to not care about Damiano, and now I am his spouse. The shock was real, even for me.
Not to mention, he was mad that someone took the things we had in the deposit – the drugs we stole and the money. The system he had was hacked pretty well; he couldn't even see a silhouette there. I guess Damiano took them.
Emilio ends his call and looks at us seriously. "Kids, I got some nasty news. Marco was killed. The Commission is gathering at Franco's mansion, and we are called too. If the Commission goes well and Damiano has proof for everything till now, he might have his installment as the next boss. If not, we might witness a decapitation," he says, and everyone looks serious. I'm the only one who knows that Damiano will get out unscathed.
"Amy is not even married, and she will be a widow?" Niko finds the best question to ask in this situation. Sigh…
"Kind of," Terry replies, unbothered by anything else but my love life.
"Kids! The question that you were supposed to ask was not that," Emilio frowns, and I assume he's stressed.
"Then?" Bianca chimes in, clearly caring more about me than the real problem.
"We were supposed to ask when we should be ready to go," Julio sighs.
"Thanks for asking, Julio," Emilio claps and adds, "We have to be ready in 30 minutes. I want all of you dressed up and eaten. Chop chop!" He claps, and I jump from the couch heading to the dressing room; Bianca is after me.
"You could have fucking told us earlier …" Bianca shouts at Emilio as we pass him.
"You should have fucking gotten it even without asking me. Now move faster! I am waiting for you all !" Emilio scolds her, and she mumbles a swear.
Only Leo is fully dressed up, and Emilio, and almost forgot, Terzo. The rest of us are filling the dressing room, and I can tell this is the 3rd world war.
"Give me the damn pants!" Bianca's sharp demand resonates through the room, an unmistakable edge to her tone. Niko, unfazed, selects a pair that everyone knows Bianca has a soft spot for.
"Find another pair. There's plenty of them. Leave me the fuck alone ," Niko responds, the epitome of nonchalance, slipping into the cherished trousers effortlessly. I intervene, restraining Bianca from escalating the situation into a full-blown pants brawl.
"Bia, now is not the time. Just take those," I retrieve a pair from the floor, handing it to her.
"Damn bitch! I'll let it slide this time, only because Amy is in a rush to reunite with her husband," Bianca concedes with a begrudging tone. I release a sigh of relief.
"Thanks!" Niko grins, her hands securing her pink locks into a sleek ponytail. Meanwhile, I'm still in my pajamas, scouring the room for a pair of comfortable pants. Thankfully, my comrades are nearly ready, clad in snug trousers and leather jackets, exuding a refined yet unmistakable aura of mafia sophistication.
"Amy, I think a dress is in order," Bianca smirks, and I respond with an eye roll. My memory serves me well—pants might not be the best idea considering the delicate condition of my nether regions.
"Why does she have to pull this crap? He's already head over heels for her," Niko scoffs at Bianca.
"I've observed how she's been walking lately, Niko, unlike you," Bia smirks, shooting me a glance, and I feel the heat rise to my cheeks.
Niko remains stoic. "And what?"
"Sigh… Why did I even expect anything else? You're as clueless as Amy used to be," Bianca frowns, closing the gap to share some clandestine information with Niko.
"What!?" Niko turns crimson, her wide eyes shifting to me.
"Don't give me that look…" I cross my arms, wearing a frown.
"Now that you know, she has to wear a dress," Bianca struts to the closet, tossing dresses on the floor until she finds one that catches her fancy.
"Are you okay?" Niko whispers, approaching me.
"I'm not," I jest. I've noticed her guarded demeanor, especially with guys like Leo. She's defensive when touched, and I've somehow deduced a general aversion to physical contact with guys.
"I'd hate to go through that… Are you really okay?" She takes my hand, and I nod.
"It was consensual. I enjoyed it… don't worry," I assure her, gazing into her concerned eyes.
"If you say so… but I don't buy it. They're animals," she mumbles, exiting the room with unspoken anger in her voice.
"That's just how she is with guys… Anyway, I found the perfect dress!" Bianca turns to me, and I frown.
"You don't seriously expect me to wear this?"
"When will you stop dressing like a proper madam? It irks me. Just put this on and quit complaining. You'll thank me later," she winks, and I can practically see the mischievous thoughts brewing in her mind.
"Only this time," I sigh, peeling off the pajamas. The guys are already suited up. Niko's made her exit, leaving only Bianca and me in the disheveled room.
"He seemed to enjoy leaving his mark on you," Bianca smirks, eyeing my body adorned with hickeys.
"He certainly did…" I frown, scrutinizing my body in the mirror.
"Now I feel nauseous from all the sweetness he showered on you. It's sickening, girl… I prefer it rough, no visible traces."
I roll my eyes, and she smirks. "I'm well aware."
"To think that the dark man is into this romantic crap… Unbelievable. I thought he'd at least tie you up."
I sigh. Damiano will likely be viewed through different lens by Bianca from now on.
"But it's good he's possessive," she muses while hunting for a pair of boots. She comes across a thigh-high, pointed-toe pair and hands them to me.
The only reason I'm agreeing to wear this short black bodycon dress is that it's the first time she's picked something for me. This side of her, sweet and caring, is unfamiliar. The dress reaches my thighs, and just the thought of the autumn weather outside makes my legs shiver. Bianca seems to have forgotten that it's not exactly summer.
"These boots will keep your legs warm. Take that leather coat he brought for you," she instructs, and I nod as I slide my legs into the boots.
After slipping them on, I gasp – they complement the dress perfectly. With only a small portion of my legs exposed, the cold won't get to me once I put on the coat.
"Perfect," I smile, and Bianca smirks, eyeing me approvingly.
"I knew you could be a hot hoe if dressed properly " She laughs, and I maintain an unimpressed expression at her compliment. It's not like I ever aspired to look like that.
"Damiano will go nuts seeing you like this. It'll leave a lasting impression if he bites the dust."
"He won't," I mutter, not willing to entertain thoughts of his demise. The nightmares were more than enough.
Emilio screams from the kitchen, and we rush, grabbing our bags. The cars are ready. I ride with Terry in his car, accompanied by Bianca, Niko, and Emilio. The others join Leo's car.
"How much till there?" Niko fidgets after 10 minutes of driving.
"40 minutes," Terry informs her.
"Did we really have to go?" Bianca is asking, her arms crossing over her chest, looking frustrated. She had some plans with Vincent today. But I guess Vincent was called in the same as us.
"Going to Commissions like this is not gonna be something we will do in the future. I think it's because this commission has to do with Damiano's installment or worse, his death. We attend only because of his ceremony, not their discussion. I talked to Nicholas about this," Emilio explains while glancing in the back of the car.
"It better be. I don't fucking like attending parties and stuff. I came here to kill, after all," Niko pops her gum, and Emilio frowns.
"What do you think, Amy?" Terry asks for my opinion. He adds ,"I don't really like these ceremonies too."
"Do I look like I'm having fun? But , it's not like we can skip them. Maybe they have some kind of buffet there…" I smirk while Terry seems amused by my answer, seeing me in the rear mirror.
"Now that you mention it… I'm kinda fucking hungry. Leo took the last bagel on the plate. That son of a bitch…" Niko glares out the window and pulls out her phone.
"I'm gonna fucking beat his ass when we get there. That bagel was mine," Niko calls Leo, and I sigh. Not again…
"Hey! How's your belly? Full?" Her voice growls at the man from the other line.
She puts it on speaker, giving us a damn show.
"It's full. How's yours?"
"It's fucking empty because you took my fucking bagel! I'm hungry!" She yells, her expressions making me and Bianca chuckle. She's usually pissed when hungry.
"It's not my fucking fault you were slow!"
"I won't be slow beating your ass. Be prepared! I'll smack the bagels out of you. Better pray they give food." Emilio turns to us, clearly annoyed by Niko.
"Like I give a damn if you starve till we get there. I'll be tossing you around so conserve your damn energy until we arrive. And stop fucking yelling! Also, I'm driving, so don't fucking call me again." Leo ends the call, and Niko is fuming.
"He is really asking to be beaten. Did you see that, Amy? He fucking closed my call." She growls showing me the phone's display.
"Cut it out, Niko." Emilio is glaring at her, and she glares back.
"You really like messing with the dude," Bianca smirks, and I can tell she is gonna have fun teasing her.
"I will kill him one day." Niko seems dead serious, and I hope she knows what comes along with this statement.
"Don't believe it. What is going on between you two?" Bianca is not buying her saying, and honestly, I don't buy that either.
There is definitely something going on between them. Niko doesn't talk to the other guys except for Leo. Even though she mostly argues and fights with him, she does it. And that's a big flag, telling me she is actually enjoying herself. Poor thing, Leo is taking her seriously.
"Nothing, except for me killing him as soon as possible." Niko searches in the car and finds a bottle of wine.
"I will take that." My hands take the bottle, and I open it, taking a sip. She frowns, but she's too caught up in what Bia says to snatch the bottle from me.
"You have almost two months, sweetie. When are you actually gonna kill him?" Bianca looks at her mockingly.
"I enjoy playing with him. Is this what you want to hear?"Niko snatches the bottle and takes a bigger sip before I grab it from her. God, this wine is hella good.
"Just that?"Bia frowns and snatches the bottle from me, taking a generous mouthful. Her face lights up with delight, clearly impressed by the exceptional taste of the wine.
"You know I can't really kill him. The commission and everything. Though if I do the perfect crime, he can kick the bucket." Niko laughs, and I roll my eyes. She can't be serious when it comes to this. I take the bottle from Bia and take a mouthful .
"But I find him pretty fun to play with. For now, I will play with him. When I get tired of him, I will cut his throat." Niko snatches the bottle with a disapproving frown, proceeding to take a few more sips. She mutters something about being the one who found the bottle and questions why we're drinking more than she is.
"Leo will get tired of you if you pester him always. He might plan your death first," I chuckle, snatching the bottle from Niko and taking another sip. I shrug at her disapproving face. What can I do? The wine is great. Besides, I didn't eat in the morning, and suddenly, I felt thirsty—the wine the only available option. It's not like I will get drunk from a few sips.
"Hey! Why are you guys drinking my wine?" Terry spots me drinking in the rearview mirror. Emilio turns fast and snatches the bottle. As Emilio holds the bottle, the light reflects in the dark-colored glass, and I can see that we emptied more than half in just a few moments. Oops…
"I can't fuckin' believe you guys are drinkin' when we're about to arrive at this fuckin' ceremony. Are you all out of your damn minds?! Why the hell did you open it? And why the hell is there a wine bottle in the car, Terry?" Emilio glares at us, and we raise our hands in defeat, with Terry complaining that it's not his damn fault we drank from his bottle.
"I did it. I was hungry. Told ya," Niko shoots Emilio an innocent look, and he mutters a swear before turning back to his seat, done with us. Good thing he didn't see how much we drank.
"About Leony… He won't kill me first, Amy. He enjoys it too ."She clings to me, her hands hugging my torso. Her voice whispering .
"Have your fun kitty .Just don't push him too much… I don't want to hunt him down if he scratches you." I am as serious as I can be, patting her pink hair. She's older than me by 5 years, but it doesn't show. Sometimes I wonder how old Bianca is. I never asked her or any of the guys.
"Aren't you pretty protective, Amy?" Bianca frowns, and I glance at her.
"Just as much as Emilio," I say, and the we laugh.
I can feel my head a little dizzy from the wine. Niko is probably a little more drunk; her head nudging against me like a cat is a clear sign of her being drunk. She's usually clingy when drunk; I've experienced that before.
I glance at Bianca, and she seems lost in thought.
"I think Niko is drunk,"I whisper to her, and she looks at me, having Niko cling to me, rubbing her head on my chest.
"Just don't let Emilio know," she smirks, and I guess she's right. I will have to take care of her today until she wakes up.
"What are you whispering?" Emilio turns towards us, and I shake my head.
"Nothing," I glance at Bianca, and she smiles innocently.
"Better not pull any more shit on me today. We're meeting the leaders of the other families. If you mess around there, bringing shame to our gang, I won't feed you for a month. Understand?" Emilio points at the three of us, and I gulp. The alcohol makes me see him double.
"Yup," I giggle, and Bia takes over. "We got it, boss."
He turns, and Bia pinches my hand. "Ouch! What was that for?"
"You're fucking drunk too?"
"Maybe," I giggle, frowning at the pain left from the pinch.
"Gods," She frowns, and I assume she will take care of us if I don't get over the dizziness that's falling upon me.