12. Meeting

MEGAN'S POV

Since we left the warehouse, Ale was quiet, not a word came out of her mouth and she was too deep in her thoughts that she didn't answer any of our questions, which were many at this moment. I didn't understand anything of what that bastard said, at least a large part, because the one who said she took all those beatings from her so I wouldn't take them knew it a long time ago, that stupid doesn't need to tell me, but what I don't understand is they were talking about children.

I don't understand many things the two talked, but less what they were talking about children, in plural, and from Diego's face, I know that he is the same as me, so it would not be worth asking him. Once we got to the meeting place, we got out of the car and headed to the office. Again, like on the way here, Alexandra didn't say a word at all, which was starting to worry me a bit, but before I could ask her anything, the elevator door opened, revealing all of us members who were walking towards us.

"Hello ladies, we are very sorry for the death of your father, he was a great man. Let's hope they catch the one who dared to kill him soon." The older one said, and right now I was hating being here. I wanted to know what was wrong with Ale, and before she closed in on herself and the nightmares and anxiety returned.

"That's already resolved, don't worry. Why don't you guys sit down and we'll come talk about what we really need to talk about?" I said "Straight to the case, I like it." Ale had sat in one of the chairs and had stared at a guy, but I think more than anything he had just focused on a point deep in his thoughts.

"Well, to reassure you somewhat, we are here to tell you we will continue with the business, my sister and I. Things will remain the same as my father had them, and in case something changes, we will let you know." Although I was looking at them, I was more focused on Ale's every move. "And do you think you are going to be able to handle all this? It's a lot for people who aren't in the business." It bothered me that they thought we couldn't do anything just because we were women. I know either of these guys wouldn't take half of what either of us had been through.

"Look sir, we have everything under control, so don't worry about that. We just need you all to respect our territory, because if we're not going to allow something, it's because they think we're new to the business that they want to take it away from us, because we'll be new, but not stupid, and I highly doubt you want to mess with us."

"Wow, what they say about you is true." Another man said seriously. "I don't care what they say about us, we only warn, even if it doesn't seem like it, we are prepared." And I had no idea what we were really capable of. "We are glad to hear that. If you need help with something you can let us know and I will be happy to help you."

At that moment, Alexandra got up from the place where she had been sitting and began to walk around the table where we were all sitting, until she stopped behind the guy who was watching before and who stared at her without understand what was going on, and to be honest, I don't have the slightest idea what's going on either.

Out of nowhere she takes out the gun and shoots him between the eyebrows without blinking, which causes all the bodyguards of the other partners to enter and they take out their weapons. Once the dead partner's bodyguards enter, they point at her, but it doesn't take long for her to kill them too.

"Don't worry, I won't do anything to the rest of you, this is to show you informers will not be accepted and because I had a pending account with him. Now you can leave whenever you want, I wish you a good night and I hope we will do business soon." With that, everyone began to leave the room, all the partners, many of them pale from what they had just witnessed, and once they all leave the office, I turn in the direction in which my sister was until a couple of seconds ago.

"Can you tell me what the hell is wrong with you to murder one of our partners, Alexandra?" I said turning to find her "Like I said he's a snitch, and I wasn't going to let one of the guys who constantly raped me near me." She said coldly, making it more than clear to me she wasn't alright "That guy...?"

"Yes, that's what he did, now if you excuse me, I'm leaving." And he left without saying anything else. Quickly, I went to the door after her "Where?" She didn't turn around, she hit the elevator button and waited, "You don't care about that." Ale got into the elevator and turned around "Remember you have to bring bodyguards." I put my hand on the sliding doors so it wouldn't close and I kept looking at her, but I know at this moment she wasn't the same Ale as always, but the Ale from when we came out of that hole.

"What's your name." She asked the boy next to Diego "Fabio." An ironic smile appeared on my sister's face, which I didn't like at all "Well, very well, Fabio is coming with me." She said moving to the side of the elevator.

"I'd better go." Diego said starting to walk towards the elevator "You are going home to take care of Alison, and don't even think about following me because then we will have a problem, Diego." I removed my hand from the elevator door the moment he looked up at him and let it close. I had no idea where we were going, but if we were going to have to do anything, it was to teach the bodyguards what they have to do in case we are in any of these phases.

"What the fuck just happened?" Diego asked, standing next to me. "If I had an idea, I would say it, but I haven't the slightest idea. I assure you I have to find out what is wrong with her, because she has been like this since we spoke with Dimitri.

I have no idea what happened in there, but I was going to have no choice but to find out to find out why Ale had reacted like that, she couldn't let that guy drive her out of her mind anymore, not when she kept having nightmares of what had happened in there and tormented her six years later.

"I will help you discover what we do not know. It's not easy to get Alexandra out of her mind, and he did it with a couple of words." He said and I nodded "And you have to take in they talked about a child which doesn't make sense." That was something didn't fit me. I always had the idea Alison was his daughter even though Ale never told me, and taking into account we were constantly raped, it could be anyone's, but I also know Alison had some features of him, I saw that now.

"Ultimately, we have to find out what's wrong with Ale." He said "And you will help me with that." A smile appeared on his face and he put his arm around my shoulders, which made me realize it didn't bother me at all, a radical change considering I couldn't have a guy too close to me "Obviously I would do it, Megan because I'm sure that's killing her inside."

ALEXANDRA'S POV

At the end of the meeting, I left the office to go anywhere and clear my head for a while, which turned out to be a bar. Luckily for me, I didn't get drunk easily and since I didn't want my daughter to see me in that state, I would never get drunk.

Upon entering the bar, I go to the bar and sit in the first free place I can find and order tequila. I can tell there are people looking at me, and the bodyguard must be somewhere not too far from me. After a few drinks, I notice how an arm remains on my hip, which makes me immediately turn to see the owner of that arm.

"Hello precious, what are you doing so alone at the bar?" said the guy who had dared to put his dirty hands on me "Whatever I want, now please take your arm from where you have it if you don't want to be left without it." A smile appeared on his face, I guess he didn't expect me to be serious "Oh, a feisty, I like the ones put up resistance. How about we go somewhere more private and have a nice time?"

"Excuse me sir, get away from the lady." The bodyguard approached where we were serious. "Don't you see that I saw her first?" The guy said as if that was really what mattered, which made him end up rolling his eyes "Sir, I won't repeat it to you again."

"Or what will you do to me?" he said sticking out his chest, but the truth is I was fed up so I took out the gun, I get as close to him as I can so no one can see it and I tell Fabio to watch. "Look motherfucker, if you don't want to lose your precious cock, you better stay away from me or I'll blow your balls off, am I clear?"

He just nodded and left without saying anything else. I sat back down and focused again on the mess that was my mind. That asshole had to remind me again what happened in there with my child. He was a son of a bitch and I hated him with all my soul.

At that moment I notice how someone sits next to me and asks for the same thing as me. As soon as I hear it, I know it's the DEA agent.

"The reason you're in this seedy bar must be very big." He said, and even though I wasn't looking at him, I know he was smiling. "Considering my father was murdered…" I said with a shrug. "That's a great reason."

We were quiet, each taking our drink, and the truth is I appreciated the silence, because since we had left Dimitri's side, my mind was going at a thousand an hour remembering many of the things I had to go through. "I think it's not good you're so alone around here, people aren't very nice to say."

I turned to look at him and raised an eyebrow, because if he knew, what was he doing here? "If you know, why are you here?" He shrugged and put the glass down on the table. "It's the closest place to my house, and I didn't feel like going anywhere else, but now I don't regret going here."

I frowned, because I had no idea what he was referring to, but I wasn't going to ask either, because in the end I didn't care. "You seem tense" he said after a couple of minutes and I turned around asking the silent question "That's what it seems to me and I couldn't really tell you why I know, but your friend two chairs away seems more like it" he made a sign to my right where Fabio was.

"By the way, I'm sorry about your father. We are doing everything we can to find the killers." I shock my head, because they would never find them, but he took it as thanking him "I don't mean to upset you, but was there someone who wanted to kill your father? Any enemies? he asked, moving a little closer to my stool "No. Wow, this sounds like the series and then they end up finding out he did have enemies." I said, but in this case I he had enemies everywhere, but I know who did it

"That's not always the case, I'm sure your father was a great man." He said, and it is true he was, but it would not imply for him they would not be if he found out that Francesco was the Titano di Ferro. "It was, but now it's ten feet underground and I have to take care of my father's business."

He tilted his head to the side looking at me "I know you'll do great." he said, and seemed convinced of what he was saying "Obviously I'll do it, I'd better, but my sister will help me, so everything will be fine." I said, and I wasn't just referring to the mob thing, "Then I must assume you're going to stick with the restaurants."

I nodded and drank my tequila " By the way, I want to apologize for the other day, I didn't want your sister to be as angry as she was." I kept looking at him, because I didn't understand what he was referring to, but then I remembered about the airport, which wasn't his fault at all.

"It's not your fault, she's a bit exaggerated and we're already fine, so there's nothing to worry about." I said "Miss D'angelo, Diego is asking for me to take you home." I turned to see Fabio next to me, but really if they thought I would go home because they were asking him to take me home, they were wrong. "Well, I'm not going to go, so you can tell him no."

Both men stared at me, one not really understanding what was going on and the other trying to find a way to get it to go "But..." I raised my hand to stop him from talking "We better do something, why don't you you go home? I don't need you here, and it is better you are at home, there are many people there to take care of than being here with me."

The man denied, and was going to put his hand on my arm, but decides not to when he sees my face "I can't do that." He said "Well, you're going to do it because I'm the one who pays your salary, so now you get out and don't even think about telling them where I am, because then you and I will have a problem, and I doubt very much that you want to have them. No?" He denied and stared at me for a couple of seconds. "Then I'm leaving."

With that, he walked out of the bar leaving me alone with the DEA guy, not that I wanted him to be here too, but he was nice, and it's hard for me to say that after all. "He is afraid of you." Hugo said next to me with a small smile on his face "I don't care exactly, I want to be alone for once in my life, not with a bodyguard."

"Then I take it you don't like having bodyguards." He said, but I could hear his curiosity, "You guess right, but after all, my father felt better if we had one and after what happened, my sister has practically become paranoid." He nodded and turned fully in my direction. "No wonder, after all, your father was murdered, she doesn't want anything to happen to you."

I nodded, because I know it was, especially if we take into account as soon as Stefan realized we had Dimitri, he would come after us with all his artillery "And I understand, but I know how to defend myself without the help of no one, and she knows that."

"External help never hurts." He said, and there was something that told me he knew what I was talking about, or at least understood, "Trust me, I don't need it." I finished the drink and asked for another, it would help me take off my mind "If you don't mind the question, why do you have bodyguards?"

"Let's say that something happened to me and my sister we don't like to talk about, and even though we didn't tell anyone, my father knew something very bad had happened to us..." I said, and it was already more than normally I would talk in generally to a stranger "He just wanted to protect you from that…" I nodded "But then, now your sister and boyfriend must be worried."

I turned around with a frown, because I had no idea where he got the idea, I had a boyfriend. In my life I had one and I didn't see myself with the rest of my life, honestly "My boyfriend?" I asked confused "Yes, the man who was with you the other day." And that's when I understood he was referring to Diego, which made me laugh, because he couldn't be more wrong.

"Oh, Diego, no, he's not my boyfriend, he's my best friend." I said "Oh, I'm sorry I assumed…" he seemed embarrassed he had assumed "It's okay, and I would say you are the one who has a better chance than me of having something other than a friendship." His brows frowned for a couple of seconds and then when the idea seemed to come to him, he stared at me "He's..."

"Yeah, now, you better not be upset because he's gay because then we're going to have problems." I said, and it was true "No, I don't have a problem with that, I really thought you were a couple." I denied "I'm glad to know." He said and my brow furrowed without understanding what he meant.

"You're glad Diego isn't my partner?" I asked "Yeah, unless you have someone around, I'm glad." I still didn't really understand where all this was going "I don't have a partner if that's what you're asking."

A big smile appeared on his face that lit up his entire face. "Then that's good for me." He said, but I still didn't understand anything "I don't understand." "Even though we've only known each other for a short time and we've been talking for about an hour, I feel like I want something more with you than friendship."

I stared at him surprised. We didn't know each other at all, and I'm more than clear I wasn't going to trust him like it was nothing, but it's true I had never been so calm with a man I knew practically nothing. "And what is that something else?" I asked to make sure what he meant.

"I want, one day if you want, maybe we can be a couple." He said and I couldn't help but take a breath "That's going to be complicated, I assure you beforehand." I said sipping the drink between my hands "I suppose, but we can start by being friends." He said with a smile.

"Before you say something you may regret later, I warn you I don't trust people, the least they hurt me I do double or triple damage, I don't allow them to do anything to my family because they are the most important thing I have and I have a daughter." I said knowing the last thing was going to throw him off "Do you have a daughter?"

I nodded and smiled, because I knew I was right "I already told you not to say things you couldn't keep." Hugo shook his head and stared at me. "So, the girl who was with you is your daughter?" I nodded "The most precious thing I have in my life."

"I thought it was your sister." He said surprised and I couldn't help but be confused in his assumption "Our sister?" I asked laughing "Yes, I don't know, that's what I deduced." He said half embarrassed "Well, she's my daughter."

"I hope I can meet her one day." And with that, I almost spit out my drink, I really didn't expect. I turn to look at him surprised and with my eyes twice as big. Did you really want to meet my daughter? Was he serious about all that? To begin with, I don't even know why I told him I had a daughter, I didn't tell anyone, because given the business I'm in, they can do anything to her to bring me down, and I don't want that to happen.

"We'll see about that." I said masking my surprise "So, friends?" he asked. "You'll have a hard time getting that title." I smiled, because I was so sure he would stay around me that long, what is fine with me "Acquaintances?" I pretended to think about it for a moment and then nodded "Let's just say that."

"Then let's start from the beginning." He said and before I could ask what he was referring to, he got up from the stool and went to the entrance to return after a couple of seconds and sat next to me looking at me with a big smile.

"Hello miss, nice to meet you. My name is Hugo, I hope we can establish a great friendship." I couldn't help but laugh. I have to admit the guy was funny and despite the shitty day I was having. It may be that in the end I'm going to like this boy at all.

"You are stupid, I really tell you." I told him, but he had managed to make me laugh and I must say it felt good "But at least you're smiling, and let me tell you, it's a beautiful smile."