Going After Heaven (Mafia Romance)

Chapter Twenty One

She likes him.

Knowing Helena, that is not a word she throws around easily.

This morning is turning out worse despite my carefully detailed planning last night.

I crack my fingers and force my mind to continue to work on my Laptop. Forcing my eyes to dance with the letters and makes sense of them with my rabid thoughts dragging me to the edge.
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I stay working for hours, and finally, the words slow down and everything is snuffed out. My focus is back and my rabid thoughts are out the fucking window.

Hours drowned in work because I won't let myself think of the one thing that has been clouding my mind all day.

I am working like a robot pumped with steroids. Slouched on my couch, my heels off, my laptop on my lap, and a wine glass by my side on a side stool.

I don't have any official duties again for today and I also did not text Helena back after her last message.

When I take my eyes off my laptop to stretch on the couch, I see that the busyness of the office has watered down. The receptionist is not on seat anymore and Rosita just stepped out of her office and is approaching mine to close for the day.

Not wanting any interference, I text her
:you can leave:

I look out to see when she gets the message, just as she is about to push my door open. She nods and reclines.

She walks to the elevator and I skip a beat when it opens and I see Gabriele stepping out of it.

No smile like always. His signature pose of hands dipped into his pocket, his sooty curls now fastened in a men's bun, the sleeve of his shirt folded to bare his tattooed knuckles with rings encircling them.

I take a sip from my wine and continue to work as he takes his debonair steps toward my office. He presses the ring button on my door and walks in.

"Acero," he drawls and I grit. "We should leave" he continues.

"Why? Because you have a date to go to?" I stand from the couch and walk to him.

Without my heels to lift me I look so small against his towering body. And I hate it.

"Because it's getting late and reinforcement won't make it here on time if we're ambushed," he says looking past my head.

"You can drop the act Gabriele" I chuckle "and you can leave for your date too," I say waving him off.

He nods, "I'll drop you home then"

"No you can leave, I'll just call for backup to come to pick me up" I move back to my couch and sit.

"Get your things together, we leave in five" he starts to leave.

"I think you're forgetting who gives the order around here" I stand with that and he stops on his track. He turns to me. " You've been dismissed for the day" I shu at him with my fingers.

"Pack up, and let me do the job I am fucking paid to do, Acero" he presses his lips together.

"Don't you fucking talk to me like that, I move to him and he moves away. ouch. I scoff. "Seriously?"

I swallow the bile of shame and turn to start to pack up. It's fucked up. I wanted this. I wanted him to be strictly professional but now that I am getting it, I hate it.

I don't want it anymore and It's like I'm lost in the woods because I don't know how to go back and undo this.

"Helena told me about what you did for her with Pedro, thank you," I say as I slip into my heels, trying to sound chatty and pretending his moving away from me didn't stab my gut.

He grunts in response.

"So date night huh, where will you two be going?" I chuckle and stand, picking up my jacket.

"That's off work," he clips.

"So? I am her sister remember?" I shrug.

"Then ask her,"

"But I'm asking you, what is the big deal in answering me?" I pout.

"I don't owe any explanation concerning anything that has to do with my personal life, not who I go on a date with or if I fuck the person after the date, it wasn't in the agreement that I signed," he croaks and I scowl.

"There will be no fucking," I grit.

"We leave in five" he walks out.

I feel my insides simmer. Something is wrong, I don't want him around her.

No, that's not it. I don't want her around him.