Dario

This was the first time I feared for my life, yet not because I dreaded death. I was afraid of leaving Jolene alone to fend for herself. Even if she knew self-defense, she could not withstand guns and bullets and would eventually die. Therefore, I was determined to destroy the enemy before they overpowered me, and I accomplished the mission. Uccidere o essere ucciso (kill or be killed).

Jolene was my responsibility, and I had already promised to keep her safe. I would be a fucking dirty liar if I failed and left her alone in the middle of nowhere with these predators. "You might have liked your mother if you knew her," she whispered, and I snapped out of my thoughts. She was concerned about my mentality, and I appreciated it.

I understood her goodwill, but Jolene did not realize what I was really capable of before today. Now she should have comprehended that I could kill without hesitation if I felt a hazard approaching. The woman who birthed me was the greatest hazard of all time. "I know I would kill her even if I liked her. She backstabbed dad, and I loathe fucking traitors. She does not deserve to live happily or peacefully as if she did not wreck our family."

Jolene placed her hand on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes. "I despise traitors too, but you don't see me going around the block, killing whoever disrespected or backstabbed me in the past. There are solutions; cutting these people out of your life without violence or confronting them for breaking your trust are some. Your mother might show up someday and explain herself. After all, she is not dead, and you can't shoot her just because you are upset. You can curse at her for abandoning your family for all I care, but she is still the woman who brought you to this world. So, it will be best if you do not kill her. You owe her that much." Jolene's explanation and firm tone made me think about this situation differently. What if that woman really had a reason for all this? But was it worth destroying our family? I needed answers, and only she could answer them. Jolene was wise, and I mentally nodded in defeat.

She was right, but I was not going to admit that to her. She would not let me hear the end of it and would annoy me for a long time. "I must apologize for saying you'd crack under pressure if things go south." I changed the subject before she could further comment on my mother's topic, and she looked at me like I was a monster.

 I was a monster indeed, but I do not understand why she would give me such a look now and not when I shot those sons of bitches to death.

"Did you just apologize?" she asked, grinning from ear to ear, and I knew I fucked up.

Admitting she was right about my mother was far better than apologizing to this sly brat.

I turned my body so I was facing her. A wrecked car was not comfortable. "Sì, you cried and yelled for your dear life, but it is understandable. You were not raised in such a violent environment, yet you survived pretty well with me. Bravo, and sorry for underestimating you."

"Did you just compliment me for crying?" she asked with narrow eyes, and I laughed. This type of innocence was refreshing.

Enola was innocent too, but she could hold a gun if she had to save herself or her family. She grew up around mafia men, but Jolene did not. Before I could reply to her question, I saw car lights through the rearview mirror. I held my gun in case of a threat, placed my other hand on Jolene's head, and made her duck. 

"There are more bad guys?" she asked, panicked. She's been through a lot in one day, and I feel bad.

"Probably, but it could be my grandpa; just stay quiet." I placed my finger on the trigger and prepared myself for anything. As I was ready to fight again until my last breath, I felt my body relax once I heard a familiar voice. "That's grandpa," I asserted with a smile. She sighed in relief and jumped from the car without giving me time to react. I followed a second later and saw her hugging grandpa as if her life depended on it.

He patted her head gently. "You are okay now, Jolene. Take a deep breath," grandpa said, and she did as he instructed. I signaled him to take her to his car while I stayed behind to check the dead men and their identities. Grandpa understood and made sure she did not see anything brutal. The smell of blood was atrocious, and I could only imagine what she was feeling inside.

I grabbed one of the men's coats and searched for his ID and phone. I found both and cursed at the surname. The Brambilla Mafia was in on it, the Romano's oldest enemy. They were responsible for dad's death, and I would forever hunt them down until I got my final revenge.

 They dared to attack the Romano's Mafia Don, so they must be aware of the consequences.

"Who are they?" Grandpa asked once he stood next to me.

"Nonno, it's the fucking Brambillas!" I looked at grandpa's car. "Dov'è Jolene?" I asked, slightly worried.

"She's asleep in the back," he replied and glared at the dead men. "I say we send them a warning domani (tomorrow) and teach them not to attempt a second attack. Those figli di puttana!"

"I agree; we will discuss this in the morning with the rest. Take us to my house for now, please."

~~~

Once we arrived, grandpa opened the entrance, and I opened Jolene's door and carried her inside. She was as light as a feather and looked too angelic and innocent to be stuck with me.

 I should explain to her the main reason why I wanted her and not her dad here soon.

"Do you need anything, Dario?"

"Can you take care of the dead bodies and my car, Nonno? I don't want my face on the news in the morning," I asked, still holding her in my hands. Grandpa assured me that he would handle it immediately, and he left us alone. "Now, what should I do with you?"

Nothing, Dario.

Put her in her bed and let her sleep.

I walked up the stairs, making sure to be extra quiet when she muttered something. I listened carefully and was slightly angry at what I heard. "Who is she talking to?" she was having a nightmare, and her facial expressions revealed fear. It could be about today's events.

Once I reached her room, I did not bother turning on the lights since it would only disturb her, and I placed her gently on the bed. "Stop... Please don't push me... lake... I am begging you, no... I am cold... I can't breathe. Help!" Her pleas worried me because now I was sure it was not about today. 

I tried waking her up when she started shivering uncontrollably, but I did not want to scare her.

"Jolene, wake up..." I whispered as I continued shaking her body gently. It did not work, so I had to improvise. I sat on the bed next to her and brought her into my lap. I covered her body with the warmest blanket and rocked her back and forth. 

"Bambi... you are safe now." I overheard her explain her dad's nickname to Enola and figured she would feel at home if I used it, even though I had a different connotation, and I believed it worked since she stopped shivering.

"Bambi." I brushed her hair off her forehead and could not help but admire her beauty. "You are like a Bambi too..." I chuckled.

After a few minutes, she calmed down and was sound asleep. I wanted to leave, but she was practically sleeping on me, and I did not want to wake her up. "I will just wake up before she does tomorrow."

~~~

"Dario... freaking shit. Dario!" I felt someone shake my body, yet I did not feel like waking up. I was feeling too comfy to move. "Dario fucking Romano. Wake the hell up and get off me!" That beat the sleep out of me. I opened my eyes and saw Jolene in my arms. 

So much for waking up before she does.

"Why are you in my bed?" she asked as she tried to get up, but my grip prevented her from moving. 

How did she end up under me?

I let go of her, and she jumped out of bed. "You were having a nightmare and trembling like crazy, so I decided to stay with you, but don't ask me how we ended up in this situation because I don't know."

It was the first time I shared a bed with another human other than Andrea, let alone a woman. Moreover, I did not have a nightmare like usual and found waking up challenging.

"A nightmare? Did I sleep talk?" she asked, looking worried all of a sudden.

I stood up and faced her. "Yes, you did. Who pushed you into the lake, Jolene?" I did not beat around the bush because I knew it was not just a dream. Her fear was genuine.

Her eyes widened for a second. "No one! Now, could you leave me alone? I want to take a shower." She entered the bathroom before giving me time to reply and locked the door.

"You are a mystery, Jolene Hansley, but I will solve you one day." 

~~~

2/02/2023

I hope you liked this chapter!