Chasing Stars - A Midnight Mafia Novel

Chapter Thirty-Two

True to word my Lexus was already parked in the driveway along with five other cars not including Stacey's. I recognized Simone and Silvano's car, along with Alessio's, but not the other three.

I felt like a little kid getting caught out of curfew as I came into the house. I followed the voices into the kitchen. A very pale looking Simone sat at the island with his head down, Silvano was no where to be seen. There was a man I didn't recognize pacing back and forth on the phone and I could hear voices of others talking heatedly in Italian from another room. Pietro was cooking of all the actions frying with perfect expertise.

Most importantly of all though was Alessio. He sat on the island beside Simone. A half empty bottle of whiskey was in front of him. He sat with his hands together, fingers laced together and with his elbows resting on the island he kept his clasped hands in front of his mouth.

His eyes found me the moment I entered the room but he didn't move.

Simone jumped to his feet and looked to the heavens as he began ranting in Italian. Pietro glanced over his shoulder to me and then to Stacey who had followed after me. The man on the phone hung up quickly.

All eyes were on me.

"Ciao pasticcino" Pietro finally spoke after the longest two minutes of silence in my life.
(Hello cupcake)

I gave him a weak smile. "Hey." I returned his greeting and then turned to Alessio.

"So, uh, she's fine." Stacey said obviously surprised by the scene and even more so when four other suited men entered the room.

With no other idea what to do I gave them a polite nod. It was not returned.

Pietro calmly pulled the frying pan full of diced steak and began adding the steak along with cheese and lettuce to buns.

"Ci lascia" Alessio said and flicked his fingers out.

(leave us)

The men left quickly, no one faster than Simone. Pietro set a steak sandwich in front of Alessio and one on the other end of the island for me. He kissed my forehead lightly. "It's good to have you back, be easy on him." He whispered and then pulled a very confused Stacey from the room as well.

Again eith this? Be easy on him? Shouldn't he have been telling Alessio to be easy on me? The thought frustrated me. I was an adult. This was absolute bullshit. All of this was bullshit.

I didn't realize I was completely starving until this moment but I felt like eating the sandwich would be showing weakness so I ignored the concoction and kept my attention on Alessio.

I decided I was through with Alessio's games. I was through with all of this. "I was with Matteo." I said bravely.

Alessio's ice cold composure flickered away for a brief moment. His brows knit together. Finally he separated his hands, slapped his palms loudly to the counter and stood up. "What?"

This time it was my composure that flickered. "I-I was w-with-"

"I fucking heard that." He snapped in a low voice.

I wanted to yell at him, taunt him, why would he ask a question he already knew the answer to? I forced my immature tendencies aside and took a deep breath. "Yes Alessio. I went to see Matteo."

He narrowed his eyes and I glanced down to his waist that always cradled his pistol. When I looked back to him his expression was completely different.

He didn't look furious or threatening. He looked almost, offended? Hurt, stricken even. "Honestly Katherine?" He said in a voice full of disbelieve. He pulled his gun from the hoister and slammed it down on the counter. "Honestly? You're still afraid of me? After everything? You fucking disappear all night, go to his house, you've no idea what you've put me through tonight. And after all of that, after you betray me, betray this whole family, you look at me like I'm the villain?"