Mafia Connections

Nineteen

"Fuck's sake! Get up!" I moan as I try and kick Gus awake. I'm the only one awake and bored.

He grunts in his sleep and rolls over. "Go back to sleep" Angie mutters "Please"

"I'm bored" I complain.

"Fine! I'm up. Come on, let's get breakfast" Rob says as he gets up off the make shift bed on the floor. We had all stayed over at Rose's last night. Completely on accident as we had only went back to hers to talk. Then we passed out and fell asleep.

I clap my hands as I walk out of the room and pull at my dress. I had fallen asleep in it and didn't have Viktor to give me his shirt.

Rob rubs his face and follows me down the stairs. I hear voices in the kitchen and slow down. "It's just her parents" Rob assures me and I smile.

"Morning! I'm surprised any of you are awake" Her mum chirps. "Anyway. Go have a seat on the couch, I made eggs if that's okay with you guys"

I nod "That's perfect"

We sit down on the couch and I lean against Rob. "I never really got to thank you" he says sleepily.

"What for?" I ask.

"Getting us out of there. Saving Matthew. Any of it" he shrugs.

The feeling I get is strange. I did something right. I haven't done that in a while. "I told you it would work"

He doesn't reply and I look up to see him asleep again. I roll my eyes and sit up. There's a throw at my feet and I drape that over him. "Being a dad seems to be taking its toll on him doesn't it" Rose's dad says smiling.

I laugh "He's different. A good different. More mature"

"What about you? Do you think you've changed?" He sits back in an armchair and I sigh.

"Definitely. Completely. We all have. We've all grown up a lot" I say.

He smiles. "I was in the army for nearly ten years. I've seen some things that will never leave me. And I always remember though. No matter how many deaths you see, enemy or friend, it never leaves you. You can pretend that you don't care but ending a life takes its toll" His eyes drift as he gets lost in his own thoughts "My best friend was shot. I tried to save him but I watched him as he slipped away. Rose told me about Elliott. Everything that happened to him. Everything that happened to you. You were so young"

I gulp "I've seen lots of things that I can't forget. That night... a part of me died that night. I didn't care anymore. I became stupid and reckless. I didn't think about the consequences and... and... people got hurt. I was angry that someone could do that and get away with it. That they could use it against me"

He shrugs "We're all angry at something. It just matters how we deal with it"

"Hey dad! What you guys talking about. Are you telling war stories again?" Rose sighs.

I laugh and turn around to see her. "Morning sleepy head. I didn't think you'd ever wake up"

She laughs "I decided to finally grace the world with my presence"

I shake my head and hear Rob stir beside me. He sits up and sniffs the air "Did you try to cook again?" He asks me.

"Mum! The toast is on fire!" Rose yells from the kitchen.

I glare at Rob "Why would you think it would be my fault?"

He raises an eyebrow "Do you not remember when you tried to make dinner. You set fire to the entire kitchen"

I frown "I meant to do that"

He nods "Sure thing"

****

"I haven't skated in years" I sigh "I'm going to die. The things I've been through and I'm going to be killed by solidified water"

Chris groans "It's an ice rink. You'll be fine"

I grin and lift up my booted foot. The blade glints on the bottom of the skate "Can you imagine how much damage this would do?"

He sighs "Can we not talk about killing people?"

"Fine" I breathe out, only slightly offended. I think he's embarrassed by me and the things I've done. He doesn't talk much about what went on over the past two years, maybe it's just his way of coping.

I step out onto the ice carefully and grip onto the edge with my gloved fingers. Chris takes my arm and I hold onto him instead as we start to skate. I get my bearings and go off ahead of him. "See!" He shouts after me.

I laugh and slow down so I can skate next to him. People skate past us and I laugh. "This is fun"

"I know. And you didn't want to come" he laughs.

Someone grabs my arm and I'm whisked away. My abductor stops at the side and I spin. "What the fuck do you think you're doing!"

The red-haired man grins at me "Have you forgotten me already? It hasn't been that long"

"Artie!" I squeal. "What are you doing here?"

"I'm third wheeling Oliver and his fiancée" he rolls his eyes "What about you?"

I shrug "Chris dragged me out. Where's Viktor. I haven't heard from him since the day we got home"

He sighs "He's out of the country. Requested that no one bothers him until he gets back. He hasn't interacted with anyone in two weeks" I frown "What?" He asks.

"I've been getting gifts. Bracelets, dresses etc. They're addressed to Princesa so I guessed they were from him" I say. Artie scowls "You don't think it was the guy who wanted to buy me?"

He shakes his head "He was killed the day before you got back. It can't be him" he sighs and pulls out his phone "Boss" I can hear a faint voice on the other end of the phone. "Bella's had gifts sent to her house. We don't have a clue who they're from" he pauses to listen to his response "Yes she's here"

He hands me the phone and I hold it to my ear. "Hey"

"Hey Princesa. Sorry I haven't been able to talk to you. I've had a lot on my plate" He sounds tired.

"It's fine. It's been a stressful few weeks for me too"

"Leave the gifts okay. Don't accept any of them. If anything threatening arrives send it to one of my men. Okay?"

"Okay. Will do. Bye"

He ends the call and I hand Artie his phone back. He smiles at me "Bye Bella" he says and skates away.

Now I realise. I don't have a clue how to find any of them.