~~

{THIRD PERSON POV}

Objections in different languages were made, each voice louder than others. None of them could accept this. First, they were lied to about the ceasing of the existence of all the Luciano family members, and now this?

Even though this is a modern world, these Mafia leaders have the same mindsets as generations before them. Women should never be leaders. They are to only stay at home, take care of children, and be men's objects to vent towards. 

The two people on the stage were silent as they let the crowd continue with their complaints that will never be accepted. What could they do? This wasn't their territory. If this king wants his queen to be a goddess, then they can't do anything but respect that decision until they arrive in their territories. 

But this doesn't stop them from voicing out their confusion. Yes, Regina Luciano is– was the most competent woman to have the position of a queen, but in their minds, she was too… Brutal. 

All these people had ever heard of her was that she had no mercy. She was brutal, lethal, and completely dangerous. After all, she didn't get the name 'Queen Bloodlust' for nothing. 

Thinking of these factors, their biased judgments towards her grew more and more negative. Especially since she's now the queen of the biggest Mafia. What now? Is this couple planning to take over all of the Mafias in the world? Of course, they can't let that happen!

Another thing that bothered them was the fact that these two hated each other. All those years that they saw them interacting, their meetings were always negative. So, how did that end up to this? 

Not paying attention to the people objecting uselessly, Cavillor leaned towards the microphone, and said with a cold voice that instantly shut everyone off, "I would like to clear up that no matter what anyone's opinion is, I will not terminate this decision. Whether you lot would care to admit it, you know that Regina is best for this job. So, that is all. Enjoy the night." 

All present showed a dark faces. Enjoy? How could they enjoy after that scene? But, of course, they won't leave just yet. Just because they're in a bad mood, doesn't mean that little play would stop them from making deals and bargains. 

Not caring for the eyes that were set on them, the two royals made their way outside and to the car that was waiting for them. Without a word, they got in and drove to their penthouse silently.

~~

"Sei un fottuto stronzo. Ti ho detto apposta che non voglio essere associato, ma la tua stupid mente idiota ha ascoltato? No! Ora devo prendermi cura di tutte le merde che si imbatteranno nella mia fottuta strada. Nel complesso, vaffanculo!" Regina snapped in her native language while glaring toxic daggers at her supposedly 'king'. 

{You are a motherfucking asshole. I deliberately told you that I do not want to be associated, but did your stupid idiotic mind listen? No! Now I have to take care of all the shits that will come across my fucking way. Overall, fuck you!}

With a sweet, apologizing smile, Cavillor tried to coax his new 'queen'. Even though he had no idea what she had been saying, he had mostly gotten the gist that she was infuriated at him.

"Come on, my love. It's going to be all good! In a way, don't you think that this will be--" 

"Oh, zitto, stronzo." She snapped again, then closed her eyes, pinched the bridge of her nose, and tried to calm herself. {shut up, asshole.}

Figuring that she would not like it if he made noise, the big, bad, and newly crowned Mafia King did not dare make a sound. Seeing her sit on the couch after a while, he asked slowly, "Regina?" 

Silence stretched for a bit before she said in a calm voice, "Come here." 

Cavillor tilted his head, as if he was an immature puppy rather than someone that was feared by many, and asked with caution and hesitation, "Why…?" 

Not answering him, Regina stared at Cavillor with unemotional eyes, not giving a clue of what she was thinking. Or planning. With reluctance, Cavillor stared back. After a few more seconds of her staring at him with eyes that told him to come, he finally moved. 

Instead of going straight to her, however, he scooted backward and hid behind another couch, and said in a small voice, "I don't want to. You're gonna hit me."

"Damn fucking right I am!" 

That night, Cavillor had many bruises, but what caused the most distress, was not that. Nor was it his broken ribs, black eye, or bloody nose. No, it was because he was confined to the couch. No matter what he tried —seduction, flirting, threats, bargains— she locked him out and refused to let him in. Even if it was to change his clothes. 

Strangely, since his father's death, Regina had seemed to move into his room, so of course, as the pussy whipped guy he was, he couldn't do anything about her new law.

As he barely drifted off to sleep, he couldn't get the picture of her tired and resentful look once she was told that she'd be queen out of his mind. 

Why? Why does she not want the position? Does she hate him that much? 

Guilt overcame him, but he pushed it all back. It was his greed; his selfishness to keep her here. He loved her, yes, but not to the point to let her go, but to the point to keep her encaged with him. 

So while on one side of the penthouse one was wallowing in guilt, little did he know, that on the other side, someone was grinning evilly, with red eyes more prominent than the silver. 

'Phase two, complete.'

~~

Regina POV

"No." 

"I'll do it either way." 

"No." 

"You can't stop me, and you know it." 

"… No." 

"Oh, please. We both know that I could just do it without your permission." It's not the first time, anyways. But he doesn't need to know that. 

He sighed, knowing I was right. "But, Reg…"

"Come on, what's the point of announcing my 'position', when I'm still locked up in here like some kind of a fucking princess?" I exasperated. 

However, to my chagrin, the guy I was talking to just grinned, and seemingly ignoring the first part, he said, "If you're the princess who's locked up, then do I get to be your knight in shining armor? 

He's joking, right?

With a fake smile, I neared his seat and sat on his lap. He held my waist as I caressed his cheek, then I said, "You are the dragon, Cavillor. The one that keeps me locked up." He still looked adamant, so I delivered the final blow, "Surely, you don't want some prince in a white horse to come and take me away, do you?" 

His face immediately darkened and soured, and his grip on my waist tightened. 

Still gliding my fingers on his now-clenched jaw, I leaned into his ears, and whispered, "Instead of allowing someone to take your princess away, be the dragon that lets her come and go as she pleases. Princesses do have compassionate hearts. Maybe she'll lo– like you enough to come back?" 

I knew my words got him, and that was why, after many years, here I am, on my way to the mall. The first thing is I need to go shopping, eighty-seven percent of my clothes are not fit for formality. Or badassery. 

As I exited the car, I could practically feel the eyes of the 'secret' guards that were taking care of my 'safety' in the 'shadows'. Seriously, they're too incompetent. I might need to take a visit to their base and train these idiots. 

Hmm… My lips twitched slightly as a cunning idea came to me. With a plan in mind, I stepped into the mall, knowing that people were watching me 'closely'. Let's play a game, shall we?

~~

THIRD PERSON POV

The four shadow guards that were assigned to Regina were the best in the British Mafia. Cavillor did not dare to make any mistakes concerning her safety. That was his number one priority. 

These men were quite hesitant in guarding her, for as far as they knew, she had killed many of their brothers and sisters. But they immediately remembered that she did those things five years ago, and thought that since she was under house arrest for all those years, she could never hold a candle to them anymore. 

After all, they were the 'best of the best'. 

So, they followed her and watched as she went into various shopping centers and high-class boutiques. Regina decided to postpone her plans for a while and went on shopping. She wasn't a fan of buying that many clothes, but she never really lost them before. 

After buying countless tops, blouses, pants, jeans, jackets, shoes, dresses, jewelry, and many more, the people following her grew bored and lazy. And they also felt insulted. What is this? They had the highest position in being the spies, and now they're demoted into watching a girl go shopping? 

Regina, of course, knew this. It was quite disrespectful, and she was aware that they had let their guard down because of that. For the past three places she entered, they started to wait outside, 

Hiding a smirk on her face, she entered a large boutique. Once she was deep inside, she quickly moved with swiftness. When she got to the next aisle, she now had short, blonde hair; large, black sunglasses; a formal black suit and pants; and a pair of black stilettos. Finally, to finish her look, she wore blue contact lenses. 

She then went to the changing rooms and left a paper bag there. When she exited, a girl with black hair and the same height as hers entered the room. 

Regina then went to another aisle and was met with a group of four men who wore the usual bodyguard clothes. Nodding at them, they nodded back. Without a word, she took the lead and exited the boutique, all four following after her. 

She stopped at another shop nearby, with enough view of the entrance of where she just came from. Not long after, a black-haired girl that wore a black beanie, a brown trench coat, a white shirt, and jeans walked out and headed in the opposite direction of her. She watched as an inconspicuous group in civilian clothing followed this girl, and smirked satisfyingly to herself. 

Nodding her head to the other people behind her, they followed her to a well-known cafe and took their seats at a table of four. Regina didn't pay them attention and went straight to the bathroom, right after a girl finished. Not long after, she went out, now wearing a faded black hoodie, dark-washed, ripped jeans, a pair of old converses, and a maroon backpack in her bag. Her short blonde hair was also replaced with brown, curly locks, and her eyes were changed to a dull brown. 

As she passed by the girl that exited the comfort room earlier, she stealthily passed to Regina some headphones and a phone connected to them. Reg accepted it without looking at the girl, and quickly put on the hood, then the headphones. 

The men that followed her earlier were now eating at the table that they sat on, and no one paid any attention to the leaving girl. Their job was done. 

Regina mindlessly listened to the music and headed to the parking lot for motorcycles. It didn't take long for her to find her ride. After all, this was her Hades.

When she saw her motorcycle, she paused for a second. Recalling how a certain someone rode behind her as they went to--

'No!' Regina shook her head and quickly went to hop on. 'Now's not the time to be thinking about… These things.'

And just like that, Regina left the mall, leaving the so-called 'spies' losing their heads trying to find the real her. 

~~

Entering the coffee shop, she immediately went straight to a table with a single occupant. When she sat, he looked at her, wanting to gauge her fully, while she let him, looking back straight into his eyes. 

The atmosphere was silent until he spoke first, "It's been a while." He breathed out. 

"Yes, it has, hasn't it?" She sipped the drink that was in front of her, which he ordered for her. 'Hmm, hot chocolate.'

It was quiet again until he spoke again, this time with a serious voice, "How long more?" 

Regina shrugged, glancing around boredly, "I don't know. Three months? Five? Maybe a year, perhaps?" 

He then scoffed, leaning back on his chair. "What's this? You have their accent now? What happened to that Italian accent I used to lo--" He cut himself off, clearing his throat. 

Regina ignored his statement, not wanting things to be sidetracked for now. She continued, "Just make sure that they're ready. By the way," She said, suddenly remembering something, "Are many in already?" 

He nodded an affirmative. "Infiltrating and bargaining slowly by slowly." 

Regina nodded in approval. Again, there was no sound between the two, and the only things they could hear were the soft background music of the coffee shop and the chatter of the people at other tables around them. 

Having finished her drink and nothing more to say, Regina stood up, and just as she was about to leave, a hand clasped her wrist, along with a call of her name. 

She didn't move, nor say anything back, letting the male speak. He said in a soft voice, "Are you sure of this, Regina?" 

After a beat, she replied, still not turning to face him, "There will be no forgiveness and no way out. Remember that."

Having done with the conversation, she took back her wrist and walked to the door, leaving the man to stare at her retreating back.

'No forgiveness, no way out' she had said. So then, why did it seem that she hesitated?

~~

Regina POV

"–ive a fuck! You find her, and if you contact me saying that you can't, consider your neck missing from your body as well!" A loud crash then resounded, making me lift a brow. Did he break a vase? 

Entering the penthouse, I saw the whole place in disarray. Couches overturned, bullet holes on the walls, broken glass styrene everywhere, and the ceiling had a large hole that went through his room. 

I looked at it with confusion. How did that even happen?

I shook my head, heading to the kitchen where he probably was, by the loud sounds coming from there. When I arrived, I saw Cavillor, leaning on the countertop, breathing heavily. Wow, this guy…

Is he that concerned about me? What, does he think I was kidnapped, or something? 

Rapping my knuckles on the door, I instantly got his attention. Cav swirled to me, and without letting another second pass, I felt myself being encased in a tight space. 

"Where the hell were you?!" He almost yelled while hugging me. This asshole. My ear's just nearby your mouth! 

I shrugged, "Nowhere. Just wanted to let you know that your people suck at their jobs." 

However, unsurprisingly, he didn't pay attention to the last half of my statement. "Hell, Regina, I thought you got kidnapped!" 

I glared at him, even though he couldn't see it. "Okay, I am offended! Do I look that easy to kidnap to you? I'm Regina Luciano. It's going to be quite a feat before someone successfully kidnaps me." I snapped, feeling very insulted. 

Finally, he let me go, only to crush his lips on mine. Hard. Not thinking about it, I kissed him back just as hard, and soon, we were into a full-blown make-out session. 

Somehow, we arrived at his room, already half-naked, but once we got inside, he suddenly yelped and… Descended? What the hell? 

Quickly sobering up, I looked at what happened and saw that his foot was stuck. In a hole that went fucking through. I gave him a deadpan expression, showing how I was silently annoyed, and he replied with a sheepish grin. 

"How, in all seven hells, did that even happen?" I repeated my thoughts from earlier. 

"Um… I dropped a barbell..?" 

"Even you don't believe that," I said with a leveled voice, watching him try and fail to get his foot out of the fucking hole. "You know what, I don't even want to know anymore. I'll be making your pois– I mean, coffee in the kitchen." As I was walking out, I added, "Which you need to fix, by the way!"

~~

The house was already cleaned and fixed, all made by him. Cavillor begged me to let him call his men or at least some cleaners, but I didn't budge. His mess, his clean. 

Surprisingly, it only took two and a half hours, seventy-nine insults, and forty-five hits to the head. Quite an accomplishment, considering his track record of three hours, a hundred and thirteen insults, and sixty hits. 

The latter was the time when I ravaged the whole place in anger since I was on my period, and he didn't get me some chocolate. 

Yeah, yeah. It was my mess, I know. But one of my rules in here  —that I haven't told him yet, or made it official yet— was that: his mess, his clean; and my mess, his clean. 

Basically, another version of 'what's mine is mine, and what's yours is mine', but only the other way around. 

Going back to the present, Cavillor was slumped on the couch, a mug of coffee in his hand that was nearly empty, and looking exhausted. 

Hah, weak shit.

Thinking that there's no better time than the present, I said to him as he was gulping down the caffeine, "I want to train your men." 

He choked. 

I perked up internally. Ooh, is he going to choke to death? Suffocate? Get water —or coffee in this case— in his lungs?! 

After a few beats, he calmed down, then looking at me, he said while slouching further, "I'm not dead yet. No reason to celebrate." 

I tsked, muttering to myself, "For now." 

"What?"

"Nothing." I cleared my throat, then looked him in the eye, "In all seriousness, I want to train your men."

"No" He immediately answered, that nasty motherfucker. 

I rolled my eyes, "Come on, what's the deal now? You saw that I easily escaped from your spies' view, and I didn't have training for five years or so."

"How did you know--"

"Which just leads to the idea that what if someone, who is much more trained than I am," Yeah, as if there's anyone, "Who you want to be spied on, gets away? Huh? Whose loss is it? Yours!" 

It was then silent, Cavillor seemingly contemplating my words. In the meantime, I finished off my drink, which was just hot chocolate with a lot of whipped cream, white chocolate sprinkles, some marshmallows, bits of dark chocolate, and about three tablespoons of creame--

"Fine."

I didn't even look at him and continued to sip my own overly sweet and chocolatey drink. I already knew his answer long before I even asked. 

After all, if you got a man wrapped around your fingers, why not make use of it until it's useless? 

What's the use of a bird when it is caged? To sing for its master.

~~

Cavillor POV

I watch my queen drink her favorite flavored drink. I don't know if she's aware, but every time she sips it, her eyes flutter close and she breathes slowly through her nostrils and inhales at the same pace. 

Smiling to myself as I watch her without her knowing that I'm staring. Spies, huh? No, it's not to spy on her. Strangely enough, I seem to be… Trusting her. 

Those men I hired, they were to guard her against anything that might bring her harm. Contrary to whatever she believes, I'm not looking down on her. I have full faith that she would be able to find my men. 

My love is just that strong. 

So, when I sent those people, it wasn't that surprising to me that she found them. Just… Not the part where she decided to act like that. I sincerely thought that she got kidnapped. 

Surely she knew of the dangers she was in, right? We had already introduced her as the next queen of the Italian-British Mafia, which means that she will indeed be targeted. Heavily. 

It's a good thing that this place is secured from top to bottom. No one can get in and out unnoticed.

Another question I have for myself is… Why am I so worried for her safety?

As I previously stated, she's strong. I know that, but I still worry. And, it's not the kind of worry I had for my…. Father… But it's entirely different. I am aware that my queen is far stronger than my father, so why am I so worked up? 

Is… Is this what love is? 

Do I love her? 

Looking back at her disinterested face that was staring intently at her drink, I smiled again. 

Do I love her?

~~

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