"What–"
"Shh," she interrupted and listened for footsteps, until she was certain there were none.
"What are you doing?" I asked as she rummages through her purse.
"How exactly do you plan on getting us in this time?" She asked as she brought out a paper with two stickers of the moon and star on it.
"I don't know, punching the guards maybe," I said. She sighed and walked up to me.
"You're a real beauty Reyes, but sometimes you just don't use your brain," she said and turned my head sideways, then applied one of the stickers on my neck. I heard Cole chuckling on the other side. I rolled my eyes.
"What's the stickers for?" I asked ignoring him. She looked at me.
"It's the mark of the Costas, I assumed you saw one at the warehouse," she stated.
"Well no. Everyone was in all black, and plus, I was trying to escape not admire the details of their tattoo," I defended. She applied the second one on her upper arm, then waited.
"We're lucky the party is just starting," she said checking her watch.
"So are we supposed to wait for it to–ow," I yelped as she ripped it off my neck. Then she removed hers, and I saw the drawings didn't come off. It almost looked like a tattoo. I ran my fingers through mine, though I couldn't see it.
"Come on," she said as she went opened the door.
"Wait!" I said. She paused and turned. I walked towards her and closed it. Then I stared at the room nervously.
"Well?" She raised an eyebrow.
"I–um," I inhaled. Just do it. "Are you okay?"
She blinked, clearly not expecting it, "Uh yeah?"
"Ruby, I know it's probably weird for me to be saying this but," I exhaled, "these people tormented you from what I understand, and there's a fat chance that many of them would recognise you the minute you step inside that place given your...reputation. It's okay if you wanna leave now..."
"Shut up," she interrupted, annoyed, "just shut up,"
"I–"
"You could've said all these things when we were at the cottage, or even in the van, even then I didn't back out. What makes you think I would want to back out now?" She asked.
"I assumed it's because we never really gave you a choice," I muttered. She stepped closer, slowly.
"I always had a choice," she said and opened the door, "you coming?"
"Yeah," I sighed.
"Il tuo tatuaggio," one of the guards spoke as we arrived. (Your tattoo)
"Ovviamente," Ruby said in a high pitched voice, then signalled me. I tilted my neck, while Ruby showed him her arm. (Of course)
"Benvenuta signore," he said and led us in. (Welcome ladies)
"See, now that wasn't so hard was it?" She mocked.
"I guess this works too," I shrugged.
We entered into a large ball room. The first party was nothing compared to the grandeur of this one. In short, it was magnificent. I've never been to a party this splendid. And so much money put into it as well.
"What is this place?" I asked in awe.
"Welcome to Festa di ritrovo," she said.
"Well damn,"
"It's a type of a get-together for all mafias. There usually different kinds of fugitives and criminals here, ranging from the most wanted to the most powerful," she said.
"So it's basically a criminal's nest," I stated as I took a glass of wine. She followed suite.
"Not really," she said.
"Who are those guys?" I asked as I saw a group of people chatting exclusively, like they don't want to mingle with others.
"Those are the Falcones. Another mafia, also one of the peaceful ones. They don't like too much trouble," she said.
"Okay. And those guys?" I asked, raising my glass at another group who just hung around, looking at people provocatively.
"The Genovese. Don't stare too much, they are troublemakers. Known for wrecking havoc in some places, but they're still no match for the Costas or Camorrans," she said.
"I'm sorry all these just...this sounds a lot," I said and gulped some wine, moving away from her to the balcony where no one was, and also seemed to be the only place where I don't feel suffocated.
All these people are here partying when they should be in jail. How come they've managed to hide from the cops, and this long? Then I thought of Bryan. Could it be that there are more of him? That's why they couldn't get caught. I kept my drink on the cemented rails and rubbed my temples.
"Overwhelming, isn't it?" Ruby appeared beside me, "that's what I thought at first too,"
"Why are you still around?" I asked her, "it will take a lot of time to get your revenge on all these people. And you don't seem to be the type that would want to spend your days doing that, so why are you here?"
She sighed and took off the earpiece. "Don't worry, I'm sure they can handle five minutes on their own without us," she said as she removed mine as well, seeing the question in my eyes.
"I'm not doing this to get revenge Kayla," she said, "my mum died of cancer when I was nineteen. It broke my dad. He couldn't handle it so he swallowed himself to work, leaving me to process it all on my own. I never blamed him, but that didn't mean he wasn't an asshole of a father. Over the years I learnt to trust no one. I decided to fend for myself, working on different jobs, until they found me,"
"They kept making me dance for them and seduce men who wouldn't talk, but I didn't have sex with any of them, Bryan made sure of that. He saw me as his personal toy, which kind of gave me a status since he had a personal connection with Cira. But that didn't mean I was spared. There were times I was beaten up because I refused to seduce someone. I tried to escape countless times, but they just end up finding me. It was then I realised you could never really escape from the mafia, once you're in, you're in. But then all that changed when I met you, and for once since my mum died, I saw hope, something I thought died with my mum,"
"Why me?" I asked her.
"Because I saw the way you looked at your colleagues at the agency. You were ready to die for them if the need arises. I knew I had to gain your trust somehow which proved very difficult might I add, trying to do it without raising suspicions. But things got out of hand when you appeared at that building,"
"Okay, so you got out now. There's really no need for you to be here," I said. She faced me.
"Since my mom died no one really cared whether I lived or died, including my own father. But you did. And whether you like it or not, there's a part of you that doesn't want to see me get hurt," she revealed. I stared at her as she told me what I didn't want to admit to myself. She faced the city below.
"And whether I like or not, I admit I do have some feelings for you," she admitted, "but your heart is somewhere else,"
I stepped back and faced the city, painful memories flooding in. Cassie's confession repeating again and again. I held my head with one hand. "You can't,"
"What?"
"You can't have feelings for me," I told her, "I'll only hurt you,"
"Kayla, I'm not asking you to love me back. I know your feelings are for someone else, and that's okay," she said. I dropped my hand down and looked at her confusedly.
"I don't have feelings for anyone," I said. She raised an eyebrow.
"Wow, even you don't realise it," she mused.
"What are you talking about?"
"Ava," she said.
"I don't like Ava," I said, "I m-mean I do...just not romantically." She stepped closer and sighed.
"I've seen the way you look at her," she said, "you have a weird way of showing it though,"
"That's not possible," I turned away, slightly panicking. Now it was her turn to get confused.
"Why are you so against the idea of falling for someone?" She asked.
"Because I can't!" I yelled, "I just can't,"
"Kayla?" She slowly tried to reach me.
"My best friend died because of me! Because she was in love with me!" I was hyperventilating.
"Ever since I was little I had a problem liking someone. It was like I was afraid of developing even the slightest crush and I didn't even know why. Cassidy knew this and she never judged me. I had been fine with having just one night stands and not even think about it, it's how I knew I was gay. But things changed the night she confessed and died, I couldn't even look at another woman and not see her. So no, I can't have feelings for anyone. I don't deserve it," I slowly whispered.
Then my vision cleared and I saw Ruby beside me, holding a glass of water, and we were on the floor. I didn't realise until now. I looked at her, expecting a reaction. Shock? Fear? Confusion?
"I understand," was what she said instead. I drank some water and handed her the cup.
"You're not surprised at my actions," I stated as we stood up.
"I always suspected," she told. "But know this, you can't deny the heart of love forever," she said, "it's bound to happen, one way or another,"