His Light, Her Darkness

Chapter 71: The Funeral

I'm going to die today.

Those are the five words which are constantly ringing throughout my head, contaminating every inch of my being. I'm going to die today, and there's nothing I can do about it.

Why does my brain have to be so goddamn negative? Why can't I just be optimistic - I will totally not die today and neither will anyone else... Well of course except for Harry, and maybe some other people who work for him out of free choice.

Harry is going to die.

That seems to calm my raging anxiety down.

Valentino sits beside me, typing away on his phone as if this is just another day. Maybe it is for him - Maybe what's about to go down is the norm.

And this is why I didn't want to inherit my fathers mafia.

I can't deal with all this constant pain and suffering, I just wanted to live a happy life, get married, have some kids. I'm even thinking in past tense now... Does that mean my hope for a normal life has completely diminished?

I don't even know how I would get back into a normal life now. That would mean leaving everything I've known for the past few months behind. It would mean leaving Dante and Hailey, Alistair and Matteo behind.

Matteo.

What do I even do with that man?

I've fallen for the man who dragged me into this mess. Maybe it's best if I escape from him before he causes me any more damage.

Who am I kidding, I don't think I'd be able to leave him behind.

Could I?

I push all thoughts aside. I need to be concentrating on the task ahead of me, not the life I wish I had.

"How much longer until we arrive?" I ask Valentino.

He doesn't look away from his screen, and his brows only seem to furrow in mild annoyance.

"What are you, a child? Non so perché cazzo Matteo sta facendo tutto questo per te." (I don't know why the fuck Matteo is doing all this for you.) He mumbles.

"What is your problem with me?" I question. This dude has treated me as though I'm nothing but a nuisance since when I met him last night. Does he have something against me?

Valentino crosses his legs and leans back in his chair, turning his head to me with a devilish expression of anger across his beautiful face. "My problem is that my girlfriend is putting herself in the line of fire, to save your ass. You - A girl that neither of us had even known existed until the other day." He spits.

I dig my nails into my palm and look down, away from the man's burning gaze.

I guess that is a good enough reason to have formulated hatred towards me. If Angelina dies, it's going to be because of me, because she chose to help me, putting her own life at risk. And if she dies, I won't have anyone else to blame but myself.

"I didn't ask for your help." I mumble.

Valentino laughs. "Trust me when I say if I had a choice in the matter, I wouldn't have even entertained the idea of helping Matteo. I am only paying what is owed, nothing more."

"So this is just between you and Matteo?"

"Sì."

"Then why is Angelina with you?" I know it isn't my place to be asking this man questions, but my curiosity seems to be getting the best of me.

"Because Angelina wanted to come. She is my equal in every way, and I would never refuse her a good fight." He replies, with the ghost of a smile across his face, as if reminiscing on a happy memory.