//Third Person POV//

Alessandro sat across from Ella and next to Joseph with Viktor standing guard at the door.

"Is it really necessary to have a guard with you at all times?" Ella questioned gazing at Viktor from behind her fine polished oak desk. A large floor to ceiling window was behind her and she often gazed out at the skyline.

"Precautions never have hurt anyone now have they Ella?" Alessandro answered.

"Mr. Raimondo," she drawled "I'd prefer it if we remained professional" she said with a terse voice. The way her heart was frantically beating unnerved her.

He stared at her for a moment before glancing at the plaque with her name on it. "Yes of course Ms. Stevenson " he said the name in an unnatural manner without breaking eye contact with the woman herself.

"Let's get to the reason we are here shall we?" Joseph intervened. He looked from then woman across from him and the man on his right. There was definitely tension there that he could feel and his priority was to get Alessandro out of there before the guy did something to provoke Rocco.

"Yes definitely " Ella added sitting up straighter and opening a file.
As she glanced over the numbers and business plans detailed with net profit and revenues Alessandro spoke up.

"This is my second club and Sanchez would definitely want to be part of it" he said confidently.
"The net profit will constantly be increasing"

Ella looked up with her piercing grey eyes. "Why do you say Mr.Sanchez would be interested in this business? Do you know him on a personal level?" She questioned already knowing the answer.

Alessandro was slightly baffled with the question. He had never put himself in a position to be questioned.
"From Sanchez's business history and his most popular and successful entities we safely inferred his interests." Joseph quickly added.

Ella glanced at him for a moment and set her eyes back on Alessandro-who was staring intently right back at her.

"Joseph, Viktor, there's something you should attend to " he said with breaking eye contact with her.

Joseph raised his eyebrows and mumbled obscenities under his breath before shaking his head and following Viktor out of the office.

"You didn't have to kick out your support group" she smirked.
He leaned forward on to her desk.
"Ms. Stevenson are we closing up this deal ?"
"Mr. Sanchez isn't taking up any businesses in clubs for the time being. "
Alessandro stared at her. He just got rejected. "I find this highly unprofessional" he said with anger sparking.
This deal was crucial. Alessandro could put up a club with no problem, but he needed Sanchez's title to focus the attention on to the club expert.

"Mr.Raimondo, the FBI is cracking down on clubs. And clubs are where all the dirty business happens. Exchange of drugs, weapons, women... the list goes on."
Alessandro's eyes widened the slightest, nearly unnoticeable to the untrained eye.
"I hope you understand why Mr.Sanchez would like to refrain from shooting himself in the foot."
Just like that with the snap of the folder the deal ended.

Alessandro sat there lost for the first time in his life. His entire business plan. Absolutely foolproof- just thrown to the side.
He felt a pull to her. Despite being irritated, he couldn't deny how intrigued he was.
This wasn't a woman he could simply spend the night with to relieve himself, she was a firecracker.
"Ms. Stevenson, I think you might be getting the wrong idea of my club" Alessandro tried. The deal was clearly not going to happen but he wanted a reason to stay seated across from Ella. In the back of his mind he knew he was pressed for time and didn't have the leisure to converse with her but he didn't care and ignored the buzzing of his phone- which was most likely Jospeh.
"Do I now?" Ella smiled "so a night club is obliviously a place where nuns rest and pray to the lord. Right?"
"Sarcasm is childish" Alessandro replied to her sass.
"And throwing a hissy fit because you didn't get what you want isn't? " she fired back.
Alessandro leaned back in the plush chair and gazed at her- the both of them locking eyes.

"You will inevitably regret your decision" he offered
"Well if that will be the case then you'll have the honor of saying 'I told you so' ." She smiled back.

"Are you free anytime this week Ms.Stevenson?"  Alessandro asked without thinking.
"Are you asking me out on a date Mr. Raimondo?" She said holding back her full smile. She felt extremely jittery and some what relieved he asked her out. Even though she hated to admit it- she had developed somewhat of a crush on him. The man was a runway model for gods sake.

"It can be a date if that's what you desire" he answered back with a sly grin. His brown eyes shining like they never had before.

"I have a free slot on Tuesday." Ella said casually without showing too much interest.
Perplexed with her angle, Alessandro nodded and bid her goodbye before leaving the office.

"Jospeh clear up Tuesday " Alessandro commanded when they were back in the car.
"You're making me clear your meeting with the Donatello's Boss to go on a date?"
"Yes." Alessandro answered swiftly
"You're bailing on the person that tried to assassinate you." He asked baffled
"Sì"
"More than once!"
"Are you deaf? I need Tuesday cleared. No exceptions" Alessandro ordered while Joseph stared at him wide eyed.
"If you die-there will be no date. Do you comprehend this? " he said trying to get the point across to his friend.

"Joseph if you don't shut up I will shoot your balls off"
"The fuck? Why the balls?" Joseph cringed
"So you don't spawn more dumb shits like yourself " Alessandro growled fisting his hands , irritated.

"You do as I say. I'm not repeating myself" he growled with finality.

"I'm not canceling on the psycho and putting your life in danger. You go meet Daviano before or after your date-I don't care. But you're going"

Alessandro sat fuming with his hands twitching to wrap around Joseph's neck. In his head he thought about killing him but he knew he couldn't. Joseph had been loyal to him for years and that wasn't going to change anytime soon. They were brothers by choice.

"I hope you know how you're going to explain your infatuation with this mysterious brunette to your father" Joseph added as Alessandro tried to clam himself.

A loud snap echoed in the car as Joseph's face collided with the bullet proof window. He was prepared to get punched and kept his jaw clenched.

"You need to shut the fuck up Jospeh"

*****

HEYYYAAAAA

NEW CHAPTERRRRR WHOOOOOOOOPPP

So today my AP.Lit teacher was talking about how authors such as Charles Dickens released chapters of their book once a month and how we don't feel that experience of waiting for the next chapter to come and reading the current one multiple times. Little did he now this Wattpad fam very much deals with the same issue.

SO ANYWAYS.
I hope you enjoy this chapter that is full of mistakes because it's a first draft.

For those of you going to college/uni here in the US like myself make sure you start your applications now and meet with your college counselors! It's crucial!! And if you're in other territories make sure you stay on top of all of your deadlines!

Best of luck:)

-LoveBigBooks