Selena

18 | Business

SELENA MONTGOMERY

I didn't have nightmares that night or for the rest of that week. Each night I would sleep comfortably in Adam's arms using him like a heated blanket. The wall of pillows undoubtedly forgotten. Each morning, he would press a kiss onto my forehead before leaving for work. 

I still hadn't been given a role in the Mafia yet and I was fine with that. 

I don't know exactly how long I've been here, but I could care less. Hearing nothing and having no contact from the FBI made me honestly forget they were ever controlling my life. Sometimes I missed the parental figures Caden and Jasmine had played in my life.

Right now, I'm reading one of Adam's books in his office in the mansion. 

I can't stand the disarray of his study. There was always something out of place there, but here everything had a place. 

It is in Italian, which I have picked up on a bit the past weeks. I had always been good in school and learned fast. Enzo has even been helping me with my pronunciation since reading is a whole different game from speaking.  

It's a good distraction.

Don't think this means I'm not in a crappy mood, because I always am. I feel vulnerable in this new part of my life. 

My head turns automatically when the door creaks open, making me lose my spot on the page. Adam and Rossi walk in with a few other unfamiliar men. Adam didn't bother to introduce me or acknowledge my presence on the couch. I was immediately grateful for this when I heard their American accents of the men accompanying them. 

I hadn't told Adam about my year with Clay and don't plan on telling him anytime soon. 

The Italian mafia compound where I have been staying is in an unknown location on the countryside. 

From what Enzo had told me, it is completely secured and no one outside of the highest ranks knows the exact location. 

Antonio controlled anything with a signal within the compounds borders and people coming or going would do so in cars with blacked out windows. 

All of it was controlled by the mafia. 

This was honestly good too because it meant my past couldn't catch up to me here. 

"We will meet here." Adam states to one of the men's offers to host in America. I listen in to their conversation, pretending to read the book. "Your boss will come here for three days to present his proposal, if I don't like it your trip and little Americano gang is cut short, sí?" The men wince at his harsh tone and agree immediately to his offer. 

They know it is the only one they will get. 

ADELRAM ROMANO

As I finish the meeting, I glance at Selena through the corner of my eye. 

It looks as though she is reading, but I don't doubt for a second that she is listening in.

We have been sharing the same bed at night and it's the best sleep I've gotten in years. Her hair is so soft and her skin feels like silk when it brushes against mine. 

There has been no whimpers or screams or any signs of the nightmares. I feel this strange sense of relief knowing she isn't getting them. 

Every night, I'll wake up in the middle of the night just to look at her.

Perfectly peaceful.

Like an angel.

She's not on guard or looking for a weapon she can use. She's just asleep.

Her strong features become soft. Thick, black lashes fan out against her cheekbones. Her long straight nose sometimes scrunches at the lightest breeze. And her lips.

Soft and pink.

If I wanted to...I could move forward just an inch and kiss her. I just wanted to kiss her again. 

But I can't.

Move the tiniest bit and she's awake again. Her senses are as sharp as mine, maybe even sharper.

As soon as the American men walked in and spoke, I saw her eyes glaze over with coldness. Selena put up those walls again. I guess she never really took them down

"Mostrali," I motion to Rossi. (Show them out.)

Rossi looses all his playfulness around everyone outside of the house, especially foreigners . Closing the door behind him, I turn to face Selena to see she had already put her book down.

"I take it there are more of them coming." She says in a soft voice. 

She still hasn't opened up about her nightmare that made her vomit. Enzo says it was probably from the repulsion of the nightmare. It most certainly wasn't anything she ate.

"Sí." (Yes.) I pick up the book she was reading and examine the title. All of them used to belong to my little sister. 

"Are they those Same American business associates you had a meeting with before?" I wasn't expecting that question. It has been a trip since Selena arrived and the time had passed by so fast, I had forgotten I even mentioned it to her before.

"Yes, we are deciding on whether or not to make an alliance with them." Tossing the book back down into the pile on the sofa. 

She shoots me a confused look with her nose scrunching up, so I elaborate.

"Representatives from one of the fastest growing gangs in the states. They want to play with the big boys and try to make a move at us. Foolish and arrogant. Assuming that they can be possible threat because we underestimate them. Making a move to overthrow us wastes my time and resources. To avoid the hassle, we make a one-sided alliance with them. So they think we actually give a fuck about their existence, sí?"

She nods and finishes my train of thought for me, "You shouldn't even have to bother doing all this, but I'm assuming it's politics. They try to make a power play, but they are obviously outmatched. You're only doing this to toy with them."

Her intelligence puts a smile on my face. I haven't found myself smiling this much since I was a young boy. 

"Esattamente." (Exactly.) 

"I know how it feels. When I was an assassin, people would try to draw me out with targeted hits that were meant for me." She just shrugs it off while I wait for the rest of it. Getting glimpses into her life made it seem like we actually knew each other. 

Her eyes come to life like they are almost glowing from the excitement. "Most assassins would go through an agency, but not me. I would receive assignments and payments through channels I controlled. Sort out everything else myself such as background checks on clients and targets. It made me a threat in that industry. The more pretentious agencies would always make a move to get me out. I got caught up in a couple bombs they had planted at sites because of that." 

Even though she laughs at it like it's nothing, my head swarms with worry. 

I cam only imagine all the things she had to go through alone to get to where she's at now. Meanwhile, I had an entire family built on loyalty and blood standing behind me. 

"What was your nightmare about?" The question leaves my mouth before I realize it. My desire to know more about her past outweighs any sensitivity. 

I catch her off guard, but still almost immediately the light in her eyes vanishes.

Replaced with ice.