the mafioso and the beauty

Chapter 2

"Y/N! You have to come here fast", Lisa, one of your best customers, screamed into the phone.

You were on your way to open your café in the morning when she called you.

"What's wrong?", you asked panick clear in your voice.

"It's on fire", she said seeming to be out of breath, "your café is burning."

Your heart beat stopped and for a second you thought you were going to collapse on the sidewalk. This wasn't actually happening.

"I'm almost there!", you yelled and started to run as if it was a matter of life and death. Somehow it was though.

You ran down the street to your café and couldn't hold back your tears. Despair took over and you just hoped you could save at least a bit of your lifework. Finally your café appeared in front of you, or at least what was left.

Flames were coming out of where the window used to be, glass was shattered on the floor. Dark smoke descended into the sky offering a horrible view.

"Y/N, I tried to extinguish the fire, but it was just too-", you ignored Lisa and stormed inside without hesitating.

The toxic smoke immediately filled your lungs and you coughed trying to cover your mouth and nose with your sleeve. You tried to find your way through the smoke to the fire extinguisher which was in the kitchen.

The fire hasn't spread far yet, but it was so hot in the café that you teared up again. You grabbed the extinguisher and tried your best to put out the fire.

Luckily, it seemed like the fire hasn't reached the rest of the café. The counter was the only part which was completely destroyed by the flames. You managed to choke the flames and you extinguished the rest with a few buckets of water.

Your hands were covered in ashes and you wiped your sweaty forehead. Eventually you were able to put out the fire and you sunk exhausted on the floor.

Your breathing was shaky and you knew you had to get fresh air but you were too weak. You couldn't believe that the mafia went this far. Somehow you knew it was going to happen but it still caught you off guard.

You looked around and tried to estimate the damage. The counter was completely burnt but the rest of the furniture and the electronic appliances seemed to be unaffected.

It would take you ages and a lot of money to rebuild the counter on your own. You became more and more angry and began to cry again.

If the mafia thought you were going to pay a fine to them now, they were very wrong. You won't give those criminals a cent.

You slowly got up and walked into the back of the café to find a broom and shovel. You were cleaning the floor when you heard the door creak open.

You knew exactly who it was. You dropped the broom and turned around furiously.

"So do you have changed your mind?", he asked letting his gaze wander over the ruins of the counter.

He looked as handsome as yesterday, but this time an evil smrik was plastered on his face making him look like the devil himself.

"How dare you show up here?", you asked boiling with anger. He looked at you and lifted one eyebrow.

"I warned you-", he said and before you could stop yourself you slapped him across the cheek. You widened your eyes and stared in shock at your hand.

You never had hit anyone in your life. You've always despised any kind of violence and this was a true nightmare to you. He brought out the worst in you.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to...", you stumbled reaching your hand out to his cheek and immediately pulled it back. You felt how the tears returned, you were an emotional wreck.

"I guess I deserved it", he said chuckling and rubbed his cheek.

"But why would you do this?", you asked, now full on sobbing. You looked at him through watery eyes and you could swear you saw a flicker of remorse and worry. You moved one step closer to him and desperately took his hands in yours.

"Why would you do this?", you repeated and cried into his hands. He was a complete stranger to you and you knew he was the cause of your pain but you couldn't hold back.

"I-", he wanted to say something, but you cut him off. "No, I can't do this right now. Please leave and come back later", you pleaded, "please."

He licked his lips nodding and left without a word. You kept crying and reached behind the ruins of the counter to pull out a bottle of liquor.