The Thorned Rose

19

I got a flight the next day, and took a taxi from the airport to a car dealership; I wanted my own car. I settled on a jaguar F-pace in the colour Fuji White. I drove it straight to the main shopping part of Rome and parked it on the side of the road. I needed some damn retail therapy, and considering everything I bought that time before I got kidnapped got 'lost' (according to the hotel – bullshit), I needed more stuff. I bought bags, coats, dresses, tops, and literally every item of clothing ever. I bought a stunning new vase for my room, and some beautiful sunflowers to put in it. I also got an air freshener for my car in 'Lime Splish'.

"Hey," said a young-looking man, my guess is about twenty, "my name is Diego." I shook his outstretched hand.

"Hi, Anastasia," I said, as if I was going to use my real name.

"Are you hungry? Do you want to go get some lunch?"

"Yeah I'll probably go in a bit."

"I meant with me," he smiled. Fuck. I've always been awful at seeing other people flirting with me, but how did I miss that one?! I had no idea what to do, I was completely caught off guard.

"Why?" I said. Why did I say why?

He laughed, "I don't know, you attracted my attention from the other side of the shop, and now, speaking to you, you seem nice. I guess... I'm shooting my shot."

"You want to shoot me? What?"

He laughed harder, "it means, like, letting go of my pride, and asking someone I'm interested in to lunch."

"Ah," I nodded, "okay, sounds nice." I was pretty hungry to be honest.

We ate in a cute little pizzeria place in the centre, and chatted. He told me his father was a big investment banker, and he was set to take over the business. When he asked me about what I did, I told him I was a contractor, that was simple enough, because I am a contractor, just by assassinating people, not... fitting their kitchens, although I did have to say it was in construction when he pushed further.

"I've got to go home now," I said after his advances made me feel a little weird.

"Are you sure? We could go shopping some more, have dinner this evening?" he pleaded. Just go away!

"I have a lot of work I need to do, I'll see you around maybe," I turned to leave and he grabbed my hand.

"Can I at least have your number?" he asked. No, I don't give my number to anyone because they could track me down in some way, and I didn't know who this man was.

"No, give me yours and I might call," I replied. He looked somewhat disappointed, but better he has a couple hints now then creating this lunch into some huge thing, and think we would go on more dates, and

hold hands, like no. No. Thank. You. I said bye as I left, got in my car and finally headed back to the Russo's house.

As the guards on the door didn't recognise my new car, I had to pull up to the little box that has a man in who could control the gates and once he saw my face, he opened the gates. I drove down the long driveway and parked on the gravel just outside the house, grabbing my shopping from the boot and heading straight upstairs. I didn't see a single person in the house, or a single maid or butler or anything, which I thought was odd, they must be out or something. I began to unpack all my shit into my wardrobe, and put the vase filled with sunflowers on the mantlepiece of my fireplace. It really suited the room.

Eventually, very late that evening, the boys returned back to the house smelling of alcohol and cigars. The girls were on a Spa holiday and would be back the next day. Fabricio completely ignored me, but Mateo and Romeo gave me a huge hug, one holding each side of me, wrapping their muscular arms around me. Dimitri gave me a smile and put his hands on my shoulders to kiss me on the cheek, and Rico still wasn't awfully happy about me being there, but still gave me a slight smile and outstretched his hand for me to shake it, pulling me into a hug as soon as I grabbed his hand. All Fabricio did was roll his eyes, go over to the alcohol cupboard and bring out another bottle of liquor, all of the boys cheered, and I went back upstairs.

The next day Donna and Loretta came home, and Donna gave me a huge hug, apologising for the manner in which Fabricio spoke to me and treated me, and that although the lunch would've been nice, we would have another soon, and understood that plans change all the time. Loretta also gave me a hug. I swear, this family has given me more hugs in this short time I have known them, than I have been hugged ever before in my damn life!

Fabricio basically ignored me for the whole week, but after the first day, I didn't notice, I had other shit to do and it didn't really concern me, whatever feelings he had towards me, he could deal with them and be professional, or be a child and ignore me, and if he chose the latter, it wasn't up to me to talk to him and break the ice that he set.

After about a week since I arrived back, Dimitri burst into my room and tried to grab me by the wrist, which I dodged and grabbed his wrist instead, holding his hand away from me.

"Sav, you are so late for the meeting! Follow me!" he commanded.

"How am I late for a meeting I was never told about!" I complained, but followed.

"I swear... the damn twins!"

I followed Dimitri to the basement, and then along the corridor, where he flicked open a fake brick to reveal a button, and a door that blended perfectly into the brick wall opened, revealing another lift. We went down another floor and I continued to follow Dimitri down a corridor, and into a big board meeting room. Fabricio sat at the head, with Dimitri on one side and Dino on the other, and the rest of his capos sat next to them. Mateo and Romeo were next to them, and opposite the twins was Loretta and Donna. Taking up the other thirty seats around the table were a sea of faces I had never seen before, and there were more people standing around the table, maybe twenty? When I came in, a woman with bright red hair in a single plait that was pulled round to the front was speaking, something about security or some shit. Dimitri led me to the side of the room where there was a spare chair, indicated for me to sit, before going back to his seat on the right-hand side of Fabricio. Initially, I didn't have a clue why I was there, and it was so ridiculously boring. They were talking about different clubs, restaurants, hotels, various things that needed doing, then they spoke about drugs, smuggling, weapons, selling drugs and weapons, which moved onto Aleksander and his alliance with us. Finally, I was involved. I genuinely could've sat in my room for an hour more before coming down, as nothing until the point my name was said was relevant to me.

"I would like everyone to meet Sav," Fabricio indicated for me to stand up, so I did, but I had no idea why, "this is our new head of cybersecurity. She will be coming up with a way for us to all be safe from any cyberattack by Domenico, so at some point will need all of your phones. She will be working alongside my head of security, and a capo of mine, Lazarro. I would also like you to work with the head of all drug smuggling business especially, I want that to be watertight," Fabricio indicated for a man on the table to stand up, "this is Diego."

Fuck. Off. Diego. Fucking Diego. As in, the Diego I had lunch with a week ago. As in, the Diego who gave me his number to call him. As in the Diego whose number I had and never called. As in the Diego I now had to work alongside, who was probably pissed at me.

"We've met," Diego stated, looking at me, but I couldn't tell what he was thinking by his eyes or his face, he must be very good at poker.