bullets and bouquets

15

"We need to tell her," Denmar says to Sadie. In one of her meeting rooms, he displays a broadcast of Isla's parents. They talk about her on the screen. The police are still looking for her. He slides a file over to the mafia boss, "the police have suspected gang activity. From the Palermo warehouse."

"Shit. I knew we should have taken them with us," she curses. The only reason Sadie didn't dispose of Bianca's men in the same way she usually does, because she wanted to get Isla back to the Estate immediately.

"If we don't tell her, another gang might snitch or the police will find us," he says. Sadie frowns. Although Isla said she wants to be with Sadie, she hasn't thought about her family. She doesn't know that they have been looking for her all this time. Isla doesn't have a phone and most of the TVs are not hooked up to cable.

"Can we throw them off our scent?" Sadie suggests, "Fake body, maybe?"

"We can, but Madame... what happens when Isla asks about her family? It might come up one day..." he says, the other servants in the room gasping. Denmar, although he is the right-hand man and higher up than the other servants, is being risky asking that. Normally, he just follows orders and doesn't question any decisions. Especially about Sadie's personal life.

"Then we wait for that day. Start on a fake body, I want to have it out in two days," she orders.

"Yes Ma'am," Denmar answers. Sadie leaves the meeting room as he begins to give orders to the other servants. She's torn over her decision, but she doesn't want Isla to leave. Although she hasn't said it, she's in love with the brunette. Sadie goes to the kitchen to find Felipé for lunch.

"What shall I prepare for you, Madame?" he asks.

"Surprise me, but make me a cocktail first," she says.

"Right away," she leaves the kitchen and goes to the living room to find Isla coming out of the bedroom. Her hair is damp from the shower still. Sadie stops in a trance when she sees her. Isla doesn't know it, but she is the only one who can make the mafia boss melt.

"Hey," Isla smiles as she walks up to the redhead, "I thought you had business to attend to?"

"Finished now," the redhead answers, "I see you've found your wardrobe."

"Yes, thank you by the way," the brunette smiles. She wears a Chanel dress with matching heels, "I've never worn anything designer."

"Well, you can wear all the designer brands you want. Anything," Sadie says. Felipé comes out of the kitchen with the redhead's cocktail.

"Here you go, Madame," he gives the glass to her.

"Thank you. Isla, are you hungry? I had Felipé start on lunch," the mafia boss asks. Felipé waits to hear if he needs to make more food.

"Yeah, lunch would be nice," she says.

"You can have anything you want," Sadie tells her.

"What are you having?"

"I told him to surprise me," the redhead says.

"Okay, I'll have whatever you have," Isla answers. Felipé nods.

"Do you want a drink too, Miss?" he asks.

"We have all kinds of liquor," Sadie adds.

"Uh, sure. Do you have wine?" Isla asks. The mafia boss turns to Felipé.

"Bring a glass of the Antinori Tignanello," she orders. Felipé nods and walks to the kitchen, "It's my favorite. You'll love it."

Isla smiles and the two sit down on the couch in the living room. Sadie puts her arm around the brunette.

"I'm happy I'm here," Isla says. Sadie looks at her.

"Really?"

"Yeah and not just because you spoil me. You make me happy," the brunette says, giving Sadie a kiss on the cheek. The mafia boss turns red but begins to wonder if she is doing the right thing by not telling Isla about her family.

She says she's happy with Sadie, but would that change if she knew her family was searching for her?

"I'm happier because of you, Isla. I'm sorry that it was rough in the beginning, but I knew you were the one," Sadie admits. Isla chuckles at the redhead.

"I don't care about how we met anymore. I just care about you and me now," the brunette says. Sadie's conscience feels better knowing this information. Although now she feels like she needs to tell Isla about her family.

"Would that change if your family knew who I was?" Sadie hesitantly asks. Isla's eyebrows raise.

"Oh, my god. I forgot about my parents. They're probably worried sick. And Gianna," the brunette sighs, "Can I call them? Tell them I'm okay?"

Sadie's too far in now... she has to tell Isla the police are searching for her.

"About that... the police... they've been searching for you," Sadie admits.

"They have?"

"Yeah," Sadie sighs, expecting her to want to leave.

"We have to tell them I'm okay. So they stop searching," Isla exclaims. The redhead is shocked.

"What?"

"The police are wasting their time, I'll just tell them I'm okay and they will stop, right?" the brunette asks.

"Well, see there's a bit of a problem with that," Sadie explains, "We can't have the police knowing about us, about the Estate. If you reappear, they will ask you where you've been. And if you leave, they will ask where you are going. Do you see the problem?"

"It would reveal your identity," Isla realizes. The mafia boss nods, "what if... I just told my parents. Told them to call off the investigation?"

"Won't they want to know where you are too?" Sadie questions.

"Maybe... but maybe I can get them to keep quiet about you and the Estate," she begins to think.

"How?"

"If maybe, a certain mafia boss were to... let's say, pay off a certain someone's parents... to keep quiet, it might keep the mafia boss' identity a secret..." the brunette suggests.

"Paying off your parents?" Sadie questions.

"It might work, only... I don't have the money. Or a job," she points out.

"Well, I have enough to pay them off, but it's risky," the mafia boss says.

"Well, what do you have in mind?" Isla asks.

"I have Denmar and the others working on a fake body..." Sadie reveals, "we would drop it somewhere in Sicily and you would be 'dead'."

"Faking my own death? Isn't that... illegal?" the girl questions.

"Technically... but I know people... people who can get you a new identity. And you wouldn't ever have to work here, so who would really know?" the redhead suggests.

"I wouldn't be able to leave?" Isla questions.

"Well, not for the first two years after your 'death'. It would be too risky," she elaborates, "Look, if you don't want to do that.. there are other options. Riskier, but I'm willing to look into them."

"Faking my death would be the easiest though?" the brunette questions.

"Yes. It wouldn't bring any attention to the Estate."

"Well, I guess Isla Rhodes is dying."