ALESSANDRO: Book 3 of The De Luca Brothers Series [COMPLETED]

14:

"He hugged you?" Chloe says in surprise as she bounces Dylan on her knee, the little girl giggling mischievously as she hums some nursery rhyme under her breath.

"Yeah," I reply in a daze, still finding it hard to believe. "He comforted me as well. Has he ever done that for you?"

She snorts, "I'm lucky to get a laugh out of him. We have a mutual understanding that his niece is important to him since she is my daughter- have you seen him with kids? It's adorable."

I picture it in my head and can't help my cheeks flush, "No."

"Well he's going to probably spend more time with Dylan in the future so you can possibly join him with their tea parties."

"Tea parties?" I snort.

Dylan turns to me with a big grin, "Cwackers."

"Huh?" I laugh.

"Mamma get me cwackers with Uncle Awefando," she responds with her chin raised. "He woves cwackers."

"Who's Aw—"

"Dyl Dyl, What did I say about using Leone's name in front of other people?" Chloe says sharply and gives Dylan a motherly look.

Dylan pouts, "Sowwy. Weone likes cwackers."

"Good girl."

"What's his name?" I ask curiously but I instantly regret it as I see Chloe stiffen.

"I can't tell you that Ang, it's not my place."

"Oh, sorry," I reply, sensing the sudden heavy tension in the air. Slowly I get up, "Didn't mean to overstep."

She sighs and shakes her head, "Don't a
apologise, I'm just tired because this one keeps waking me up and stupid o'clock."

"Why?"

"She just wakes up and cries, of course Gufo wouldn't want to get up since he has a job, but I have a job as well," she grumbles. "With all the"- she mouths 'attacks'- "he barely gets any sleep. But he forgets that I don't get any sleep either so he just leans on me for support all the time."

"Have you tried talking to him about it?" I ask sitting down.

She scoffs, "God forbid he actually listens to me. When he's stressed he goes crazy, doesn't listen to reason and has to step-by-step do his plan without interruption. I guess his little dream didn't seem to involve the dangerous part of the gang life."

"Then act out," I advise only the advice is probably not good.

"Sorry?"

"Act out," I shrug nonchalantly. "Refuse to be an obedient housewife and show him that your relationship is meant for the two of you, not just one."

"I have a kid—"

"Who I'll look after when you go out and show him who's boss," I interrupt. "Plus she's got two uncles who would love to spend time with her."

"Weone and Towo," Dylan butts in. "Cool uncles."

"They're cool?" Questions Chloe.

"Cool, cool. Like with cars and stuff," she tries to whistle and flips her hair over her shoulder.

"Who told you this?"

"Weone," she pouts. "Only he does it cooler than me."

"No sweetheart you do it just fine," Chloe comforts. "You're really cool."

"Pwomise?"

"Promise."

"Okay," I clap my hands gaining their attention. "Im going to go visit some of my friends. Tell me when you want to become a kick ass woman and I'll look after Dylan."

"Kick ass," Dylan repeats and Chloe groans.

"Whoops," I wink before scurrying out of the room, shutting the door lightly behind me before heading to the directions of the new 'members'. I bite my lip nervously as sudden anxiety tightens my heart at the thought of seeing them again. I lied to them for my personal gain, backstabbed them into thinking I was leaving only to use their trust against them. I inhale slowly through my nose counting to four, before exhaling with the count of ten. I do it three more times before feeling my heartbeat calm, rotating my neck side to side feeling the satisfying pops.

"So you're the one everyone's been talking about," comes a sly comment behind me. I turn to see a short read head, unlike Morgan her hair is pin straight, a scowl is etched on her porcelain skin as her cold eyes glare daggers at me.

"I don't know," I shrug. "I haven't been listening."

She scoffs and rolls her eyes, "I'm Ashley and you're Angel, the backstabber who betrayed her own people."

My brows raise, "So I am the one who's been spoken about."

"How does it feel like, previously our enemy and now on of us."

"I'm not one of you guys, I'm currently employed to help you and your situation."

"And getting cozy with the boss," she huffs. "Probably bouncing on his dick for a bit of extra cash, hm?"

"Nah not yet," I wink. "I've been told I've got a very talented mouth though and that I put it into good use."

A look of disgust crosses her features with a flicker of jealousy in the depths, "I don't want to hear about that."

I shrug, "Well you're the one assuming I'm doing the dirty with the boss. Just wanted to clear up any rumours."

She stares at me in disbelief, "I have no idea what he sees in you. You're so fucking weird, like you have blue hair. Blue."

"It's a nice colour," I shrug. "Compliments my eyes."

"It's strange."

"No, it's not," I huff. "You're the strange one for judging me. I don't need this negativity and bitchiness in my life."

"Just watch out," she grumbles. "You might be getting closer with Corvo but I see through this act. Just 'cause you've fooled everyone else doesn't mean you've fooled me; I'll be keeping an eye on you."

"Will you now?" I laugh.

She doesn't respond, just narrows her icy gaze before storming past me. I sigh in aggravation as I pinch the bridge of my nose in annoyance, seemingly finding drama around every single corner.

"So you suck me off?" Comes a familiar voice from behind me. I whip around once again, surprised I'm not suffering from whiplash.

"L-Leone," I stutter before faking composure. "Yeah, I guess I do."

His leans against the wall and glares at me which takes me by surprise, "Don't spread lies to my gang members. Like you said, you're not one of us and you're just employed. I could get rid of you with the snap of my fingers."

I blink in surprise, "What's got your panties in a twist?"

He glowers and takes a threatening step forwards, his musky cologne tantalising my senses and weakening my defences, "Im the boss. Learn some fucking respect." With that he storms off, leaving me in shock and a pit forming in my stomach.

What leaves me scared though is the sudden overwhelming feeling of sadness that washes over me like a tidal wave. Like that Tick Tock: oh no, I think I'm catching feelings.