Enjoy ✨

~ Luciana's POV ~

Alessio's eyes were full of sincerity, I knew he wasn't lying to me and for the moment the only thing I needed was for someone to be there for me. To comfort me after what I'd been through.

"No....I haven't eaten." My words came out quiet but both of them still heard what I said. Tomasso soon came into my view when he stopped next to Alessio holding his suit jacket. I swear that's all they ever wear, I can't imagine them wearing anything else. But I'm pretty sure if they ever wore casual clothes they'd look just as good.

"I'll go and get you something. Do you want anything in particular?" I could tell it was taking a lot for Tomasso to be nice to me, I've always known he doesn't like me. But I guess even he felt bad for me when I came in looking like hell.
"McDonald's?" A small smile tugged at his lips at my suggestion and he nodded before looking at Alessio.

"I'll get you something nice don't you worry Alessio." Tomasso patted Alessio's shoulder then turned to me while putting on his jacket a smile still on his face. "Alessio hates McDonald's." He seemed weirdly happy with my choice, probably because Alessio didn't like it. You could really tell they had a brotherly relationship, even though Alessio was the capo, as they like to call him, it didn't matter. They were still like brothers.

I waited for the front door to close before I spoke again to Alessio.
"I'm gonna take a shower." Alessio frowned once again at my hoarse voice but didn't say anything about it. Instead he just nodded and moved aside so that I could go into my room.

I left Alessio in my living room while I took a hot shower to soothe the ache in my muscles. I stepped out the shower and wrapped a towel around my body before going to the mirror and wiping away the steam. My eyes looked even worse than the day before, but that was to be expected I suppose.

I brushed my teeth before going into my room and changing into some clean sweats and a hoodie. I took my dirty clothes to the kitchen to add to the laundry pile while passing Alessio on the way who was now furiously typing away on his phone. A few seconds later he was standing in the doorway to my kitchen watching me take the painkillers I had been craving ever since yesterday morning.

"Are you okay?" I could tell he didn't know what to say, he knew it was all his fault. But at least he stayed, he didn't have to. That still doesn't mean I was going to be nice to him though, I was still angry and for some reason his question really ticked me off.

"Do I look okay to you Alessio? Have you forgotten what happened between us the other day? And of course you know exactly where I've been for the last 24 hours!"

The look on his face just confirmed to me that he did know. He already knew everything and I wasn't surprised. I didn't expect anything different.

"Luciana..." I shook my head at him and attempted to get past him but he didn't let me. Instead he just grabbed my hand again and pulled me closer to him like he did earlier.

"I know you're angry, and I don't expect you to forgive me for what happened the other day. But please just for now, put that aside. Let me look after you. Let me be here for you." His words just caused tears to spring to my eyes again while I shook my head. "No Alessio, because you'll leave. Everyone always leaves me."

"I'm not going anywhere amore mio. I told you that already." He placed a small kiss on my forehead before pulling me into his arms. I inhaled his strong scent which instantly helped me to calm down while wrapping my arms around him.

I tried to pull away from him when I heard the front door open but Alessio just tightened his grip on me. Seconds later Tomasso appeared in the doorway of the kitchen holding a McDonald's bag. I narrowed my eyes at him from where I was standing in Alessio's arms while he just stared at the two of us, a knowing smirk on his face. "How did you get in Tomasso?"

"I got your spare key cut into another two more. Both Alessio and I have one." My eyes widened at his casual tone and I pushed myself away from Alessio to give him a harsh glare. He on the other hand found the situation rather amusing.

"You have a key to my apartment? Since when?" He shook his head and took the bag of food from Tomasso who went to get some plates for us. "The day after we had our fun-" Alessio winked at me causing everything inside of me to turn to jelly. "-When I left I took it with me and had someone bring it back later."

I shook my head and snatched the bag from his hands while walking away from him.

That guy was crazy.

We were currently sitting at my dining table finishing up our breakfast when Alessio finally broke the silence. "What happened Luciana?"

Both their eyes were on me waiting for me to finally tell them exactly what happened. Obviously they knew I was arrested and they clearly knew I didn't say anything otherwise I would have been dead instead of enjoying a McMuffin.

"Jake turned out to be an undercover cop, he arrested me and they held me for as long as they could hoping I would tell them something about you." I kept my tone flat without any emotion while I told them the simplified version of what happened.

"He was a cop?" I nodded in response to Tomasso's question and took another sip of my orange juice. "It's like the last three and a half months with him never even existed." This time wasn't able to hide the obvious hurt in my voice, but I didn't care. Every time I thought about it I was hurt. The last few months were all fake. His feelings were fake, yet mine were real. That's what hurt the most - the person I fell in love with didn't even exist.

"Luciana..." I glanced up at Alessio to see him frowning at me before passing me a tissue, that's when I realised I was crying. Again.

"Did you love him?" I looked over at Tomasso who glancing between Alessio and I like he wanted to speak to me but also wanted to keep his eyes on Alessio.

"Of course she did, don't ask her stupid questions." I was taken aback by Alessio's sudden anger as he stood to his feet and started collecting all the rubbish off the table before going into the kitchen to throw it away, leaving Tomasso and I alone for the first time.

"Thanks for the food." He just nodded in response while mumbling a 'you're welcome'. I can't lie and say it wasn't awkward because it was. The last time I spoke to him properly we were still in the room where I was being held captive by the mafia.

Oh how times were so simple back then.

"He cares about you Luciana." His words caused me to frown but he ignored it and carried on speaking. "He's not like this with anyone else, you're different for some reason. So don't throw it back in his face."

I rolled my eyes when he threw in the last sentence before standing to his feet. Of course he wasn't going to end it by being nice to me. Alessio soon came back and he exchanged a few words in Italian with Tomasso before he put on his jacket again. I watched Tomasso speak to Alessio before he left my apartment, once again leaving Alessio and I alone.

"You can go too. You don't have to stay." He just shook his head and started picking up the plates. "I just want to make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine Alessio." The angry undertones in my sentence caused him to pause. He put down the plates down and look at me again clearly trying to control his anger. "You're not fine. Look at yourself Luciana, you can't even stand straight."

That's the chairs fault.

"Whatever, I still don't need your help. I'm fine on my own." He just shook his head in response and came towards me again but this time I stepped away putting my hand up to stop him.

"No Alessio. You promised me I would never see you again after that stupid gala. You said you're a man of your word...so stick to it. Just leave me alone, you've done enough to ruin my life." I knew my words were harsh; he was only trying to help me. But at that moment all I wanted was to be alone, I just wanted some space. So I said whatever I knew would make him leave.

Although part of me did want him to stay, but that was the insane part of me that also slept with him. I prefer to keep her tucked away.

Wow I sound like the guy from 'Split'.

Alessio stopped in his tracks and stared at me for a moment, numerous emotions going through his eyes. I couldn't decipher all of them but I knew he was angry and possibly hurt. I mean he did just wait for me to come home from the police station then sorted breakfast out for me - but it's all still his fault.

"Fine." He went over to the couch and picked up his fancy Italian suit jacket before coming back over to me, this time making sure to keep his distance. He looked like he wanted to say something, but he didn't. We stood for a moment in silence before he turned around and walked away from me.

The worst thing about it was that I thought I would feel better when he left me alone, but instead I just felt guilty. It just confused me even more, the whole thing was crazy to me.

This morning I woke up with a boyfriend who now doesn't even really exist, I woke up hating Alessio with every bone in my body. Now all I want is for him to hold me again like he did earlier. He just makes me feel crazy emotions, and I had no idea how to make it stop.

I spent the rest of the day tidying up and cleaning my apartment and running a few errands trying to keep myself busy. Before I knew it I was absolutely exhausted.

<<<<<<< >>>>>>> <<<<<<<

"Luciana, can I speak to you in my office please?" I stopped in my tracks at the sight of my boss coming towards me in the hallway stopping me before I could get to my office.

He turned around and walked back to his office gesturing for me to follow him. He closed the door behind himself and gestured for me to take a seat which I did. He sat in his seat across from me and ran a hand over his face tiredly.

"Luciana I have to let you go. I'm sorry."

His words took a moment for me to process, the whole time I just stared at him like I had no idea what he just said.

"I-I don't understand. Why?" He shook his head in response to my question before picking up an envelope off his desk. "Now is just the best time I think. Your last pay check is in here, it's only a little bit since we've already paid you for the last month. I'm sorry Luciana."

My hand shakily reached out to take the envelope from his hand before I slowly stood to my feet, still trying to process what was happening. I was fired. I was fired from my first ever job. The job that gave me all my independence.

I left his office without another word making my way down the hallway back towards my old office. I stopped in the doorway when I saw Melanie cleaning my empty desk with some disinfectant, a bitchy smirk on her face.

"Your stuff is in a box over there." She gestured to the box on the floor where all my things were, the photo of me and my mom poking out from the top. Anger surged through me at the thought of her touching my things, but especially that photo. I narrowed my eyes at her trying to put up a confident front for the last few minutes in an attempt to save whatever dignity I had left.

I bent down and picked up the box before turning my attention back to her. "We all know you've been sleeping with him Melanie, I suggest you stop going around with that bitchy attitude. Everyone knows the truth." I gave her a sickly sweet smile before walking out my office with my head held high, yet with every step I felt my insides crumble even more.

The only thing going through my mind at that moment was that I needed to go out, I needed a freaking drink.

<<<<<<< >>>>>>> <<<<<<<

~ Alessio's POV ~

"Mom." My mom turned around from the laundry she was folding on her bed and sent me the familiar smile that always gave me the same comfort. There was no better feeling than seeing your mom smile at you like that.

"Alessio, I haven't seen you in a while. Your sisters miss you." I gave her a smile of my own and made my way over to give her a hug. "I know mom I've just been busy. I was in Paris with dad and Tomasso then I had things to deal with first."

"Ah the girl." My mom gave me a knowing smile before turning back to the laundry pile. I don't understand why she does it herself when there are plenty of people who work for us that could do it.

"What girl?" She rolled her eyes while I took a seat on the bed to speak to her properly. "Your father said you're after a girl. Apparently you have a thing for her." She wiggled her eyebrows at me causing me to roll my eyes, a small smile on my face.

"I'm not after her mom. She's just got a lot going on, I don't like seeing her upset." She nodded while mumbling an 'okay', still with the same knowing smile on her face. "Trust me Alessio, I know you. You don't go after girls unless you really like them."

"I'm not after her mom! I keep telling you that." My words didn't seem to change her mind and she just shook her head at me instead clearly amused by my reaction. I swear when that woman gets an idea in her head nothing will change it.

Of course I cared about Luciana, she was different from the other girls I've ever been around. She wasn't hanging off me, wanting to be around me every minute of the day. Most importantly she wasn't with me for the money. In fact she didn't want to be around me at all, and that just made her more intriguing to me. Of course I already knew everything about her, well everything on paper. But I didn't know her. I wanted to know the real her, from her point of view, not the information my men could find on her.

I also couldn't help but feel responsible for everything she went through this weekend. First I screwed up by letting my anger get away from me as soon as I saw that smug son of a bitch in her house. Honestly the look he was giving me was enough to make me want to pull my gun on him there and then. He wasn't even freaking scared. The glare I was giving him was enough to make grown men piss themselves, yet he just stood there with that defiant smugness.

So of course that pissed me off and then he turned out to be her boyfriend, a thought I just couldn't stand. She wasn't mine, I knew that, but I didn't want her to be his. I didn't like the idea of that. So I took my anger out on her and just made the whole situation worse.

Thankfully I don't have to deal with him now. I guess that's good for me but obviously not for Luciana now that she's broken hearted and all that stuff.

I'm not really that good with feelings and stuff. Even the word made me want to throw up and kill someone. Feelings.

Ew.

Then she got arrested by the same son of a bitch, honestly he ruined my whole freaking weekend, he did. Now I've got Tomasso trying to find out how the freaking police found out about that weekend we spent together. The only one who knew about the kidnapping was her friend, then she met other mafia members at the gala but obviously they wouldn't go to the police.

She was so frail and broken when she got home, all I wanted to do was protect her. I got this urge to stop someone ever hurting her like that again, something I couldn't explain. Something I didn't want to even try to understand.

It was a good thing she told me to leave, it's in both our interests to stay apart. Yet we seem to never manage it.

I spoke to my mom for a few more minutes just catching up with her before I left her to go and find my sisters. I knocked on the door to my youngest sister's room, waiting for her to call me inside. I opened the door revealing her simple, yet elegant white room. "Mona."

As soon as my eighteen year old sister saw me standing in her doorway she jumped up from where she was sitting at her desk, coming over to give me a hug. I chuckled at her excitement wrapping my arms around her. "Where have you been? I've missed you so much Alessio."

"I'm sorry, I've just been busy. I promise I'll come and see you more often from now on, especially if I get hugs like they every time." She rolled her eyes at me before hugging me one more time and going back to her desk. I followed her, taking a seat at the edge of her bed where I could still see what she was drawing. "That's amazing Mona."

My eyes were wide as I took in the pencil sketchings of a long ball gown on her page. The intricacies she managed to capture in the drawing were just incredible. "Really? I don't know if it's good enough. Everyone at this school is so talented Alessio, I feel like I'm way out of my depth there."

"Screw everyone else Mona, you're incredible. You got in just like everyone else and you deserve it more than they do. I've seen how hard you worked to get in, just keep working, and you'll be the best. With hard work you'll always be successful Mona, it just takes time." She gave me a small smile while nodding at my words, mumbling a 'thank you'.

Mona was always the shy one out of the three of us, and she absolutely hated the mafia. She never wanted to be part of it, ever since she found out what it was. But she always supported me, especially when I started taking over from our father, she may have hated the mafia but she knew how much it meant to me.

Since she refused to have anything to do with the mafia she decided to follow her biggest passion which was fashion, now she was attending one of the best fashion schools in New York. She was honestly the most talented artist I've ever seen, the drawings she could do were insane. She was always so quiet, but she didn't have to be loud and obnoxious like other girls her age, because she channeled everything she wanted to say in her designs.

"One day when you're this huge Italian designer, promise me you'll design my suits for me." She chuckled at my words while pushing her glasses higher up on her face. "You're still paying Alessio, I don't do things for free."

"I wonder where you learned that from." I gave her one last smile before standing up, placing a kiss on her forehead. "Where's Silvana?"

"She's downstairs I think, maybe in the gym." The way she said the words with such disgust made me laugh. I had one sister who hated anything to do with sports and loved art and things like that, then the other one was just mad about training. She loved fighting, she was the best female fighter in the mafia by far. She was only twenty-two.

I made my way down to the gym, stopping by my fathers office for a few minutes on the way. A small smirk tugged at my lips when I saw my sister punching the shit out of one of the punching bags hanging in the gym. "Remind me to never get on your bad side."

Her punches stopped at the sound of my voice and she spun around while holding out a hand to steady the bag. Her eyes met mine and I know I saw a smile on her lips before she pursed her lips trying to hide it. "If you don't come home more often I'll be practising my punches all over your pretty face."

I let out a small laugh as I made my way over to Silvana who was now drinking from her water bottle, keeping her narrowed eyes on me. "So you think my face is pretty?"

"For now." I stopped in front of her making sure to keep my distance from her just in case she did anything stupid. My sister is one crazy girl, I wasn't about to take any risks. "Mom said you've got a girlfriend."

"She's not my freaking girlfriend." She laughed at the exasperation in my tone, clearly enjoying the chance to tease me about Luciana. "That's not what I heard. Anyway, it's good. I was starting to think you were gay or something, you've never had a serious girlfriend."

"That's because girls are irritating as hell, I've never had time for one."

"But she's not irritating?" She gave me small grin while taking off the boxing gloves that were on her hands. "She is. But she's different."

I didn't say anything else about Luciana to her, but those few words were enough for her to annoy the hell out of me for the rest of the day.

It was true Luciana was probably one of the most irritating women I've ever met. But she wasn't like the ones I'd been around before, there was just something about her that was different. Not that it mattered anyway, things were so screwed up I doubt anything would ever happen between us again after what happened over the last few days.