Chapter Fifteen

There was something brewing in between Angelo and her second unwelcomed guest. She was cooking very leisurely, knowing she could avoid them by this way for some time but Angelo in no time told her to hurry up and come out.

She threw in some salad and chicken since she did not know what was their choice. She took her cutlery out and laid it on the table; she then proceeded to give Diesel his food.

"Hey Alexis," Silvano called her,

"Yes," she replied looking at him and Angelo but was greeted by his absence on the seat he previously sat in.

"Could you give Ares food as well? Raw meat would be fine." He smiled.

'Raw meat?' Did he eat that? She hid her shock and nodded at that. He had talked to her nicely at least. 

Alexis desperately wanted to ask him a question but did not want to test her luck. One could never know when someone could flip, especially brother. So, in the end, she decided against it.

"You named your dog after the god of war?" She asked him a neutral question. She hoped he won't take it as an offence.

He didn't. On the contrary, Silvano laughed at her question. "Yes, I did. Because Ares is trained to take out men who may never return to life. He's a mixed wild breed. Quite lethal, I tell you. Angelo's dog was more lethal than him." He said, stating the facts like they were nothing but mere general facts which were common knowledge.

Alexis stared at him, muttering a 'huh' she left to get him raw meat. How could a dog eat raw meat? She would never do that to even a stray dog. She took out the leftover raw steak and grabbed Diesel's spare bowl and served it to the dog, which ate it happily.

She placed the food on the plates and grabbed a bottle of red wine.

"Take white. It would taste better." She gasped and jumped in fright at the sudden voice. She turned around to see Angelo standing behind her looking with the forever cold look in his eyes.

She turned back and replaced the red wine with the white. He stepped back and gave her way while he followed right behind. The seating arrangement was the same; Angelo in the head chair, Alexis on his right and opposite to her, sat Silvano. The three were enjoying their meal although Alexis was not enjoying as much with white wine as she would've with red.

"So," Silvano called her putting his cutlery down and took a sip of the wine and wiped his mouth, then he continued "I take it, you're a red wine person, is that not right ?"

Alexis gave him a tight-lipped smile and agreed.

"Hmm," he mused.

Women in the family were usually red wine lovers. They had vineyards that they took care of themselves. Some had studios for paintings and greenhouses for kitchen gardening, growing berries and such fruits whereas some were good in cooking and called the family over for regular reunions.

The woman was the heart of the family. Once the man married a woman that he loved and approved of, he would rather die than have another mistress. Others were the ones who were forced for an alliance and but didn't treat women like dirt under the shoe.

Silvano knew the facts yet he wanted his brother to have the best of the best. He also knew that Alexis had already been chosen by him and in due time she would bring me home.

"Alexis, tell me do you know who we are?" He asked yet he knew the answer.

"No. I don't." 'What kind of question was that?' No one told her anything and frankly speaking, she was not concerned. This was none of her business and she did not want to poke her nose in the business that did not concern her.

"That is none of my business because your line of work is no concern of mine." She continued confidently to the man who asked her the question. She glanced at Angelo who was eating his food with all the calm and collect any man could muster.

Silvano was delighted by her response. She was going to be the perfect mafia wife just like their mother; the ideal woman, a good wife and an Amazing madre. Brave and confident. He nodded at Angelo indicating his approval for her.

Angelo understood and placed his cutlery down. He looked at her and then took her hand in his.

"Do you have your laptop, Alexis?" He questioned her, to which he received a positive reply, he then told her to go get it.

Alexis entered her room and grabbed her laptop bag. She opened it and logged in and waited for further instructions. To her, it must be some Secretarial work that he needed to be done with.

"Search the name, Angelo de Alessandro." He said.

Now she was doubtful, why would she have to search his name? She did it not thinking of seconds thoughts and over-thinking as they usually spoiled the smooth flow of work being done. The search was normal; it was like searching for any other businessman.

Yet a few caught her undivided attention.

'Angelo de Alessandro linked with the underworld.'

'De Alessandro associated with the recent gunfire.'

'Another body found inside a dumpster, to be linked with the de Alessandro group.'

The links did not stop. The more she scrolled down the more she read and the more gut-twisting they got. She did not know how to react to the situation especially when the man who was supposedly linked with them was sitting right next to her. She was reading them with so much attention that she did not notice Angelo standing behind her. He was enjoying her reactions and her curiosity to read more.

He bent down to her ear, causing her breath to be hitched. He leisurely stroked her face and pushed a strand of her hair behind her ear.

"Do you think that can be rumours?" Calmly, he spoke in her ear.

"They could be," She spoke diplomatically.

He chuckled, "well, they are not." He confirmed.

Her eyes widened, her breath hitched and she looked at him. She wanted to say something to him, many things what were they? She was too confused to pick on one of the thoughts among the others running wildly in her head. She gulped and looked down again. Silvano on the other hand was watching the situation from afar because he did not want to be interrupting a conversation.

Angelo was still looking at her waiting for a reaction. She was shocked to the core and he was enjoying it. He was looking at her till Silvano interrupted him.

"Let's give her tonight to think, brother." He said getting up, stipulating that he was done here. Angelo nodded in return and stood straight. Alexis raised her eyes to some level yet not looking at any of the men.

Silvano walked up to her and turned her head towards him and leaned in.

He kissed her head. Presenting the decision he had made and followed Angelo out, leaving her alone in the apartment with her thoughts.