Worshiping Her

chapter seventeen

Francesca Romero

"Goodbye, Francesca." His words kept playing in my head over and over. Pretending? Pretending about what? I've barely talked to Nicolai since he left and I can't fucking sleep. Two weeks of us just running into each other when I went to visit my dad. That's it. I'm trying not to dwell on it too much. We shared a kiss and some other things. It's perfectly normal for him to have caught a little crush on me with me being the first person he did those things with. And you know what? I'm glad he stopped it now we can focus on actually just being friends. Except I can't even get a word out of him.

"Francesca Hello? Francesca Caterina Romero" Athelia snapped her fingers in my face. I grabbed her finger. "You're lucky I love you because I'm fighting the urge to chop this off" I let go of her hand. "I'm scared that I can't take you're violent jokes for just a joke anymore." She puts her hand on her hips.

I finally told Athelia about my family and she literally said "My first guess was that your dad was just a brain surgeon but Mafia leader was a second." I spent all this being scared of her reaction when weirdly her first question was wondering if she could join in on family missions. Which leads her to this, me training her. Lilura still hasn't found out who The Viper is exactly but we did find out the gang that she's affiliated with is known and just so happens to work at one of the most high-end places in New York.

"Pop question if you and someone were hypothetically sharing a drink and the other person isn't taking a sip but is insisting that you should. What is the first assumption you should make?" Athelia's eyes widened with excitement as I asked the question. "Oh, I know! It means that they don't like the drink." She says proudly. Goddess fucking gracious. "Yeah, she isn't ready to go on a mission." Lilura walks in and plops down on the couch. I shake my head. "Wait what? I'm confused." Athelia's smile fades as she looks between me and my sister.

"Maybe you should just sit this one out." I pat her on the shoulder. "So is Nicolai still coming?" I sat next to Lilura. "Yeah, why wouldn't he be?" She looked down at her watch. "Matter a fact they should be here soon." Athelia turned her head. "They?". I don't even care about who else is coming. How am I supposed to work with Nico under these conditions!" Y'all have to start warning me when Malory comes." She puts her foot down. Athelia trying to get upset is funny.

10 minutes later Nico and Mal arrived. He spoke to Athelia, he spoke to Li, but me? Nothing. Maybe if I start the conversation? I went to go sit next to him. His posture was different than usual. Normally he's sitting up and listening but now he's manspreading. "You smell nice today." I blurt out and instantly cover my mouth. Kill me. "Thanks?" He adjusted himself away from me and bit the inside of his cheek. "Okay. I think it's time for you to tell us the plan." I glanced at Lilura.

"Right. We're going to The Empire Casino. All of the stupid rich people of New York come there. I had Nicolai do some digging and The Viper is a known drug dealer for high-end celebrities and business owners." I dated a drug dealer once.

If we want more information on her this is the place to start." Lilura reaches into her duffel bag on the couch and pulls out a long-sleeveless black dress and a pair of sheer black gloves. "I need you and Nicolai to go undercover as a rich couple looking to have some fun." She throws the dress at me. "How is this supposed to help us catch her?" I catch the dress in my hands and look at it in awe. I'm gonna look so hot in this so either way, I'm good. "That place is flooded with people working for her looking to sell drugs. Their supposedly a strain of cocaine that only she knows the recipe for. "

You and Nico will give one of her workers an offer so ridiculous they have to sell to you. She reaches into her bag again and hands Nicolai a black tux. "I placed a reservation for the four of y'all at The hotel there. Malory and I will be in there listening in case some shit goes down" She looks at all of us for a response. "Well can I just say I'm so excited to be doing this with you all? Athelia tosses her ginger hair back and sits up.