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

20:

The floor jolts- a sudden, almost shivering sensation that causes my heart to leap into my throat and a gasp to escape my lips. I seek stability on the bike, watching as Dylan stirs slightly before dozing back off.

"Wha—?"

But before I have time to question Leone, the floor descends like a penny dropping. My stomach roles as nausea overcomes me, the sickening feeling of falling sends my heart accelerating in fear of my life as the walls seem to get taller and taller. A dizzying wave crashes over me, my legs give out and I land on my arse as this fiendish elevator continues to drop. An eternity of falling.

The falling slows, until it comes to a stop, the pressure on my organs seise meanwhile my brain tries to rake any explanations possible. The surreality of what just occurred has me stumped. I remain sitting unable to trust my knees as Leone readjusts a sleeping Dylan in his arms, pecks her forehead before turning to me.

"You coming?"

"Y-yeah," I clear my throat. "Just had me a bit surprised there. What the fu... hell is this place?"

"A secret. If you get up I'll explain."

For some reason that's the only reason I need to get me standing. My wobbly legs have me shaky for a split second before they right themselves in a stance.

He wanders over to the door and gives me a short glance over his shoulder, before opening said door only for it to lead down a white corridor instead of a boring field. I gulp.

"I'm not an idiot," he begins.

"I'm not too sure about that," I mutter, before being shut up by an icy glare.

"I am a gang leader, and what I do is protect what is mine: members, money, drugs- you name it.

"The Russians already attacked once. They know our location and will attack it again, since they know we're there. So I had a plan."

As we reach a cross section along the hallway a woman passes by and smiles with spiked grey hair, piercing brown eyes and full, red lips. I recognise her. Someone from the gang, just a fleeting face however so significant.

"I've been building this for months. Once I even heard there was another gang in the area, I preferred to be safe than sorry. Slowly I've been moving people into this underground base I like to call HQ."

We turn another corner, just a washed out version of the one back at the mansion: a door at the end of the long corridor. The De Luca brother's quarters. We drag our feet with exhaustion, Dylan nestled comfortably in the crook of his shoulder and neck, light snoring resonating around the eerily quiet halls.

He pushes in a pin on the pin pad located next to the double doors, the beeps seeming to be alien in the silent site; the door clicks open, releasing a gust of warm air.

I didnt realise how cold I was until I step into the heated room. The burning sensation seems worryingly comforting as feeling regains itself in my fingers and toes, a rush of tingles spread through my limbs and I huddle into myself as I let my body adjust.

"This is the new base. Nobody knows the location apart from the most trusted members of the gang. The rest of the gang has returned to their homes, or have moved to neighbouring cities for safety purposes. You're lucky that you were babysitting Dylan or you would've been left by yourself."

That stings. After everything I've done for this shitty gang and they still can't fucking trust me.

I didn't realise I said it aloud until Leone freezes and turns on his heel. "We'll have this conversation once I put Dylan to bed."

He leaves, exiting through her identical bedroom door. A cold feeling settles deep in the pit of my stomach, a heavy weight of iron dread causes me to sit down on the settee as icy arms wrap around my waste, tightening it's grip almost menacingly.

The door clicks shut. I don't even look at him, he makes his presence known in any room by the sheer power that radiates off of him in dark waves. I tense. He seems to be thinking, the calculative nature of the De Luca brothers kicks in and can practically hear the cogs turning.

"I thought I explained it clearly."

"What?"

He sighs and runs a hand down his face, "What the fuck are you doing?"

I blink in surprise and look at him with a confused expression.

"Don't look at me like that, just don't look at me actually. This little game you're playing, I want you to stop it."

"What game?"

"Don't act oblivious," he mutters, pushing away from the bedroom door. "Don't act so innocent. You're anything but innocent. You're always snarky, mischievous, always with a motive. What is your motive now, huh? What do you want from me Isabelle?"

"Nothing," I whisper. "Absolutely nothing."

"Then why stick around? You've done enough for the gang, so why not just leave?"

I bite my lip and look away. I chose to stay. Every time, I stay. However, the actual reasoning behind that is blurry. Why do I always want to remain? Especially when all it'll do is get me hurt.

"What's your answer?"

I take a deep breath and whisper, "It's the only place I feel I truly belong."

He blinks in surprise and opens his mouth to reply before shutting it abruptly and shaking
his head. "So if you feel like you belong... why not join?" His voice is soft, tender, thoughtful. Not cruel and cold, but actually caring.

I can feel the tears prick in my eyes. I haven't had someone be so endearing for years, ever since my dad died and my mum left- all I had was Aunt Celine but even she wasn't in touch with her motherly side.

"I guess," I swallow the lump forming in my throat. "I guess I'm terrified that once I commit to this, that I won't be free. I won't be 'me' ya know? Angel, the infamous anti-gang dealer who isn't afraid of anyone, even the powerful Leone."

"However if this is what you want, then I'm sure we can come to an arrangement," he sighs and comes to sit next to me on the settee, his knee brushing mine and shooting tingles up my spine. "You'll still be you, I'll just find a more permanent role for you in the gang."

"But what will everyone think?" I ask, exasperated. "You genuinely imprisoned me, Leone. You then used my capabilities to help you, making sure to keep a close eye on me. Now you're letting me come here with open arms?"

"Yes, since I'm the gang leader."

I turn to look at him and didn't anticipate how close we were. My face is so close to his, I can feel the faint breath brush against my skin sending small shockwaves south and my heart to accelerate, pounding against my ribs.

He glances to my lips, the quick and sudden look sends my stomach doing somersaults and I struggle to remain still in my seat. We make eye contact again, his eyes reflecting the same feeling as mine:

Need.

Not want, but pure and utter need. A lust of pure desire and- and him. Its always been him. The reason I stayed, the reason I felt like I belong, the reason I wanted to prove my worth and risked my life.

As if some sort of understanding clicks between us, he smashes his lips against mine. The spark ignites as he sets my entire body on fire with want. His large hands press into the small of my back, urging me to be flush with his hard, muscled torso.

I eagerly comply, my legs sat saddled on either sides of his thighs, lips not leaving his as they mould perfectly, seamlessly together in unison. My heart explodes, fingers running through his hair before lightly tugging at the ends. He grunts. The sound low and throaty, causing me to throb with need.

We break away with a gasp of air, his tousled hair causing the look in his eye to almost smoulder. I press down onto him and feel the very prominent, very hard bulge between him and my shorts.

I whimper.