The Mafia and Her ✔

Chapter 24

*Read chapter 23 first, it's very IMPORTANT*

"Lift your fist." Izan's demands would eventually kill me. We had been training since five in the morning, and it was now twelve, and all I wanted to do was crash on the bed for a week and possibly get someone to feed me while I slept in peace.

"But I'm tired!" I whined and heard chuckles from behind me. 

Jose and Juan were also fist-fighting, and Carlos and Zulimar watched us silently since they had their training earlier than us. I was convinced that they didn't sleep and were actually bats. "Five-minute breaks are not enough. I need more," I added as I ducked from his punch. 

Izan was strict and ruthless with me but made sure his hits were not that hard and didn't actually break my bones.

If this was the first day of training, I didn't want to imagine what he was like when dead serious.

"Vera, another round of punches, and we are done for the day. But first, what's your safe word? You need to have one in case you're in danger," Izan bargained, and I smiled for the first time today. At last.

"My safe word would be... Crystal! Let's go to the park after we shower," I suggested when I punched his palms. I was weak, but my aim was right, and Izan's grin encouraged me to continue.

"I'm in," Jose shouted while dodging Juan's kick. "Hey, we said fists only!"

Juan smirked. "Boy, in real fights, you don't have rules. Man up and hit me," he instructed, and I couldn't help but admire their swiftness and strength.

I bet they are swift and strong in bed, too...

Where did that come from?

Vera, holy thoughts!

"Oh, and I don't mind going to the park."

I shook my sinful thoughts away. "Awesome, Carlos and Zulimar?" I called and mirrored Juan's kick, catching Izan off guard. He stumbled backward for the first time, and I grinned. "Heck, yes! You sore loser!" I cheered and saw Zulimar smiling at my small victory. He nodded, referring to the park, and Carlos didn't say no. I took his silence as a yes.

"Izan?" I removed my gloves, and he drank water. "Will you come?"

He rolled his eyes. "Of course, I'm coming. I won't leave you alone with them," he replied, earning protests from his men. "Shut the fuck up. I don't trust you'd tolerate her talkative bullshit for more than five minutes. You would leave her alone." His reasoning earned him a slap from me on the back.

"I, personally, love it when she talks a lot. She's a good competition," Jose commented, and I high-fived him. 

After we cleaned our mess in the garden, each of us entered a bathroom somewhere in the house since there was enough for everyone.

Money buys convenience and happiness.

Whoever says no is a big fat liar.

I was the first to finish, so I entered the kitchen and prepared sandwiches. I always wanted to have a picnic with girls, but these mafia men would have to do it.

I organized everything in a big basket, and I was actually surprised that Izan had a basket to begin with. I didn't  take him for a man who went on picnics often. Murder was more of his forte.

Dark humor, Vera? Really?

"What are you doing?" Zulimar asked once he saw the basket, and I smiled.

"Food! I know you're starving, and restaurants don't seem like a good idea after yesterday's event." Dad was a real son of a female dog. I knew he was coldhearted and selfish, but his words after he knew what Heath did stung me. 

I thought he would at least show pity if not anger, yet he never failed to surprise me. Not all humans had the capability to be merciful with common sense.

Zulimar patted my shoulder. "Don't worry about the bastard. He will get what he deserves one day," he reassured me, talking more than usual, and I actually believed his words. He was a man of few words, but when he said something, he meant it.

"Thank you," I replied, and the rest of the men entered the kitchen. "Great, let's go! Izan, carry this basket," I demanded as payback for his earlier commands, but he didn't object and just carried the basket.

~~~

"I dare you to punch our boss," Juan dared Carlos, and our eyes widened. Izan's eyes sparkled with amusement, waiting to see if he dared do it. Playing truth or dare but doing only the dare was super fun and risky. 

One of these dares would force them to use their guns in a public park.

I will run to the hills if that happens.

What hills?

"Fuck no!" Carlos crossed his arms over his chest, and I laughed. "He will kill me," he added.

"I won't," Izan nonchalantly said, and I nodded.

"I won't let him, or else he won't get cuddles tonight," I reassured him, and his men looked at Izan with knowing glances. "Just to clarify, we only cuddle! We don't make babies. I'm still innocent! I don't mind doing the deeds, but not now, and I should shut up. Why am I still talking?" I asked Izan, and he shrugged.

Oh, to be this easygoing...

"We know you're still a virgin, don't worry," Juan commented, and my cheeks heated up. I brought this upon myself. I had no one to blame but yours truly. "Now, Carlos, the dare."

After much hesitation, he reluctantly punched his boss, but Izan didn't budge. He was a freaking wall.

Hot.

"Verena, your turn," Carlos said as he sat far away from Izan, trying to distract him before taking his revenge. It was a funny sight.

I smiled. "Jose," I addressed, and he looked at me. "I have two parts for this dare. First, I dare you to guess that girl's age," I pointed to a young girl, whom I assumed was a sixteen-year-old teenager.

"Like that's so hard," he scoffed as he gazed at her without being creepy. "She's about twenty-two," he confidently answered, and I smirked.

"Okay, now I dare you to go and flirt with her but don't touch her, and after you finish, ask for her age," I instructed, and Izan looked at me knowingly since he also didn't think she was above eighteen. Her makeup and choice of outfit could be misleading to naïve men like Jose, but she looked beautiful either way.

Jose narrowed his eyes at me yet stood up and walked toward her. We watched the whole exchange. "I say she's sixteen," I whispered to the men, and Juan nodded.

"Probably seventeen," Izan added, and Zulimar agreed. Carlos just watched in silence. The girl giggled as she touched his arm, and Jose smiled at her until his eyes widened for a second, excused himself, and ran back to us with a pale expression.

He sat on the bench next to Izan, dumbstruck. "She's fucking fifteen! I'm thirty, so I was this close to being classed as a creepy pedophile!" he whisper-yelled at us, and we all laughed at his red face.

"And that's how you catch a lawsuit. Always ask for the age before you flirt in normal circumstances," I concluded, and he nodded.

"Lesson learned."

~~~ 

19.01.2024 

Do you like their relationship?