Mafia's Assassin

Chapter 5

Three Months After Junoesque....
I stand, practising on my wooden dummy. My hands and forearms sliding between the wooden slacks, wrists and palms beating my anger. My mind flashes with glimps of my near rapist, blood spraying up the walls, the maids tearful eyes, the feeling of my throat being crushed and Jorge. Pale faced and lifeless, laying in a pool of his blood.

My rhythm increases as my forehead clouds with sweat, my fists beating harder as a growl escapes my lips. Its only when I feel a tap on my shoulder that I know I'm in company. Reacting with raised fists, I turn

"Emilie ! A quién crees que le estás levantando los puños?!" (who do you think you are raising your fists to ?) My mother huffs, straightening down her skirt

"Lo siento mamá, estaba perdida en mis pensamientos" (sorry mama i was just lost in thought) I groan lowering my fists

"Levanté una casa llena de hombres! ¡Cómo voy a convertirte en una mujer en solo dos años!" (I raised a house full of men !" how am I to turn you to a woman in just two years !)

"mamá!" I bat her hands away from my braided hair as she tuts at me, arms flailing around to match her ranting. Rolling my eyes, I head to the outdoor tap and throw water down my face. My mother offers me a bottle of water, folding her arms

"gracias mamá" (thank you mama) now rolling her eyes at me, I feel her watching

"What happened to you .." I look back to her eyes, full of sorrow. Swallowing my water, my eyes soften from her touch

"Where did my Princesa go ?" I cover my palm with hers, leaning to her touch

"She learnt what was needed to survive" I kiss her palm and walk from her touch hearing her gasp as sobs begin to consume her

**********
Sitting by the family fire, I continue nursing my scotch

"Emilie ! Where have you been ?! Did you not hear the news ? We won!" I nod my head slowly watching the flames

"Another ?" I nod as the liquid Swills round my glass.

"I'm proud of you brother" in my peripheral vision I see him sit in the chair beside me

"Emilie you don't.." I raise my glass to him, our eyes finally meeting. Shaking my head

"Don't. We both know what I must do" we fall into temporary silence

"You've been to the barn again I see" I look to his eyes as he nods his head to my knuckles. Tensing, I watched my bruised skin stretch

"They're not so bad" he smirks, nursing his drink "What's bad is mother ranting on how she raised a house full of men" we both laugh, feeling the burn of my liquor.

"Tomorrow we meet the Italians" I sigh at his words, eyes fixated on the dancing flames

"They wish to see you" I nod to his words

"Will my partner be attending ?" Andres shakes his head no. Standing I empty my glass

"Your leaving me to drink alone ?" I pat his shoulder

"Didn't you hear ? My future is calling" my grip loosens and slides from his shoulder, disappearing from the room.

************
After showering and having my hair made presentable by my maid under my mother's watchful eye, I am yet to be given an exact time I should expect the Italians. Growing bored I slip from the house and find a horse, taking a ride around the grounds.

After my ride across the land, I circle back noticing two large SUV's and custom made jaguars.

"Shit" Racing back to the barn, I slide from my horse.

"Emilie!" My eyes fall to a tall slender man, I continue to guide my horse to her stable

"You are ?" Not bothering to give him the attention he was clearly used to from the female verity

"Forgive me" he steps forward "Angelo, a pleasure princesa" Planting a kiss to my cheek

"Excuse me, will you. I have a guest to present for" his chuckle roots me to my spot

"Oh princesa, I am your guest" exhaling a breath I roll my eyes, turning on my heels

"I was expecting your parents"

"Oh .. they are here to .." he begins to circle me, rubbing a strand of hair through his fingers. I knock his hand away

"He's going to have his hands full with you " he smirks

"And who might that be" I glare at him folding my arms

"Our brother" another man with the same dark hair but this one had Hazel eyes where as the other had green.
"Leonardo" he offers me his hand and I accept

"You are not wrong Angelo, she has a fighters spirit I can feel it" his eyes flick to his brothers as I remove my hand

"Should I expect more to round the corner ?" Offering them a tight smile

"Only our parents" Angelo smirks, looking at his nails

"Emilie! Qué diablos estás usando? Dónde has estado" (what on earth are you wearing, where have you been ?) My mother whispers Harshly to my ears as I offer a small smile to the rest of the guests

"Emilie, this is Sofia and Mario Giovarni. There sons .."

"We've met" I glance to the brothers then back to my soon to be in laws "Mr and Mrs Giovarni" I nod to them and watch as the mother begins to circle me slowly, eyeing my physique and then my features

"What are you doing in here ?" Flicking her wrist to the stables

"Shes a horse rider Mother, a good one to" Angelo chimes in with his annoying smirk

"I see .." taking a few steps back
"And the archers bow ?" Mario shakes his head towards the targets and my sheath of arrows. My mother's eyes widen, her mouth opening to speak

"They are mine.." my eyes flick to my mother's unsure features then back to Mario. Sofia threads her arm through her husbands

"Show me" his eyes showing disbelief. Grabbing my bow and a singular arrow I stand a few feet before him

"Target ?"

"Surprise me .." his palm opening to the area around us. Looking at my surroundings I begun to focus my breathing. Pulling back my string I fire with under a minute. The Giovarni's look to one another, Angelo now chuckling

"Follow me" I begin to walk from the barn. The family and my mother fall a few steps behind with me taking lead, I walk them 200 metres across the field

"Wait a minute.. is that ?" I see Leonardo squint to the tree just over 100 metres out, with a rusted red tractor seated at its roots. We walk some more until a gasp escapes Sofia and my mother's lips. I turn to Mario who has a smile broadening his lips, my eyes flick to Angelo who now has removed all notions of a smile.

I glare at him feeling the corner of my mouth pull upwards slightly and Leonardo offers me a nod of appraisal.

"Impressive" my eyes fall back to Mario "Welcome to the family, Emilie"  kissing my cheek. Behind me sits my arrow prettily in the 'O' of a weathered, old sign just above the tractors seat