10

THREE YEARS LATER

Alora adjusted her eyes in the dim light she’d gone out with her friends from her office. Her and Lorenzo had finally settled down after moving place to place for the last three years thinking the dust had settled and she'd forgotten about.

His eyes glowed darkly in hers. ‘Do you really think we would’ve forgotten about you Alora?’

She sat nervously where the hell was she and who the hell was taking to her. ‘Your brother is in so much trouble Alora.’

‘Leave him out of this. He was only trying to help me.’

‘Lucky it’s us that found you. And not Bianchi.’

‘Raven?’

He smiled evilly. ‘Gianni was pissed when you filed for divorce.’

‘I don’t give a flying fuck. He lied to me, he promised me he would never cheat on me and he did.’

‘He was angry at you Alora.’

‘It was no excuse to shag a whore behind my back?’

‘You let Luca screw you, tit for tat Alora.’

‘And you kissed me.’

‘And I’ll never regret it.’ He looked at her his eyes were cold and emotionless. ‘Does Luca know you had his baby?’

‘H- how did you know.’

‘Seriously, Alora, you're asking me that? We know your brother managed to get Gianni and Lucca’s dna from the data banks where he works, so don't pull the shit over my eyes.’ He stared at her. ‘And we also know you gave him away. Lucky Bianchi doesn’t or you’d be in a living hell right now regretting that you ever made that decision.’

‘Why am I here Raven?’

‘Gianni wants to see you.’

‘What’s the point Raven there’s nothing left to say.’

‘He won’t sign the papers, if he does it gives Bianchi opportunity to move on to you again and get you married to Luca.’

‘I don’t want him. I don’t want either of them.’

‘He has a proposal for you.’

‘I’m not interested.’

‘Oh you will be if you want your brother to stay alive.’

‘You can’t blackmail me?’

‘Oh yes we can sweet heart. He is the Mafia king and he can do as he pleases.’

She looked at him shaken.

‘Liana misses you.’

‘I don’t want to see her.’

‘Don’t say that hunny she’s your friend.’

‘She betrayed me.’

‘She never betrayed you hunny. She just wanted to keep you safe from the truth, I see that didn’t do too well seen as your brother told you who your father was, who you were.’

‘He was protecting me.’

‘And we’ll be protecting you from now on.’

‘Well you did a good job that first time round what makes this one any different?’

‘We are better prepared.’

He leaned forward pressing his lips on hers kissing her lowering her down onto the sofa kissing her harder with tongue.

‘How is she?”

‘Fine considering.’

‘Considering what?’

‘I drugged her to get her here.’

‘And her brother?’

‘Fine. We had a little chat, he was very cooperative.’

‘Good we could do with someone like him on our side.’

‘I don’t think he’s in anyone’s side Gianni. He just wants to keep Alora safe.‘

‘So do I.’

‘After the stunt you pulled you need to do more than keep her safe . You need to make sure she understands what we are doing and why.’

‘I will.’

‘You should’ve told her the truth from the beginning and none of this would’ve been necessary.’

‘I know I thought I’d got more time.’

‘Well you didn’t.’

‘Haven’t you got a tour coming up?’

‘It’s been cancelled till fall so I’m at your disposal.’

‘Good. We need to be together in this at all times.‘

‘I inserted the tracker while she slept as you asked.’

He nodded. ‘I’d like to see her.’

‘She’s not in the mood for talking right now Gianni. She hates all of us and you the most.’

‘I don’t really give a shit. This has to be done today so we can get the ball rolling.’

‘Are you sure that your willing to give her to me I mean...’

‘I am. We decided that it was for the best for her safety and I trust you no one else to take care of her.’

‘She won’t like it.’

‘I don’t give two fucks. We are doing this if they think I’ve gone off the face of the earth they won’t think twice about looking for her.’

‘I hope you’re right.’

‘I know I’m right.’

‘Is another wedding really necessary?’

‘It is. We need to do this right.’

‘By faking your death.’

‘Yes they won’t touch her.’

‘Are you sure? What if Luca finds the kid?’

‘That’s a big if Raven. If he does then we shoot the fucker before he gets to Alora.’

‘Fine she’s sleeping on the sofa I’ll wake her.’

He smiled. ‘Let’s get this over and down with.‘

He followed Raven into the lounge he leaned forward brushing his hand over her face. ‘Alora wake up, we have a guest.’

‘Five more minutes.’

Gianni laughed.

‘Now Alora.’

‘Urgh.’

He stood in front of her still laughing. She pulled herself up. Looking through her sleepy eyes. ‘Still the same Alora.’ He laughed.

‘Gianni what the hell are you doing here?’

‘Love you too.’

Seh scoured at him. ‘Why are you here?’

‘It’s my house, why shouldn’t I be here?’

‘But I thought.’

‘Well you thought wrong. Raven just kindly brought you back for me.’

‘Why bother our marriage is over, so why are you stalling with the divorce papers. Just sign them already so I can leave this sham marriage.’

‘That’s why I’m here . Did Raven say I had a proposal for you?’

‘Yeah.’

He sat down. ‘Sit down Raven you know I don’t like anyone standing around it cringes me.’

He sat next to Alora, her nerves began to show, somehow she was sure she wasn’t going to like why he was going to propose.

He looked at her. ‘One I will not sign the papers.’

‘But..’

‘Two there is only one way out of this marriage.’

She looked at him with interest in her eyes. ‘I disappear.’

‘And how the hell do you propose to do that?’

‘Fake my death.’

She laughed.

He glared at her cutting her laughter. ‘God you are fucking serious.’

‘Just listen Alora. Me and Raven have already talked this through and you just need to agree.’ He looked at her. ‘We are going to fake a shoot out between us both about you. He shoots me with blank bullets. I die simple.’

‘How’s that simple the cops Gianni.’

‘All sorted, a month after the death certificate is ready and they burry a body that everyone thinks is mine you and Raven will marry.’

‘We will what? Are you crazy or in-fucking-sane?’

‘It’s the only way to keep you safe Alora trust me. This way they’ll think in dead by your new lover, your new husband and they won’t try to find you.’

‘And you really think this is going to work?‘

‘Yes I do.’

‘You really are delusional.’ She laughed

They looked at her their eyes cold Gianni looked at her angered, what was so fucking funny?

‘So who am I supposed to sleep with?’

‘Both of us.’ They said.

She stopped laughing. ‘Now you really are fucking delusional. I’m not sleeping with either of you.’

‘I told you she wouldn’t go for it.’

Gianni stepped forward. Placing his hands either side of her, his eyes on hers not shifting his look she swallowed his eyes and showed pure evil. ‘You will do this Alora.. if you want your brother to see another fucking day are we clear?’

She swallowed again, her throat dry. ‘Are we clear Alora?!”

‘Yeah.’

‘Good I can begin the preparations.’ He pressed his lips on her cheek kissing her. ‘I really didn’t want it to come to this.’ He said moving away.

‘How’s all this going to work Gianni?’

‘You’ll be staying with me in my bed and I’ll be fucking you senseless until it’s all sorted out. Then you have the pleasure of Raven. Then once everything is settled and everyone thinks I’m dead then you’ll be screwing us both.’

She swallowed this and it didn't sound good. What sort of life was this? she just wanted a divorce now she was stuck with both of them.