Lost in the Depth

Coronation

Warning: some smut 

After leaving Antonio's house I went straight to my own mafia's headquarters to start planning how I'm going to take the Milieu down before I change my mind about it. As I enter my office, I realise how dirty I am, with all the blood on my from back at the theatre and just in general.

I also realise I'm still wearing the clothes Antonio gave me.

Making my way to the gym bathrooms, I enter a cubicle and start stripping my clothes off.

The hot water burns my skin but only in the best way possible and I cherish the feeling of all the dirt, blood and memories of the past hour being washed off.

After the shower I put new clothes on. I mentally debate on whether to throw Antonio's clothes out or not. I decide against it, putting them in a drawer inside of my office desk.

I get to work on the ever growing pile of paper on my desk, sipping the coffee that Alessia brought up a few moments ago.

She's chosen the role of advisor, which is very clever considering that advisor is the second best position, after underboss, not including the boss of course. She checks up on me every few hours even when I don't call her in. It's all business matters though.

Every time she enters my office, the memory of me yelling at her resurfaces in my head, so naturally, not being able to look at her, I shoo her out before I do something stupid like apologize. But I desperately want to.

I just exploded at her when-

An idea suddenly begins to blossom in my brain. Exploded. Bombs. Yes. Yes that's it.

That's perfect.

---

It's been two weeks now since I was... kidnapped, and I'm lost in the sea of work before me. I've been in Sicily for the past week, to check up on Cosa Nostra there. After sorting out a deal in Texas that was literally half an hour after I got off the plane back here, I head back to New York headquarters.

Checking my phone as I exit my car, I walk to the double glass doors of the building and, stepping inside, I check me and Will's messages. Nothing. Ever since the club, I haven't heard a single thing from him.

Is he mad at me? Well that would just add to the growing list. I'm about to call him when the elevator doors open to the lounge room.

The moment they do, I'm met with an eruption of colour and cheers. 

"Happy Birthday!" dozens of voices yell as confetti falls onto my hair. 

Groaning, I contemplate doing a 180 and just leaving. But I mean this is my family. Sure, they're not blood, but I've known these people my whole life. And the fact that they remembered my birthday when even I completely forgot about it says something.

As the storm of confetti dies down, I spot Alessia standing in a corner of the crowd, silent and grim. After everything I said to her she still showed up. My heart clenches at the realisation of just how big of a mistake a made.

"Thank you guys, but I need to get to work," I say, loud enough for everyone to hear. Forcing a smile, I begin to turn when my cousin, Julian, speaks up.

"Come on Rayna, give yourself a break every once in a while. Besides, it isn't just your birthday we're celebrating."

Ah. I remember the tradition that we have for every person when they become Don or Donna. We throw all the pictures of the previous leader into a giant bonfire. I think it's horrible.  

And I'm certainly not in the mood to do it right now. Or ever, for that matter.

"I'd rather we don't do that this year, guys." As soon as the words leave my mouth, complaints erupt from the eager crowd.