Simone Valentino

~~~ 8~~~

The knock at the door sent a small jolt through me as I got up. I walked over to the door, my curls falling around my face and my shoes making a light clicking sound on the floor. I opened the door and looked Valentino up and down, taking his tall figure in. His clean shave exposed his sharp jaw and his hair was pushed back and out of his face. He donned a black suit and held a single sprig of lavender.

"Nora! You look so lovely." His accent gave the name a different ring. I blushed and smiled.

"Diddo." I mumble blushing. Realising what I just said I look up, my face bright red. He smiles and winks at me. I relax a little. I grabbed my small bag and took his arm. I noted the muscle hiding just beneath the sleeve of his tux.

"You know. Your eyes sparkle when you smile." My face grew warm and I raised an eyebrow.

"Even so, you'll be the prettiest girl at the party." I say back, smiling.

"I have to say I'm jealous. Your date is so much more attractive than mine" He said, almost unable to contain his laughter. I gasped and he let out a big laugh. I let out a similar laugh and took the flower he was holding out to me. He held open the door of his 55 Imperial for me. I slid into the seat of the sleek black car and the door closed with a light click. He then opened his and got in.

"Care for some music?"

"I don't really have a choice, do I?" I asked as we made eye contact. His gloved hand was already on the dial.

"No, you really don't."

"Perfect," I stated as he clicked on the radio. A Sinatra song rings out and he begins humming along. As I sway to the melody he starts to sing and I notice how much I love the sound. It sounds like velvet and wind as he matches the notes perfectly. The song comes to an end and I finally ask what I've been dying to. "What's the godfather like?"

He sits up a little straighter, his jaw tensing. "StephanoValentino is smart, scary, sly, manipulative, and my father." His voice monotone.

"He likes giving people a hard time. Women especially." He looks at me, still facing the road. "And he has never hesitated to shoot someone. He'll be kind, but you must remember it is a facade."

I bit my lip, realising I was about to meet one of the most dangerous people in the country.

He'd look at me with the same eyes that had watched murder. Then again, so had Val. I was entering his world. The underground of New York. I became nervous as the realisation came. I felt myself spiralling. What if I die? I think. What if everything ends now? I became frantic. One wrong word and that could be the end for me.

"Eleanor." That single word brought me back. I hadn't noticed he had pulled over or that he was now only a few inches from me. I felt his breath on my nose. "You will be okay. I will keep you alive if that's the last thing I do. All I need now is for you to trust me. Can you do that?" He pulled off one of his gloves and took my hand in his and kissed it softly, then looked me in the eyes. They moved like a raging storm. His perfect eyebrows knit together with slight worry.

"I can try." I said then with a small smile, "but you are in the mafia so I don't know how trustworthy you could be."

He laughed then put his glove back on and started to drive again, but he took my hand in his and didn't drop it. He sang along with all the songs on the radio and I leaned my head on the headrest, absorbing the sound.