― In which Santino D'Antonio falls in love with a girl and it changes his life.
Power and money is all that's ever mattered to the leader of the Camorra, Italy's biggest mob. But an alliance with the British crime syndicate will make his path cross...
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PIPPA IS in denial about two major things. 1) Santino D'Antonio. 2) Her life; which she's always been in denial about, but it's gotten worse as she discovers her newfound feelings for a very dangerous man. A man that she doesn't want to fall for but can't help herself. He isn't a good man. But neither is her grandfather, mother, uncle, whole family— and she has a feeling her father wasn't either. Pippa knows she's in a different position than most girls would be, because the mafia is her reality. The killing doesn't seem to matter to anyone, never seems to affect relationships from what she's seen.
But that doesn't mean she's suddenly going to be okay with falling for a man who takes no prisoners, with quite the reputation. A man that sees killing someone as the easiest course of action. Though, she's starting to find out her grandfather operates on that too- and about every High Table/gang leader out there. Fuck it makes her want to die.
The thought of love is appealing, it seems fun and light. At first she could joke about liking Santino drunk on a couch, but now it makes her feel like she's drowning because it could cause many issues —
She doesn't want to upset Jack, her mother or anyone else. She cares too much about what her loved ones think, even though Nana seems to like him. And George probably wouldn't complain and just bring up the alliance. Deep down she knows she should push those feelings aside and let whatever happens happen, but she's too much of a people pleaser.
Because the moment she truly admits it to herself, there's no going back.
Pippa is standing in front of an open window in her room at the Continental. It's night out and a cool breeze blows past her and through the white curtains. She hugs her sweater closer to her body but she doesn't want to move yet. In a way it's like she's punishing herself by letting her shiver, feel the chill up her spine and her skin go pale. Looking out over the city; at all the lights, cars, and hearing the noise- it makes her feel small. Makes her feel insignificant as her chest feels heavy like it would be crushed at any moment. 'Is this what love feels like?' she wonders, because it hurts. All the thoughts of Santino and what he's doing, and if he's okay. And then thinking about if he's thinking of her. It seems obsessive and wrong, but she can't make it go away. Tears fall down her cheeks as she tries to choke back her new found sobs, once more she finds herself crying over him.
Pippa wants to deny her feelings for him and pretend he doesn't exist. But each time she tried go on her own way or distract herself, it didn't work. Nothing is working. She yearns to be by his side again and be in the safety that is him.
It's too much for her to stand there any longer. Staring out into what feels like the void as the dark night stares back at her with no stars twinkling. She decides it's time to go find Nana because what a girl needs most when going through anything with a guy- is a friend. And Nana always knows what's going on.
Her feet drag along the tile as she makes her way to Nana's room in the suite. She can hear the soft noise of Italian television being emitted as she gets closer. It feels like it takes a hundred years to get to the partially cracked door. When she does, she can see her friend sprawled out on her bed, typing away at her phone. Nana looks content, much more so than herself and Pippa almost feels a tinge of regret going to bother her.
