2. We Need To Talk

ALEXANDR'S POV

"Look stupid, either you tell me where those guys are hiding or you go to the other neighbourhood." the guy was making tears run down his face, and even though it could be said that he was torturing him, he knew that those tears weren't real, before getting information he made sure what kind of person they were, and this turns out to be one of the few people who had any contact with the Russians. "I don't know anything, miss."

I took a deep breath and then punched him again. I must admit that if he continued without giving me the information I wanted, I would end up killing him, because he was wearing out my patience. "Are you going to tell me that you don't know who I'm talking about?" he denied, but I know better that he is acting let's see if I let him go, which won't happen "No, I have no idea." I stretched out my hand towards Adriano who was at the end of the room looking at us, I must say with a disgusted face "Adriano, the knife."

She surprisedly caught his eye and even though she started to take out the razor to pass it to me, she could see the doubt he had to give it to me or not "Miss, I don't think..." "I said the razor."

With that he passed me the knife and I put it on the guy's neck. This time I could see the real fear in his eyes, and I just hope he tells me what I want to know, even though he will end up dead in the end, I couldn't afford to leave loose ends. Besides, I wasn't going to let him laugh in my face, because he had heard his voice in there, laughing with them.

"Please don't kill me." I punched him, because he was starting to touch my nose a little. I moved my neck to both sides, because the truth was beginning to have something more tense. "That depends on what you tell me." a couple more tears ran down his face. "I just don't know what he's talking about."

I denied and sighed, but at this moment I was going to take it a little more calmly, since in the end I wanted to know where those bastards were, so I decided to play the card that I am completely sure will be how it is revealed, they always do when told what they did to us "You were there with them and you laughed at all of us every time they came to rape us, so don't tell me you don't know what I'm talking about."

I could see surprise on his face, probably because he was out of that filthy basement, or as they called it the club. "That can't be... nobody got out of there alive." I smiled mischievously, because it's true that no one had left there, but we had made it and people didn't used to believe it "Surprise. Now tell me where the hell they are and I won't kill you."

His tremors were increasing, but the truth did not matter to me, I wanted to end this as soon as possible and go home to spend time with my daughter "They went to Russia, they were about to catch them and they left. But I have heard that soon they will return to Italy to close an arms smuggling business." She said getting my attention "With who?" She shrugged and I could see that at least he wasn't lying to me, which was great, I'd have to find more information to confirm. "Do you know when they'll be back?" "In a couple of days." I nodded and passed the knife to Adriano who had come a little closer "Thank you very much for your collaboration." I said causing a twinkle to appear in the eyes of this "Can I go?" I nodded and turned around to get out of there "Adriano, you know what you have to do." I could see the surprise on Adriano's face, which I don't understand, because he killed people for my father, and he wasn't the first to do it for me too "Didn't you say...?"

I shook my head and closed my eyes for a second "I think I just told you something." I said "But..."

I was sick of it, I don't know what was wrong with killing this boy. Before leaving the warehouse, I took the gun out of his pants and without turning around, I shot him between the eyebrows. I couldn't leave witnesses that I was looking for them, much less for them to go talk to the police, it was something I couldn't afford.

"For the next one, you will go behind the person. Now, put on your gloves and get that bullet out of there. We must not leave any traces. And make sure you don't leave any evidence behind." She nodded and with that I left the cellar and got in the car to go home, since in no time I would have to go to eat, but I also remember that Alison would be leaving school in a short time, so I would take advantage of the moment to go to her. Alison was the only good thing, other than Megan, that happened to me in there. She was my daughter, and as much as I hated it, she was the daughter of one of those bastards I'd take care of in no time.

Along the way I was thinking about who these guys would do arms smuggling with. He just hoped it wasn't Francesco, because then he'd have to screw up his business and he didn't want to. When I got to school, I got out of the car and went to the entrance to wait for her to come out of the compound, which she doesn't take long to do, and as soon as she sees me, I can see her eyes light up more than usual.

"Mommy!!!!" I smile. She was a big part of why she was after the Russians, so they couldn't do anything to her. They had already threatened me and I didn't want my daughter to go through the same thing that both her aunt and I went through. "Hello princess, how was your day?" I asked "Great, but I thought you had class and that Adriano would come looking for me."

I got up to her and ended up taking her backpack "Adriano was busy and he had to come get me princess." I stood up again, and let him take my hand to go to the car. "And Aunt Megan?" I looked down before opening the car and getting her inside "she will be waiting for us at home to eat." She nodded and I put her backpack in the trunk. Then I took her in her arms to sit her in her seat and fasten her seat belt "Mommy, can I ask you a question?" she said she "Sure, what's up?"

In her gaze she had the glow that she always had when something moved her. "Do you think you can play with me this afternoon?" I looked at her without understanding too much, but then I realized that in these last few days I hadn't played with her for too long "Of course, now let's go home before grandma calls us to scold us for not coming home." I kissed him on the forehead and then got in the car to go home. Along the way, Alison told me how her day had gone. These were the moments that I liked the most and in which she was calmer, to tell the truth.

Once we got to the house, Analissa was waiting at the door, and it doesn't take long for Alison to run past her for a hug. The older one said something to the girl and she entered the house. "How come you went after Alison at school? Where is Adriano? I shrugged and took Alison's backpack out of the trunk. "Adriano had some business to attend to and I didn't feel like staying until the last hour at the university. Besides, I wasn't going to let Alison stay there alone" my mother denied "That would be fixed if you had called me to go get her. You know I have no problem. Also, it is not good for you to miss the university now that you are about to finish your degree."

I went into the house and we went to the living room where I left Alison's backpack. "I know mom, but I haven't spent time with my daughter in a while, and I don't plan to lose my daughter's growth. And don't worry about her career, I don't have a problem with her." I heard her sigh, "You should worry about the race too." I denied, because even though she didn't think she should waste so much time in the race, I also understand her concern "And I do, but the most important thing is my daughter, mom, everything else comes after her."

Analissa put a hand on my shoulder, making it more than clear what she meant "You are a great mother, Ale." She said, causing me to put my head on her shoulder. "I'm actually a piece of mother shit..."

She pushed me away to try to make it clear to me that this was not the case, and it may be that in part she is not as motherfucking as I think most of the time, because it is true that she would do anything to keep my daughter safe, but that was not going to happen. to prevent me from feeling that way, because I also know that I could have a better mother than me in other ways. To have the father that she always wanted.

"Don't say that, you do everything possible to give her everything she needs from her and you're with her practically the whole afternoon…" she said seriously. "In the last few weeks, I haven't."

"That's because you're busy, but if not, you're always with her, and you should know that she adores you. By the way, your father wants you to go to the office. Your sister should already be there." She kissed me on the temple and got up to go to the kitchen, where Alison would probably be and I was surprised, because she hadn't crossed my path at any time since she arrived, which was weird.

"Has she arrived yet?" I asked getting up to go to my father's office and see what he wanted. "Yes, your father wants to talk to you. Seems like something important." She said with some concern visible in her eyes. "Then I better go, I want to spend the afternoon with Alison."

"Okay, I won't bother you anymore. When you're done, come down to eat." She said, giving me a kiss on the temple like she always did when I was frustrated with something. "We will, can you go with Alison? I don't want him to destroy the kitchen"

Analissa laughed and nodded making us each go our separate ways. When I got to the top floor, I didn't even say anything, because I know very well, they were waiting for me and never really say anything, it was a habit that I had picked up from dad and that he was trying to keep Alison from getting it.

"Hi darling. It gives me the feeling that you will never learn to bang on the door like normal people" she said with a smile on her face. "I thought that what you had to tell us was more important than to blow up, and besides we are not, you should know at this point in our lives" I said sitting next to my sister who had a smile on her face. "Would you even flop if it wasn't important?" she asked she and I crossed my arms, putting myself in the same position Megan was in. "You know I don't" I said with a small smile on my face.

"You took a little longer than usual to get here." And he didn't say it reproachfully, because if both Analissa and Francesco let us do anything, it was to do whatever we wanted, but not before telling them in case we were going to go out because of the bodyguards, even knowing that either of us is better than a handful of them.

"Don't believe it, I arrived early." I could feel Megan's gaze fixed on me, but at this moment I didn't care exactly the same, what mattered to me at this moment was knowing what Francesco had to tell us that is so important.

"Did you go for Alison?" I nodded and went to look out the window behind him, because I preferred it. There was something that was not giving me a good feeling.

"What is that you wanted to tell us about, dad?" Megan said. Of the two of us, she was the one who had the best relationship with Francesco, and despite the fact that I loved him too, not on the same level that she loved him, especially when we consider that she couldn't be with him alone in a room at first.

"Well, I've heard that you're missing a lot of college." She said seriously, and I really don't know what surprises her, because we did it from the beginning. We don't usually hold on in the middle of people for long, let alone me. I would rather be alone than with a group of people I don't know. I could never relax, which I doubt will ever change.

"So what? What matters is that we are getting good grades anyway." Megan nodded and we both leaned back in our chair at the same time. Sometimes people were surprised that we did things at the same time without realizing it, but we had been together for almost twenty years, and we had seen each other in our background.

"That's not why I'm saying it, I already know that." I happened to focus my sight on him, because I have no idea where he wanted to go with this. He never cared much that we went to college.

"Then why do you say it?" Megan asked putting a leg over her knee. "Because I've heard some things that I don't like at all." She said, crossing her hands over her chest.

"The fact that?" Megan asked again. She's the one who normally spoke for both of us, because she knew what he normally thought, but I know what Francesco was talking about and the truth was that I also didn't care that he told us to stop, because despite the fact that Megan didn't tell me anything about it, what he was doing, I am more than clear that he was looking for the Russians in the same way that I was doing it, and we would not stop just because he asked for it, it was something we had to do.

"You're welcome, that's not what he wanted to talk about, really." She said her, which I have to assume she didn't say because she knew full well, she wouldn't change our minds. "Then what?" Megan's curiosity came through in her voice, because she didn't know what she wanted to talk about, and I was the same.

"To tell you that both you and your mother and Alison are going on a trip for a month." She said, making both of us move forward in our chairs, because this was something we weren't expecting and my instincts made me alert, because I got the feeling that something wasn't right.

"One month?" Megan said in surprise, but she could hear the uncertainty in her voice. She thought the same as me. "If for one month."

It was the first moment since we entered Francesco's office that we looked at each other and in my sister's look I could see that something did not fit her in this unexpected trip, just like I thought.

"We are finishing our careers dad, we cannot afford to leave like that." Megan said turning in our father's direction again and seeing if she could figure out what she wasn't really telling us.

"Don't worry about that, it's already fixed. You can take the exams online." Francesco got up from his chair and went to the window that he had behind the desk, leaving us in view of his tense posture but not his gaze, which was what we wanted to see at this moment.

"What excuse did you make for them to let us do it?" Megan got up from her chair, but she didn't move from there. Instead, I sat looking at him and trying to find a reason for this spontaneous trip to who knows where.

"That your father is very sick and that he needs to travel to another country to get better and a couple of million in donations help." Which was a lie. Something bad had to be about to happen for him not to want us here.

"And you won't come?" Megan asked, which she could tell she was getting frustrated with not knowing what's going on right now. "No, I have important business to take care of." When those words came out of our father's mouth, I got up from my chair, because this was looking worse and worse. "What important business?"

"Opening several restaurants in other countries is something urgent I've been putting it off for a few months." And I didn't believe it, because even though it was true that he was going to open restaurants in other countries, it was a lie that he had been putting them off for a few months and we both knew that.

"And can't you delay it one more?" Megan said, to which her frustration was turning to anger, which wasn't what we needed right now, so she grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze making her return it to me.

"No, the truth is no." At no time since he had turned to us at any time, and his hands had formed fists on each side of his body, making it clear to me that he didn't like us asking so many questions, but he better than anyone knew that we would ask a thousand questions. He always liked us to know what we were getting ourselves into and why, and if they didn't tell us, we would do whatever it took to find out what it was, which we would end up doing in this case.

"So, when are we going on that trip?" I asked, because I wanted to get out of here as soon as possible and find out what the fuck he was hiding from us. Neither of us liked to have things hidden from us, especially after all we went through six years ago.

"Early tomorrow morning. Alison finished school today, and I thought I'd send you to that amusement park she wants to go to so much." As soon as those words were out of her mouth, it was my moment to tense up, because if that's what I was thinking, I didn't like one bit of it.

"To Disneyland?" Megan asked, noticing my change in mood. She knew that she hated the United States and that she didn't want to set foot there again for the rest of my life, it didn't bring back the best memories I could have, and not just for having spent ten years in that basement. She could have sent us to any other part of the world, but did it have to be precisely to the United States? Precisely Disneyland? This couldn't be happening to me, not to me.

"Right there, but don't worry, you'll be there for a couple of days." She said, turning in our direction. "Dad, if you want, I can help you with that." I said, because even though I know the reason she was telling us was not true, she wanted to go to the United States even less.

"No, it is not necessary. Maybe I'll join you in a couple of weeks." And that perhaps did not convince me of anything. Something was going to happen, and something big that he wanted to solve. "Will you promise us, dad?" Megan asked, because in my mind I was searching for a way to get out of all of this.

"I promise you." She said, sitting back in the chair and crossing her arms. "You better, now let's go down to eat."

I got out first because I needed to get some fresh air before meeting Alison. I didn't want her to notice that something was wrong with me, but as soon as I see her approaching me, I quickly changed my face to one of happiness, despite what I wanted to do at this moment was to hit something with all my might.

"Mommy!!!! Alison said, leaping into the air for me to pick her up in her arms. "Hello Princess." I kissed her and hugged her, but it didn't take me long to notice how Megan appeared behind her.

"And you won't say hello to me?" she said coming to our side. "Hi Aunt." He reached over to her and placed a kiss on her cheek, bringing a smile to Megan's face.

"Hello princess, how was your day at school?" she asked her, causing the smile to grow on her small face. If there was something my daughter liked, it was talking about school.

"Okay, we were playing hide-and-seek for most of recess." she said all excited. She knew that Megan was trying to distract her so she would give me time to collect myself better, for which she was grateful. "That sounds like fun." Megan said going to focus her gaze on me to make sure if she was better or not.

"Yes, will you play with me and mommy later?" I put her on the floor and she went to Megan's side, who took her by the hand and started walking towards the stairs to go eat. "Yes, but before we play, I'll have to talk to your mother for a moment."

"About what?" Alison asked, curiosity present on her face. "One thing, don't be impatient." she said laughing, because if Alison was anything, she was curious by nature, and she liked to know what was going on around her, which was partly a good thing, because she always paid attention to what was going on around her, and partly not because she liked it. She liked to know what we did when we trained with weapons, which she didn't want to get into when she was only six years old.

"Well, stop arguing and eat." We heard Analissa say from downstairs causing Megan to shake her head. "Princess, go say hi to Grandpa."

Saying that, Alison runs off in the direction of her grandfather who had sat at the head of the table and I took advantage of that moment to turn and see Megan.

"What do you want to talk about?" She didn't say anything to me, she just mouthed a word that she would understand anywhere, "Russians". With that she could already give me a slight idea of what she was talking about, and apparently, she was not the only one who was looking for those you are bad born I denied, because at this moment I was not going to say anything, I preferred to get the subject out of my head for a moment and go eat with our family.

"Okay, but tell me everything." He said, getting to my level, "That would take a long time and if Ali wants to play hide-and-seek with us, I can assure you that we will spend the whole afternoon playing."

"Okay, then we better talk once everyone is asleep." I nodded and we went downstairs in silence. We were going to the dining room and Analissa comes out of the dining room door with her hands on her waist. "Girls, time to eat."

We laughed and sat down at the table. Despite being twenty-five and twenty-two years old, Analissa always treated us like girls, but I must admit that it didn't bother me at all, what's more, I liked that she told me since I never had a mother as such, and I know that Megan thought the same. that I. We were very lucky that she found us and both she and Francesco welcomed us as her daughters, it was something that I would be grateful for all my life. She adored them. They were my parents and there was no one who could change it.