Protecting The Principessa (Complete)

~ Chapter 5 ~

Izzy stuck her tongue at the retreating back. "I'm only 210," she mumbled, rolling her eyes at him. She wasn't some stick-thin want-to-be-Barbie, she had curves and she was rather proud of them. And just because someone was texting him and pissing him off didn't mean he had to be a dick to her. She shook her head and then looked around her home for the night. Well, he didn't say nothing was off-limits once he stormed towards the living room. She had assumed he had gone outside as she heard a sliding door open, so that left the house free reign.

Izzy sighed as she walked into the kitchen, surprised to see that it was well used, but quite clean too. She opened the fridge and grabbed a bottle of water, her eyes glancing over the items in there rather quickly. If he had company, it didn't seem like it was often for how well it was stocked. She took note of the three coffee creamers in there, as well, and had to smile. She liked coffee, but she also liked to add sweetness and flavor. She closed the door and then leaned back against the counter as she opened her bottle and took a sip.

"What are you doing?" Izzy lifted a brow as the man stood in the doorway and she lifted the bottle.

"I was thirsty, you were pissed, and I wasn't dealing with you. Oh, and by the way, I'm still not." With that, she pushed off and tried to walk around him but he stopped her.

"I don't have many ground rules, but then again, I don't have many people staying at my house."

"Wait, you live here, all alone?"

"Yeah, Ignazia, I do. I have a maid that comes in twice a week, but otherwise, I cook and clean around here. I don't like messes, so I ask that you pick up after yourself. I have a heated pool in the backyard, a theater room off the living room, and everything is open to you, but the master bedroom. The bedroom I'm having you sleep in has an adjoining bathroom, and the other two guest bedrooms are down the other side of the hall." She looked up at Adriano, her brows drawn in confusion.

"That's an awful lot of information for someone who is just staying a night." Adriano smirked at her statement before walking into the kitchen and grabbing himself a bottle of water as well. She took in his back as he did, how the jacket fit him, and she would vow that it was tailored just for him.

"I don't think you're staying just a night." That had Izzy snapping out of her thoughts rather fast. She crossed her arms and leaned against the doorway, her eyes locked on his once he turned back around.

"Yeah, and why would you think that? Carlo said he was bringing me to his house."

"For the same reason, he wanted you here tonight, to make sure no danger comes to you. I know this might shock you because it sure as hell shocks me, but you seem to be more important to Carlo than his other children so the target on your back is bigger than theirs. On top of that, they know this world, who to avoid and who to go to, you don't. So, I firmly believe Carlo will ask if you can stay just a little longer."

"Fuck, I feel like a teenager, unable to make up my own God damn mind. No, everyone else is forcing my hand and my life."

"Well, when you throw a fit like that, you very much sound like a teenager," he told her and she just glared at him.

"I guess our living arrangements are going to be rather interesting as we really can't seem to stand each other, huh?" He smirked as he took a drink of his water and tilted his bottle to her in a mock salute.

"That might have been the smartest thing you've said all day." She rolled her eyes, figuring it was better to keep her mouth shut than cause a yelling match with him. "It's been a rather long day for me, Ignazia, so I'm going to bed. There is a TV in your room." He walked past her but she stopped him with a hand on his arm.

"I....there's a problem....I don't...," she stopped as she realized she was rambling and he merely lifted a brow. "I don't have a change of clothes. We left so fast, I didn't grab anything."

"You'll have to figure Tito for what he did." She gave him a confused look but followed him out of the kitchen as he made the way to the garage. "And this was what I was doing, by the way." He popped the trunk and pulled out a black bag. "He didn't look at anything, just grabbed a couple of items for you." With that, Adriano handed her the bag and she shook her head.

"Guys really do think of everything, don't you?" Adriano stepped back into the house and started down the hallway but paused. He turned around and looked at her.

"I know you know you're father is a crime boss. He's smart, deadly, fast, and swift; not things you can become by being dumb and not prepared. You never saw Tito enter the house after we left because you were too busy throwing a fit. You never saw the bag get tossed in, either. We are fucking good at our job, don't doubt that." She swallowed but nodded, following him back down the hallway.

-----

She climbed out of the shower, wrapping one towel around her hair and the other around her waist. Izzy was half expecting Adriano to come pounding on the door, but he hadn't, and she was grateful for it as she was able to release her pent-up tears over the death of her mom, and the life that was taken from her. To be honest, she wasn't sure what she was expecting when her mom died, but this wasn't it. A life far away from her home, the only place she ever called home, far away from anyone she knew or any friends she had. In fact, it probably wouldn't surprise her if she started getting messages soon enough about where the hell she was.

She slipped on her oversized t-shirt and then climbed into bed. She at least had to give it to Adriano, his bed was comfortable, so he had good taste. Not that she was shocked by that; the man knew had to dress. And yeah, she would give it that a lot had to do with his job, didn't every one of them have to look good or something? Izzy sighed and then shifted on her side, her gaze drifting past the door and she saw the glow from the alarm system, otherwise, the house was dark; and rather quiet. And given that, she knew she wasn't going to go to sleep, so she climbed out of the bed and quietly walked into the living room, smiling to herself as the blinds were open and the moon was peeking out from behind the clouds. She climbed on the couch, curled her legs under her, and just watched the moon in peace for a little bit.

"What are you going to do, Izzy?" she mumbled to herself. She wiped her eyes as memories flooded back of her mom and her doing the exact same thing and how they would talk about her future plans. None of which included coming back to the one city she had such a miserable time in before.

-----

Adriano had climbed into his own bed when he heard the shower end. He was far from used to having women staying in his home but when he checked the time, he wasn't surprised to see that it had been a longer shower for her. And he was going to assume she used that to handle everything she had probably just been dealt with in the last 48 to 72 hours. And he couldn't blame her. Though he disliked that she was a little spitfire, he wasn't surprised. Given that her world was turned upside down, he really couldn't imagine her being any other way.

He opened his phone to check a couple of things when he heard her climb into bed and he had to smile. He was so used to quiet, so used to hearing the little normal things in his house that having someone else with him was different, but comforting in a rather odd way. And something he never thought he'd like. He shook his head and though he'd rather be reading, he didn't want the light on to disturb her so he fiddled with his phone a little more. Adriano was about to set it down when he heard her get up.

Thinking something spooked her; he grabbed his gun and walked out of the room, frowning as he watched her sit on the couch. He should leave, he could see nothing was wrong, but something drew him to stay. Or to at least watch her, and he couldn't phantom why. His eyes trailed over her hair, which he actually liked how dark it was and the red streaks, it was different, but it also screamed her. He also hated to admit it, but he had noticed a few other things, like the way her eyes blazed when she was furious. Ignazia was a firey one, in both Italian and Spanish, and there was no way she wasn't that.

"Ignazia?" Her head turned and he smirked to himself as her eyes trailed over his naked chest since he only had his shorts on, and she was at least lucky with he had that on.