BELLA- A MAFIA ROMANCE

Prevention.

Aaliyah Stepanov:

I didn't hesitate to leave his body on the cold hard floor of my bedroom, he looked peaceful when he was asleep, less angry and conflicted. If he didn't let me outside into the real world by myself then he was smart enough to figure out that I was going to find my own ways just like I currently have.

I sat on the roof edge of a building, smoking an oversized joint to calm my system. I looked down at the wedding ring that decorated my finger. Most people would look at their rings and feel love but I didn't feel anything, I didn't want to feel anything. I knew that when stefano woke up that there was going to be carnage and a lot of anger on his side but he had to understand that I was still human. I wasn't just some killing machine that could stay locked in a mansion.

I reached down into my pocket as my phone vibrated and pulled it out to see David's number on the screen. I let out a sigh and put the phone to my ear.

"Good evening mr David, how may I help you?" I questioned with a small giggle, I hadn't smoked in a while so my tolerance had weakened.

"Liyah- I'm warning you. Stefanos pissed, please just go home... I've never seen him like this before." David said, sounding worried and almost scared.

"Careful David, you're starting to sound like a pussy. Where's the strong mafia man I know and loathe?" I couldn't help but stall him a little, poking a bear but a friendly one.

"Aaliyah. It's easier if you just go back. It'll be worse if he has to come out to get you. You outskilled him, there's nothing worse than a humiliated man." David tried to reason with me but I couldn't help but roll my eyes in response and let out a heavy sigh.

"Well, actually David... you're wrong when you say that there's nothing worse than a humiliated man because there is something much worse. A nasty woman." And with that I ended the call and slid it back into my pocket, I didn't want them genuinely worrying so I knew that if they were that desperate then they'd find me by tracking the call, I wasn't stupid.

I took another long pull of my joint, knowing that the peace and quiet wasn't going to last too long.

Stefano Bianchi-

"Find her..." I said calmly to David after calling him back into the house eventhough I had told him that he was done for the day.

I was acting strangely calm which was worrying David but I didn't want to loose my temper and hurt her again, it was something that I was trying to work on. Not just for me but for her. It took time but finally I realised that she's just an innocent victim in all of the bloodshed. Her father created her into a monster, she never asked for any of this. I was impressed with her, she had stripped my ego into nothing and left me for dead on a hard wooden floor. Atleast I had the curtesy to put her into bed after knocking her out.

I looked up as David approached me with a pre set sat nav in his hands on a phone, "she's there- well. That's where the call has been traced to..." he said quietly as I took the phone from him.

"Thankyou, you can go home now. Sorry for calling you in this late." I said to him with an appreciative nod which seemed to surprise him.

"Night capo." He said in response as I watched him leave and waited for him to drive off before leaving to go and find the enchantress that had been eating at my mind body and soul ever since I laid eyes on her.

I picked the keys to a lamboghini urus and didn't hesitate to start driving to the location that I was given. At first I didn't understand, it was just random buildings that were probably used for rented offices but everything made sense when I looked up and saw the flame of a lighter flash for a second before going out.

"You're really making me work here huh..." I muttered as I stepped out of my vehicle and made my way to the side of the building where a ladder was connected to it going all the way up. I just wished that I was in bed instead of scaling the side of a building to reach a master assassin who could possible attempt to kick me off of the ladder once I reached the top.

It wasn't too long until I reached the top of the ladder, a little bit of lactic acid flowing through my legs but apart from that I was perfectly fine. I let out a sigh as I made my way to the ledge of the roof, taking a seat at the edge besides Aaliyah as I held out my pinkie finger to her.

"You promise not to push me off?" I questioned, turning my head towards her and also the joint in her hand.

She turned her head towards me and squinted her reddened eyes, "only if you don't piss me off. Did I hit you too hard that you're trying to be my friend?"

"Sharing is caring." I quickly added before pinching the joint from her fingers and taking my fair share of puffs.

"I can tell you have something to say. Spill." She said to me, she was good- I had to give her that. Afterall she was also a master spy.

"Well Aaliyah-" I started off with as I took a long drag of the joint before handing it back to her. "Would you be shocked if I were to offer you a truce? I'm not saying we have to be best friends or friends for a matter of fact. But we can just tolerate eachother. You're the first person to beat me, as much as I hate to admit... but you're also not weak or scum. We may have our culture differences consider the fact that you hate Italians and I hate Russians. But I think that we could benefit eachother. Considering the whole till death do we part thing. And you're also easier to have as a friend instead of an enemy."

She turned her head towards me as she listened to my words, I could tell that in her eyes she was shocked but she wasn't showing it too much in her face.

"So what you're saying is that you know you can't win against me?" She questioned with a small smirk on her face

"Whatever you want to call it. But don't push it." I said to her with a shrug of my shoulders, taking my jacket off of myself after noticing her goosebumps and placing it over her shoulders.

"Well, I think that... it's not such a bad idea." I was glad that she finally agreed. I didn't like having a constant war going on in the same place that I had to sleep in. And this way we could get to know eachother better without the constant fighting. It would be a breath of fresh air for the both of us.

I heard her let out a sigh before resting her head on my shoulder and looking out onto the skyline of the city. I raised my arm and placed it over her shoulders, I had the feeling that she was lacking comfort recently and didn't have many people to confide in.

"Thanks for not killing me..." I heard her whisper as I looked down at her.

A small smile covered my face as I couldn't help but slightly admire her, "Thankyou for not killing me too bellissima..."

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AHHHH so they're finally not trying to rip each others throats out since Stefano took the high road with her, what a change in heart 💔

Thanks for reading of you are 🤍

Word count: 1349 words.