Created by the devil

Repayed love.

She had four months of preparation for this battle, but when the words that left his mouth took her apart, limb by limb, she couldn't be put back together. The doctors had given her mother two months to live, but with the help of their last name and money, did they elongate it to four.How does one go past the death of their mother? Her mother might not have been what society deemed to be a good mother, but she was all Gia had left of this life she led before, of her childhood. Perhaps the death of her mother didn't scare her, but what and who it brought with it.

"When?" The word left her lips. The man looks down and answers, "About an hour ago." Gia lifts her head and looks at the clock that's hanging on the open brick wall backstage. "Was she alone?" Her voice sounds tired but strong. "I'm not sure, Mrs Shelby." She slowly closes her eyes and sighs, "Be gone, please."

The man nods and leaves the door closed behind him. Gia's eyebrows scrunch together when a sob leaves her lips. Her hand flies to her mouth as if she's trying to hold the sobs in. She looks up at her reflection in the mirror right in front of her. She finds it a pathetic sight to look at. She can't be sad because she knew this would happen. She wipes the one tear that left her eye away. For some reason, she wonders if Luca already knows. They might have sent him a letter, but she knows, for a fact, that she'll have to call him.

She looks back at the clock on the wall and laughs sadly. Time is such a valuable but overlooked thing. People like to put timestamps on everything, grief, death, love, and many more. They said she would be dead two months ago, but she was strong enough to live double of it. Gia said she would grieve for the time she was alive, yet there she is trying to keep it together backstage at a boxing ring.

Tommy storms the room, looking around him as if he has seen a ghost. Her voice sounds strong and clear, "Tommy?" He sits down on the chair in front of the dressing. He screams at the top of his voice. Gia would've backed up if she didn't know better. He gets down on her knees in front of him and holds his face in her hands.

He shakes his head and stands back up. Tommy is known for not showing his emotions, so this sudden change of attitude is new for her. Polly follows behind him and runs up to Gia to help her stand. Gia looks at Polly for an answer, but the older woman shakes her head no. Polly looks back at Tommy and demands, "Who was it? The fucking Russians?"

Tommy shakes his head in fury, "No, they've been dealt with and are long gone." He sits back down and holds his head in pain, "Who could it have been?" He questions himself multiple times. Both women look at him helplessly until he stands up and takes his gun out of his vest. He's out of the room before either of the women can stop him. They follow him to the boxing ring, where he shoots his gun twice in the air to get everyone's attention. He yells, "My brother, Arthur, has been strangled and left for dead. If you know who did this, come to me."

Gia's hand flies to her stomach as she feels a sharp pain at the centre of it. Polly puts her hand on her shoulder, "Gia?" She looks up in concern. The older woman fakes a smile and states, "Everything will be alright. I'll get you home."

Two hours later, Gia's laying on her couch. Polly gives Gia her tea and explains, "As long as the pains are gone, you're good. It happens often to women who are near the end of their pregnancy. I went to check on Elijah, and he's sleeping like a little angel." Gia nods back at her and sits upright to take the tea in her hands. "I'll have to go now. Ada has been calling non-stop to ask where I am. She's a real pain in the ass if you ask me." Gia smiles, "Thank you, Polly."

"You're welcome, love." The woman winks back and makes her way out of the house. Gia watches the car drive off the driveway. She leans back against the backrest of the couch. So much has changed over the past three years; she got married, had a baby, and expanded her business, but not once did she think about the impact all of those things have on her.

She thought that her life would be so different, and in a way it is, but here she is sitting alone with her dog and a silent house around her, with men walking around threatening her and her family's very being. The only sounds that she can hear are the clock ticking and some maids working. She can even smell the coffee coming from the kitchen if she closes her eyes, just like back home. Maybe, things didn't change.

The clock strikes twelve thirty AM when a Bentley makes his way on the gravel stone in front of the house. She doesn't have to look outside of the window to know who it is, so she waits until he gets in. The large wooden door opens and makes a small sound. Her eyes dart towards the hallway where she sees her husband pass by in the hallway and stop, "You aren't sleeping yet?" His low voice questions.

She turns her head and looks at the fireplace, which hasn't been alight for a couple of months. "I can't sleep. My head's too busy." He lights his cigarette and puts his hands in his pockets. "Where have you been, Tommy?" He sighs and rubs the sleep out of his eyes, "Work. I think I know who did that to Arthur." Gia's eyes don't leave the fireplace, but she maintains the conversation, "Who?" Tommy takes his time and serves himself a glass of whiskey. "Your brother." He declares.

She draws her eyes and looks up at Tommy, whose attention is lying elsewhere. "Sorry?" He crosses his arms and looks back at her, "It's the only possible answer. Arthur went to London a couple of weeks back because he had a meeting with Alfie and a couple of other Italians. They were all drunk and disagreed on things. This led to some pushing and shoving that killed one Italian."

Gia stands up and makes her up to him, "When were you planning on telling me this? I've told you before they are my family, which means my problem." Tommy puts his cigarette out in the ashtray and stands up from leaning against the table, "It was about my brother Arthur, so I had every right to intervene. I know I should've talked to you about this, but you already have so much on your mind."

Gia bites back, "I don't care what you thought was right, Tommy. You have control over everything in our lives. I asked you on multiple occasions to not deal with them, but you want to look further than you actually can. I know you think you can take them, but they're the mafia, Tommy. Even your little Russians have nothing on them."

Tommy stands up tall in front of her and tries to calm her down, "Listen, I'll be more honest about my work-" He was cut short by a small laugh coming from Gia, "Do you even believe yourself? You think you know what's better for me, but you haven't even been around the house since I got pregnant. The person you're trying to protect me from is yourself, Tommy. When will you understand that all I'm trying to do is love you!"

Tommy scoffs, "And how do you think a man as broken as me can repay your love?"