AARON
Two years ago, I made the drastic decision to fake my own death and leave behind the only life I knew. It was a painful but necessary choice, considering the circumstances. My name, Marco Rossini, had become synonymous with fear and respect in the city's underworld. But all of that changed when my right-hand man, Damien Crosse, betrayed me in the worst possible way.
It started when I killed Damien's parents, a punishment for their betrayal. Damien was consumed by anger, and he sought revenge by joining our rival family, the Espositos. He ratted me out to the police, and the entire force was on my tail.
I underwent extensive facial reconstruction surgery, changing my appearance beyond recognition. The man who was once Don Marco Rossini was now unrecognizable, even to himself and with a new name, Aaron Marquez.
I settled in a small town, far from the city I once ruled, and opened a humble coffee shop. For two years, I've lived this new life, I'm only living in hiding till I come up with a plan to take down the Espositos and Damien Crosse.
I gripped the barbell, my muscles tensed as I lifted it above my head. Sweat dripped down my face, but I didn't bother wiping it off. That's when I saw her - my annoying new neighbor, staring at me like I was some kind of criminal. Which, I guess, I am.
She wore a pink sports bra and black leggings, a garish outfit that seemed designed to draw attention to herself. Her short blonde hair was pulled back. A silver necklace with a tiny diamond pendant glinted around her neck, a pointless indulgence.
"A bottle of water?"
I ignored her, didn't even bother looking her way. I didn't need some nosy, woman like her bothering me.
But she didn't take the hint. She kept standing there, her eyes on me like a hawk. I could feel my anger rising, my grip on the barbell tightening.
Finally, she walked away, leaving me to my workout. But I knew this wasn't the last I'd seen of her. Just the little time I'd seen her, she'd accused me of kidnapping her daughter - something I could never do. And as for her accusation of following her, even if I wanted to kidnap her, was she really going to use pepper spray to protect herself? She would be long gone.
She came back and I gave her a death glare. "I didn't get your name." She said.
I didn't reply.
"Are you a lover of blueberry muffins? I can make them for you." She asked.
I still didn't reply, my expression unchanging.
"I'm trying my best here, ok? Let's be friendly neighbors."
I finally broke the silence, my voice firm and dismissive. "You talk a lot. I don't want your muffins. Just leave me alone," I turned back to my workout, hoping she'd take the hint.
But she didn't. Instead, she smirked, her black eyes glinting with amusement. "You should get used to seeing me, whether you like it or not." She scoffed, her short blonde hair bobbing as she turned to leave.
"The Thanksgiving would be fun, you should come. Entertainments, food, it'd be great."
I gave her a 'didn't you heard what I said?' look.
"Okay, okay. It's going to be fun."
I watched her go, my irritation and disgust simmering just below the surface. Girls like her, with their ordinary features and entitled attitudes
I shook my head, incredulous at her persistence. "Unbelievable," I muttered to myself, focusing on my workout to try and shake off the annoyance.
As I finished my routine, I noticed her lingering by the gym's entrance, chatting with a someone. I made a mental note to avoid her as much as possible, especially if she was going to be this pushy and oblivious to boundaries.
As I packed up my belongings, I heard her call out, "Hey, neighbor! See you around!" I ignored her, not even acknowledging her with a nod or a glance.
As I approached my apartment building, I noticed her again - this time, standing outside my apartment, chatting with someone.
My heart sank. What was she doing now? I considered ignoring her and going inside, but something about her smug expression made me approach her.
"Can I help you?" I asked gruffly, trying to hide my irritation.
"Oh, I was just waiting for you," she said, her black eyes sparkling with amusement. "I wanted to invite you to a little get-together I'm having tonight night. It'll be fun, I promise!"
I raised an eyebrow, incredulous. "You're not taking no for an answer, are you?"
She smiled sweetly. "Not when I know we could be great friends."
I gazed at her with a cold, hard stare, my expression unyielding. "I'm not interested in your invitation, or your friendship," I said, my voice firm and detached. "Leave me alone."
Her smile faltered for a moment, but she quickly recovered. "Oh, come on. It'll be fun, I promise. You can't stay holed up in this apartment forever."
I raised an eyebrow, my eyes glinting with a hint of warning. "You don't know what I'm capable of. Don't push me."
She took a step back, a flicker of fear dancing in her eyes. But she didn't back down. "I'm not afraid of you," she said, her voice trembling slightly.
I chuckled, a cold, mirthless sound. "You should be."
With that, I turned and disappeared into my apartment, leaving her standing outside my door. I locked the door behind me, my mind already dismissing her from my thoughts. But I knew she wouldn't give up easily. And that was a problem.
As a Don, I had a reputation for being ruthless and unforgiving. And I intended to keep it that way. No one crossed me and lived to tell the tale. And certainly, no one as annoying and persistent as this blonde-haired, black-eyed neighbor of mine.