A Penny For Your Tears

Forty Eight

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The day Luca Barletta finally decided to show his face took us all by surprise. I had been laying on my bed, a stupid smile on my face as I played with the golden coin Elias had given me almost a year ago. I still had it in my drawer, always meaning to give it back but never actually getting round to.

"A penny for your tears." I repeated the words Elias had said to me that day, getting emotional as I realized how much Elias had cared for me right from the start, even when he didn't really trust me. Elias, his name alone made my heart swell and mind giddy with joy. This was what it meant to be in love, I never felt with this Luca, even before he became the maniac he is now, I never felt this joy at just the mention of his name. I felt my face grow hot as I remembered the quick and steamy session Elias and I had shared this morning, just before he had gone to work, the both of us having to be extra quiet because of the fact that my grandparents were literally downstairs, I guess that made it all that more exciting. Sex, it seemed Elias and I could not get enough of it since the night of my birthday and we most definitely made up for all the lost time between us in various different ways. Before I could think anymore on the subject, loud voices from outside brought me out of my thoughts and I rushed to the windows to see Elias shouting orders at Adam, James and the others, they were rushing in and out of the house, guns in hand, loading the car with weapons and other items. The worst part was, Elias' voice wasn't filled with anger or authority, he sounded panicked, scared even. Without even hesitating, I rushed down the stair, the penny still clutched tightly in the palm of my hand, and ran across my compound to his home.

"Olivia!" He exclaimed, slightly in relief, turning around when he heard my approaching footsteps. He held me tightly in his arms, afraid to let go and I knew, I knew something was wrong.

"Elias? What's going on?" I asked, stepping away from his embrace even though I had a pretty good idea of what was happening.

"Olivia, he's here. Luca is her and he's coming for you. He's not alone, he's come prepared for a fight. Remember Jason and Naomi from Amsterdam? They caught his movement as he was leaving Italy, Liv, he's got almost every large Mafia family backing him, I want to say we can fight him but we have to be realistic, we can't not now, we don't have the force yet. We have to go, get you to safe place. " Elias grabbed my hand, resting his forehead against mine.

"Listen to me baby, go home pack a few of your stuff, I'll meet you there ok? We'll pick Aaliyah from school and then we'll leave the country, go to Belgium or something and lie low for a bit. It'll all be alright. I'll be right behind you." I nodded, tears already streaming down my face. Elias turned to leave but I grabbed his wrist desperately.

"Elias, I love you, ok? No matter what happens, I'll always love you." He doesn't respond, tears are falling down his face, his guard completely down. " Don't cry please, don't cry." I open the palm of his hand and place the coin he had given me when we first met. Something that felt like ions ago. "A penny for for your tears?" Elias laughed through his tears, he kissed me and the world seemed to stop, everyone else forgotten and the threat of Luca nonexistent, then he pulled away and it all came rushing back to me and I smiled sadly as he gently tucked a stray hair behind my ear.

"I love you, Olivia Gray. Don't you forget that, I love you so fucking much." He said, placing the coin in his front t-shirt pocket. "Olivia,baby, we have to go. I love you, go, I'll be right behind you.Pack whatever you think you need, just make sure you get here as soon as possible." Hesitantly, I made my way back to my house, running around like a madman packing whatever I thought I might need.My grandparents were at the bookstore and Elias said that he had arranged for Jonathon to pick them up and meet us at the safe house, so I packed as much as I could for them which proved to be difficult because I had no idea where any of their stuff was. When I had finally finished, I lugged all the suitcases down the stairs, ready to leave when I remembered Arie. I went around the house, looking for him, screaming the damn dog's name and even promising treats all to no avail.

"Arie." I called, walking out into the garden, I remembered that he loved to bury and dig up his bones near the back so I headed there when I suddenly tripped over something. I looked down, a horrified yelp escaping my look as Arie's body laid there on the ground, lifeless and disemboweled, guts and his other internal organs arranged around him like it was supposed to resemble some sort of art work. I sank to the floor, crying, knowing exactly who did this and that he was already here and that he most likely had the place surrounded, there was no point anymore, running was futile. I heard footsteps approach me and I made no effort to move and see who it was because I already knew. I felt my skin crawl as his hand grazed against my shoulder, gently putting my hair aside as I sobbed weakly. I had had a lot of time to think about this moment, the moment where I would see him again, and in each scenario my mind had conjured up I had always been brave, not a tear escaping my eyes as I stared him down, Elias and I both kicking his ass together. But, here I was now, the moment, finally, finally having arrived, a crying and blubbering mess, the weak Olivia he had captured all those years ago.

"Ciao bella, how I've missed you." Was all I heard before everything went dark.

A/N: Thank you for all the reads this book has been getting lately, means a lot to me, there are only two more chapters to go and I'm so anxious for you guys to see the ending. Please, please keep voting, let's get this book high in the rankings!