I wake up to a loud annoying knock on my door, I burry my head further into the pillow covering my ears. Trying to desperately fall back asleep, ‘GO AWAY!’ the knocking stops, I lift my head to get a peek and see Lorenzo inches from my face.
‘OH SHI-‘ I jump back a little, ‘Well hello to you too.’ I pinch my temples, ‘why are you in my room?’ I sit up rubbing my eyes, ‘just want you to wish me good luck.’ I look at him with the most confused expression on my face waiting for him to elaborate. ‘Oh, yea we are off to the docks for the gun shipments’ My mouth forming an O as I realise what he is talking about.
‘You thought it was the next day, didn’t you?’ a smirk overtaking his features as he raises an eyebrow at me. ‘No’ I drift off. Not believing me he stays staring at me with the same expression, ‘Don’t make me punch that look off your face.’ I threatened him, a hurt expression replaced his previously smug look, he dramatically placed his hand over his heart acting hurt.
‘Oh, boo you whore’ I quote the iconic Regina watching him look proud at my choice of words. ‘Listen chica, no need to be calling names. You’ll miss me if I was gone.” I brush my hands through my hair, ‘No. No, I don’t think so’
‘I admit I’m a lot to handle … but I’m a lot to lose too. So … what are you doing write this down’ he claps at me, grabbing my pillow I whack him over the head with it. ‘OUT’ he rubs the side of his muttering curse words as he exits my room.
I sniffle a giggle at his childish behaviour, jumping out of my bed I open my door to get out before colliding into someone. ‘Ow,’ I look up and see am unfazed Italian. ‘Seriously Italy, what’s under they’re rocks?’ shaking his head he throws me his signature smirk before extending his hand out. Taking it, he pulls me up, I dust myself off. ‘You, okay?’ I nod my head ‘I’m fine thank you’ I shake my head rolling my eyes at him before my annoyed expression is immediately replaced with a smile.
I clear my throat ‘are you leaving?’ I ask he simply nods his head yes, ‘just wanted to say goodbye before I go.’ I look at him with a concerned expression ‘why did you say it like that?’ He lets out a sigh before tilting my chin up with his finger. ‘With our line of work, we have no idea if coming back is a reality, things can go wrong. So my dad used to say goodbye every time before leaving.’ He caresses my cheeks with his index finger ‘just in case.’
I grab his hand as I lean into it ‘not to sound clingy or dependent. But promise me no matter what you’ll find a way to always come back to me.’ He leans his forehead on mine before whispering ‘leonessa finché mi aspetterai, ti prometto che troverò un modo per tornare a casa’ he gives me a kiss on the forehead and leaves. (as long as you’re waiting for me I promise ill always find a way to come back home)
I stand at the doorway for a few minutes before recapturing my breath and walk out, walking down the stairs I stop midway and see Lorenzo and Vincenzo saying bye to their parents and sister. I run down the stairs and go straight to the kitchen, ‘Pumpkin.’ Mira acknowledges my presences. I smile at the cute nickname ‘hola, missed you today.’ She lets out a giggle as she continues preparing the most mouth-watering food, the smell alone will make anyone go from normal to I haven’t eaten for a year starving.
‘Hey, stranger’ I look to my left and see Ariana and Maria entering the kitchen. I smile and hug Ariana and my sister. ‘How are you feeling?’ she smiles and reassures me she is feeling brand new. ‘Now that I’m not drugged up and dying. You are quick with a gun’ I shake my head ‘old habits, it sorta just came back to me seeing you like that.’
‘I haven’t seen you be Dragon since we left home’ Maria states before popping a cherry in her mouth. ‘I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss it a little.’ Ariana looks at me with wide eyes ‘you should totally get back into it. Vincenzo could use a badass like you’
I raise an eyebrow as I part my mouth slightly ‘I think your brother has the whole psychotic; scary, intimidating thing covered.’ She shrugs her shoulder ‘every King needs a Queen.’ I shook my head trying to change the subject. “What? What is it?” Ariana questions seeing my frown. I look up at her hesitantly shaking my head “I was in a dark mindset for so long, I did a lot and was numb to everything I’m scared if I go back, I won’t know how to come back”
Maria nods her head knowingly, being there to experience a few unfortunate moments from my past. “You’re scared you’ll go numb again?” Maria questions. I nod my head “What happened to you?” Ariana whispered softly.
“A story for another time” Maria announced seeing me still deep in thought. Truth be told I’m not fully ready to speak about anything yet even Maria doesn’t know everything.
‘Mira, what’s cooking?’ Maria asks gracefully changing the subject. We spent the next 20 minutes talking about food, and I kept getting hungrier and hungrier. ‘Ok enough talk, my stomach is starting to eat itself out.’
Hours go past and we are all seated in the living room waiting for the men to get back. Giovanni paces back and forth worry clear on his face, the door opens revealing Vincenzo, Lorenzo, and their men.
After seeing him I let out a breath I didn’t realise I was holding in. Their mum and sister rush to her them analysing them for wounds. Once she is satisfied, they are okay. Maria rushes to Lorenzo and jumps in his arms. Vincenzo’s eyes lock with mine as he gives me a reassuring smile, he mouths ‘promise’.
Shaking my head smiling like an idiot, he turns around to the rest of his men giving orders about the shipment they received. My attention was shifted as I heard a scared man call out for help, I look around the room before the same man locks eyes with mine sending a chill down my spine. He wasn’t a man he was a boy he looked to be in his early twenties.
He stares at me shocked pleading for my help before getting my attention “Dragón, soy Alex” my eyes widen as I finally recognise him. One of Xavier’s men.
I look back at Vincenzo as does everyone else, ‘we caught him spying on us at the docks.’ Vincenzo looks at me ‘Do you know him?’ he asks, all I do is nod, before I run and follow where he went. ‘Isabella!’ Vincenzo calls out but I was already gone.
I followed them all the way down to the basement, Vincenzo’s men stare at me not knowing what to do, not caring I move them aside and walk up to the boy tied to the chair. ‘Alex?’ I asked, he looked up at me answering my question without speaking. Oh my god it’s him.
He looked up at me tears threatening to fall from his eyes. My heart ached for him. Alexandro was my favourite among Xavier’s men, he was the youngest and sweetest kid when I left he was one of the two who helped me when I was kept captive and stood by me when I went through my dark phase.
‘What happened?” I asked him softly bending down to his level. He looked at me his eyes telling a thousand stories, their blood shot red, and streaks of tears started falling from them as he finally answered my question. His voice full of pain he cried “You left’ his voice cracked before he fell silent.
My mouth opened to say something, but nothing came out, ‘Isabella get out’ I didn’t move, I couldn’t it was as though my feet were glued permanently to the floors. I couldn’t do anything but stare at Alex, guilt began to overtake all my emotions. Feeling like it was my fault he ended up like this.
‘Isabella’ Vincenzo grabbed me by my wrist as he pulled me out of my trance, he narrowed his eyes his stare was harsh ‘Out,’ he demanded, I pulled my wrist out of his grasp not moving an inch.
‘boss’ his men called on him waiting for instructions to drag me out. I shook my head, and we continued our stare off. He knew nothing was going to get me out of this basement and whoever tried was going to get hurt.
He ushered the men out of the room before turning back to look at me ‘not a word’ he warned me. Before I could say anything, he walked off towards Alex. My heart dropped seeing the scared expression on Alex’s face, my mind immediately flashed back to when he was 13 I couldn’t let Vincenzo hurt him, screw it.
Getting lost in my thoughts the sharp scream of Alex made my head snap towards him, Vincenzo had cut Alex’s chest with a blade. ‘Isabella please’ Alex begged as tears streamed from his eyes. Vincenzo questioned him when he didn’t answer him instead, he called for me again, Vincenzo went to scar another part of his body with the blade. ‘STOP!’ I screamed desperate to get Vincenzo’s attention.
I rushed in front of Alex shielding him from Vincenzo, ‘Get. Out. Of. The. Way.’ I shook my head ‘No’ Vincenzo’s eyes grew darker by the second as a wicked like smile overtook his face. Sending chills down my spine, I swallowed down my fear and stood up straight. I never seen a smile like his one that can make your entire body shiver it was a warning and you knew exactly what was about to happen when you saw it.
‘Move’ I shook my head again, but this time Vincenzo flung me to the side, landing on my side I winced at the pain that shot through me. Vincenzo came to aid me feeling guilty, “Vincenzo, I will kill you and everyone here if you so much as scare him one more time” I warned him. He looked at me laughing “You?” He mocked.
I narrowed my eyes “me” I confirmed. “I wonder what will get you killed first Leonessa, your stubbornness or your loyalty” He point out waving his knife around. I stood on my feet smirking “I guess we’ll going to find out’
Ignoring me he lowered his face to Alex, as he stared him down. He dragged the blade slowly down the middle of his chest stopping just above the belly button. Alex’s pricing scream sent a chilling feeling down my spine. I pushed Vincenzo away, using all my body strength to do so. ‘ENOUGH’ I yelled. ‘GET OUT OF THE WAY ISABELLA’
I grabbed one of the many knifes he had laying on the table of torture and pointed it at him. “I’m not moving” I warned him. Maybe it’s time I go back to my ways … maybe I should let Dragon peak out a little. ‘You’re going to leave him alone. Listen to me and shut the fuck up’ I demanded. He looked at me with pure amusement as he cocked his head back and laughed ‘I don’t know what the fuck you think this is, but I’m the don. I’m the one in charge, you my dear are only alive because I want you alive’
He slowly approached me before grabbing me by my throat and pulled me up a little, ‘Do not think for a minute I won’t kill you’
I replicated the same manner as I whispered ‘Do it’ I test him like I first tested him at the strip club. His stare only intensifies as he narrowed his stare intensifying his anger. He slams my head against the wall never loosening his grip around my neck and never losing eye contact.
‘Now where’s the fun in that leonessa’ He whispers. I smirk “You’re right where’s the fun” I headbutt him catching my breath as he stumbles back his nose bleeding. “Come on boss, show me what you got” I teased him.
As long as I could control myself it was okay if the demons pocked their heads every now and then. He grabs the knife in his hand throwing it at my head, his frustration and anger clouding his focus. I catch ahold of the knife the blade piercing my palm the blood flowed its way down my arm as droplets fell to the floor. He looked at my palm shocked and for the first time he looked at me like his equal an emotion I never thought Vincenzo was capable of … fear.
Smirking I throw the knife up catching it mid-air so now the bloody blade was facing Vincenzo. I threw both knifes towards his head the knife pierced the wall directly behind him both mere inches from his face.
“I’m not alive because you want me alive” I whispered. “I’m alive because I chose to be. You and your men are alive because I chose to quieten my demons” He looked at me shocked his breathing growing heavier. “Though quiet, they are never silenced. Calm as they may be they wait patiently, for a reason to wake, take an overdue breath and crawl back to my ear. You and your men will only be alive because I chose not to kill you all.”
He looked at me knowing from what he saw I was capable of a lot of things he originally overlooked.
He flips the table to his left as he calls for his men to come back down. He orders them to stay here with Alex and grabs me by the back of my neck dragging me out.
We pass his men in the living room along with his parents and Ariana. ‘Vincenzo what are you-‘ Ariana tries to quickly rush out, but Vincenzo completely ignores her.
Going upstairs we enter his office; he throws me inside as he slams the doors shut locking them. ‘WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU’ he roars. “The big boss losing his temper?” I mock watching him, yell and break things that were in his way. “V.K the most feared man in New York the man that has everyone on their knees. Losing his temper? You may be losing your touch Mafia” I licked the roof of my mouth sitting on his desk.
he rushes towards me again we are now face to face and Vincenzo had steam practically coming out of his ears. He put the palm of his hands on the edge of the desk blocking me in. “Isabella, you are not the only person in this room who can be intimidating my leonessa. Do not play this game with me” He warns me his voice low and deep. His Italian accent once again grew stronger the angrier he got.
“Maybe your just mad because you finally found someone who knows how to play this game” I narrowed my eyes to his, he knew I was right, and I knew it to. Vincenzo is the most feared man in the world not just in New York he was not use to anyone standing in his way or threatening him, until me.
‘You stopped an interrogation, you undermined me in front of a hostage, you completely disregard me as head of this mafia, you made me appear weak in front of him and my men who were out the door. Do you understand what you did? You made me seem weak the reputation I’ve built will be gone my city, my mafia my kingdom … gone. I will kill before I allow that to happen even if that means you, so I will ask you one more time and do not make me repeat myself. What was that?” I go to speak but bite back not wanting to indulge more about my past than I already did in his office the other day with his mum here. I didn’t say anything I stood there frozen as I stared at Vincenzo, my silence irritating him he pushed himself off me before screaming in frustration and punching the mirror shattering it.
I looked at his hand blood was running, I sighed and grabbed the first aid from his second draw, I grabbed his hand and dragged him back towards me. He tried to get his hand out of my grip, but I tightened my hold and looked at him with pure concern mixed with pure annoyance. His features slightly softening he gave in and let me clean his wound.
‘His name is Alexandro’ I began explaining the reason behind what I did. ‘When I was locked up by Xavier in that dark cell, he would come and give me water and food. He never showed his face, but would always say my name ‘Isabella Knight’ I never knew why though”
“Looking back at it I think he wanted to humanise me, he wanted me to remember who I am” He winced slightly as I wiped the blood with the alcohol wipes and cleaned his cuts, ‘Xavier… he did a lot to me in that cell, mentally and physically. I told you before humans need company. I was starved and mentally insane I needed contact I needed human interactions, and I was desperate to escape the torture” I swallowed a lump in my throat trying not to let my past affect me now.
“He let me out of the cell once he knew I was broken. His condition was that I work for him, I make his laughable gang the biggest threat in Spain. So, I took it and that’s what I did.”
His face remained expressionless as he stared into space, “how are you-” cutting him off I knew where he was going with that question. “It took me a long time to recover, and I’m still not fully there yet I still have nightmares, flashbacks and I’m still terrified of thunder. It would echo in the cell I was alone naked cold and terrified … I was only 17” I cleared my throat and refocused my attention on his hand while I continued.
“I started to get more involved in the criminal scene I was the boss of that gang without the title, but I was the most feared assassin since most of my missions involved killing someone and that’s when ‘dragon’ was invented. I was feared, I was powerful, I was completely numb. The killing, the torture everything I did I didn’t care. He broke me … I was in a daze I wanted to keep busy to make me forget everything, my parent’s murder, the cell, and the emptiness I felt then-”
He cut me off finishing my sentence for me piecing the puzzle together “Alex” I nod my head smiling softly “Alex approached me he was so young only thirteen years old … he looked at me and said, ‘Isabella knight’, his voice unlocked something I tried desperately to bury. The sound of his voice made me remember who I am. He refused to call me anything but Isabella Knight always using my full name. If I forgot who I was he made sure to never forget or let me fully kill her off”
Wrapping his hand up in a bandage I let out a slight sigh ‘for the next few years, I took care of Alex. Not letting anyone in the gang touch him, scaring bullies away taking him under my wing like my baby brother. I loved that boy he was my only link to any emotion even though I hide it everyone knew Alex was off limits. Then Xavier and I had a fight, nothing out of the ordinary. He threatened to kill Alex, because he saw how fond of him, I was. He was very possessive, I never showed him any emotion and the fact that I showed Alex he was jealous.’ pausing for a second I look at Vincenzo and whisper “Long story short when I left … when I ran” I corrected myself locking eyes with him. “I left Alex behind, and god only knows what Xavier did to him.”
Packing the first aid kit away I turned around putting it in the draw, ‘You want to know why I won’t let you touch him? Because he saved me, he never gave up on me and I won’t let anyone touch him. I won’t leave him … not again.”
‘Leonessa …’ He drifts off as he grabs my wrist and turns me around so that I’m facing him, immediately Vincenzo pulled me into his chest as he held me. ‘Why don’t we use him to our advantage, if he can and wants to we can let him go back and be our spy. Well, send him with one of your men saying he helped him get out before your men got a hold of him. That way he will have a King’s men as protection and be able to give us information about Xavier’
