Pretty lies

twenty three- rumour has it

Alessandro Marino:

I think I have made a mistake. Tristan called me about an hour ago saying that his friend is in trouble and she needs someone to stay. I suggested my place and that is where he headed.

I now sit in my home office, staring out my window, as she climbs out of the car. The woman is Isadora, my Isadora.

This could could go two ways ; she could either run into my arms and I hold her while she tells me her woes or she freaks the fuck out. I don't even know how Solo knows her.

Her issues now feel overly relevant to me and I don't feel like they should. She is not my friend nor a lover. Isadora is someone I fuck that I happen to have a formed a liking for.

As she comes further into view, I spot a young child clinging onto her. Is that her kid? She looks far too young to have children but, who am I to judge, I kill people for a living.

Tristan swings an arm over her shoulders and pulls her closer to him. A wave of jealousy flows over me. I shouldn't be angry but I am. He doesn't know what Isadora and I have been doing ,but that doesn't matter.

I angle my head away from the atrocious sight and move back towards my desk. The papers from old missions cover the wood like a thick blanket. You can hardly see the desk.

Something is wrong in our hidden world. Everyone is on edge and acting out of fear. The Rose's are now left leaderless. Sofia shared her ideas of finding a leader elsewhere instead of allocating the position to a family member.

It was a risk and no one knew if she was ready to take it. Family is everything in the mafia. They are the only people you can truly trust in such dirty industry. I don't know if she even told the entirety of her family about the mafia. Rumour has it no one knew.

My curiosity defeats me and I turn back to the window only to find that the entrance is empty. She is in my fucking house.

I feel my palms turn clamy by the second and my room feels smaller. This feels wrong. I shouldn't have let her come here. Everything we had will be ruined the second she realises who I am, who she is.

The sound of footsteps outside my office door bounce from wall to wall. People mutter and gossip about the woman carrying the boy.

My workers are kind hearted people who have come to repay a debt. The show great strength and nobility ,but there is always one or two that have to ruin all the fun. In my case, it's is always fucking Juliet and Lora.

Juliet is well- Juliet. She doesn't necessarily work for me but she assists in the business. Simply amazing put, sometimes she will have to seduce an enemy and to lure them in.

Lora works in the kitchen and had done so for years now. Despite being in late middle age, she carries the behaviours of a fourteen year old ; gossiping and mocking. Her father wronged mine so she was given as debt for his actions.

Her services are much appreciated and she is well compensated ,as are all of my staff. Yet she treats new comers with nothing but disrespect.

I will be damned if I let them speak down upon Isadora Rose. Within a couple of seconds, I am out of my chair and the door is open.

"If you two have anything to say about my guests, just suck it up and fucking do your job." I scold the two women that now appear shocked and almost as if they were caught red handed.

"Mr Marino I do apologise for my actions it's just-" Lora tries to explain before Juliet interrupts.

"I- we don't think you should be bringing random women off the street into the house."

"Well, I didn't want to bring you into my house in the first place but here we are." Her jaw drops and a look of embarrassment coats her face.

I storm away to avoid further conversations with these women and make my way downstairs. My heart rate picks up when I hear her voice get louder.

My nerves reach a high as I turn the corner and we make eye contact. I see her jaw drop slightly as Tristan rubs the back of his neck out of awkwardness. Her eyes widen in what I believe to be shock and I can practically see the cogs turning in her head.

"What in the actual fuck is going on?" She exclaims when the young child gasps and sits up on her hip.

"Don't say that! You said you would stop cussing so I don't lick rocks." Excuse me what.

"Tristan, who is he to you?" Solo stands there like a kid on stage with a spotlight on him.

"He's um- this guy. I found him and now he's here. We're here too but-" now this is just embarrassing for the both of us.

"Solo take the kid and let me Isadora talk alone ,please." They both turn to me in what appears to be shock.

"How do you know her name?"

"How do you know him?"

"Can we stop with the interrogation in my own house?" I feel very attacked by people much smaller than me and I don't like it, not one bit.

"This is your house?"

"Is that all of your questions done?" I ask a clearly puzzled Isadora and she gives me the most motherly look, not a good one. I feel uncomfortable.

"I'm gonna go." Tristan states as he slowly pulls the child out of Isadora's grasp. The boy reluctantly lets go of her and they leave the room.

We are left alone, avoiding eye contact as we both wait for the other person to break the silence. I can't bare it.

"It's good to see you." Her eyes dart up to meet mine but not in the way I want them to.

"Are you shitting me? This is one of the worst days of my life and you say it's good to see me." It appears I have fucked up.

"I didn't mean for it to come out like-"

"Like what? Like you're an insignificant asshole?" Huh.

"There is no need for you to get mad at me." That always came out wrong.

"I am not in the mood for surprises right now but the universe keeps pulling rabbits out of a hat and I can't find the fucking hat."

Well alright then.