CHAPTER 18 - REALITY

It's early Sunday morning when I wake, I check Romeo's phone its just after seven. I see Romeo is not in bed but I hear the shower, and I decide to join him. I stretch and walk lazily into the bathroom, since I'm still naked I climb in behind him and slip my arms around his waist. "You're up early," Romeo says chuckling.

I run my hands over his chiselled chest down his rock hard stomach with my cheek to his back. I give out an appreciative moan, "I woke up and you weren't there." I say enjoying the feel of my amazingly hot boyfriend.

Romeo turns to me, the water cascading down our bodies. "I have a lot to go over today, we have to reorganise things, I thought I would let you sleep in after last night," Romeo says holding me.

"Which part?" I ask dryly.

"Well definitely after the sex but more so your father showing up," Romeo says wearily.

I sigh as he pulls away from me and looks into my eyes. "Well, he found me, he won't stop until he gets me, I'm his daughter, he's like a dog with a bone." I say not wanting to disrupt our bubble, but it's been done.

"I know it's hard but, I will deal with it, stay here. I have tripled the amount of my men protecting the house since last night." Romeo says ensuring my safety. I nod and we get to showering and after a while of just loving touches and flirty glances we get out and brush out teeth. I sit on the couch in the bathroom watching Romeo shave.

"I'm scared Romeo, I'm nothing but a bargaining chip to him. Dimitri, Gio and my mother probably know by now, I should expect word from Gio soon," I sigh. "I thought he might just be happy to see me with you if he found out, but as usual he wants to make another deal, with that psychopath Drago," I say shaking my head.

"Don't worry bella, he won't come near you again. We will figure this out." Romeo says pulling me into a hug, I didn't even know he was finished and standing in front of me. We move to the bedroom and get ready for the day. I slip on grey yoga pants and an oversized long sleeve black jumper of Romeo's with my fluffy slippers and put my hair in a ponytail. "Mari will be spending the day with you, and staying over. I will be back to change before the raid tonight, if you need me, just call me, no matter how small ok? No leaving the house. As a small consolation the hotel and casino done exceptionally well." Romeo says pulling on his navy blue suit jacket. He looks absolutely devilishly handsome. I nod in acceptance.

"I'm going to miss you Romeo, I love you," I say feeling rather deflated.

"I will miss you too baby, I love you more than anything," Romeo says and he gives me a long toe curling kiss goodbye, leaving behind his cologne lingering on the air. Now I'm nervous not only about my family but about Romeo's safety tonight, I don't want him to get hurt.

Romeo POV:

I hate leaving Lina behind, I just want to be with her, especially now with her father being back. I sigh watching the city pass me by, Dante Russo and Vincent Mancini are a deadly combination, we need to take extra care tonight, I need to speak with Toscano to make sure we are ready and go over this plan to make sure we are ready for both of them. I need to call Luc to make sure, the meetings are all closed doors today. "Luc, morning, make sure we are not disturbed today, I need the inner circle at my casino office in half an hour and that includes Toscano and his second." I say sighing heavily.

"Sure Rome, I'm on it, how's Alina?" Luc asks.

"She's ok, just scared, her father is just as crazy and power hungry as Mancini. I need to protect her," I say feeling like I have the world on my shoulders.

"You love her brother?" Luc asks but already knows the answer.

"I do, told her that last night," I say smirking.

"Good for you, she's amazing. See you when you get here?" He questions.

"Yeah see you soon," I answer and the line goes dead. We pull up at the De Luca Hotel and Casino, and I make my way to the office with four guards including Tino, where he leaves me and takes his spot outside with the other men.

Dario, Leo, Luca and Vince enter and they all look ready for action. "Morning guys, Luc, have you gotten hold of Toscano?"

"Yeah, he should be here any minute," he says as I pinch the bridge of my nose, I feel a headache already. That man has to be dramatic and make an entrance, speaking of, the man strolls in.

"De Luca, I brought my second, Benito, he will be helping Vince with the plans". Toscano says and I get a nod from Benito, I nod at them both. "Security is tighter than usual, any specific reason?" Toscano asks.

"There's always a reason Toscano, you know that," I answer irritated. I should have just asked the Russian mob for help on this instead of this ass, but there was no time. I don't explain further. "Dario, order us some breakfast and coffee and Let's get down to work, Vince what have you got?" I ask him, knowing he's come prepared. We all sit around the conference table and the projector is on with pictures. I love how Vince does this.

As Vince prepares, our breakfast arrives, Tino brings it all in, as we cannot have staff in here now. "Gentleman help yourselves," I offer and all of them do.

We take our seats and let Vince do his part. "We have the plans to the warehouse, there are three exits and twenty windows mostly on the top floors, where the girls are being held there are none. There is one door in and out, so we have to be perfect in our timing, the guard change is at exactly twelve am, that will be our opening. Your guy inside gave us all the information and we will enter from the south side with guards all over the other two exits so nobody can escape. We will have snipers covering the exits too, two per exit." Vince looks at us, to see if we have any questions.

Dario looks to Toscano, "how many men are you having help us?"

"I am giving you twenty five men, together with your thirty, I figured that will be enough, and they are instructed to follow De Luca's orders and your men's." Dario nods. "Benito will relay the plan when we leave to only the men that we have chosen for this. We have additional snipers about three more to help just in case since myself and Romeo will be there."

"Thank you Toscano, that's very helpful, I appreciate it." I answer coolly.

"Well Romeo, we have a common goal here, underage anything is not allowed, all Mafia men hate it, so Mancini and Drago doing this is unquestionable. I take it you know Russo has joined forces with him, beside you he's the only other Don that has almost as much power as you." Toscano says and I nod.

"That's why we added an additional ten men on standby, we cannot be too careful." I say wearily, knowing Toscano has heard about Alina. I have twenty men guarding the house, and I'm still not feeling secure, so Luc will be going to make sure she's ok. Luciano and myself are the best shooters even if my brother doesn't have the stomach for it, he will protect family and those we love, that's why I trust him protecting Alina.

The rest of the afternoon we go over every part of the plan and have vans ready for the girls to be taken away to safety, and put up in a house in an undisclosed location. "De Luca, I need to ask you, what happens if we spot Drago, his father and Dante Russo?" Toscano asks.

"Well, I don't think Russo will be there since we have no word on it at all, it was just assumed, but his men will be there, in event he does show his face, he is to be captured but kept alive. Drago is a shoot to kill and so is his father. Francesca won't be there, but we have eyes on her, apparently she's in Italy, Tuscany to be exact, doing some business for her father in one of their other legal businesses. I have my shit handled and under control Toscano. Remember who you are speaking too." I say with a deathly calm voice. I see him swallow and he gets nervous and simply nods. He even breaks a sweat, I add more to watch him squirm, "I know more than you can ever imagine, I even know how many times a day everyone in the criminal world takes a shit. You may think I get surprised, I don't. I also know that you were aware of Russo showing up last night, I knew before he was in the building. Don't question me and don't fuck with me Toscano, you and all your business can disappear tomorrow if I so choose."

"Yes De Luca, I apologise, I meant no disrespect. You are more ruthless than your father," Toscano says with a nervous chuckle.

"And don't you forget it, Mancini and Russo are only functioning in this world because I deem it possible to do so, they are not playing by the rules so this is where they feel my wrath for their misconduct." I say stone cold my gun laying in front of me on the table, and all of my men are silent, you can hear pin drop in this office.

"Yes I hear you. We will be ready for tonight, and meet you at the designated spot. I'm surprised you are doing this yourself?" He asks.

"Toscano, I don't let my men do anything I wouldn't do myself. They protect me, I protect them. Simple," I say with finality dismissing him. He gets the picture and leaves. Good, this man makes me want kill someone.

I look at the time and it's already after five in the evening, we spent the entire day making sure everything is air tight for tonight. I need to go home to my girl. "Dario, Luc, Leo, Vince meeting is over, meet at my house at nine." They all nod and we leave, I text Tino to bring the car around. I exit the building and see the car ready, four guards check before I enter. "Tino home please," I order.

"Yes boss," he answers and we speed off. I arrive twenty minutes later, I see all the men patrolling, some can't be seen, good they are doing their jobs. "Tino, you are to meet me here when I call for you, please be on standby." He nods and walks off.

I walk into the house and I hear laughing, the sound of Alina's laugh is all I need for the tension to release. I see her and Mari having wine and laughing at some show about wedding dresses, and I feel the blood drain from my face. I think it's instinctual for men to feel that way. "Romeo baby you're home!" Alina comes barrelling toward me and jumps into my arms and I hold her close breathing in her wonderful perfume. She takes her head out of my neck and leans in to kiss me. "Romeo are you sick? You look pale," she asks and I swallow hard, I need a drink.

"I'm alright, just a long day that's all," I say shrugging off my jacket, holsters and tie, placing my guns in the safe and Alina is back on me in a second. She turns to the TV as Mari is still watching and she looks horrified.

"Oh baby no, no, no! Mari and I love to watch this show, it's something we have always done, it's just guilty pleasure TV, that's all," she says quickly and I release a breath and she laughs, jumping off me and handing me her glass of wine, which I down and her and Mari have a laugh at my expense. I shake my head and I'm starving. "Oh I made some, spaghetti and meatballs with garlic bread for dinner, hope that's ok? There's chocolate mousse for dessert," Alina says and I can't help but smile at her warmly. Maybe that wedding show is looking better and better. Alina walks into the kitchen and the table is already set for five with chilled wine and I see Leo walk in with Luc. We all sit down and Alina puts the food on the table and we say grace.

"Rome, this is just as good as mama's!" Luc says as we all enjoy the food.

"Thank you baby, for cooking for us this is amazingly sweet, and the food is delicious," I say complimenting my angel.

"Well you boys need to eat and eat well, don't forget dessert," she says smiling and the boys are going to town on the food, I can't help but feel like this is everything I want, she's amazing. This happy moment of family is what I need before the job tonight, I don't know how this will turn out.