The other way around

Seventeen

Dean P.O.V.

Well, Fred was right, sleeping was going to be hard, last night I was tired but every time I closed my eyes I would only see her dying over and over again. Even now we are on the plane already flying to Italy and my only thought is her.

"What if she isn't dead?" I asked out loud, making everyone look at me

"Dean please don't do this to yourself." Fred said.

"I'm just saying, did you see her body?"

"No, but-"

"So there's that possibility."

"No Dean, it has been two days and I called the hospitals the bodies that are arriving are all dead." He practically shouted.

I didn't say anything else I turned to the window and kept thinking. It's true what they say about realizing shit when the people you love are gone. I now realize how much she meant to me. How much impact she had on me. She helped me, she changed me, and all for the better.

And now I can't even thank her.

"I'm sorry Dean, I didn't mean to shout, we all wished she was here too. She was my best friend, I loved her. And she loved you." He said and I looked at him.

"Before she started running to the house she asked me to tell you that she loved you." He finished.

"Thanks, man." I said and closed my eyes.

I wasn't going to sleep, I don't think I could even if I tried but sometimes I see her, the few good moments we had. I only stopped 'fighting' her a few weeks ago. But we had a few good moments in that time. Falling asleep and waking up next to her was my favorite thing. I can't say that she lighted up every room she walked in because it was the complete opposite.

But not in a bad way, she simply had that aura of dominance and power surrounding her that made everyone look at her in respect and adoration. She didn't have a bubbly personality, no, sometimes it was kinda dark. But I had the privilege to know her deeper than most people, even her men in the mafia.

With me she was carefree, she smiled and laughed, she even tried to tell jokes, she was really bad, so bad it was funny.

Flashback

We were both in bed just talking about everything and nothing. Her head was on my chest and I was running my fingers through her silky hair.

"Do you want to hear a joke?" She asked.

"Sure."

"Alright but don't laugh."

"I'm not supposed to laugh at it?"

"The joke yes, me no."

"Alright, alright tell me." I said chucking. She turned her head and looked at me.

"Did you hear about the Italian chef who died?" She asked with a serious face.

"No?" I said.

"He pasta-way." She said and started laughing really hard.

Honestly, it wasn't that funny but just watching her I couldn't help myself, so I joined her. We laughed until tears ran down our cheeks.

End flashback

Just that memory brought a smile to my face.

We got to Italy, we got out of the jet, and went to the black SUVs waiting for us. After a two hours drive, we got in some big black gates and I saw a big mansion. The first one to get out was Fred then I and the guys got out after us.

There were almost twenty people near the door waiting for us. The first one to come closer was a short woman.

"I'm sorry for Athena." She said and looked at all of us.

"Thank you, Isabella." Fred said and hugged her.

"Send the boys to the special warehouse, they will have a place to stay, our men are waiting for yours to arrive." She said. Fred took his phone out and sent a text to everyone. Isabella came closer to me and looked me in the eyes.

"You must be Dean, I'm Isabella nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you."

"Come meet the family." She said and pulled me by the hand to the rest of the people.

"So this is Dante, my husband." She said and I and him shook hands.

"Then there's the kids. Lorenzo, Vincenzo. Alexi, Alex, Xander, and Nortia. They will introduce their other half." She pointed to each one of them.

"Nice to meet you all. I'm Dean." I said and shook their hands as well.

After a while of talking we all went inside, and we went straight to the office. It was me and Fred, Dante, Lorenzo, and Isabella. We all sat around the large table.

"So what's going to happen next?" Fred was the first one to talk.

"Now you're the leader, as Athena requested Dean will be your second in command, while you stay here we can all teach you two how things work." Lorenzo said.

"Do we really need to go to this shitty ball?" Fred asked, well he more whined.

"Now more than ever you do. You all need to show that your business is still running even with everything that happened." This time was Dante the one to talk.

We spent one hour and a half in that office just talking about the new obligations that Fred had and me. We talked about what to expect in the ball since this would be our first. But not Dante and Isabella.

"No guards allowed, it's just the bosses and second in command, no children. And obviously no guns." Dante warned.

"Will the Irish mafia be there?" I asked.

"Unfortunately, this time the ball will be in Italy which means our territory, I'm not worried about the twelve hours, I'm worried about the hours before and after the ball." Dante said.

"What should we do?" I asked.

"I'm gonna order some of my men to guard the house and to get more guards in the warehouses too. Until the ball, no one leaves." Lorenzo said, we all nodded.

"Alright, that's enough for today. I'll take you to your rooms and you can rest, dinner is at 7 pm and not one minute late." Isabella said.

She took us to our rooms, my bag was already next to the bed, I sat there and looked at the wall. My thoughts once again drifted to Athena, I don't want to keep this thought of her being alive somewhere but I can't stop myself. I'm so nervous about this new position I got, being the mafia boss helper, it's not something I can take lightly. I feel the weight of it on my shoulders, the responsibility. But I'll do this, I'm going to do my best.

I have the desire to do better, to be better specially for her.

For Athena.