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“Fuck, what do we do?” she breathed as I grabbed her hand with a smirk.
“Run.”
I yanked her through the club, picking up the pace, the closer we got to the door. She squealed with a mixture of fear and excitement as I glanced back and saw them gaining on us. I was not about to let my Princess spend a night in a Greek jail. We dived through a fire exit. She couldn’t keep up in her heels so I flung Elle over my shoulder and started sprinting down the road. She was laughing and screaming, gripping onto the back of my shirt as I dodged the tourists and realised I didn’t have a fucking clue where we were. We were on the flatter side of the island, nowhere near our villa, that was for sure. When I felt we were a good distance away and a beach came into sight, I stopped running and put Elle down.
“Oh dio mio! You are fucking crazy,” she laughed as I hunched over, trying to drag some breath back into my lungs. I glanced at her in disbelief.
“Me? I think it’s safe to say our crazy is pretty well matched,” I panted, which caused her to smile. She stepped forward, forcing me to stand straight, and leaned up to kiss my lips.
“I would rather be crazy with you every day for the rest of my life than live another normal day ever again,” she ran her hand down the back of my head as her brown eyes searched mine. My heart stopped. Just for a few seconds, but I felt it.
“You mean that?” I brushed her hair out of her face and held my hands against her cheeks.
“Si,” she smiled and I kissed her hard. It was all the validation I needed to start really fucking thinking about how to make this happen for us. I was all in before we even touched down in Greece, but I had to hear her say it. I had to know she wanted it as much as me.
When we broke apart, I glanced around at the stunning, serene beach. The black, inky sea was almost too dark to see now, but you could hear its mighty roar against the shore every few seconds. I held her hand and walked us onto the soft sand towards a rope hammock that could be hired during the day. We climbed into it together, laughing because she nearly caused us to topple out when she tried to move under my arm and lay her head on my chest. I stared up at the twinkling speckles against the black canvas of the sky, one hand behind my head and the other wrapped around her body.
“Maybe we will get to do number one on my list after all,” I muttered and she peered up at me from under her lashes. “Sleep under the stars.”
“I love that,” she replied, settling her head back on my chest. “Do you really think we can do this, Alessio? Do you really believe we can find a way to be together?”
I remained silent as I stared up at the universe beyond, searching for the right words. I had no idea how I would do it. I had no idea how to make this work, without putting my own life or Elle’s in danger. But I would.
“I believe anything is possible when you want it that badly.”
“My mamma used to say that to me when I was a little girl,” she whispered.
“She is a wise woman. I hope one day I get to meet her. Though she will probably try to kill me,” I smiled.
“I actually think she would really like you. After she is done killing you of course,” she chuckled as I kissed the top of her head.
We stayed like that for a couple of minutes, in a comfortable silence, alone with our thoughts. As I searched the stars for the answers and relished in the feel of her soft body in my arms, I felt overwhelmed by a feeling of contentment. For the first time in my life, I didn’t feel alone. I was no longer just Alessio Barbieri. I was something more. Without even realising it, that fourteen-year-old girl had saved my life. And now, she was saving it again, but in a completely different way. A way that I didn’t fully understand, but I felt it.
“No matter what happens. I’ll never let you go, Elle. I don’t know how to. I’ll fight for us always,” I spoke softly, but frowned when she didn’t reply. I lifted my head to gaze down at her. “Elle?”
Her eyes were closed and her lips slightly parted. Her hand was inside my shirt, resting over my heart and I smiled at her sleeping form. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and texted Stefano our location so he could come and find us. I then read a few texts from Fabi about work which all seemed to be in order and one from my papi with details about my meeting with Galiz tomorrow night. Dread pulled at my gut that this would all be over soon. That we would be back in Italy soon and that’s when the real fun would start. I texted Fabi a message, before I could change my mind.
Keep this between us for now. Text Buccini. Tell him I want a meeting. Face to face. In three days’ time. We have things to discuss.
I placed my phone back in my pocket and wrapped my arms around Elle, pulling her closer. Giving her up was no longer an option.
Family First
Giovanni
“Mamma, a word please,” I leaned over the bannister on the top floor when I heard her footsteps on the stairs. She turned to look up at me and gave me a curt nod, changing her direction to approach my office. She was still giving me hostile treatment. It had been even worse since Marco left for Sicily last night.
I stepped back and held the door open for her, giving her a small smile as she passed, but her face remained a cold, expressionless mask. Things between us were strained right now. And I knew it was all on me. I should have told her about Elle sooner. I had underestimated how useful she would be in this situation regardless of whether it was her daughter or not. She was a fierce mafia woman with a flair for negotiations. I was a fool to think I could handle this all without her.
She took a seat on the chair in front of my desk as I strode over to my own. Her brown eyes watched my every move with icy, unforgiving judgement and I sighed.
“Mamma, I’m sorry. I know it will take some time for you to forgive me, but do you understand why I thought it was best to protect you from this?”
Her eyes narrowed, “I’m her madre. You may be the Boss of this family, but that does not give you the right to make judgements on whether I should or shouldn’t know if one of my children is in danger. You have underestimated me, Gio. But I understand why. I know I have not been the best role model of a mamma to you all over the last few years and I am paying for it now, trust me. But if you ever keep something so important about any of my children from me again, I will never forgive you.”
I nodded slowly, “I understand. It will never happen again. You have my word.”
She lifted her chin and then licked her lips slowly. “Okay.”
