Everyone was rushing to get ready for tonight, the cooks were busy in the kitchen making the food and snacks for the visitors, maids were cleaning and preparing the ball room I didn’t even know we had, and the guest of honour was getting dressed and ready for tonight.
Me Maria and Ariana were in Ariana’s room getting our hair and makeup done. I said I can just do it myself but Ariana being Ariana wasn’t going to take no for an answer. I was just getting my hair straightened and eye fox makeup, it suited the silk cream jumpsuit I’m being told to wear tonight it was gorgeous simple and elegant. It hung low the straps pulling it up enough to cover my boobs from the front but exposing the middle of my chest and side boob.
‘Ariana just how big are your dads’ parties?’ Maria asked Ariana while she was getting her hair curled, ‘um … normal big, I guess. Like you remember that movie where that girl came to the ball and lost a slipper’ she said using her hands to exaggerate the story.
My head shot up at her as I squinted ‘bitch are you talking about Cinderella’ she looked at me confused before me and Maria burst out laughing. ‘Oh, great we are having a bloody Disney ball downstairs’ Maria huffs as she fiddles with her dress. Maria isn’t good in big crowds, but she manages.
‘No nothing like that our parties are way bigger’ both mine and Maria’s head snapped straight towards her, my eyes were about to fall out of my socket, they’re gonna have a party bigger than Disney? Oh, I can’t wait to see that.
The girls got lost in conversation while my head drifted to what happened in Hacker’s security room, he really saved my ass by not telling Vincenzo the truth about where I was and how Xavier is now changing locations. If he found out I don’t even want to imagine what he would do to me, I’ve broken his rules before, but this compromises everything.
I hung my head at my impulse to just go and do stuff on my own, hacker was right I think I just need to start learning how to play with a team and how to play nice. The ladies finished our makeup, and the gents finished our hair as we all got up to get dressed.
I stood in front of the mirror analysing my appearance, my hair was under my ass giving a nice healthy shine, the feeling of the silk on my skin felt like absolute heaven. My white strap heels really completed the look as I looked over at the girls.
Ariana being her dad’s little princess wore a stunning mid length baby pink ball gown, it puffed out slightly and had the most amazing details on the top. Maria like me kept it simple and elegant and was told to wear a plain baby blue dress with some accessories.
Knocking on Ariana’s door was the maid letting us know the party has officially begun and the guests started arriving, Ariana nodded dismissing her as we all went downstairs. Me and Maria waited with the rest of the guests while the kings waited upstairs and got ready for their announced entrance, damn it really was like a Disney ball.
They announced the King family for authority, to remind the guests that although they are friends, they are still above them. That’s the only thing that made any sort of sense that and it’s cool to be announced as everyone waits for you to walk down the stairs, but something tells me their use to that sort of attention.
Maria and I walked hand in hand around the place, within seconds the place was swarmed with guests. All of them looked so important Maria and I felt like outsiders being we didn’t really have any key roles in the criminal world anymore. We both walked towards the bar and got a drink.
‘This feels wrong’ I looked at Maria taking a sip out of my drink I raised an eyebrow at her. ‘A few months ago, I was warning you to stay away from Vincenzo, now we live with them. I also was never going to go near Lorenzo now I’m sleeping with him. A month ago you were trying to kill and shoot your way out of here, you got kidnapped and tortured and yet we both feel no sense of danger, are completely calm dancing and attending a party for their fucking dad in a place sworn with criminal mafia bosses, drug lords and even gang leaders and we are acting like it’s another Tuesday drinking a martini’ she nervously finishes off her sentence by throwing the straw behind her back and taking a gulp of her drink
I stared at like the same way I stared at Ariana when she said their parties are bigger than Disney “you have a point’ I continued as I tried to take her drink from her hands before she starts over drinking, I will not be put on drunk baby-sitter duty. That’s the guy’s job I plan on getting as drunk as I can.
‘I HAVE A POINT!’ Maria yelled and everyone’s head turned towards us, widening my eyes I put my drink down and drag Maria through the crowd of people towards a table and sat her down. ‘Maria why are you acting like a … ticking time bomb’ I needed to try and find the right words to explain her current state.
It’s very rare Maria gets like this unless she … realisation overtook me as I grinned at her. ‘Who dropped the L bomb first?’ she looked back at me shocked raising both her eyebrows as her eyes went as wide as possible. Doubling over laughing I clutch my stomach ‘OH MY GOD HE SAID IT FIRST DIDN’T HE’ I couldn’t breathe, Maria started to slap my arms shushing me. ‘Isabella shhhhhh’ she brushes her hand through her hair as she exhales a breath ‘ I wanted to say it back holy fuck I really did but it wouldn’t leave my lips. Flashbacks of everything just came flashing back and I froze’
I eyed her knowingly ‘you froze? Maria Knight what did you say?’ She hangs her head in shame as she mutters ‘thanks’ Covering my mouth to stop myself from both laughing and gasping ‘you did not’ she nods her head yes, she did. ‘I feel so bad, I love him I really do I just it was out of the blue. I wasn’t expecting it yet’ I shrugged my shoulders ‘it’s been a good month and a half’
‘I need to talk to him’
‘Well looks like you will soon’ I pointed up at the stairs a man came out to get everyones attention before announcing the Kings. ‘Ladies and gentlemen, Mr Vincenzo King’ The doors opened and out walked Vincenzo. Biting my bottom lip, I eyed him up and down taking in his appearance, He was in a tradition attire nothing special, but he made it look like a million bucks. The white button up shirt was just right fitting it showed off his toned body, he walked to the side as he waited for the rest of his family.
‘Mr Lorenzo King’ the doors opened as Lorenzo strikes a pose laughing, I shake my head of fucking course I looked over at Maria as she started giggling. It was both a nervous giggle and a genuine giggle. He matching Vincenzo is wearing the same thing.
‘Principessa Mafiosa Ms Ariana King’ giggling the room as a joke all bowed at the mention of her name, she really is her father’s little girl she giggles, her and brothers walked down the stairs and waited at the bottom as they announced their parents.
‘Ladies and gentlemen Mrs Anna Marie King and our guest of honour Mr Giovanni King’ they walked in arms locked as everyone started clapping and cheering. ‘This is so extra’ I whispered to Maria who nodded agreeing with me. ‘Wish you were up there?’ she whispers back ‘Yea, you?’ she pauses for a moment ‘yea’ laughing we both high five.
‘Leonessa you look … beautiful’ eyeing him suspiciously I giggle ‘not so bad yourself Italy’ I say admiring his tall frame, I look over my shoulder and see Lorenzo and Maria awkwardly exchanging compliments ‘I love your- uh I didn’t mean love I meant like- but no wait I did mean love but I-‘ doing him a favour I cut him off ‘Lorenzo you couldn’t find a nicer pose’ He looked at me grateful before replacing it with a hurt expression ‘puta you wish you could rock a room like me’
‘How about you go and rock the bar’ Lorenzo snaps his finger and links arms with Vincenzo ‘come on boo lets go’ Vincenzo looks at Lorenzo like he lost his mind and then back at me signalling for help before I shrug my shoulders and laugh. Looking back at Maria Ariana eyes her carefully before coming to the same realisation I did a few minutes ago ‘OHHH MY GODDDD NOOOO’ she gasps as she takes a seat and pressures Maria to spill.
I looked to my left as I saw Roxy talking to an older looking gentleman near the bar, I eyed them both closely. He looks so familiar who she talking to? I thought to myself as I edged closer to approach them and get a better view a man that looked like a lot like Mateo walked past. My body went stiff as my mind flashed back to him.
*FLASHBACK*
After Xavier offered me a job in his gang in exchange for my freedom, I took it in a heartbeat. It took me over a month to readjust to the light and human contact and interaction. I was starved for affection and emotion, but it become sacred to me that when I got it I felt like I needed to fight and scream.
Mateo helped he was extremely patient with me, ‘Isabella’ I cringed at hearing my name ‘dragon’ I looked up and smiled, after my parents’ death and Xavier torturing me while calling out Isabella made my entire body shutdown at the mere mention of my name. Dragon replaced Isabella in more ways than one.
Mateo was one of the few men in this gang besides Alex whose company I genuinely enjoyed, Mateo slowly helped me regain myself … in front of him and Alex I was really myself I was Isabella, but to the world it was Dragon. Only Dragon.
‘We have a guy who is refusing to pay up, his in the interrogation room. Boss wants you to handle it’ I nodded my head and grabbed my red leather jacket and put it on, when I had this jacket on it always meant someone was either going to die or get extremely hurt.
I walked inside the interrogation room and saw Xavier trying to intimidate the man by aiming a gun to his head ‘YOU DON’T SCARE ME MALDITA PERRA’ he spat at Xavier. I smirked feeling in my element I watched as Xavier’s veins began popping in his forehead and his entire body began shaking. He both was agitated and helpless he had no idea what to do or how to show authority to a man who wasn’t starved and trapped in a cell for a month.
‘No no no, you got it all wrong. You need to make it fun’ I chimed in shrugging my shoulders and rubbing my hands together before I got closer to them both. Both looked at me with fear and that made me smile, the girl that was trapped in that basement died.
Now it’s just Dragon. I snatched the gun from Xavier and grabbed the keys for the man’s handcuffs, ‘I don’t like doing shit like a coward’ I eyed Xavier indicating I wanted him out of the room, he eyed me for a minute before I slightly tilted my head staring him down.
He finally broke and left; I looked over at the man sitting in front of me smiling ‘what’s your name?’ I asked him as I eyed the seven shot ‘Nagant’ M1895 revolver gun as I poured out the bullets on the floor.
‘I’m not fucking telling you shit’ he spat as he went to stand up looking at the gun, I grab one bullet placing it in the revolver before spinning it and shutting it. ‘You see I’m not Xavier I don’t take shit, nor do I get flustered. If you do not sit down, I will personally make sure you are unable to sit for the rest of your miserable life.’ I calmly stated as I played with the gun waving it around and throwing it from hand to hand.
sensing the unsettling calmness in my voice he sat back down, ‘Now I like to play games … do you like to play games?’ I asked him as I inched closer to him with the gun resting under his chin. ‘I believe the lady asked you a question’ Mateo muttered, I forgot he was in the room. My eyes followed him as he moved to the right side of the room, then went back to the man. ‘No’ smiling I laugh, ‘well too bad. I love games, it makes everything so much more … fun’
‘Now my favourite game is Russian roulette, I’ll be asking you one question and if you don’t answer you test fate.’ I aimed the gun to his face and tilted my head to the left so I can see his face, ‘why are you not paying up?’ I asked him, he stubbornly stayed silent and eyed me daring me to pull the trigger. Smirking I pulled the trigger, it clicked empty … the man jumped back in his seat as sweat started to pour down his face.
‘See how fun that was, the suspense’ I exaggerated the word suspense, I nodded my head indicating him to answer my first question. ‘My boss doesn’t want to give money to your gang no more’ he slowly stuttered out shutting eyes the entire time.
‘Why?’ I pressed … no answer again clicking the gun … empty ‘Come on you never know when your luck may run out’
‘He wants to overrun it’ he quickly yells.
*END OF FLASHBACK*
Mateo was an absolute gem the most caring soul in that pathetic gang before his wife died then he did a complete 360. He wanted to desperately do what I did at that time and escape my past, its troubles and trauma he wanted to kill himself and come back new.
But like I learnt it’s not that easy, ignoring Roxy and whoever it is she is talking to I rush behind the man who looked like Mateo. ‘OH, LOOOOOOK VINCENZOOO ITS ISABELLAAA’ My arm is suddenly being dragged down as I almost lost balance.
I turn around and see a very drunk Lorenzo ‘OH HEYYYY ISABELAAAAA, HEY LOOK LORENZO ITS MY GIRL’ My head snaps to Vincenzo ‘oh no no no no nooooooo please tell me you’re not drunk’
He tries standing up on his own but loses slight balance as he stares at me with a childlike grin ‘ok … ok wait …’ he scratches his forehead as he snaps his fingers and screams ‘LIGHTBULB’ my eyes go wide … this is not fucking happening.
‘I am nooooooot drunk’ he says and gives me the biggest smile ‘how’d I do?’ he asks me. Lorenzo cheers and whistles ‘YOU DID FUCKING GREAT BRO’
They both high five each other as they wander off again, oh no, no, no, no. I go to run after them but turn the other way and rush to get Maria. I might be obliged for Vincenzo but I in no way need to handle both tweetle dee and tweetle dumb on my own.
‘Maria, you made Lorenzo get piss black drunk and now he got Vincenzo pissed out drunk. THAT WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ME’ I yell as I point at my chest crying out. ‘Now I got to babysit him’ I fake cry.
Maria stands up as she turns me around to Vincenzo and Lorenzo. Suppressing a laugh, I cover my mouth with my hand as my eyes widen. Vincenzo and Lorenzo are having a throwing contest with a girl’s wig as the basket. ‘Are they throwing nuts into that lady’s wig?’ Maria and I turn around. ‘You know one thing I love about them both having significant others now is I no longer need to baby sit them when they are like that’ their mum gestures towards them before laughing and wishing us both luck.
‘Use look stunning by the way’ she gives us a kiss on the Cheek before walking off to greet the rest of the guests. Maria and I look at each other and exchange worried glances before we quickly rush over to the boys. ‘For reference that should be me throwing peanuts into a lady’s wig, and Vincenzo and Lorenzo running after us’ I scold Maria.
We both approach the men as we grab the peanuts out of their hands and put them down, ‘Hey heyyy I was winning’ Lorenzo whines. Vincenzo scoffs ‘you wish’ I feel like I’m witnessing their childhood, ‘would you two stops acting like kids and come sit down’ Maria scolds them. Lorenzo jumps up and punches Vincenzo in the chest ‘Yea Vincenzo grow up’
Vincenzo throws the peanuts he snuck back in his hands at Lorenzo’s face. Shaking my head putting my hand over eyes I cry ‘this is not happening’ I look back at the boys who are now slapping each other like teenage girls, fucking hell for mafia and Italian’s they suck at holding down their liquor.
‘Isabella, can you hit him with your knife?’ Vincenzo asks me as he starts shaking me by my shoulders. ‘I think the technical term for that is ‘stab’ Vincenzo’ his eyes go wide with realisation as he widens his eyes and mouth like a child begin given chocolate ‘That sound so much coooooler do that do that stab him Leonessa stab him’ he says as he jumps and does the action of stabbing someone.
Lorenzo starts jumping up and down as he begs for Maria to stab Vincenzo. By now we have gained a lot of attention, ‘we need to get them upstairs’ I whisper shout to Maria she nods with a desperate look in her eyes. Giovani approaches us as he hugs both me and Maria before going towards his boys.
He stops midway and me and Maria are trying to desperately avoid eye contact, looking around the place admiring the people and decoration. ‘Are you two drunk?’ they both look at each other than back at their dad ‘define drunk’ Lorenzo states as he rests his chin on his knuckles mimicking the thinking statue.
‘Yup that pretty much answers it.’ Giovani gives me and Maria a tap on the back wishing us luck as he leaves. ‘LORENZO LET’S PLAY A GAME’ I slap Vincenzo and Lorenzo on the arm ‘No more games! Sit down and have some water’ they both slouch and sit down on the bar stool before Lorenzo completely lost balance and falls flat on his ass. Vincenzo and I burst out laughing ‘I don’t care that was fucking funny’ I gesture to a very annoyed looking Maria.
‘Whoever falls off the chair loses … LORENZO YOU FELL I WON’ Vincenzo screams fits pumping the air, as he waits for me too high five him. Rolling my eyes, he looks so fucking cute so I high fived him. Maria gives me a what the fuck stare ‘oh come on look at that face’ Vincenzo and I both give her puppy dog eyes. ‘NO FAIR THATS CHEATING’ Lorenzo yells as he tries to sit back on the bar stool. ‘I prefer the term creative’ Vincenzo clarifies.
‘No, you’re a bitch that’s the term’ Lorenzo mutters as he sits on the chair sulking crossing his arms, ‘you look like grumpy’ I comment on his current state, Maria slaps my arm ‘can you not anger it’ I shrugged my shoulders before gesturing at Lorenzo ‘He is already angry’
The live band began singing some songs and apparently it just happened to be Vincenzo’s favourite song. everyone got up and was on the dance floor with their significant other, as they swayed on in sync. Vincenzo eyed me with puppy dog eyes like Lorenzo eyed Maria. Both of us not caring anymore caved in as they rushed us to the dance floor.
we began to sway to the beat of the song, but the boy started to lose balance and we were falling all over the place. ‘Okay nope’ Maria and I both stated as we dragged the boys away from the dance floor and up the stairs. ‘I don’t wanna go upstairs’ Lorenzo cried out, ‘yea we wanna stay here and party with the humans’ I eyed Vincenzo as I helped him up the stairs ‘the humans? why what the hell are you?’
He expanded his arms as wide as he can and shouted, ‘I’M AN EGALE’ Lorenzo laughed encouraging him ‘THEN JUMP’ he stated.
Panicked Vincenzo tried to squirm out of my grip and jump off the stairs ‘no nooo noo. You can fly another day’
Lorenzo made a sad face and walked inside after Maria slapped him at the back of his head for giving Vincenzo that stupid idea. Vincenzo sulked at he walked in front of me letting out a sigh of relief we took the guys to their bedrooms, Vincenzo gasps as he reaches his hand out and turns around, oh for fuck’s sake. Placing both my hands on his chest I start pushing him ‘LORENZO THERE TRYNA SEPERATE US’ tryna? did he just use an acronym.
‘YOU MONSTERS, IS THIS BECAUSE I SAID I LOVE YOU AND YOU DIDNT SAY IT BACK YOU’RE TRYING TO SEPERATE ME FROM MY BROTHER’ Maria looked up and Lorenzo with pure confusion and slight embarrassment Vincenzo stopped trying to go towards Lorenzo as he winced and placed his hand on his cheek shaking his head.
‘Maybe you should go, THAT WAS COLD MARIA’ Vincenzo yells before clapping his hands and walks to his bedroom. Shaking my head, I mentally whine that should be me acting like an idiot and him shaking his fucking head.
Blowing the loose strand of hair out of my face, I walked in his room and grabbed the water from his tray in the car right corner of his room. ‘My room is big’ he states looking around the place. He wasn’t wrong ‘that’s not all that’s big’ he says as he gives me a goofy smile.
Not being able to control myself I grin as I laugh it off, he isn’t wrong about that too, I mentally note. I hand the glass of water to Vincenzo as he eyes it sceptically ‘what kind of alcohol is this?’ He asked before he looks up at me. ‘Uh it’s … a magical drink. It tastes just like water, but it’ll make you more drunk’ I state he excitedly takes the cup from my hand as he chugs it down. After he finished, he scrunches his face and looks at my while he sticks his tongue out ‘that tasted bad’
‘I’m gonna murder you! I should be the one drunk and saying water taste bad NOT YOU’ he looks at me with pure confusions before he grabs his phone out of his pocket and checks his calendar. ‘What are you-‘ he cuts me off my putting his finger to my mouth to silence me. He nods his head confirming whatever it was he was looking for ‘murder was not on the agenda!’ He says with full confidences as he gives me a sharp nod.
Raising an eyebrow at him ‘it’s not on anyone’s agenda’ I state he stares at me with innocently? That a new look I didn’t know he had in him. He grabs his phone and shoves it in my face ‘no, it’s on mine, see? It’s just not until next Thursday’ He scratches his head as he looks back up at me.
You got to be fucking with me? ‘Oh, okay that’s right, we’ll that means you need to get your rest if you want to be do that’ He smacks his head before nodding ‘smart’ I help him to the bathroom where he brushes his teeth while singing an old nursery Italian nursery rhyme.
He finishes and starts stripping, now that’s what I’m talking about. I eye him up and down as he takes his shirt off. He turns around and finds me stating he pursues his lips and widens his eyes ‘can you like not look?’ Taken back I look at him about to burst into laughter, deciding to just turn around I look at the door as I wait for him to jump into bed.
‘Okay you can look now’ I turn back around and see him tucked in his bed, letting out a sigh I smile ‘okay now gets some sleep I’ll make sure someone leave you some painkillers and water for tomorrow morning’ lord knows you’ll need it. He grabs my wrist not letting me leave ‘Can you stay here with me?’ I look at him debating the idea. I tilt my head in pity as I go to reject ‘listen I may be drunk but I’m still stubborn’
Rolling my eyes my feet were throbbing and honestly, I was exhausted and not prepared for a fight. ‘Fine.’ I take my shoes off and strip out of my jumpsuit. I was completely naked as I looked through his closet. I turned around to ask where he puts his boxers and t shirts, but I see him with his mouth hanging open with the pure admiration written on his face. ‘You are the most angelic, beautiful and sexy women I’ve ever laid my eyes on … and I’ve seen a lot of naked women’ Shaking my head, I smirk lightly; he was doing so well. I find a pair of boxers and a plain white t-shirt. Throwing them on I go towards Vincenzo and slip under his covers and lay flat on my back as he shuts off the lights.
We laid down in silence as I calmed myself further by listening to the sound of Vincenzo breathing half asleep my eyes begin to drift shut, ‘Isabella?’ I hum in response ‘I know when I sober up, I’m not going to say this, so I’ll say it when I’m drunk. My life’s crazy … I’m crazy. I can be a dick and a pain but I’m only like that to protect you. To protect everyone … so I never have to lose anyone again’ he drifts off.
Lose anyone again? Did he lose someone? I turn on my side as I watch his facial expression shift to sadness as he reminisces over his past lost. ‘My world is a lot to take, I burn a lot of people and I’ve set fire to the world … but remember one things Leonessa. I’ll never let a single flame burn you’ he closes his eyes as she starts to drift off. Smiling I snuggle into him, now I’m happy I wasn’t drunk. Smiling I drift off to sleep, before I felt a stick poking me … ‘Vincenzo’ I drag out.
He says nothing but lets out a childlike laugh.
