I didn’t want him to think I was a pushover, so I cut my eyes at him. Luca better not get shit twisted and let my pretty face fool him. I got into physical fights with both men and women; I didn’t let a certain sex intimidate me. Apparently,Luca found my stare-down amusing. The corners of his upper lip sneered as he smirked at me.
Fucking prick, I thought before looking away from him. I focused on the window at the beautiful city of Tuscany below.
Buddha, exhaling loudly, caught my attention. He was opening and closing his mouth, using his index finger to wiggle around in his ear. I guess the change in altitude was affecting his hearing.
“Hey, you alright?” I asked. He turned to me briefly with an annoyed look that was kind of comical.
“I will be once we land,” he answered, rubbing his forehead. I reached for his hand and held it.
“Aww, baby, I would have never guessed you’d be afraid of flying,” I tried not to sound as if I wasn’t mocking him, but I failed. Buddha turned to me and made a face.
“I’m not afraid, I just don’t fucking like it. Big difference,” I curled my lips in as I tried to hide my giggle. That was definitely men’s logic.
“Don’t worry, your secret is safe with me,” I said softly, before lifting his hand clasped in mine so I could kiss his knuckles.
“Petardo(firecracker), you get on my nerves,” I laughed at what he said, realizing that the nickname would never leave me.
*****
“Well, what am I supposed to do when you’re gone all day?” I pouted my lower lip while Buddha gathered his belongings because he was about to be gone for the day. The hotel room was perfect, apparently it cost over 3k a night, and it was located in the heart of Tuscany. I was already in love with Italy and didn’t want to leave.
“Don’t start that shit,” I pouted my lip even further at Buddha’s response. I sat on the bed as he slipped his Aviator-style Tom Ford sunglasses on his face. Dressed in a white shirtand a pair of casual black slacks, Buddha looked like he could be a model for a men’s magazine. His chain was visible, peeking through the buttons on his shirt.
“You know this is a business trip,” he eyed me as though he was daring me to keep complaining.
“Is Luca going to be with you guys?” I asked, just in case I wanted to wander around the hotel. The last thing I wanted was to accidentally bump into him.
“Why?” Buddha asked, pausing from rolling up his sleeves. I bit into my upper lip, regretting that I said anything.
“Nothing,” I said, shaking my head.
“Na, don’t fucking go there with me. Why did you ask that?” He took his sunglasses off so he could stare at me much better.
“I mean, it’s nothing really. I just get a weird vibe about him,” I shrugged my shoulders, hoping that I didn’t overstep. Even though Luca wasn’t his blood cousin, he was still considered family. Buddha stood staring at me for a few seconds before he walked over to the dresser in the hotel room.
I watched in silence when he opened the top drawer and pulled out a gun. I sat upright, wondering what the fuck he was about to do with that.
“Come here,” I was a bit hesitant at first, but then I stood up and bravely walked over to him. Buddha shoved the gun in my hand. Confused, I looked at the weapon and then at him.
“Wh-what is this for?” I asked. Never have I ever had the cause to hold a gun before.
“That is yours. I want you to use it if the need arises,” coming up behind me, Buddha guided me as he lifted my arm in the air with the gun at the end. “You take the safety off like this and aim right for the middle of that mothafucka's forehead. Then you squeeze it like that and pull the trigger,” I felt likethis was some sort of setup. Was Buddha training me to kill his cousin?
“So, you want me to shoot Luca?” I asked cautiously.
“I want you to shoot any mothafucka that tries you if I’m not around to protect you. I don’t give a fuck who it is. Raise this gun and aim for between their fucking eyes,” Buddha let go of my arm and stepped back.
I looked down at the gun in my hand and felt like throwing up. Guns were something I never particularly liked, and here I was being told to shoot anyone who came at me the wrong way.
“Can you put it back in the drawer?” I asked, holding my arms out with the gun lying in my palms like a dead body. Saying nothing, Buddha did as I asked and put the gun away. I tried not to act like a spoiled baby because he was about to leave me.
“I got something for you,” Buddha said, slowly walking toward me with his hand in his pocket. I remained quiet because I felt as though nothing he could give me would lift my spirits. However, when he took my phone out for me to take, the widest smile spread across my lips.
“Really?” I asked, just to be sure, before I took it.
“Yeah, really. I trust you with it, don’t make me regret that shit,” I retrieved my phone from his hand, then I leaped into his arms, throwing my hands around his neck.
“Thank you, thank you,” I said, holding his face, raining kisses all over it.
