Get The Girl [h.s] AU

45

COVER PHOTO BY ME <3

H.

"...The best thing to do for her now is lie. It's the only way she'll be safe from whatever Alfio has under his sleeve." I say, looking at the group of men and Giza sitting before me. I notice Zayn in the back, looking down with a frown on his face, arms crossed. "Got it?" I direct towards him more than anyone else. My hand clutches the back of the cushioned chair.

At this, Zayn looks up towards me the frown never leaving. "Well I just don't know if I'd be able to lie as good as you." He mocks me, heads turn in his direction.

"Try." I snap, if I were to get into it we would never be out of here.

"I thought you and you alone were in charge of her?" Zayn pushes, trying to get a rise out of me.

"For fucks sake." I hear Louis mutter under his breath. "It's too fucking early for this shit."

"I don't tolerate hypocrisy, it's all."

"What's this really about?" I say. "Valentina rejecting you or have I just been completely tone deaf and never really noticed how annoying you actually are?"

"You can get her and everyone else in here to lie for you, but don't count me in it." Zayn spits, standing up from the chair. "As far as I know, it was you who killed Rick. Who knows? Maybe you might share his fate." Everyone eyes him as he leaves, the room falls silent for a moment before Giza scoffs.

"He's so far up her ass."

"Stay out of it." Giza rolls her eyes. "No one says a word, stick to the goddamned plan." I walk out and set on the mission to make sure Valentina hasn't self destructed by this point. Much like myself, she just couldn't catch a damn break. I open her door to see the room was dark, however I notice her curled up to the spare pillow, softly hugging herself. Seeing her this way almost made me feel bad for her.

I shake her awake, she groans and falls back asleep. When I shake her again, her eyes open slightly and groans some more when she sees me. "Leave me alone." Her voice is muffled by the sound of her pulling the blanket over her head.

"Get up, Alfio is going to be here anytime now and I need to know you aren't going to break." I say, ripping the blanket away from her. She moans in annoyance and lays flat on her back, as I pull the curtains open she throws her arm over her eyes to shield them.

"How do we even know he's coming for that?" Valentina says, sitting up. Her hair was a mess on her head and the oversized grey hoodie she wore hanged off her shoulder. She rubs her eyes.

"We don't, that's why we need to make sure you don't crack in case he does. Whatever happens you need to remain neutral, don't hesitate, don't stutter and don't look away but don't gawk either. He's a human detector of bullshit, that's why Vincent hired him in the first place."

"You people have a lot of problems."

"And thanks to you, the list never ends." I remark and head for the door. "Get dressed, I'll be waiting."

—

V.

When I leave my room, Harry is waiting outside the door for me. I was starting to understand why everybody called him a guard dog. I wasn't sure where it was we were going to, but as we walked downstairs it was clear on what was about to happen. "Is he here already?" I ask Harry who opens the door to the backyard.

"Just do as I say." He was being very tight lipped about this and I didn't know why. From a distance I can see Vincent and Alfio standing side by side, looking over the hill. I could see smoke flee Alfio signifying he was smoking. They seemed to be in conversation from what I could tell, a calm one. "If it comes up, you say you don't know a thing. Got it?"

I nod. "Got it." I would be lying if I said I wasn't nervous, I know all too well what happens when someone in the Mafia kills another. It doesn't go without punishment. Just as I was talking myself into a calm state, Vincent and Alfio both turn in our direction before signaling for us to join them. The look on Vincent's face was one of sorrow unlike Alfio, he squinted either from suspicion or the bright sun, sucking on the end of his cigar. His stare remains on me.

"Happy late birthday, Ms. Valentina." Alfio says, the smoke leaving his mouth. "I do apologize, I didn't come bearing gifts."

"Don't worry about it." I say, a tight lipped smile on my mouth. I hated the way this man made my skin crawl.

"I'm not sure if you've heard," Here it comes. "But a week ago, my nephew was shot dead in the parking lot of my nightclub. This was of course, after you left." Vincent's head turns to Harry almost instantly.

"What?" There was a hint of anger in Vincent's voice.

"We don't know anything." I shake my head and I could feel Harry let out an annoyed sigh beside me.

"What do you mean we?" Vincent says after I speak. "Did you take her out of the house?"

"Vincent, please." Alfio says, putting a hand up. "We were simply settling a small insignificant problem my nephew had with him." Alfio's eyes remain on me as he says this. He doesn't suspect me, does he?

"I did not instruct you to take her with you on these kinds of matters, Styles. Whatever your problems are you don't mix them in with my daughter."

"With all due respect, Vincent, Valentina is extremely hard headed. She tagged along with Zayn, the blame is not mine to take." Great, another reason for Zayn to hate me.

"Now that that's settled," Alfio says after watching the small altercation. "I want to know who the fuck pulled the trigger." He looks from me to Harry and back to me. "Any of you care to tell me?"

There was a small moment of silence before Vincent speaks. "Are you insinuating either of them was responsible?"

"I am willing to take any leads."

"I can assure you Styles is one of my best. I don't need to speak on behalf of my daughter, if she says they know nothing about it then they know nothing about it."

"They better not," Alfio retorts, looking back at us. "I don't take betrayal well. As for you." He walks towards Harry and points the lit end of his cigar towards his face, Harry doesn't flinch and keeps eye contact with Alfio. "I would like to have a few words."

"You want to talk, I suggest you back the fuck up." Harry grits, Alfio grins and blows his smoke in Harry's face.

"Walk with me." Alfio walks away and before Harry could too, Vincent speaks.

"Come find me after." Harry nods and walks away, leaving me behind with Vincent. I plan on walking away too but Vincent talks once again. "What were you doing that night when this happened?"

"Why?" I furrow my eyebrows.

"Leaving without authority that way is dangerous, Valentina. I don't want to underestimate you, but I know you know better than leaving so recklessly."

I scoff at his words. "You don't know me."

"You are my daughter—"

"And where were you?" I snap. "Where were you my first birthday? My second? Third? You know what I think of when I hear the word dad? I think of him, he was there all these years. Not you. You don't get to call me that."

Without another word, I walk away.