Siempre Mío

t h r e e

'Get off the roof.' came the voice.

What?

I looked down, realising where I was. The view of Italy was astonishing but the realisation of how high I was ruined the moment.

I tried to move and attempted lifting my legs but they remained on the ground as if they were glued down.

'Get down.' the voice said, so quietly that I thought it was the wind.

It pulled me towards the noise, the whisper. It made me want to find it.

I lifted a leg again, but it wouldn't move. Instead, I fell forwards, off the roof and down to the ground.

First the pain was like a burning sensation. Like a fire spreading all over me. I saw blue lights of an ambulance and then saw a gun right in front of me.

Wake up.

Wake up.

Wake up.

I woke up abruptly, panting for air as I sat up in my bed. I closed my eyes, counting in my head as my breaths slowed.

Once again, another nightmare had woken me up.

Feeling no sense of tiredness, I got out of bed and opened the doors to the balcony.

I stepped out in my shorts; the fabric was soft and it kept me warm despite my lack of a top. I looked up at the sky as I folded my arms across my bare chest.

The stars glistened in the dark night that covered Italy, creating such a beautiful sight that only restless people and I could see.

I leaned against the railing of the balcony, thinking about my like and ignoring the cold sensation of the metal on my skin.

I thought about my mother and her side of the family; I thought about my absentee father and how much I wished he would be there for me once in a while.

Then I thought about Lucía; I thought about how here eyes lit up when talking about her family, and how she always wanted to visit Mexico to learn more about her culture.

Wait. What if she's in Mexico? I mean: she's always wanted to go there, she's never spoke of any family there since she never really knew her real parents and their families. It's perfect.

I decided to leave the matter alone and try to get some rest. I locked the balcony door and climbed back into the comforts of my bed.

I tossed and turned in attempts to be asleep but the early hours of the morning kept me awake.

It was about 3 AM and I couldn't take it any longer.

I got changed into some casual clothing and brushed my teeth. I shaved my beard so it remained on my face as a thinner layer, then brushed my hair and styled it before putting on some deodorant and cologne.

I made my bed and walked to my office in order to finish some paperwork.

Sitting at my desk, I put in my headphones and played some music as I worked. Paper after paper, I sighted and dated as I split them into piles: one for any the Don had to sign and the others for where his signature wasn't needed.

Reading the last paper, I noticed something written in fine print.

"Failure to keep the terms of this agreement will result in the assassination of Don Romeo Cortez"

What the hell?

I paused my music, mortified at the agreement. The time was 4:14 so the Don wouldn't be awake yet. I placed the form in a folder and labelled it urgently.

Feeling my energy slipping away, I went to the kitchen to find some good quality coffee.

Entering the kitchen, my eyes met with someone I wasn't wishing to see.

Didn't I tell her to leave?

"Lorenzo." She said, her voice low in an attempt to be seductive.

"Anne," I replied with a fake smile, "It's boss to you."

"It's Andrea, not Anne."

"I don't care. Is there any fresh coffee?"

I needed some caffeine in my system, or else I would call asleep mid work.

She handed me a cup and muttered something under her breath, before leaving the kitchen.

I felt as though she had done something,
so I held the coffee to my nose and smelt the espresso which seemed laced with something medical.

Although I wasn't sure, I threw out the coffee and made a fresh pot. It made a gorgeous scent and I accidentally spilled some when pouring it out.

I cleaned that up and as I threw out my paper towel, I saw a tablet packet digging among the other waste.

Diazepam.

Sighing, I shook my head and took my coffee up to the office. Just as I sat and grabbed the form where the Don's death would be the inevitable if the agreement was broken, a series of knocks sounded on my door,

"Boss?" I heard Aubrey say.

I kept quiet and when I saw my door inch open slightly, I closed my eyes slowly and pretended to be knocked out.

I felt her pointy nails run along my jawline, going down my chest. When I felt her hand ready for the first button, I snapped.

I grabbed her arm and trusted it behind her back. I pushed her down and placed my knee on her lower back, increasing the pressure to keep her there.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing? You're trying to drug me now? Is that how it is?" I sneered.

"What are you going to do if I don't tell you? Hit me?" She seethed.

"I don't hit women," I remarked, partially lying as I thought about my challenges with Lucía, " now, I'm going to say this once and once only. Leave. Pack your stuff and get out."

I pulled her to her feet and practically shoved her out the door.

I listened for her footsteps as they descended down the corridor, then got out my phone.

I unlocked it and called Ava, one of our femme fatales as well as an assassin.

"Boss?" her voice rang out.

"There's a girl leaving the mansion in around two or so minutes. Kill her."

I hung up, then called two other people.

"Javier, Antonio: come to my office."

Time to deal with some real problems.