Special thanks to @jiyoungmochi for the cover!!
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❝𝐀 𝐬𝐜𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐛𝐨𝐝𝐲, 𝐚 𝐛𝐫𝐨𝐤𝐞𝐧 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐥. ❞
Renata Vartanov had been through hell. Sold to a brothel and thrusted into prostitution at thirteen along with her then toddler...
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✯𝓥𝓲𝓷𝓬𝓮𝓷𝔃𝓸✯
I must admit, Miss Renata Vartanov really surprised me today with that little outburst of hers.
I had followed her to the bar in hopes of talking some sense into one of them.
Cata was adamant on her staying, but I wanted to hear what she thought.
I guess I've gotten it now. The fire in her eyes, and fierceness in her tone when she talked about her reasons for wanting to leave America really captivated me.
That, and her newly found sarcasm and 𝙙𝙖𝙢𝙣. Really attractive.
Plus, the way she'd said my name.
"𝑽𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒛𝒐," she'd said my name so softly, so beautifully that it sounded like a song when it slipped off her tongue.
I returned to my seat next to Tiago. He turned his head away from his screen and paused, gaping at me like there was something wrong with my face.
"What is it, Tiago?" I asked
"Nothing, capo. Your mouth is just doing the..thing—when—"
"Huh?" I hummed in question.
What thing was that?
"Like a half smile, kind of." He finished, with intrigue in his tone.
I placed a finger to the side of my lip and realised that I was indeed smiling half way.
𝑇ℎ𝑒 𝐹𝑢𝑐𝑘?
"I take it that your talk went well?" Tiago asked, peeping slightly out of his glasses.
"To some extent," I responded.
"What extent?"
I sighed and told Tiago, "she wants to stay in Sicily. Not for Cata but for herself. She wants to make a life there." I finished.
Tiago cocked a surprised eyebrow. "And you're okay with that, capo?"
I nodded. "È la sua vita. Se vuole viverlo in Italia, allora è una sua scelta. (ɪᴛ's ʜᴇʀ ʟɪғᴇ. ɪғ sʜᴇ ᴡᴀɴᴛs ᴛᴏ ʟɪᴠᴇ ɪᴛ ɪɴ ɪᴛᴀʟʏ, ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴀᴛ's ʜᴇʀ ᴄʜᴏɪᴄᴇ)"
"Live in Italy, as in live in your mansion?" Tiago questioned.
"That's what Catalina insists on, and you know how stubborn she can be. I don't want to fight with my sister over this." I sighed, brushing a hand through my beard.
Tiago glanced at Catalina, seated far ahead and humming a song. I followed his gaze. "You should trust her on this, capo. She's a good judge of character, and if she sees something in Miss Vartanov, then it's worth exploring." He assured me with a nod.
I smirked at his comment. "Did you just compliment Catalina?"
"Maybe there is hope of a friendship between you two afterall," I jeered, patting him on the shoulder with a chuckle.
