❝𝒱𝒾𝒸𝓉𝑜𝓇𝒾𝒶, 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓆𝓊𝑒𝑒𝓃 𝑜𝒻 𝓂𝓎 𝒽𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓉 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝓂𝓎 𝑒𝓂𝓅𝒾𝓇𝑒.❞
˜*°• 𝐈𝐍 𝐖𝐇𝐈𝐂𝐇
Victoria Russo grew up in a world full of money, crime and powerful families. Being a part of the Sacred Eight families, she knew what it mean...
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MOMENTS OF CALM
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BOTH OF THEM WENT BACK TO ARGUING THE NEXT MORNING and continued to do that whenever Lorenzo was home and the staff wasn't working. The anniversary of Victoria's parents' passing and Enzo's cupcakes (which were delicious!) didn't solve their difficult relationship. However, it did lead to a minor breakthrough – sometimes they managed to have brief, yet civil conversations about Lorenzo's work or their families and friends. Those conversations weren't long and didn't happen every day, and were followed by arguing about something in the next few minutes, but it was a very small step forward for them.
Nicoletta and Fernando's death anniversary day was two months ago, but Lorenzo and Victoria's occasional conversations started about five weeks ago. Victoria found some solace in the fact that Lorenzo was working much more than before, with numerous affairs accumulating and requiring his attention. He wasn't home from early morning to late night, so they rarely saw each other on weekdays, meaning they didn't have to act in front of the staff. Also, it helped that she finally had her car here and could leave the house whenever she wanted. It provided a sense of relief and freedom, even if it meant being followed by a bodyguard or two.
During those conversations, Lorenzo and Victoria stayed on simple topics. They would discuss what Eddie and Gabriella said about the baby, their progress with the nursery, or what their other friends had shared with everyone. The latest news was about Harper meeting a boy who was a couple of years older than her. She has been on three dates with him already. They also spoke about Lorenzo's parents and Alessandro's preparations to take over the Russo family businesses. Victoria often asked how Lorenzo's day was and he always briefly told her, not getting into a lot of details. It wasn't because she didn't know what he did. She did. After all, they both grew up in this world, surrounded by crimes, guns and money. But their relationship wasn't at that stage yet to tell her everything. But then their civil conversation always ended and they argued about her hair everywhere or how she hated to live with him under one roof. That was their life.
•••
Before she went out the door, Victoria tied her shoes, grabbed her bag and looked at the mirror hanging on the wall of the entryway. She fixed her curly hair, which was falling into her eyes and finally left the house, meeting her two bodyguards, Axel and Joey, by her car. Victoria unlocked her vehicle as she greeted two men who had been protecting her for a few months now. Axel finished his cigarette and Joey climbed into Victoria's car as Axel took his place in a separate vehicle to tail them.
When Lorenzo informed her that she would be assigned personal bodyguards, it wasn't strange and new to her. Although she argued with him about it just to rile him up and for her own amusement. But she knew she needed them. Throughout her life, she had always been surrounded by people who protected her. Being a part of the mafia's world and a member of one of the Sacred Eight families, her safety was always at risk. They had enemies. Lots of them. So, she needed to be protected in case someone decided to do something to her. She was more vulnerable without protection. Even though she knew how to protect herself.
•••
Axel and Joey were walking close behind Victoria, Harper and Gabriella, the faces of the two men serious and on alert. This was New York and no one questioned two bodyguards following three women. Besides, some people recognized who Victoria or Gabriella were, especially the ones who had ties with the crime world.
As they were walking to yet another clothes store in the shopping mall, Harper told everything about her fourth date with the guy whose name was Ethan and how he finally asked her to be his girlfriend. Victoria was happy that her best friend found a nice boyfriend, but it also made her feel sad and she tried not to show it. Because she never had and never would have this.
She was almost a twenty-one-year-old girl who was already married. And to a person she didn't even like and with whom she spent most of the time arguing about everything. She only had one boyfriend when she was sixteen and they were together for only two weeks. Victoria never dated after that because there was no time for it. She has been busy keeping her good grades, studying and learning different things that weren't in the school's curriculum.
"Look!" Victoria excitedly exclaimed when they walked into the store and she grabbed the item that caught her eye. "How cute!" She showed Harper and Gabriella a cute, long-sleeved, cow-printed onesie for a baby. There was a big and excited smile on her face, her eyes shining. Harper and Gabriella exchanged glances before looking at her.
"Maybe you should tell Enzo that you're ready to have a baby," Harper said, a teasing tone in her voice and a small, playful smile on her face.
"Ew, no! It's for my niece or nephew."
"Oh, no, no. You're not dressing my baby as a cow."
"Why not?" Victoria asked her sister with a pout on her face. Gabriella just shook her head and Victoria put the onesie back, but made a mental note for herself to come back here when she wasn't with them and buy it anyway. No matter what Gabriella said, she would see her niece or nephew in that cute cow onesie.
Victoria was looking over different summer dresses, searching for something that was her style, when she saw Axel answering his phone. She was pretty sure he was talking with Lorenzo because he was telling their whereabouts while Joey was standing next to him, looking left and right, and not losing Victoria from his sight.
"Yes, boss," she heard Axel's reply and the call ended. Victoria glanced at them and something in Axel's eyes said that whatever it was, it wasn't good. She watched as he whispered into Joey's ear and then walked closer to her.
"I'm sorry, Mrs DeLuca, but we have to bring you home. Right now," Axel's voice was serious as he talked to her. She gave up on asking them to call her Victoria after asking for it twenty or more times and then still calling her Mrs DeLuca.
"What's going on?" Victoria asked, hanging the dress she found back on the rack. Axel didn't answer. She sighed and said goodbye to Harper and Gabriella, telling them she needed to go home and she would call them later. Then she let her two bodyguards lead her out of the store and the shopping mall.
"Am I allowed to know what's going on?" Victoria asked again, but this time it was Joey who received the question when she and he sat in her car, her hands on the wheel and eyes on the road, Axel tailing them in another car.
"Some problems with the rebels, ma'am. The boss wants you safe at home."
"Understood. Thanks, Joey," Victoria nodded, continuing to drive home. Joey kept looking around, making sure Axel was the only one following them. She didn't panic, knowing well it wouldn't help the situation. Besides, she didn't have a reason to start panicking yet. It wasn't like rebels were following them home or waiting for them there, right?
