Matteo's Eyes

Chapter 14

Later, a little before everyone shows up I decide to finally talk to Angelina.

"Hey, Angie." I walk into her room. She is working on papers that I assume have to do with the mafia.

"Hey, Ivory."

"The other day you said you wanted to talk to me. I am free to talk now if you want."

"Here come sit," I sit on her bed and she sits behind her desk. She turns to face me.

"Okay well, I guess I'll just say it. I don't want to run the Russian Mafia. Or any mafia for that matter. I wanted to talk to you to tell you because you're next in line to take over."

I stare at Angelina with a blank face, "What?"

"You have always been better at these things than me. When you got kidnapped you were able to give info to Matteo. I would never have thought of that. I never like to go into action but you do. And you're good at it. I can't be a mafia boss, I'm not good enough for it but you are. So if you want it. It's yours."

I never actually wanted to run a mafia. I never didn't want to run one either. "Okay," I say slowly, "I mean yeah sure. I will run the Russian Mafia."

"Perfect! I already talked to Dad and Mom. They are both okay with it as long as you are."

"Okay." I guess I am going to run a mafia soon. Huh.

I leave her room to process what I just agreed to. When I get downstairs the Orlovs have already shown up. I sit on the couch next to Shay.

"Hey, Ivy!" Shay says with a big smile.

"Hey," I say still lost in my thoughts about running a mafia.

"You okay?"

"Yeah. It's just..." I trail off.

"It's just what?" Shay turns a little to face me.

"I'm going to run the Russian Mafia." I finally look him in the eyes when I say this.

"Finally," Shay says with an exasperated sigh.

"What?"

"Angelina told us all that a while ago."

"Everyone knew but me?" I raise my voice making everyone turn and look at me.

Shay laughs and pulls me into a hug, "Congratulations!"

"Oh did Angelina finally tell her?" Mom asks.

"Yup, say hello to the soon-to-be Russian Mafia boss," Shay says with one arm around my shoulder and holding up his glass of water showing me off to my family.

My jaw is on the fucking floor, "Everyone knew?" I repeat.

Lorenzo and his family walk in, "Oh she finally found out! That's great. Congratulations Ivory!"

Shay sits next to me cracking up. Everyone laughs at me. I sit there in total shock. I turn to Shay and punch him in the arm.

"You didn't tell me!"

"It wasn't for me to tell you." He has a point.

I punch him again, just for good measure. We all sit and talk for a little while before we finally get ready.

I change into all black clothing and to add a little style I put heels on. When everyone is all ready we head out. You didn't think this was a regular barbecue night did you? because I can assure you it's anything but normal.

Tonight's destination is Marcello's old house. I sit in the matte black Lamborghini that Dad gave to Mom as a wedding gift. Mom drives it everywhere. In the car with us are Dad and Shay.

Marcello's house is only a 30-minute drive. When we get there everyone puts the earpieces in so that way we can keep in touch with everyone.

"Everyone in position?" Dad asks.

"Not yet," Lorenzo says and I hear shuffling in the background.

I move with Shay to our position which is the side of the back of the house. Nearby, Angelina and Gia are standing probably around 30 yards away.

"Now I'm ready." Lorenzo finally says.

"On my count," Dad pauses. "One, two," There is a long pause, "Now!"

Everyone jumps out of their spots and quickly drenched their designated area with gasoline. Next, we light it up.

Shay and I stand side by side watching the house ignite in flames. I can hear everyone around us laughing and cheering. It may be an odd tradition but every year we pick a house or building and we burn it down. I turn and look at Shay who is looking at the building. I can see the flames reflecting in his grey eyes. He looks like the definition of perfect with the flames orange glow on his tan skin and the fire in his eyes.

Shay noticed me staring, "Like what you see?" He says with a smirk. I blush and turn back towards the house. For a second I think I see a bird fly out of the back door but I quickly realize it is a person.

"There's a person running towards Angelina and Gia," I say into the earpiece.

I turn to sprint towards them, "Ivy, wait for me." Shay calls out as he follows me.

We sprint out towards Angelina and Gia and get there before anyone else. I look from Angelina to Gia to the mystery man holding a gun at Angelina.

"You may have killed Marcello but he will still get what he wants." The guy that ran out of the house says this.

"Woah, woah, woah. Stop. She's not the one who Marcello wants. It was me." I shout moving his attention to me.

"No, he just kidnapped you to get to her."

"Well spoiler alert, she handed down her position to me." I put my hands up and slowly walk towards him.

"Take one more step and I'll shoot." The man points the gun at me with shaky hands. No, he's not a man it's a boy, somewhere around 18.

"Shoot me. Not her." I can see everyone else getting closer towards us. They won't get here in time.

I hear the gun click. I close my eyes and prepare for the bullet to hit me. I hear the loud gunshot ring out from five yards in front of me but I don't feel anything. I open my eyes to see Shay facing me about to fall. I quickly catch him, set him down, and shoot the boy before he can run. I hit him in the knee so he doesn't die but he can't get away. We need to get information out of him.

"Shay? Shay stay with me okay?" I look around to find his bullet wound but can't seem to find it. "Where were you hit?" Shay's eyes close and he doesn't respond. "Damn it, Shay!" I hit him in the chest. Not that that would help I just want him to wake up. The rest of my family and the other families have joined us by now. Angelina still sits next to Gia frozen.