Francesca Romano

Chapter 22 | Undecided

"I'm not exactly saying you over reacted." Reid started out as he fixed the ice on my knuckles that were bruising fast. "But I just never found you as the fighter type." He looked at me and as I was on an elevated Surface I finally made eye contact without having to look up. "What'd you take me as?" I raised an eyebrow expecting nothing but him telling me that, I was pussy.

"I don't know." He mumbled and my phone vibrated causing me to look over at where Jocelyn sat with Beverly asleep in her lap and Giovanni on the phone. "If it's work I'm so screwed." I looked down at my hand that was aching and sighed. "Can't you take a few days off?" He looked back at my hand and lifting the ice bag. "That unprofessional."

"Don't you own the place? I've never seen anyone work 24/7 when they own the place." I put the ice back on my hand and didn't bother looking up at him. "Well the ones you have seen probably didn't have anything to prove. But I do and it's unprofessional to miss work."

"So in all the years you've been working you never took a break?" He sounded skeptical as if I was lying. "If I did, I would work the entire day and night the next day." I really did have something to prove to one person and one person only, thought they would never actually see me proving it but still.

"Well your hand is fucked so no work for about a week I guess, take a break. It's probably been decades." I almost agreed until he mentioned decades. "You do realize I'm 21, right?" He paused. "You do realize I'm 26, right?" He mimicked me and I laughed at his joke and began climbing off the bar. "I think it's time I go home, and get Eve in bed." I held my hand stiff as I walked away from him.

"Francesca." I was immediately reminded of day one of the carnival when he was playing tricks. I kicked Beverly's foot and woke her up as I grabbed my bag with my good hand, and indulged with him. "Reid?"

"It's day four Francesca." A smile grew on my face. "One more I day and I win a bet, I am aware. Do I get anything?" Giovanni helped Beverly up and Jocelyn came next to me laying her head on my shoulder so I put my arm around her, know she was tired. "Don't you remember? You get a kiss if you win." Giovanni left with Beverly and went into the car but I allowed Jocelyn to stay with me. She was half asleep and probably wouldn't remember this conversation by morning.

"I've kissed many people, what makes your kiss special?" He jumped onto the bar and looked over at me thinking about his answer. "I'm not people." He paused and thought to himself. "I'm a raw illusion." Something about how he held up his confidence was attractive indeed, but I wasn't going to bury myself a bigger grave with people as bad as the mafia.

But I am already in the grave. "I want a better gift." I bargained. "Then let me take you out." He jumped off the bar and walked to me and Jocelyn, which his statement had awaken her but she kept her head on my shoulder. "I'll think about it." I tilted my head to the side looking at him trying to find any hint of lying in his eyes, but it just wasn't there.

I took Jocelyn's hand and turned around with her placing my bruised hand around her waist. I heard Reid chuckle, his voice finally lean. As we finally walked out and heard the door of the club shut behind us Jocelyn stood her head up. "What was that?"

She asked as I jumped in the front seat next to Giovanni and her in the back with Beverly who looked confused. "What did I do?" I looked at her through the review mirror and cocked an eyebrow. "You said you'd think about it."

"Think about what?" Giovanni turned to look back at Jocelyn. I put my Unbruised hand on his face and turned his attention back upfront. "Vanni nothing, and yes I did say that what about it?" I was now turned in my seat looking back at Jocelyn. "You and I both know your going so why, 'think about it." She mimicked me with air quotes.

"Where are you going Frankie?" Giovanni asked turning on the car before looking over at me. "Somewhere for a bet nothing serious." "So your not mad anymore about, you know." Beverly threw in there, being careful not to mention the contract.

I didn't want Giovanni to find out because he was still a kid and really didn't need anything to stress about. "Yes I'm still mad but mostly at, her and not them but this has nothing to do with that. I'm just playing around a bet, so let's drop the conversation please."

Beverly threw her hands in the air and Giovanni started driving, occasionally looking over at me. He knew I was hiding something, he could see right through me. But I ignored it because it was to late for anything from anyone here.
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Once Giovanni dropped me and Beverly home she went to her room and crashed as I went to the kitchen and put ice in a zip lock bag which I put on my bruised hand. I walked up to my room where I took my key to unlock my door but it was already unlocked. "Beverly was your bedroom door unlocked?" I walked halfway down the corridor and shouted to her.

"I don't know, I think so." She shouted back half asleep. I walked back to my room and put the ice on the nightstand, trying my best to undress myself without hurting my hand. I didn't bother putting clothes on besides a bra and underwear and walked into the bathroom to brush my teeth.

When I walked in and turned on the light, as I walked over to the mirror where I found a pink envelope taped to the mirror like before. I sighed and pulled the envelope off the mirror throwing it in the trash.

I continued on and washed my face before brushing my teeth and mid way stopped to do a French braid in my hair groaning in pain with my hand. Just as I started to brush my teeth again I felt the urge to open the envelope. I looked in the mirror where I looked at myself, really look at myself. "Ti vedo in tou padre."                          
"I see you in your father"

I rolled my eyes in disgust before washing out my mouth and picking up the envelope from the trash. I sat on the edge of my bed where I noticed the beautiful wax seal that had 'A.S.' Molded into it. "I ripped it open wondering who was playing in my house. "I have to change the locks." I mumbled to myself as I pulled out the paper within the pink envelope.

"Riddle me this. You mean the world to it but your still secret. The world included three places Venice, Germany, Padova."

Venice Italy, Padova which was the town over, and Germany? "I guess we're both stuck." I said as I left the paper and envelope on my bathroom counter leaving the bathroom and turning off the lights, heading to bed.

I placed my bruised hand on a pillow and the ice bag on top of it, as I stared at my ceiling.